How to repair damaged hair: common causes and treatments
By Prof. Dr. Soner Tatlidede 2022-08-12
Damaged hair appears when, due to bad habits, it loses its shine or volume, or becomes dry. Extremely damaged hair develops cracks in the outside layer (cuticle), and then it becomes brittle and sheds more easily. If you observe any of these symptoms, it is time to look for solutions about how to repair damaged hair, and apply a treatment before it´s too late. So, in this post we are going to help you detect those problems in time, and to tell you which is the best hair treatment for damaged hair.
How do you know your hair is damaged?
So, first of all, the most important thing before explaining how to fix damaged hair, is how to tell if your hair is damaged, and do it before it´s too late. If our hair has been damaged by using aggressive treatments or hairstyles, it is usually easy to tell because the symptoms are often evident through a simple visual examination. In any case, it is worth remembering that obvious signs of damaged hair are lack of shine, dryness, frizz, rough touch, and brittle or weak hair.
Another warning sign indicating that something is wrong with our hair or with our scalp (which, after all, is its layer and sustenance), can be the appearance of dandruff, a problem that is associated with skin pathologies, but also with the use of inappropriate products or treatments.
Fortunately, hair treatments have come a long way, and today there are many available methods, from hair-loss shampoos to techniques such as the FUE hair transplant; if hair is so ruined that even the best shampoo for damaged hair is not enough, sometimes a hair transplant is the only solution to restore hair.
How do you treat damaged hair?
When it comes to damaged hair treatment, there are several ways to repair, treat and fix damaged hair that we can do without costing too much money. The point is to let clear that, the sooner we detect the problems in our hair, the easier the solution will be; otherwise - for example, if hair stretches or breaks easily, if it has a strange texture, etc - any home remedy or treatment in hairdressers may not be enough, and we will need for sure to go to a hair health specialist.
If we have not become so far, there are treatments that can be applied in hairdressers and that can help to repair damaged hair. Also, we can use several home remedies; start by stop using a hair dryer or a straightener, moisturize your hair, and apply dyes that do not damage hair – like those that have natural ingredients and are ammonia-free.
Another way to take care of your hair is to choose the best shampoo and conditioner for damaged hair, and apply it to untangle your hair: if your hair is very damaged, it may be convenient to use it daily for some time, or at least every 2 or 3 days. It is also a good idea to let your hair air dry, without using a dryer, and once dry, apply a little of hair serum to give it shine and seal the ends.
How often can you use a hair dryer without damage?
Extreme heat caused by hair dryers or curling irons, for example, affects to hair layers and its structure. Therefore, heat damaged hair becomes evident because it becomes fragile and brittle, dry, and split ends appear.
The thing is that it doesn´t matter if you use your hair dryer every day, or just once a week: every time you apply heat on your hair, you are damaging it in some way. So, if you can´t renounce to your hair dryer, at least try to use it as less as possible, only when necessary. However, if your hair is damaged, you should avoid using it completely, at least for some time.
How to apply a hair mask for damaged hair
As long as hair damage is not serious, there are several home remedies that we can use to recover its strength, texture and colour, hydrate it properly, and prevent hair loss. One of the best home remedies to moisturize our hair is using a hair mask prepared by ourselves.
Moisturizing masks should be applied at least once a week, and left to act for as long as necessary, so that they can rehydrate and repair hair fibres. They are a simple and effective way to care for and repair our hair when it has been damaged, but you must follow several tips.
Often, lack of time or patience, makes that when we apply a hair mask, we do it incorrectly, so in the end we do not get the expected results. It is common to see people who, after applying the mask for only a couple of minutes, are disappointed once they check that there is no improvement in their damaged hair.
That´s because mask needs time to do its job and act on hair, so it is essential to let it act for at least 20 or 30 minutes. Then, hair must be rinsed well with warm water to avoid leaving residues. In addition, we can use a little trick to make the mask work even better: after spreading it over hair, wrap it with transparent film, thus intensifying the effect of the mask and making it penetrate hair fibres better.
Best hair masks for dry damaged hair
Finally, we are going to recommend you a couple of homemade hair masks, easy to prepare and very effective as hair treatment for damaged hair.
Olive oil and egg mask:
One of the best allies for damaged and dry hair is olive oil. Combined with egg proteins, we will get one of the most popular and effective masks to strengthen and hydrate hair. The ingredients are very simple: a glass of water, two tablespoons of olive oil, and two eggs; mix everything well, and apply to hair for half an hour; then rinse well with lukewarm water, and let your hair air dry.
Banana, avocado and honey mask:
It is also a very effective homemade mask, for which we will need a banana, an avocado and two teaspoons of honey. Mix the ingredients well, and apply to hair, leaving it to act for 20 to 30 minutes. Then we rinse according to the procedure explained above, and then we can wash our hair as we usually do. It is important not to use a dryer.
It is clear that there are many treatments for damaged hair that we can use at home, or even at a hairdresser; but remember: if you don't notice any improvement, or if you think your hair health may be in danger, put yourself in the hands of the best professionals. Clinicana is the best hair transplant clinic in Turkey, and we have experts in all kinds of hair treatments. Have you seen our patients’ reviews? Request your free consultation now, and ask us for a free, no obligation estimate. We can help you!
