Introduction

In the modern world of hair fashion, it may be exhausting to search for a product that does what’s promised.

You may be looking for something new and exciting to keep up with trends, but sometimes you forget the one vital factor, that is your hair is not alive.

It has no nervous system or blood flow therefore damage done can not heal on its own without some help from products like oils, conditioners, hydrolysed proteins, etc.

So while these are fantastic tools, if you wish your locks to look shiny and healthy-looking (even though they won’t actually repair anything), this implies constant maintenance just so your mane looks great all day long!

If you wish to learn how to repair chemically damaged hair, look no further! I will discuss some easy tips and introduce some friendly hair care products.

Identifying a variety of damaged hair.

Hair damage is a common problem that can occur on its own or as an unfortunate result of some other source.

• Hair gets dry when the cuticle, which locks moisture into the hair and creates a protective layer over it, has been damaged with constant brushing or other means.
• Split ends are caused by even more extensive cuticle damage where the strand starts to split at both ends.
• Breakage occurs when enough follicular layers have deteriorated, so weak spots form along the strands themselves causing them to fracture permanently.
• Severe heat styling (e.g., blow-drying) without adequate protection may also lead to permanent follicular loss.

It’s important not only to know about these types of damages but how best to avoid their occurrence.

8 tips on how to repair chemically damaged hair

1. Avoid using products containing harmful chemicals.

Chemical hair dyes are a popular way to colour your hair. However, they can also damage the health of your hair.

These chemical treatments will cause hair dryness and breakage within the strands, which could lead to fuzziness and split ends.

Your chemically damaged hair may be troublesome to style, and less shiny than healthy hair. Likewise, your damaged hair can increase the risk for scalp dermatitis (dandruff).

Poisonous parabens, polyethylene glycol and formaldehyde are just some of the ingredients utilized in most shampoos and dyes which will do significant harm when left on your hair for too long or if you don’t rinse out properly.

Based on the GCC website, there are 8 toxic products in an inventory of chemicals to avoid.

• Sulfurates – Ammonia Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
• Parabens – butylparaben, ethylparaben, and methylparaben.
• Polyethylene Glycols –
• Triclosan
• Formaldehyde
• Fragrances Colors
• Dimethicone
• Retinyl Palmitate

If you are unsure of any chemical listed on any labels of beauty and hair care products, check it on EWG’s Skin Deep .

2) Apply conditioner after every shampoo.

It’s important to take care of your hair, especially when it involves conditioning.

Too much can do more harm than good so you would like to keep conditioning your hair to a minimum of once per week. Just be warned that too many washes can also dry out your strands.

Many women find that conditioning their hair more than once or twice per week is too much, as this might cause over-moisturized locks.

A weekly detangling session will suffice for some people. However, some women take that extra step of using serum in between washes to take care of softness and shine.

To learn more about what chemicals are used in a conditioner, check out the extensive research reported by Maria Fernanda on Hair Cosmetic – an overview .

3. Use a deep conditioning treatment once a week.

The goal of a deep conditioning treatment is to keep your hair healthy and moisturized. Deep conditioners help hydrate and soften your damaged hair. It also improves your hair in stretching and tension as well as fighting off hair breakages.

If you don’t have any damage, they are also great for keeping the ends from splitting further. It’s best to use this type of product at least once every week or two.

Deep conditioning treatment can help your hair to untangle any knots, decrease frizz from the roots up and restore natural oils for silky-smooth locks!

Look for ingredients such as avocado oil, coconut oil, argan oil or shea butter – these will deeply penetrate your strands while working their way through those pesky tangles. You can buy similar products on Amazon.com

4. Start washing cool water rather than hot water.

No one knows if cold water is better than hot water for your hair. Some sources say it’s more effective, others think the opposite.

While hot water does open the pores and unclogs hair follicles. It also may damage your scalp thus preventing hair growth.

Coldwater, on the other hand, doesn’t dry out the sebum layer which is a natural lubricant barrier of your hair.

The best way to wash your hair is to use lukewarm water and then follow up with a cool rinse. This will help keep your hair strong while keeping it clean without drying out the scalp.

Using this method of washing will help keep your hair healthy and strong so that you don’t have to worry about breakage as much when styling it or brushing through tangles after shampooing.

