Damaged hair: what to do?

Your hair is damaged? You are not alone. Damaged hair is a common problem, especially among people who frequently color their hair or use heated appliances. If you're looking for tips on how to fix your damaged hair , you've come to the right place. In this article, we are going to discuss some of the best ways to heal damaged hair and restore it to a healthy state. Keep reading to find out more!

How to recognize damaged hair?

Can you recognize damaged hair? Very often the answer is no. However, it is important to detect the first signs in order to be able to provide the necessary care to your hair before it is too late.

Here are some signs that will help you recognize damaged hair . Damaged hair can be dry and lackluster or split ends and brittle. 

• Damaged hair is dry, brittle, split ends and lacks shine. In addition, they tangle easily and lack elasticity.

Hair is dry and without shine

If your hair is dry and dull , it may be damaged on the surface. Your hair may be neglected or suffer repeated external aggressions that weaken the hair's hair fiber and remove the sebum that naturally protects it. In addition to making your hair dry, these environmental factors take away its luster and shine. And your hair becomes not only dry, but dull and unmanageable.

Hair is split ends and breaks easily

If you have split ends and hair that breaks easily, no doubt your hair is damaged. Split ends also appear due to a lack of hydration, but also following external aggressions such as repeated friction.

This damaged hair from the inside has a lack of suppleness and elasticity, which leads to breakage and fallout.

Other signs can give you the flea in your ear:

• Your hair is difficult to comb and tangles quickly;
• Your hair lacks elasticity or is very porous;
• Your hair is falling out in large numbers.

What are the causes of damaged hair?

Many factors can be the cause of damaged hair:

• Daily use of heated hairdressing accessories: hair dryers, straighteners, curlers, etc.;
• The many colorings, discolorations and perms that strip your hair;
• The use of unsuitable, abrasive or chemical hair care products;
• Extreme temperatures, sun, wind, but also pollution, chlorine or sea salt;
• Excessive and violent washing or brushing;
• Poor hygiene.

What happens when hair is damaged?

Having damaged hair means that the hair balance is defective. The cuticle, which is the outermost layer of the hair, can be lifted making the hair more susceptible to breakage. Also, the cortex, or middle layer of the hair, can be stripped of its natural oils, leading to additional dryness and damage.

• Your damaged hair lacks hydration due to a loss of sebum. In addition, the scales of the hair are open and the keratin is damaged, which weakens the hair and makes it brittle.

Hair lacks sebum

When your hair is dry, it is largely due to the fact that it lacks sebum. This oil naturally produced by the sebaceous glands flows along your hair to hydrate it and act as a protective barrier against external aggressions. However, the sebum can sometimes be missing:

• Chemicals, heating devices or environmental factors strip your hair of this oil;
• The sebum accumulates at the level of your scalp and your type of hair, (curly, curly or frizzy generally), prevents this oil from flowing easily.
• Sometimes due to a genetic predisposition.

Thus, if the sebum supposed to protect and moisturize your hair is missing, the hair becomes fragile and damaged. Your hair looks dry, dull and porous.

Hair scales open

In addition to the hair's protective barrier disappearing, when your hair is damaged, the hair scales open up and your hair becomes porous. Thus, the scales easily absorb all the hair care that is administered to them. Only, the hair does not retain any of these treatments. In addition, the water naturally present in the hair simply evaporates. The latter becomes dry, destructured and breaks easily.

The keratin is damaged.

When the hair is subjected to external aggressions, the keratin which makes up 95% of it is immediately damaged. The latter then loses its properties. Keratin is the protein that gives hair its structure and elasticity. Thus, when it is damaged, the hair becomes thin, dry and is even more fragile in the face of aggression. This is one of the reasons why your hair is damaged.

• Find out how to repair damaged hair .

How to repair damaged hair?

If your hair is already very damaged, it is important to note that the repair process will take time and you will not find healthy hair for a few weeks.

Before fixing your hair, it's important not to damage it more than it already is. This is why it is advisable to reduce the use of heating devices and chemicals and not to color or perm, and this, if possible, until your hair is strengthened.

To repair damaged hair, it is necessary to repair the keratin that has been damaged by external aggressions in order to strengthen the hair fiber.

Your hair is also lacking in hydration, which is why it is important to nourish your hair deeply so that your hair becomes healthy and shiny again.

• To repair your damaged hair , it is important to repair the damaged keratin and provide the hydration that your hair lacks.

