How Do You Fix Damaged Hair?

Fix Damaged Hair With These 6 Proven Ways

How do you fix damaged hair when it’s been battered by heat styling, chemical treatments, and the harsh sun or salty surf? If your locks are looking more like a brittle mess than their former glory, you’re not alone. Many of us, including those who deal with hair damage from over-styling or environmental wear and tear, share this struggle. Whether it’s split ends from too much flat iron action or dull strands from UV rays, damaged hair can zap your confidence.

This blog dives into six proven ways to repair damaged hair, blending practical tips with top-notch hair care products. Get ready to transform those frizzy, broken strands into strong, glossy locks that shine as bright as a summer day down under! With the right knowledge and tools, your hair can regain its health and beauty.

Common Causes & Types of Damaged Hair

Understanding the causes of hair damage is crucial. It doesn’t just happen overnight; it’s a slow build-up of stress from habits, tools, and the world around us. We love our beach days, bold hair colour, and sleek styles, but these come at a cost to hair health. Heat styling tools, chemical treatments, and environmental factors like sun exposure or chlorine can weaken the hair shaft, strip natural oils, and leave you with brittle hair begging for repair. To tackle hair damage, you need to know what’s causing it.

Causes of Hair Damage:

1. Heat Styling Overload: Blasting your hair with hot tools like the blow dryer, flat iron, or curling wand is a daily go-to for many, but it’s a major player in hair damage. Temperatures soaring past 150°C fry the hair cuticle, leading to heat damage that dries out strands and causes hair breakage. While you’re chasing voluminous curls or pin-straight locks, all that heat compromises hair bonds and makes it brittle and dull over time.
2. Chemical Treatments: From balayage to whole-head bleaching, chemical treatments like hair colour or perms are a fast track to transformation and damage. These processes change the hair’s protein structure, loosening hair bonds and exposing the inner cortex to chemical damage.
3. Sun Exposure and UV Rays: The sun doesn’t mess around, and neither does its impact on your hair. Prolonged sun exposure dries out the hair shaft, fades hair colour, and reduces moisture. UV rays break down the hair cuticle, leaving strands parched and frizzy. Think of it as sunburn for your locks, stripping them of their former glory.
4. Salt Water and Chlorine: Beach swims and pool dips are staples of Aussie life, but they’re no picnic for your hair. Saltwater sucks out moisture that makes your hair dry and brittle, while chlorine from pools attacks hair bonds and turns strands into a rough, faded mess. Matrix warns that without protection, these elements can escalate hair damage quickly.
5. Over-Styling and Mechanical Damage: Yanking your hair into tight, messy buns or brushing too hard causes mechanical damage that’s easy to overlook. This physical stress splits ends and snaps strands, especially on wet hair, which is extra vulnerable. Over-styling with tools or rough handling adds up and weakens hair health over time.

Types of Hair Damage

1. Split ends are a very common issue. They occur when the protective cuticle layer wears away. This causes the hair shaft to split into two or more fragments. It’s important to note that split ends cannot be repaired; they are only removed through trimming. Regular trims are essential for maintaining healthy hair.
2. Dryness manifests as rough, lacklustre hair that tangles easily. This happens when the hair loses its natural oils and moisture, either through environmental factors or improper care routines.
3. Breakage happens when the hair snaps off before reaching its full length. Chemical treatments, heat styling, and mechanical stressors like tight hairstyles are commonly caused by it.
4. Protein loss occurs when treatments or styling strip away the hair’s natural protein structure. This results in hair that feels mushy when wet and brittle when dry.
5. Colour damage happens when hair dye, particularly bleach, damages the cuticle and cortex. You can see signs like increased porosity, dullness, and a straw-like texture.

