Have you noticed that your hair has been becoming drier and duller as of late? If this is the case, you may want to look into the procedure of chelating your hair in order to enhance the condition of your hair. Continue reading if you’ve never heard of chelating hair or aren’t sure what the whole process entails!
What Is Chelating?
Chelating is the process of chemically bonding a metal in its ionic state with a particular substance in its organic state. So basically, chelating means that you’re removing minerals from your hair and cleansing it. Chelating is also known as chelation therapy, which is an alternative medicine treatment that uses this specific process to remove minerals, metals, and toxins in order to prevent health problems. The most common application of chelation therapy is the removal of heavy metals such as lead or mercury from the body in order to prevent them from harming your health.
What Does Chelating Hair Mean?
Chelating is a method of removing minerals, metals, and other substances that have been linked to hair problems. These substances include heavy metals such as mercury, lead, zinc and aluminum. The primary absorption of these metals into your hair occurs through your skin; by removing the substance that binds them in order to prevent them from falling back into your bloodstream and manifesting themselves in the form of a health problem. The minerals and hair product residue are simply removed from your hair when you chelate it. So, basically chelating hair means removing toxins, minerals, and other residue from your hair.
Why Do You Need To Chelate Your Hair?
So, why would you want to remove these minerals from your hair? Chemical bonds between your body and the minerals and metals that are in your hair have been linked to a variety of health problems. Some of the more common ones include:
- Leading to premature graying which appears much earlier than it should
- Causing hair loss
- Uneven color development in various shades of red, brown, black, and blonde
These are just some of the reasons why chelating your hair makes sense. It is capable of removing all types of minerals such as zinc and lead as well as removing traces of mercury that have been linked to various health problems such as ADHD.
How Often Should I Chelate My Hair?
One of the most common questions that people ask when they hear that they should be chelating their hair is “How often”? You certainly don’t have to chelate your hair every day or on a daily basis. Most people chelate their hair once or twice a month and it’s something that you can easily do at home.
How Do I Know If I Need A Chelating Shampoo?
There are a few different reasons why you may want to consider chelating your hair. Some common indications include:
- Continual dryness.
- Scalp itchiness
- Hair in a state of disarray.
- Frizzed-up locks
- Breakage or excessive shedding.
- Hair that is dry and brittle
- Hair that hardly grows anymore
- Hair that sheds excessively or not at all
These are just a few of the symptoms that may indicate the need for chelating your hair. There are a wide variety of things that can affect your hair from a chemical standpoint, as well as from an environmental standpoint.
How To Chelate Your Hair – Step By Step Guide
1. Wash Your Hair
The first step in the process of chelating your hair is to purchase a shampoo that’s designed for chelating purposes. There are several different brands out there that have this specific shampoo, so you’ll have a variety of options to choose from. Once you’ve purchased your shampoo and it’s time to wash your hair with it, make sure that you follow the instructions on the bottle.
2. Rinse Your Hair
It’s important to make sure that you rinse your hair thoroughly using cool water so that all of the shampoo is washed out, and so that it doesn’t remain in your hair for an extended period of time.
3. Comb Your Hair
After you’ve rinsed all of the shampoo out, you’ll want to comb your hair in order to remove any tangles or knots and to spread out the conditioner evenly throughout your hair.
4. Wait
After you’ve rinsed your hair, towel dry it and wait for a few hours before you apply the conditioner to it. It is important to allow the shampoo time to absorb into your scalp so that the conditioner can be used effectively.
5. Use Your Conditioner
When you’re ready, apply the conditioner to your clean hair and leave it in while you do something else or go to bed. The longer that you leave it in, the better! You should comb your hair again once it’s been left in for at least a half an hour and make sure that is completely rinsed out so that there isn’t any residue left behind on your hair when you’re done.
What Is The Best Chelating Shampoo To Use?
The shampoo that is used to chelate hair should be able to remove minerals, metals, and other substances from your hair. There are a number of different options out there that you can use and the one that you choose should depend on how often you plan on chelating your hair. If you plan on chelating it once or twice a month, then something like Cortex, Advanced Hair Cleanser Normal to Dry Scalp Conditioner, or Alba Botanica Hydrating shampoo/Conditioner could work for you.
How Long Does It Take Hair To Chelate?
The time it takes for your hair to be chelated is going to vary from person to person and that’s because the amount of hair varies from one individual to the next. However, if you’re looking at two weeks or less, it’s definitely doable! The longer you let your hair stay chelated, the more damage that you’ll be doing in terms of healing and regrowth.
What Happens If I Don’t Chelate My Hair?
Chelating your hair isn’t a one-time deal. It’s something that has to be done on a semi-regular basis in order to help your hair stay in good shape. If you don’t chelate your hair, there are a number of things that can happen including hair thinning, hair loss, and an increased tendency for your hair to break. It’s also possible for minerals and other substances to accumulate and cause a variety of health problems including depression and stress which can affect the overall quality of life that you experience on a regular basis.