Why and how to repair damaged hair keratin?

Keratin is a protein naturally produced by the body and present in hair and nails. It gives these tissues their strength and stability. However, exposure to certain environmental stressors can damage keratin fibers, resulting in weak and brittle hair.

Applying a keratin treatment can help repair these damaged fibers and restore your hair's natural shine and strength. In addition, keratin treatments can also help protect hair against future damage. Choose keratin-enriched hair products, such as keratin shampoo for daily use.

• Opt for keratin hair care to strengthen your hair easily.

Why and how to deeply nourish the hair?

To fill the lack of hydration that your hair suffers, it is important to moisturize it deeply. Nourish your hair allows you to strengthen the hair fiber, which in the long term makes it less brittle. Thanks to nourishing hair care, your hair regains its usual shine and strength.

In order to nourish your hair, many hair care products exist. Opt for example for a nourishing mask to leave on for ten minutes so that the hair absorbs the nutrients present in the composition of the mask.

• Nourish your hair helps to hydrate the hair fiber, but also to seal and maintain hydration over the long term.

What hair care for this type of hair?

Damaged hair lacks moisture. They have an important need to be hydrated and nourished. To get them enough of the nutrients they need, here are some treatments that you can apply to your damaged hair at home.

Oil baths

One of the main ways to moisturize damaged hair is to apply oils to it, which will provide the nutrients and minerals necessary for healthy growth. This hair care to do before washing your hair allows you to hydrate the damaged hair fiber of your hair and helps promote healthy growth.

What oils for damaged hair?

There are appropriate oils for every hair type. If your hair is damaged, especially if it is dry and brittle, opt for a nourishing vegetable oil such as avocado, argan or sweet almond oil. These moisturizing oils provide deep nourishment to your hair. Olive oil, jojoba oil and castor oil can also moisturize and bring shine and flexibility to your hair. Also opt for shea butter which repairs and strengthens brittle and damaged hair.

How to make an oil bath

Once your hair is detangled, using a comb or a hook, make divisions within your hair. Segment by segment, brush the hair with oil from the tip to the roots without touching the scalp, so as not to grease the latter.

Once all parts of the hair have been coated with oil, cover your hair with a scarf or a cap. Leave the oil bath on for at least 30 minutes before rinsing your hair thoroughly. For more efficiency, leave it on overnight.

It is possible to mix several oils in a container before applying this mixture to your hair to combine the effects.

nourishing masks

Making masks on damaged hair is also a way to provide it with the nutrients it needs to repair itself in depth. Nourishing masks have this power to nourish, soften and moisturize your hair. Choose a natural mask or opt for a homemade mask.

Ingredients such as eggs, avocados, coconut oil, onion juice, Aloe vera gel, shea butter and honey come up frequently in different recipes for homemade masks. These ingredients are appreciated since they serve to nourish, moisturize and soften the hair.

To treat damaged and therefore dry hair, you can apply moisturizing masks to your hair once or twice a week. You will find soft, supple and easy to comb hair.

Keratin repair masks 

Additionally, you can opt for a keratin repair mask . Since keratin is the main component of hair, it is often the latter that is damaged when your hair is damaged, brittle and dull. A keratin mask will allow you to enrich your hair with keratin and thus repair it in depth.

Be careful not to overuse protein masks since the latter, if done too often, dry out the hair instead of nourishing it.

• Discover all the benefits of keratin on your hair.

Shampoos

Nourishing shampoos and moisturizing conditioners have the role of rebuilding the hair fiber directly at the root. They repair and thus restore resistance and flexibility to the hair.

Choose a repair shampoo suitable for your hair type and damaged hair. Similarly, opt for a keratin-enriched shampoo that will hydrate and repair your hair fiber.

Our advice to avoid damaging your hair

If your hair is already damaged, it is important to try to repair it with moisturizing and nourishing treatments. Unfortunately, the process may be very long or worse, irreversible. So it's better to be safe than sorry and protect your hair from further damage.

Avoid using too much heat source

Heat seriously damages the health of the hair since it opens the scales of the hair, which weakens your hair.

We first think of limiting the use of styling appliances at extreme temperatures to a strict minimum. Used too frequently, they damage the structure of the hair and strip it of its natural protective oil. This damages it and makes it more sensitive to external aggressions.

