Undo the Damage: How to Repair Dry, Broken Hair

With all the high-heated styling tools we use on our hair daily, it’s no wonder our crowning glory gets abused and neglected. Add in the processes that make our locks blonder, redder, browner, straighter or curlier, and the damage can be extreme. We’re left with limp, thirsty, fragile strands crying out for help. Try these tips to undo the damage, and start growing healthy, shiny hair.

 

Nothing Beats the Quick Trim

Cutting off the dead, dry, brittle ends are the best way to alleviate the damage, because if you don’t, hair will not grow as fast and split ends will continue traveling up the hair shaft. Be specific to the stylist and demand a one half inch hair trim.

Think Wide-Tooth to De-Tangle

This bears repeating: Be careful how you treat your washed, wet hair. Do not vigorously rub hair with a towel; be gentle. When trying to remove tangles, grab a wide-toothed comb or brush that has spaces between the bristles like a paddle brush with its large square, cushion base.

Leave-In Keratin for Glossy Strength

If you don’t want to cut any ends off for a while, then keratin leave-in conditioners are superb for adding the power back to your strands. Keratin is a protein naturally found in our hair cells, but when it’s lacking, locks look and feel dull, dry and weak. Spritzing on a keratin product before you blow-dry makes a major difference, because it’s coating the hair shaft and building up strength, smoothness and shine. Formulas that add moisture to strands are key. Major suppliers like Seidlerchem.com distribute these hair repair ingredients to the huge beauty industry.

Vitamins Really Grow Longer Locks

Professional stylists suggest a vitamin regimen to build beautiful hair from the inside out. There are plenty of supplements developed specifically for healthy hair growth. Look for essential ingredients like biotin and folic acid. Reality TV stars like the Kardashian sisters all firmly believe in hair vitamins.

Air-Dry if You Can

Try to wean yourself off the flat iron, blow-dryer, curling iron and other gadgets that traumatize your tresses. It isn’t easy, but try to air-dry most of your hair before picking up the heated styling tools.

Bleaching and Hair Color

Everyone knows that bleaching your hair can damage it, but very few know why this is. The key to understanding this is knowing how bleach actually works. The sodium perborate and sodium peroxide used in products like bleach act as oxidizing agents. The oxidation process, in the context of hair lightening, involves releasing oxygen molecules to break up the molecules in your hair. This can often result in hair which looks dry, feels “stretchy”, and breaks off easily. Instead of bleaching your hair, consider a semi-permanent color that isn’t as damaging.

Taking better care of your hair starts with simple steps. By making small changes in your beauty routine, you can be well on your way to healthy, shiny hair again.

 

*Today’s post was contributed by Anita, a freelance writer from Denver, CO who writes about beauty, fashion, family and health.  A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family when she isn’t writing.