Techniques For Treating Damaged Hair
Because hair is fragile, it is easily damaged. Sun, wind, and salt air can damage hair. Heat styling, such as blow drying and straightening, dries hair out. Dyeing, highlighting, and chemically perming hair also damages it. Minerals from hard water are also damaging to hair. Chlorine and other pool chemicals can strip the protective oils from hair, causing damage. Damaged hair looks dry, dull, and lifeless. There are several techniques for treating damaged hair that will put the shine and bounce back in your hair.
Haircut
One technique for treating damaged hair is to cut off the damage and start fresh. Ridding your hair of split ends will instantly make your hair look healthier. If you can’t bear to cut off as much as you need to eliminate all of the damage, get frequent haircuts until the damage is gone. Regular haircuts will maintain your hair’s shape, style, and body. This will make it look healthier. Once the damaged hair is gone, make changes to your hair care routine to ensure that your hair remains healthy.
Protein Treatment
Protein and keratin treatments coat the hair and strengthen the cuticle, helping to prevent damage. There are many different brands of protein treatments on the market in addition to many homemade protein treatments. If you do not color or perm your hair, you shouldn’t need to use a protein treatment more than twice a month, even if you heat style your hair. If you color or perm your hair, or if your hair is frequently exposed to chlorine, you may need to use a protein treatment every other week to keep hair damage free. Protein treatments usually remain on the hair between 30 and 60 minutes. Some are formulated to be washed out, while others are meant to be left in the hair until the next time you shampoo.
Deep Condition
Deep conditioning is especially important if you use protein treatments on your hair. Deep condition involves applying a specially formulated deep conditioning product, paying particular attention to the ends of your hair. After applying the deep conditioner, a plastic cap is placed over the hair for the time recommended by the product. Some deep conditions require the use of heat to fully activate the product. For these deep conditioners, after application of the conditioner and covering hair with a plastic cap, you sit under a hair dryer for up to 20 minutes. Most deep conditioners are washed out with a mild shampoo following treatment.
Hydrate
Keeping your hair hydrated is the key to preventing damage. To keep hair hydrated, consider not shampooing your hair daily, especially if your hair is not oily. You can also rinse hair and apply conditioner without shampooing several times a week. Use only warm or cool water when you bathe and wash your hair; hot water dries hair out. As often as possible, air dry your hair rather than blow drying to keep hair hydrated. You can also use a leave-in conditioner daily, especially if you use heat styling, which will coat the strands and protect them from dryness and damage.
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