How To Repair Damaged Hair

There is nothing more heartbreaking than losing a lot of hair and seeing your damaged hair become a reality. If you want to repair your damaged hair, you have to take special care of your hair. Hair damage does not only mean split-ends; when your hair is extremely damaged, it starts developing cracks in the cuticle( that is the outside layer of your hair).

What Causes Hair Damage?

Irregular trimming and grooming of hair

Overexposure to the sun

Overexposure of chemicals

Overuse of heating tools used for straightening, blow-drying or curling hair.

Excessive coloring or dyeing your hair

Washing your hair too often

Lack of conditioning

Bleaching

Tying your hair too tightly

How is hair damaged?

Hair can be damaged by dyeing, straightening it, or using any kind of heat on your hair, bleaching, pollution, or blowing out your hair. When your hair is damaged, you might notice that it has become brittle, frizzy, and rough. Alongside this, you will face a massive amount of hair fall. Getting rid of split-ends might not always help as hair damage is believed to be permanent because it is made up of dead cells, but you can always take active steps to prevent further damage.

If you regularly take proper care and treatments, it can help restore the outer cuticle, which will improve the look of your hair.

How Can You Repair Damaged Hair?

If your hair is in the early stages of damage, it is easier to treat it as hair treatment can smooth down the follicles and make your hair look better.

To get healthy hair, you must get your hair trimmed regularly and remove the split ends. Avoiding using too much heat on your hair helps in preventing a lot of damage too.

Here are a few treatment methods that you can use to repair your hair from damage:

•  Oil Application

Oil is the most common and helpful treatment method for damaged hair. Certain oils help in conditioning a person’s hair. When you apply oil, it absorbs the water absorbed by the hair that causes swelling and drying the hair, thus protecting it from further damage.

Oils help in filling the gaps between your cuticles and provide lubrication. Coconut oil, olive oil, and Almond oil are known to work the best on hair. Coconut oil is considered to be better than any vegetable oil as its molecular weight is lower than any other oil, which helps it enter the scalp quickly. It has rich proteins that help in repairing hair damage. Olive oil helps in repairing the damage caused by using heat on your hair.

• Rich NutritionApplying products on your hair may not be enough to reverse the damage of your hair. What you eat plays an important role too. Did you know that lack of minerals, vitamins, and proteins in your diet can cause hair loss? Hence, you must intake nutrients and vitamins in your diet for healthy and shiny hair. So make sure to eat those fruits and vegetables that contain rich nutrition.

•  Protect Your Hair From HeatUsing heat to straighten your hair, curl, or blow-drying and UV rays can cause severe harm to your hair, making it frizzy, brittle, weak, and dry. Heat causes damage by reducing the proteins and bond strength.

To protect your hair from UV rays, you must wear a hat or scarf or use any heat protectant products on your hair.

• Condition Your HairConditioners are also good lubricants that help in keeping the hair from absorbing water. You can also go for deep conditioning.  

It helps in smoothening and sealing the hair cuticles and leaving them with good moisture balance.

Deep conditioning is nothing but using leave-in conditioners. Time for leaving-in conditions may vary with products, but a report suggests that it’s better to leave the conditioner for 20-30 minutes. Make sure to condition your hair each time you shampoo.

• Do Not Use A Brush On Wet Hair

Brushing your hair when it is wet can cause a lot of hair fall. When your hair is wet, take a wide-toothed comb and untangle your locks first.Gently comb your hair starting from the ends then work up to the roots. Once your hair dries, use a brush with soft bristles to smooth it out. Brushing your hair when it is wet will break it mid-shaft. If you have curly hair, avoid using a brush at all.

• Apply Homemade Hair Masks

A nice homemade mask can help in restoring your texture and shine. Make a hair mask and apply it after you wet your hair in the shower and then use it as shampoo.If you have rough or dry hair, make a mask using egg whites, honey, and aloe vera. For curly hair, you can use a banana and avocado. For combination hair, you can use a mixture of any of the ingredients above.

• Do Not Use Shampoo For Your Hair More Than Twice a Week

Your scalp produces an oil called sebum that helps in keeping the hair from drying out. If you wash your hair too often, the oil will be washed away before it can travel down to your hair length and protect it from damage.

If you wash your hair less, it will help your hair look shiny and healthy. In case you are concerned that your hair will look greasy between the days you shampoo, you can use a dry shampoo or make one dry shampoo at home using baking soda and cornstarch. Please put in a spray bottle and sprinkle it on the greasy areas and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.  

•  Avoid Doing restrictive HairstylesCertain hairstyles can pull on your hair, stretching it and causing it to break. Wigs and hair extensions are bad for hair too. It does not matter if they are sewed in or glued in, they can cause heavy damage to your hair. In the worst-case scenario, they might leave bald spots too. So it is best to avoid hairstyles that might be hard on your hair.