Everyone loves to have long, healthy, and shiny hair. But over-styling, seasonal changes, lifestyle changes, and nutrition can result in dry, damaged hair. To help protect your hair from further tears, you need to take care and make efforts. Besides this, go for the best hair treatment for damaged hair.
You need to be well aware of your hair type and your concerns so that you can opt for suitable hair treatment. Hair treatments help nourish and cleanse your scalp. Moreover, it helps lock the moisture, which increases the smoothness and shine of the hair.
There are a lot of remedies you can try at home or at the salon. Start by identifying your hair type and the concern associated with it. Then add other problems. This way, you can find the best treatment to tackle the damage.
To make things easy for you, we will discuss a few best treatments for damaged hair in this article. But, first:
What Exactly Is Damaged Hair?
There are 3 layers of a hair shaft:
- Medulla (innermost)
- Cortex (middle layer)
- Cuticle (outer layer, it contains dead cells)
In healthy hair, cuticles are flat, and they lock moisture. They protect the two inner layers. Hair damage occurs when cuticles break and expose the inner layers. It mostly happens when you expose your hair to chemicals, color treatments, and harsh products.
But lifestyle changes like exposing your hair to dirt, lack of sleep, stress, dehydration, and a bad diet can also damage your hair. As a result, your hair looks dry, frizzy, rough, and unmanageable, damaged hair is prone to further breakage.
What Are The Types Of Hair Damage?
Hair damage can be of the following types:
Dull and Dry Hair
When the cuticles break, your hair can not lock the moisture and natural oils. This causes hair to lose its shine. Your hair gives a dry, dull appearance, and dry hair gets tangled easily.
Harsh shampoos and heat styling products can dull and dry your hair. Use the shampoo that suits your hair, and wash your hair less often. Use nourishing hair masks and hydrating conditioners. These nutrient-rich oils can moisturize dry hair. Just avoid any alcohol-based products.
Frizz
Dry and dull hairs also look frizzy. Humidity is the major cause of frizz. It can appear at the surface level, at the top, or at the ends. Frizz control serums and conditioners are easily available in the markets. You can use them to tame the frizz.
Brittleness and Breakage
Brittle hair is dull, dry, and frizzy and contains split ends, leaving them prone to breakage. This condition occurs due to malnourishment or excessive usage of heating tools. Heat styling tools include a blow dryer, curler, and flat iron. Use serums and conditioners to overcome split ends.
Tangles
Dull, dry, frizzy, and brittle hair is prone to tangles. This is an irritating condition. And it leads to breakage. Always use a wide tooth comb and start at the bottom. In this way, you can detangle your hair.
Hair oil treatments for damaged hair, detangling sprays, conditioners, and masks are available in the market. Try them to remove the tangles and get smooth hair.
Thinning or Hair Loss
Hormonal imbalance or some medical conditions may lead to weight loss. It will affect your hair as well. You will notice thinning of hair. Using harsh products can also cause hair shedding.
Consult a doctor to identify the underlying cause.
What Are The Common Causes Of Hair Damage?
Hair damage can be due to different causes. Some of the common causes of hair damage are:
- Heat Styling
- Chemical Dyes
- Bleaching
- Malnourishment
- Harsh massage during oiling or shampooing
- Hot showers
- Humidity
- Stress
- Lifestyle changes
We will explain a few of these causes in detail:
Heat Styling
Hair styling tools like hair dryers, straighteners, or curlers open your hair cuticles. And it makes the hair porous. High temperatures are a major cause of hair damage.
After washing your hair, partially dry it with a soft cotton cloth. Always use a good heat-protectant serum before styling your hair. Use a deep-conditioning hair mask once a week.
Chemical Dyes
Most hair dyes contain chemicals. They leave hair dry, dull, and rough. Hair dyes and bleaching agents penetrate the inner layer and weaken the hair strand. Which further damages the hair. Pigments in hair dyes absorb the moisture from hair and make them dry.
You can avoid this damage by
- Using non-toxic and natural dyes.
- Avoiding to dye already damaged hair.
- Leaving a dye for up to 40 minutes on your hair. Not more!
- Giving a few months between coloring sessions.
- Using shampoos that are suitable for colored hair.
- Washing hair less frequently.
Bleaching
Bleaching is a process to turn your hair into a shade or two lighter than your natural hair color. Bleaching agents dissolve the melanin pigment in hair, making it colorless or light. Bleaching makes hair dry, brittle, and rough.
Excessive oiling can control further damage. Use protective caps and hats when going outside in the sunlight. Use moisturizing ingredients. Protect your hair from chlorinated water, which can turn it green and cause breakage.
How Do You Treat Damaged Hair?
1. Hair Care Routine
If you want to know how to repair damaged hair fast, we have news for you. There’s no quick fix! You have to follow a haircare routine and make lifestyle changes to treat your damaged hair.
Always follow a gentle hair care routine. Make sure to buy sulfate, alcohol, and artificial fragrances free products. Normal hair care routines include regular shampooing and conditioning your hair.