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Signs You’ve Got Damaged Hair

Spotting the Red Flags of Hair Damage

Wondering if your hair’s taken a beating? Damaged hair isn’t shy about showing off its woes, and the sooner you spot the signs, the quicker you can jump into repair mode. From split ends that won’t quit to a scalp that’s crying out for help, these red flags signal it’s time for some serious hair care. Here’s what to look out for:

1. Split Ends Galore: Take a peek at your hair tips; if they’re fraying into two or more strands, you’ve got split ends. They’re a classic sign of a damaged hair cuticle, creeping up the hair shaft if ignored, leading to uneven, frizzy ends that ruin your style.
2. Frizzy and Flyaway Chaos: If your hair’s frizzier than a summer storm, even on curly hair types, it’s a clue something’s off. A roughed-up hair cuticle lets moisture escape, leaving strands frizzy and flyaways popping up like uninvited guests, tough to tame without the right hair care products.
3. Dull and Lifeless Look: Hair that’s lost its shine and looks duller than dazzling has seen better days. Some experts link this to moisture loss from sun exposure or chemical treatments. This strips strands of their natural glow and leaves them far from their former glory.
4. Dry and Rough Texture: Run your fingers through your hair – if it feels dry, rough, or like straw, that’s a dead giveaway. When hair feels dry, it’s parched of natural oils, making it brittle and prone to snapping under a brush.
5. Breakage and Snapping Strands: Hair that breaks off when you brush or style it is screaming for help. This is a sign of weakened hair bonds, often from heat styling or over-styling, leaving you with shorter, broken bits and a patchy look.
6. Thinning Ends or Bald Spots: In extreme cases, damaged hair can thin out at the ends or even show bald spots. This can happen from chemical damage or tight styles like messy buns pulling too hard, a stark signal your hair health is in strife.

Top 6 Ways To Fix Extremely Damaged Hair

1. Dial Down the Heat Styling

Heat styling is a daily ritual for many, but all that heat from hot tools like the blow dryer or flat iron can wreak havoc. Some professionals warn that cranking the temperature too high – think above 150°C- leads to heat damage, drying out the hair shaft and causing brittle hair. Unless you’ve got super thick or coarse hair types, a mid-range setting (120-150°C) gets the job done without the fallout.

Better yet, give your hair a break from heat styling tools altogether when you can, and swap the blow dryer for towel drying or air drying to shape your locks naturally. When you can’t avoid heat, slap on a heat protectant to shield strands from thermal stress. It’s a simple switch that’ll help repair damaged hair and prevent further damage down the track.

2. Treat with a Nourishing Hair Mask

When your hair’s screaming for extra TLC, a hair mask is your go-to. These powerhouses are thicker than your average conditioner and packed with reparative goodies like vitamins, hair oil, or coconut oil to tackle dry hair and mend the hair cuticle. Masks penetrate deep, filling gaps in damaged strands and sticking around even after you rinse.

Slather on a good quality hair mask once or twice a week, leaving it on for 20 minutes or more to soak up the benefits—it’s perfect for reviving shine and fixing extremely damaged hair. Regular treatments hydrate and strengthen hair, making them a must for any haircare routine aiming to repair damage. Whether your hair’s parched from sun exposure or chemical services, this step’s a game-changer.

3. Handle Wet Hair Gently

Wet hair is as fragile as anything, and rough handling can snap it like a twig. Professionals say it’s at its weakest when soaked, especially for curly or fine hair types, upping the risk of hair breakage. Ditch the terry cloth towel scrub – gently pat your hair dry with a microfiber towel or an old t-shirt to cut down on mechanical damage.

Never drag a brush through wet strands unless it’s a wide-tooth comb; it’s gentler and prevents breakage. Avoid tying up damp hair in tight ponytails or messy buns, too – that’s a recipe for split ends. Spritz on a detangling spray to glide that wide-tooth comb through without a snag, keeping your strands safe while you repair damaged hair. Gentle care here is key to getting your hair health back on track.

4. Lock in Moisture with Leave-In Treatments

Leave-in treatments are like bodyguards for your hair, sticking around from shampoo to shampoo to protect and hydrate. They’re ace for taming frizzy strands and boosting hair health, with formulas tailored to all hair types. Leave-in treatment with UV protection helps to shield hair colour from fading, or one with liquid proteins to strengthen hair prone to breakage.

Grab a leave-in conditioner, apply it to damp hair – not soaking wet – and comb it through with a wide-tooth comb for even coverage. It locks in moisture, smooths the hair shaft, and helps repair damaged hair by preventing breakage between washes. If your locks are porous or split ends are plaguing you, this step’s a no-brainer.

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5. Regular Trim Those Split Ends

Split ends aren’t just unsightly – they’re a ticking time bomb for hair damage. Left unchecked, they creep up the hair shaft, turning healthy strands into a frizzy, broken mess. While you can’t glue split ends back together, regular trims every 6-8 weeks stop the spread. You don’t need to chop off heaps – a light dusting keeps length intact while nixing the damage.

