You need it: What lemon juice does to your hair

For health-conscious people, lemons play a big role. They say lemon tea is good for those who want to keep trim. Hot lemon is also good for sore throats and colds. Now, lemon juice also has health benefits for your hair. It is a natural agent and is not likely to damage your hair like chemicals do. Instead, it fights hair problems. Here is how it is beneficial for your hair:

Adding shine: When you rinse your hair with lemon juice, it achieves a great shine and shimmery look. The lemon juice rinse should be diluted with a cup of water. You could also mix equal amounts of lemon juice with a conditioner of your choice then apply the mixture on your hair. Leave the mixture on the hair for two to three minutes then rinse thoroughly. The result is soft, shiny hair

Hair growth: Women worry most about the length, thickness and strength of their hair. Mix lemon juice with olive oil or coconut oil and use the mixture to massage your scalp. This stimulates hair growth and also remedies hair loss. The vitamin C found in the juice also strengthens the hair. For best results, the scalp massage should be done regularly.

Dandruff: Dandruff is a cause of embarrassment for many women. Mix a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice with three teaspoons of water, one teaspoon of vinegar add a quarter teaspoon of salt then apply this to your scalp. Leave it on for 20 minutes before rinsing with warm water then shampooing. This will rid your hair of dandruff for about four months.

Oily scalp: The citric acid in lemon juice helps to remove the excess build-up of oil on the scalp. Mix lemon juice and vinegar in equal amounts and apply on the scalp to remove clogged follicles that give rise to an oily scalp.

Drink lemon juice: Drinking lemon juice regularly will help clear body toxins thus keeping your hair strong and healthy.

Itchy scalp: There is nothing as irritating as an itchy scalp. Add a few drops of lemon juice to your regular hair shampoo or conditioner and massage into you hair for about ten minutes before rinsing off with cold water. Regular application will soothe your itchy scalp.

Split ends: Lemon juice also prevents split ends. Ensure you trim the split ends before or after the treatment; this is because split ends that already exist can only be treated by chopping them off. Simply mix equal amounts of olive oil and lemon juice and apply the mixture on your hair. Do this at least once a month and the problem will be history.

Hair loss: Lemon juice also prevents thinning hair. Mix lemon juice, vinegar, ground black pepper and powdered cumin seeds and apply to the hair. The juice also thickens the hair since it stops hair from falling while encouraging new hair to grow. To thicken you hair, mix lemon juice from half a lemon, an egg yolk, a teaspoon of honey and a tablespoon of olive oil and apply this to wet hair. Let it stay on for half an hour before rinsing it off.

Highlights: When highlighting the hair, it is good to be cautious with the products we use. Freshly squeezed lemon juice offers a natural way to lighten hair without side effects. Lemon juice has bleaching properties and the citric acid in it, combined with sunlight, will naturally lighten the hair. Mix one cup of fresh lemon juice with a quarter cup of slightly warm water.

Wash your hair clean, pat it dry, and then apply lemon juice onto sections you want highlighted. Use a hair brush to apply the juice. Sit under the sun until the juice dries out completely. You can then rinse it off with warm water.