Wash your hair once or twice a week to keep it clean. Follow a proper haircare routine. Use the best suitable shampoo and conditioner, such as detanglers, serums, and leave-in conditioners.
Depending on your hair type, you can use serums, hair masks, oils, and leave-in conditioners. No-rinse conditioners are often the best leave-in hair treatment for damaged hair.
2. Apply Hair Serums
Serums play an important role when it comes to treating your damaged hair. Serums add shine to the hair. They nourish your hair and protect them from further damage. Use serums before heat-styling your hair. Apply serum on the hair and the ends. Avoid applying it on the scalp, as it will give a greasy look.
3. Trim Your Hair
Trim your hair after every month or two. Trimming removes dead and split ends. When you leave split ends in your hair, it can cause brittleness, dryness, and damage. So trimming your hair once every month can prevent hair damage and keeps it healthy for a long time.
4. Use Homemade Hair Treatment Masks
Inexpensive yet very effective, at-home masks can repair instant hair damage and make your hair healthy and shiny. We will discuss some homemade remedies for damaged hair in the following paragraphs.
5. Try Hair Oils
Hair oils are another excellent treatment. Coconut oil, in particular, is nature’s biggest gift for damaged hair. It can penetrate deep into the cuticles of your hair to repair any damage. Similarly, Olive oil is another great moisturizing agent. It can help replenish the lost moisture and bring the old shine back.
Likewise, you can also go for almond oil. It helps rehydrate any dry hair strands and reduce frizz. Therefore, you can comb through the hair without damaging or breaking the ends. Finally, argon oil is another excellent oil treatment. It is an excellent source of Vitamin E and A, which can hydrate the hair and prevent any breakage.
Hair Repair Treatment For Damaged Hair – Home Remedies
You can make masks at your home. These are healthy, inexpensive, and considered the best hair treatment for damaged hair at home. Home-made masks are also free of any chemicals. So they have no harsh side effects. Here, we will discuss a few remedies for your convenience.
Avocado and Egg Mask
Take a ripe avocado and mash it. Mix it in an egg and beat until well combined. You can add olive oil as well. Apply this mixture from roots to tips. Leave it for 20 to 30 minutes. Wash with cool or lukewarm water. As avocados are rich in vitamins and minerals, while the egg is a great source of protein, this is all you need for healthy hair.
Banana and Yogurt Hair Mask
Add a ripe banana to half a yogurt and blend it well. Add olive oil to this mixture. Apply it to your hair and scalp and leave it there for 20 minutes. Wash your hair and use a good shampoo.
Banana contains carbohydrates, potassium, and natural oils. So, this homemade hair treatment for damaged hair is a great moisturizer for your hair.
Flaxseed Gel Serum
Take 1 cup water in a saucepan, add 2 or 3 tbsp flaxseeds and bring it to a boil. Stir until the mixture thickens. Wait for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove it from the heat and strain it when it reaches the desired consistency. Squeeze the gel with a spoon.
You can use a thin, soft cloth. Try to squeeze all the gel from the seeds. Let it cool. Then add a preservative and mix it well. You can make it without a preservative. Store it in a fridge.
Apply this gel serum to your hair and scalp as a mask. Leave it for 20 minutes and rinse. It will make your hair stronger and healthier.
When To See A Doctor
Consult a dermatologist when you notice
- Excessive hair fall
- Sudden thinning or discoloration of hair
- Itching, redness
- Irritation on scalp
Key Takeaways
Damaged hair means hair prone to breakage, split ends, dullness, brittle hair, and tangles. It can be due to various factors, such as heat-styling tools, chemical dyes, malnourishment, and the environment. As mentioned above, you can repair your damaged hair by following a good haircare routine. Keep your hair clean. Use suitable shampoo, conditioner, and masks.
Certain Home remedies are also effective for repairing your damaged hair. Oils and natural ingredients in these remedies can make your hair shiny, healthy, and manageable. But if nothing works on your hair, maybe it’s time to consult a dermatologist to get an expert opinion. Good luck!
FAQs
What Happens If You Don’t Cut Damaged Hair?
When you leave your damaged hair uncut, it may lead to split ends. Which further destroys your hair. Your hair may become thinner.
How Long Does It Take To Repair Damaged Hair?
It may take about 6 months to a year. If you follow a good hair care routine, your hair will get nourishment effectively. Good hair care products may repair damaged hair quickly.
Does Damaged Hair Grow Slower?
Yes, hair prone to breakage may grow slowly. But, you can try any hair growth treatment for damaged hair like massaging your hair with aloe vera, ginseng, coconut oil, rosemary oil fish oil, onion juice, viviscal, or geranium oil.
What’s The Best Treatment For Dry and Damaged Hair?
Well, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. We have all the best remedies for damaged hair above. Try these treatments and see which one works best for you.
Will Damaged Hair Grow Back Healthy?
Yes, it is possible. If you don’t use heat-styling tools and chemicals, your hair can repair itself. With the use of correct hair care products, hair becomes healthy.