If the use of a straightener, a curler, a hair dryer or any other heating device is necessary on a regular basis, always remember to protect your hair by applying a thermoprotective serum beforehand.

In the same way, avoid exposing your hair to the sun for a long time. Ultraviolet rays have a negative effect on your hair. If you are forced to stay under the sun for a long time, protect your hair with a protective serum. Or wear a scarf, a hat that will allow you to keep your hair out of the sun.

Avoid chemical treatments

Coloring, bleaching and perms damage your hair by acting directly on its scales and on the oxidation of hair cells due to chemicals. This is why it is important to choose quality colorings, with natural or organic ingredients.

• When possible, avoid using heating devices or chemical treatments to avoid weakening your hair.

Adopt a balanced diet

Your diet also has a role to play in the health of your hair. Indeed, it is important to nourish your hair from the inside, and that, in the right way. A healthy diet rich in vitamins and proteins is ideal for beautiful hair.

• Enrich your diet with vitamin B and C found in eggs, animal protein, and fruits and vegetables.
• Minerals such as zinc and iron are equally important. Then favor seafood, cereals or legumes.
• Finally, choose proteins found in meats and lean fish or omega 3 in fatty fish.

It is also essential to drink plenty of water, which allows permanent hydration of the hair. Whether it's hot or cold, get into the habit of drinking plenty of water for your health and that of your hair. Specialists advise drinking about 2 liters of water a day.

Protect hair at night

Hair care professionals recommend not sleeping with your hair in direct contact with pillowcases or mattresses. The friction of the pillow will allow the hair to tangle and will damage your hair.

In addition, with its highly absorbent effect, the pillowcase absorbs moisture from the hair and makes it dry.

To avoid such damage, it is recommended to sleep on a satin pillowcase or cover your hair with a satin or silk bonnet. These fabrics reduce the amount of friction and keep your hair hydrated.

Protect your hair from the sun in summer and the cold in winter

Bad weather is an environmental factor that can damage your hair. When the hair is subjected to heat in summer, and cold in winter, it can be weakened. We then observe brittle hair that falls out in handfuls.

To avoid such damage, it is necessary to protect the hair both from the sun in summer and from the cold in winter.

In summer, you probably want to relax and enjoy the sun, getaways, and swimming. Protecting your hair during this period does not refer to the idea of ​​depriving yourself of all these activities. This involves applying a thermo-protective oil that will protect your hair from ultraviolet rays. In addition, sea salt or chlorine can dry out your hair. That's why it's important to keep your hair hydrated with moisturizing masks once a week. Also, remember to rinse your hair thoroughly with pure water after each swim.

In winter, dry winds and low temperatures dry out your hair and strip it of its natural oil. In the same way, it is important to nourish your hair with nourishing masks during this period. Also remember to cover your hair when you go out to protect it from the wind and reduce chafing.

Choose the right products

To avoid damaging our hair, it is also important to choose the right products. It is a question of choosing quality products and above all, products adapted not only to your type of hair, but also to the needs of your scalp.

In the market for hair products, you will find good ones, not so good ones and bad ones. If you do not have some experience in the field, call on a professional. He will be able to accompany you in the purchase of good hair products.

Choose natural hair care, without silicones or parabens, enriched with keratin, soft and non-aggressive and adapted to your hair type.

Adopt the right gestures for washing hair

Finally, it is important to adopt the right gestures when washing your hair. Bad washing with violent gestures and unsuitable products attack your hair, cause breakage and thus contribute to damaging your hair.

When washing your hair, use little product so as not to clutter your scalp. Above all, avoid sudden movements so as not to stimulate excessive sebum production. Massage your scalp with your fingertips, without pressing too much and always using circular movements.

To dry your hair, avoid the use of heated appliances as much as possible. Choose a microfiber towel over a classic towel since the latter is softer, more absorbent and more respectful of your hair.

The rhythm of washing is also important. Not washing your hair enough contributes to the accumulation of dirt and the clogging of the scalp, which in the long run leads to the formation of dandruff in the hair. On the contrary, washing them too much can also destroy the structure of the hair. To avoid going to extremes, it is important to space out the shampoos.

• When washing your hair, use gentle gestures so as not to attack your scalp. Try to space out your shampoos and only use a small amount of product.

For the advice and tips given in this article to be effective, it is important to set yourself a hair routine over a specific period. It is essential that you show rigor in respecting your hair routine.