According to Dr Zeel of verdex.com, – “You can use water at 100 °F or 38 °C (slightly above the normal body temperature) to wash your hair. During summer, you can use water at a lower temperature. After shampooing and cleaning with lukewarm water, it is better to give a final rinse using cold water at a suitable temperature. This will help in locking the open pores and elevated cuticles,”

5. Don’t brush wet hair.

Brushing your hair after a shower seems harmless, but you could be doing damage to your locks without knowing it. This is because your hair tends to swell when wet and this makes your hair more fragile and prone to breakage.

Swollen hair strands that are tugged on easily by brushes will snap off leaving “baby” or fine hairs which can lead in turn to dryness & fuzziness as well. In the future, it may lead to a greater risk of developing split ends.

We recommend using a combing brush with wide pins spaced apart comfortably so it doesn’t pull at individual follicles too much while still distributing oils from the scalp through each strand.

Choose your brushes with bristles that should feel soft against your skin for a gentle brushing experience.

6. Avoid blow-drying or flat ironing your hair. 

Blow drying will provide you with straight, voluminous and natural-looking locks; but it’s less damaging if you use a heat protectant first. You may also additionally wish to practice this for several days.

Alternatively, you may want to watch video tutorials before blow-drying your hair because practice makes perfect!

Flat ironing does more than flatten out kinks in your tresses – it offers them that sleek Hollywood look that stays put all day long.

However, exposes strands of fine hair to direct heat could be bad news on multiple levels because it can damage your hair.

If you need to use flat ironing, first brush your hair and opt for the occasional low heat. Don’t forget to use a decent protectant as well.

When attainable, avoid the heat altogether and let the air do all your hair’s work for you by gently wrapping it in a towel after showering.

This will assist in pulling out excess water before letting your hair hang dry without rubbing with the towels!

7. Only dye your roots.

Chemical treatments may be damaging, especially if they’re applied too often.

To prevent damage and maintain a healthy head of hair while getting your desired colour result, simply touch up the root with a lighter shade dye.

It is a good idea not to dye the remaining of your hair for some time as this will help your hair in the healing process.

8. Shield hair from the sun.

Shield your hair from the sun with products containing UV filters. Sun exposure can cause split ends, so trimming regularly is a must during the summer months to avoid more damage on top of existing problems.

Keep your tresses hydrated by using the moisturizing product and take care not to overdo it in chlorine or salt-filled environments.

One of the best ways to shield your hair from the sun is by going for a more subtle, natural look. You can achieve this with Bobby pins or clips to pack less heat on top of your head and put on a hat for protection.

If you have coloured locks it’s important not only to use colour protecting shampoo but also other products like conditioner and leave-in treatments which will help maintain colour against fading when exposed to harsh sunlight during summer months.

In the summer months, you don’t wish to be using your blower every day when it’s so much easier to take advantage of those warm-weather breezes. Avoid unnecessary heat by air-drying instead – get creative with some braids or a new updo for extra protection against UV rays too!

How long does it take to repair chemically damaged hair?

Chemically damaged hair is a difficult issue for many people.

If after weeks of treatments, you’re still not seeing results with the conditioner or go-to products that are usually successful in repairing damage and restoring shine, schedule an appointment with your doctor or dermatologist.

Your dermatologist or doctor can assess the problem areas and determine whether there may be another underlying health concern at play.

Bottom line

If you’ve been colouring your hair or using heat styling daily, it may well be taking its toll. The good news is there are steps you can take to repair the damage and give yourself some relief.

By following these common-sense habits to protect your hair, you may find that not only does your damaged hair start feeling better but also starts looking healthier too!

I hope this blog post has given you some new ideas about how to make sure that your hair stays healthy and beautiful for years to come.

Do leave questions in the comment box below. If anything isn’t clear, I’m happy to answer them.

Resources

Hair Cosmetics: An Overview

Hot water vs Cold water for your hair. A video presentation

 

Disclosure: Just a Heads Up: My posts may contain affiliate links! If you buy something through one of those links, you won’t pay a cent more, but I’ll get a small commission, which helps to keep the lights on. Many thanks!

Disclaimer: These statements are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent any disease. They are for information purposes only. They have not been evaluated by the FDA. If you suspect that you have a medical condition, seek help from your doctor.