Trolley Barbers: Dealing With Men’s Dry Hair

We receive questions all the time at our barbershop in Salt Lake City about dealing with men’s dry hair.  I have observed that there are a lot of men who are afflicted with this problem.  In dealing with men’s dry hair I have observed that there are two categories of dry hair:

(1) There are those who have inherited dry hair from birth.

(2) There are also those men who have done things to their hair which have damaged it and made it appear dry.

Both can benefit from common solutions for dealing with men’s dry hair.

One of the things that I do not recommend for dealing with men’s dry hair is what one of my clients did about a month ago.  He showed up on a Saturday morning with a homemade concoction on his hair which was in a recipe someone gave him.    His hair appeared greasy and it smelled so bad that it caused me to gag a few times.   I couldn’t believe that he was going around in public with this horrible stuff in his hair.

One thing to consider in dealing with men’s dry hair is your environment.  Cold or dry climates are tough on dry hair.  I wear a black barbers vest while I am working in the shop.  A few winters ago I could not stop hair from sticking to my vest and I also noticed that my clients hair appeared to be charged with static electricity.

I had no idea what was causing this until a university science professor who was in the barbershop told me that the extreme cold weather that we had been having that year dries moisture out of the air.   I was never aware how extreme cold can draw moisture out of the air.

In hot climates the heat and sun can cause damage to a man’s hair.  It is obvious that areas with low or no humidity also can affect dryness in a man’s hair.  Experts advise avoiding excess heat whenever it is possible.  It might seem extreme, but avoiding excessively hot water when shampooing is a plus.

Also avoid the hot temperatures when using blow dryers on your hair.  There are protective thermal sprays available to use before using the blow dryer which can help.

Another thing which can damage and dry out men’s hair is using the wrong hair coloring products.  One way I have seen men damage and dry out their hair is by using non-professional hair coloring products.  Men who use grocery store hair coloring products heavy in metallics and chemicals are damaging their hair.

Working out in spas is a very popular activity these days.  If you are having trouble dealing with men’s dry hair check how much you are using the swimming pools, hot-tubs or Jacuzzi’s.  These can be loaded with very strong chemicals which can do a great deal of damage to your hair.

It is always easy to spot those men who are regular swimmers by looking at their hair.  You can tell how strong the chemicals are by getting them in your eyes.  At times it burns a lot…especially those chemicals in hot-tubs or Jacuzzi’s.

Your hair has natural oils in it which keep it from getting excessively dry.   It is important to use the proper shampoo and conditioner which will not completely wash out these natural oils and replenish moisture to the hair. Finding a good moisturizing shampoo should be fairly easy.

Look for a professional product labeled as “moisturizing” or “for dry hair” and use the product each time you shampoo. After the hair is clean, use a good conditioner to further moisturize the hair and scalp.

I have been using Woody’s Shampoo and Daily Conditioner for several months and I am very pleased with how they work for me.  The tingle from the conditioner really stimulates my scalp and makes it feel great.  It is one of my favorite products for dealing with men’s dry hair.  I also have a number of clients who use “leave-in conditioners” which they really finds helps their hair a lot.

I have another client who swears that he is dealing with men’s dry hair by brushing his hair regularly and religiously.  He is careful to use a quality brush with the right bristles and is not too rough with his hair.  He says it stimulates circulation and also stimulates the natural oils which are in his hair.  Judging by the appearance and quantity of his hair, I think it is working well for him.

The type of water you use on your hair can make a difference also.  In Salt Lake City there are several different providers of water.  Some live in areas with water which is less than desirable.   You might want to read an article on this site about how water types can affect your hair.

Finally, there seem to be styling products which are beneficial for dealing with men’s dry hair.  The higher quality products that have beneficial ingredients seem to work best.  I personally use a quality gel to give my hair body and thickness.  Then I use a freezing spray to hold it in place.  With everything else mentioned above, it seems to be working well for my dry hair.