Buzz
Is your hair prone to breakage and dryness? Coloring, bleaching, straightening, and blow-drying your hair will cause damage over time. These actions dry out your hair, leading to breakage and split ends. Once your hair is damaged, the best way to restore it is by allowing it time to regrow healthily and strong. Using intensive treatments will help bring back the shiny, voluminous, and strong hair from within, as well as stimulate the growth of healthy new hair.
Steps
Help your hair recover
Stop using inappropriate hair care methods. Many common methods can strip the natural oils from your hair and damage the hair shaft. If you are ready to restore your damaged hair, you will realize that it’s not an easy task unless you stop all hair care practices and let your hair return to its natural state. If you often rely on these methods to style your hair, you may struggle to let your hair return to its natural state. However, the benefit is that you can have healthy hair in the long term. Here are a few things you should avoid:
- Avoid chemically dyeing your hair, whether by a professional or with a box dye. If you really want to dye your hair, consider using natural dyes like henna or green tea. These ingredients help restore your hair rather than damage it.
- Bleaching your hair is never recommended. Lightening your hair color will severely damage the strands and cause your hair to become dry and brittle.
- Avoid chemically straightening or perming your hair, such as with Brazilian blowout treatments or permanent hair relaxers. These chemicals cause a lot of damage to hair by forcing straight hair to become curly and curly hair to become straight.
Be gentle with your hair when washing or blow-drying. Hair is a delicate material that can easily break, so it’s important to treat it with care, especially when wet. Wet hair is more vulnerable to stretching and breakage. Therefore, it's essential to handle it gently while washing and drying. Treat your hair like you would a silk dress or a finely knitted sweater. Avoid rubbing, wringing, or harshly scrubbing your hair. Just like delicate fabrics, your hair needs to be carefully maintained.
- When washing your hair, remember to massage your scalp gently with your fingertips and distribute the shampoo evenly, rather than scrubbing harshly. Apply the same care with conditioner.
- Let your hair drip and air dry for a while before squeezing out excess water. Then, gently pat it with a towel until it dries naturally.
Wash your hair no more than 1-2 times per week. The scalp produces natural oils, known as sebum, which protect your hair from becoming dry. Washing your hair too often can remove these oils before they have a chance to spread down the length of the hair and provide protection. Washing it a few times a week will help maintain its natural shine and health.
- When you first stop washing your hair daily, your scalp will produce more sebum because it’s used to being washed every 24 hours. After about a week or more, things will balance out, and your scalp won’t look greasy anymore.
- If you’re worried about oily roots on days you don’t wash, dry shampoo is a great solution to freshen up. You can buy dry shampoo or make your own by mixing one tablespoon of cornstarch with half a tablespoon of baking soda. Sprinkle this mixture on your greasy roots and leave it for about 5 minutes. Then, brush your hair to remove the powder.
Let your hair dry naturally instead of using a blow dryer. This might be a challenge for those who are accustomed to blow-drying or using other styling tools to achieve a perfect hairstyle every day. If your goal is to restore and strengthen your hair, consider heat styling tools as an unnecessary setback. Start by letting your hair air-dry and aim for a more natural look, as this will aid in the recovery process.
- Try using styling products or combing your hair before it dries. You can even style your hair the way you want before it dries to make it easier to finish styling afterward.
- If you feel you must use styling tools, set them to low heat and use them for special occasions only.
- It will take time for your hair to fully recover, so initially, it might not look as perfect as you’d like. Of course, you might want to straighten that pesky curly hair or bring life back to your dry, brittle hair. However, it’s better to wait until your hair is truly healthy. With patience, you’ll notice that the texture improves significantly over time.
Only brush your hair when it's dry. Brushing wet hair can lead to damage. Detangle your hair with a wide-tooth comb. Gently start brushing from the tips, working your way up toward the roots, until you can comb through without catching any tangles. Once your hair is completely dry, you can use a boar or pig bristle brush to smooth it out.
- Brushing wet hair with a plastic comb can be very damaging, especially when detangling. It can pull and cause hair breakage.
- If your hair is curly, don’t brush it. Use a wide-tooth comb instead.
Avoid certain hairstyles. Some styles put tension on your hair, leading to dryness and breakage. Hair extensions and wigs, in particular, have a negative impact on hair health. Whether they are attached with glue or sewn in, they can cause significant damage to your hair (and in the worst cases, lead to bald patches). If you plan to restore the health of your hair, it’s best to say no to these styles, as they can be very damaging to your hair.
Hair Care Process
Always use conditioner after washing your hair. Shampoos are typically designed to cleanse the scalp, while conditioners help maintain moisture, leaving your hair soft and shiny. When conditioning, dispense about a coin-sized amount, or a quarter-sized portion, into your palm. Then, apply the conditioner about 3cm from the roots and gently distribute it down the length of your hair. Focus on the ends as they tend to dry out faster than the roots. Once done, rinse your hair thoroughly.
- Avoid using too much conditioner if you want your hair to look light and voluminous. Overusing conditioner can weigh your hair down and make it greasy.
