What Are The Side Effects Of Rice Water On Hair?
You must have seen there are praises of the water everywhere on the Internet. Washing your hair with rice water is super hyped these days and you must be excited to try this technique as well.
It is true that people believe rice water does wonders for your hair because of the beautiful picture painted before them. Undoubtedly, rice water is great for your hair but only if it is used properly following the right directions.
There can be some side effects of rice water on hair as well that you may not be aware of. In this article, we will tell you about the common side effects and will also solve your queries regarding rice water. If you are wondering if rice water is safe for your precious hair then keep reading to find out the answer.
Side Effects Of Rice Water On Hair
1. Overload of Protein
We all know that rice is a rich source of protein. Now you must be wondering how can surplus protein hurt your hair in any way, right? The truth is that it can damage your hair. If you have low porosity hair then your hair repels moisture and the structure of your hair does not allow your scalp to be hydrated.
Therefore, people with low porosity hair need to be extra careful as the proteins attach to the hair instead of getting absorbed. When surplus proteins get attached to the hair, it may prevent the other hair treatments you are taking from penetrating the follicles. This means that your hair treatments will not prove to be effective as the proteins become harder with time.
You will end up having dry and frizzy hair in such cases. Does this mean you should stop using rice water altogether? No, absolutely not! All you have to do is control your usage and bring it down to once or twice a week. If you are opting for rice water shampoos and conditioners then ensure that you do not use them daily as they can be harmful to your hair.
2. Horrors for dry scalp
One of the few side effects of rice water on hair is having a dry scalp. Another problem is that people go overboard with using rice water. Once you start seeing the results, you tend to apply more of it. Some even use it on a daily basis and some do not wash it off at all. If you are doing things like applying rice water and then leaving it for a long time or maybe overnight then it is a big no!
Half an hour is more than enough for the rice water to get absorbed in your follicles and show its benefits. Moreover, if you have a dry scalp then it is due to the overproduction of yeast in your scalp. As rice contains lots of starch, it gets mixed with the yeast and makes your hair situation worse.
People who have dry scalp should be careful with rice water or products that contain rice water as it can make your scalp flaky than it already is. In such a case, you can limit your use of rice water to once or twice a week but do not increase the application. Ensure that you rinse off the rice water properly from your scalp and do not leave it on for too long.
3. Fermented rice water? Good or bad?
Several people use fermented rice water to treat their scalp and condition their hair. While it has additional benefits for your hair, it does contain a pungent smell. If you wish to improve the texture of your hair then leaving rice water on for long period is a super bad idea. Fermented rice water end up making your hair stiff if you leave it for more than 20-30 minutes.
Moreover, the pungent smell can prove to be an issue for some people as it may cause a headache. To prevent the smell, you can use the fermented rice water right away or use it while it is cold. Adding essential oils to rice water is a favourite trick of many people.
You can use any essential oil that you like and add a few drops of the oil to the rice water mixture you have prepared. Just ensure that you are combining these two ingredients in the correct ratio to avail the added benefits of essential oil. Do not add too much essential oil as it may result in preventing other nutrients from getting absorbed in your follicles.
4. Rice water and Arsenic
That’s true, some rice may contain arsenic and it all depends where they were grown. Some fields were sprayed with insecticides that contained arsenic and rice absorbs it.
Before you freak out, just know that only some rice contains it and not all of it. For this, you have to perform extensive research before you buy rice to ensure that it does not have arsenic in it.
Rice grown in India is usually free from such chemicals, for instance, Basmati rice is a great option and you can trust it completely. You know how toxic arsenic can be so be careful in advance and think twice before picking up any product.
5. Not rinsing off the rice water?
As we mentioned above, some people think that rice water is a leave-in conditioner and it is okay to leave it on without rinsing your hair. However, this is not true! Doing this will have no effects initially but it will be problematic in the long run.
After doing so continuously, you will notice that your hair starts breaking easily. Especially if you have low porosity hair then you have to be extra cautious. Since protein molecules will not be able to penetrate your hair, they will coat your hair instead.
The buildup on your scalp will keep on increasing which will eventually result in damaging and breaking your hair. Wash your hair nicely after 20-30 minutes of applying rice water. Strictly do not leave it on overnight as that is not a mistake you want to make.
6. Patience and lots of patience
While you may hear from many people that rice water is amazing for your hair, what they do not tell you is that it takes time to see visible effects. If you are thinking that applying the rice water once or twice a week will condition your hair then it is not true.
You have to be truly patient and swear by this routine if you want to see improvement in the texture of your hair. For those who are impatient, rice water treatment may not be the best for you. After reading this, you may ask that is rice water worth it? Our answer would be yes, rice water is definitely worthwhile if you know how to use it wisely.
Rice water does have several benefits so you can try it out and see if it works for you. Most people have found this treatment to be effective. Although hair type and hair texture vary so you cannot know if it will be beneficial for you until you use it yourself. You can either try homemade rice water or even opt for products that contain rice water.
Final Words
These were some side effects of rice water that you should be aware of. Apart from these side effects, there are several benefits of rice water that may improve the quality of your hair. Do give this treatment a shot but keep in mind the things we have mentioned above to prevent your hair from damaging.
Also Read: The Secret Yao Women Rice Water Hair Growth Chinese Recipe