Pair it with our best-selling anti-breakage shampoo to fortify strands and prevent breakage from taking hold again. Keeping hair supple with shampoo and conditioner cuts split ends off at the pass, so you’re not just repairing but protecting against future damage. It’s a small fix with big results for healthier-looking hair.

6. Go Easy on the Wash

Washing your hair too often strips away natural oils, leaving it dry and brittle – hardly the goal when you’re trying to fix damaged hair. Some experts warn that overdoing it – more than 1-2 times a week – can weaken strands, especially if your shampoo’s loaded with sulphates. Switch to a sulphate-free gem like Cantu Grapeseed Strengthening Shampoo, and use lukewarm water to keep the scalp happy without frying the hair cuticle.

Finish with a cool rinse to seal the shaft and boost shine – it’s a pro trick for smoother, shinier locks. Less washing means less stress on your hair, letting those natural oils work their magic to repair and protect. It’s a simple tweak that pays off big time.

Helpful Tips to Keep Damage at Bay

Prevention is Better Than Cure

You’ve worked hard to repair your damaged hair – now it’s time to keep it that way. Prevention beats scrambling for a fix any day, and with a few smart moves, you can protect your locks from slipping back into brittle, dull territory. The Aussie lifestyle throws plenty at your hair, from scorching sun to pool chlorine, but a solid haircare routine and the right hair care products can lock in that hard-won health.

Here’s how to prevent damage and keep your strands thriving:

Tip #1: Shield from Sun Exposure

The harsh sun and UV rays are relentless, drying out the hair shaft and fading hair colour fast. Without protection, strands lose moisture and turn frizzy. Chuck on a hat or spritz a good UV protection spray before a day out to block those rays and keep your locks hydrated.

Tip #2: Guard Against Salt Water and Chlorine

Love a beach swim or pool sesh? Saltwater strips moisture, leaving hair dry, while chlorine attacks the hair cuticle, fading colour and causing breakage. A swim cap to keep these nasties out, paired with a rinse using a strengthening shampoo afterwards to restore balance.

Tip #3: Ease Up on Heat Styling Tools

Hot tools like the blow dryer or flat iron are handy, but overusing them invites heat damage back. Avoid heat where you can – try towel drying or air-dry cream instead – and always use a heat protectant when you do indulge.

Tip #4: Limit Chemical Treatments and Hair Color

Hair colour and perms might freshen your look, but they’re tough on hair bonds. Avoid bleach overload, as it disrupts pH and weakens strands. Space out chemical services and follow up with our hair treatment range to repair and protect post-treatment.

Tip #5: Gentle Handling Habits

Mechanical damage from rough brushing or tight styles adds up. Swap harsh brushes for a wide-tooth comb, especially on wet hair, and loosen up those ponytails. A spritz of detangling spray keeps things smooth and helps prevent breakage long-term.

Tip #6: Stick to a Routine

Consistency is key. Use shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in treatment to maintain strength and moisture. A regular haircare routine with nourishing hair care products prevents future damage, keeping your scalp and strands in top shape.

Tip #7: Layer on Heat Protectant

When heat styling’s unavoidable, don’t skip the defence. A heat protectant creates a barrier against hot tools, stopping broken bonds from chemical treatments or high temps from worsening. It helps to shield strands and prevent damage from creeping back.

Tip #8: Wash with Lukewarm Water

Scalding hot showers might feel ace, but they’re rough on hair. Stick to lukewarm water to cleanse gently, preserving natural oils and keeping the hair cuticle smooth. It’s a small swap that protects and boosts shine.

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Wrap Up Your Hair Woes with These 6 Fixes

So, there you have it – six dead-set ways to tackle damaged hair and bring it back to life. From dialling down the heat on your blow dryer to indulging in a lush hair mask, handling wet hair with care, locking in moisture with leave-in treatment, snipping those pesky split ends, and easing up on the shampoo, you’ve got a toolkit to repair damaged hair and then some.

No more wrestling with brittle hair, frizzy strands, or dull locks; these fixes deliver healthier-looking hair that’ll turn heads wherever you go. Whether you’re battling chemical damage from hair colour or heat damage from hot tools, this plan’s got your back. Get cracking, and watch your hair health soar!