- For shinier, softer hair, rinse with the coldest water you can tolerate. This helps your hair lie flatter and appear more glossy compared to washing with warm water.
Perform deep conditioning treatments at least once every few weeks. These treatments penetrate your hair to lock in moisture throughout the week. Apply about a tablespoon or more of deep conditioning oil to your hair, then gently comb it from roots to tips. Wrap your hair up and secure it with a clip, covering it with a shower cap. Wait at least 1 hour before washing your hair again.
- You can purchase deep conditioning oils at stores, or use household oils like coconut, almond, or olive oil as a natural treatment for your hair.
- Limit this treatment to once a week, as excessive use can have the opposite effect and potentially damage your hair.
Make your own hair mask at home. On days when your hair looks lifeless, frizzy, or damaged, a homemade hair mask can work wonders to restore its texture and shine. Only apply a mask after wetting and washing your hair. Several common household items can work miracles for your damaged hair, such as:
- For dry hair: Use a tablespoon of honey or egg whites.
- For curly hair: Use a mashed banana or blended avocado mixture.
- For dry hair: Use a tablespoon of milk or yogurt.
- For combination hair: Mix any of the ingredients mentioned above.
Use fish oil or hair serum. If your hair appears dry, fish oil or hair serum can help detangle it and protect it from environmental damage. Choose a detangling serum or a moisturizing oil for mixed hair types, and apply a few drops with your fingers, gently combing it through your hair. If you don’t have a special serum, try using one of these oils:
- Argan oil
- Moroccan oil
- Jojoba oil
- Egg oil
Promoting Healthy Hair Growth
Massage your scalp. Scalp massage promotes blood circulation, which helps your hair grow stronger. Make it a habit to massage your scalp daily. Use your fingertips and gently rub your scalp in a circular motion. Additionally, this technique helps reduce stress and alleviates headaches.
- Massaging with essential oils is even more beneficial than you might think. In the shower, try using coconut, almond, jojoba, or olive oil to gently massage your scalp. Rinse thoroughly once you're done.
- Some essential oils are known to boost hair growth. Don't forget to massage your scalp with oils like green tea, egg oil, lavender oil, or snow pine oil.
Opt for natural hair products. The ingredients in many shampoos and conditioners may actually be damaging your hair, rather than making it healthier. Switch to 100% natural shampoos and conditioners that nourish your hair, rather than stripping it of its natural oils with harmful chemicals. Here are some recommendations:
- Choose a sulfate-free shampoo. Sulfates are harsh detergents commonly found in dishwashing liquids and laundry detergents, and they can damage your already fragile hair. Look for natural-based cleansing products instead.
- Use a silicone-free conditioner. While silicones are used to make hair shiny and smooth temporarily, they build up over time and contribute to hair looking dull and lifeless.
Strengthen your hair from the inside out. Your daily habits have a significant impact on the health of your hair. If your diet lacks nutrients or you're not drinking enough water, your hair will clearly show signs of stress. Try to support your hair's strength with the following tips:
- Eat foods that promote healthy hair, such as those rich in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and iron. Salmon, sardines, avocados, nuts, and flaxseeds are great choices to encourage healthy hair growth.
- Hydrate your body by drinking plenty of water. Dehydration will cause your hair to become dry and brittle.
- Avoid smoking. Smoking can make your hair lackluster and dry.
Protect your hair from harmful external factors. Just as environmental factors like sunlight or extreme temperatures can damage your skin, they can also harm your hair. Therefore, protect your hair by wearing hats or scarves when you’re out for long periods.
- Don’t forget to shield your hair from harmful chemicals in pool water. Instead of letting your hair come into direct contact with chlorine, wear a swimming cap.
- Even air pollution can have a negative effect on your hair. If you often walk or bike near traffic, be sure to protect your hair until you reach your destination.
- Try protective hairstyles like braids or buns. These styles tend to cause less friction and shield your hair from external elements.
Trim your hair regularly. Regular trims help eliminate damaged, split ends, making room for fresh, healthy hair to grow. Cutting off split ends will give your hair a rejuvenated appearance, and you will notice significant improvement over time.
Gina Almona
Hair Stylist Specialist
Hair Stylist Specialist
Cover up damaged hair with a fresh hairstyle. While you can’t reverse the damage already done, you can hide it with a new cut while allowing healthy hair to grow in. If you’re not ready to cut everything off, trim your hair every 10 to 12 weeks and alternate between keratin treatments and moisturizing methods.
Tips
- When using conditioner, gently comb it through your hair from roots to tips, and leave it in for 5–10 minutes depending on how soft and smooth you want your hair to feel. Then, rinse most of the conditioner out, leaving a small amount in to maintain moisture.
- Try protective hairstyles if you know you’ll be exposed to harsh external factors.
- Washing your hair with cold water will help it retain its appearance and preserve moisture.
- Let your hair down as much as possible.
- Avoid using a blow dryer to prevent further damage to your hair.
- Fine or curly hair types tend to be more susceptible to damage than others.
