How to repair heat-damaged hair?
Hey guys! I have heat damaged hair, fairly thin too. I am looking for a hair mask specifically made for this. Can you suggest any? Also, really working repairing hair care tips would be very helpful. Thanks!
Every day a woman can face the problem of heat-damaged hair. Well, heating tools really allow us to simplify our hair routine. Besides, there are so many innovative hair-styling gadgets, e.g., hair dryers, curling irons, and straighteners on the market! Ladies crave to try them all. Tight afro curls? Big Hollywood waves? Sexy beach waves? Yes, please! As a result, we damage our beautiful hair and seek magical remedies to repair it. Fortunately, some products have proved their efficiency in heat-damaged hair treatment.
What Does Heat-Damaged Hair Look Like?
How to know if your hair suffers from heat damage?
Here are the most common symptoms:
– You can see plenty of split ends.
– Hair looks dull and unhealthy.
– The hair texture becomes rougher.
– You lose excessive hair while brushing it.
– The hair tangles all the time.
– It’s getting harder to style it.
– Your hairstyle loses its shape very quickly.
If you notice at least three of these signs (and are using hot hair tools frequently, or walk under the sun without any headwear, of course), we have some unpleasant news — your hair suffers from thermal damage. Even if you have all these signs, there is still a way to fix the situation and to repair heat-damaged hair fast.
We cause damage when…
– We brush our hair too much, especially when it’s wet and most fragile.
– We blow dry our hair everyday.
– We use a towel to vigorously dry our hair.
– We use heat tools on hair that has layers of products that aren’t supposed to be combined with heat! Some products have silicones and waxes that will basically melt on hair strands…@waltersmakingwaves
How to Treat Heat-Damaged Natural Hair
These tips will help you treat and style your natural hair properly without heat damage:
1. Learn how to blow dry hair. Keep a hair dryer at a safe distance, try to decrease the temperature (no more than 300 degrees). Try a hair diffuser.
Hair burns at the same temperature as paper: 451°F. And really, anything over 420°F is a bad idea. At that point, the keratin protein in your hair starts to melt and no amount of deep-conditioning will help. Thankfully, there’s a temp that’s just right: 365°F! In case you are too attached to your hot tools, choose them wisely, and opt for a heat protectant. @rym_guesmi
2. Choose tools and equipment of a good quality only. Trust reputable brands when picking up a flat iron or a blow-dryer, read customers’ reviews, check-out Youtube videos.
3. Use a heat spray. It’s a must-have for a woman with any hair texture, whether curly, wavy, or straight.
4. Buy nourishing products and do nourishing treatments. Just like a person can’t stay healthy without a healthy diet full of vitamins and minerals, our hair can’t preserve its beauty and shine without good nourishing products. Protein treatments and Olaplex show great results when you need to restore your natural hair without cutting off. The Olaplex effect is more efficient and long-lasting if you do it at least twice a year.
5. Consider protective hairstyles. A good list of them you will find here.
How to Heal Heat-Damaged Curly Hair
Compared to straight tresses, curly locks require a more complex treatment. And if a girl uses different thermal hair-styling tools on a regular basis, she will, for sure, suffer from hair problems in the nearest future.
According to beauty experts and professional hairstylists, the following tips can be useful for women with heat-damaged wavy hair:
1. Use a heat protectant for damaged hair. It is a rule of thumb for all curly beauties.
2. Wear natural hairstyles. For some reason, most curly gals prefer straightening their spirals (and thus damaging them) instead of showing up their curls with pride. However, natural hairstyles look exceptionally gorgeous on women with curly locks. So, instead of using flat irons, curly ladies should better say “Yes” to their natural patterns if they want to prevent heat damage.
3. Choose a microfiber towel. Those towels help dry the locks fast and in a natural way after washing your hair. Thus, you won’t have to use a blow-dryer, or, at least, you will spend less time on blow-drying.
4. Don’t neglect a conditioner! A huge mistake of all curly ladies is to skip conditioning after washing. However, conditioners make brushing more gentle and prevent hair loss and thinning. Waves look shinier and healthier after using a conditioner. When selecting the best conditioner for curly hair, experts suggest focusing on ingredients. Argan oil, coconut oil, and aloe vera work great for healing heat-damaged locks.
Tips I follow when doing a blow out:
- Deep condition to prep
– Dry your hair as much as possible before you resort to heat (use a cotton shirt or microfiber towel to remove excess water before beginning to blow dry)
- Use a heat protectant (@Briogeo Farewell Frizz is a CG approved option otherwise search for other products that contain Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein)…
- Keep your heat settings below 200° F and hit your hair with a cool shot of air to help set the shape (same as you would do if diffusing!) @wavycurly
5. Try a rice water hair rinse. According to reviews, it really helps to treat damaged hair.
Our new client…came in to see us with a desire to get rid of her straight ends, from prolonged flat ironing, and embrace her curls again. Notice how the ends of her hair are so straight, while the top section is trying to produce curl? This is classic heat damaged hair. The ends HAD to go if she wanted to achieve any curl formation throughout. And, like we always say: “We’re not here to hair SHAME, we’re here to hair HELP!” @poshcurls
How to Heal Heat-Damaged Straight Hair
All the suggestions above, including heat protectants, lower heat settings, high-quality beauty gadgets, and nourishing products/treatments are recommended for you too. Other necessary steps include learning good no-heat hairstyles (overnight braids, twists and other sleep-in hairstyles will give you those desired waves and curls without using curling irons!), avoiding more damage from dyeing, extreme brushing, and frequent hair washes with improper shampoos. You need to pamper your locks.
Don’t Heat-Style Damp Hair. When you apply hot tools like straighteners or curling irons to damp hair, you’re basically frying your hair. Wet or even damp hair is much more fragile than dry hair. And the tools’ heat transforms moisture into steam, which damages the hair strand as it escapes. Only use these hot tools on completely dry hair to avoid this kind of damage. @drhair.global
DIY hair masks are good for heat-damaged hair. Natural products may be super useful as a part of hair treatment. A mask with milk and honey is easy-to-make and helpful. Mix ½ – 1 cup of milk (depends on your hair length) and 1 tbsp of honey. Apply it to your wet hair after washing it and leave it in for 15-20 minutes. Repeat twice a week.
Another great at-home treatment for heat-damaged hair is a repairing avocado hair mask. Take 1 avocado fruit, 2 eggs, 1 tbsp of honey, and 1 tbsp of coconut oil. Mix all the ingredients, apply to your hair, leave for 20 min, and rinse. Easy!
Best Products for Heat-Damaged Hair
When you pick up the best shampoo for heat-damaged hair, select only trusted brands with a good formula and positive reviews from hair experts and regular customers. The same refers to hair masks, conditioners, and other hair care products available on the market.
The following products are loved by millions of customers because they show proven results in restoring heat-damaged hair: Kerastase, Olaplex, Redken, Moroccan Oil Treatment, Organic Castor Oil Shampoo, Pantene (Pro series) Repairing Mask, and dedicated remedies for heat-damaged 4C hair.
Also, invest in a good heat protection product, in order not to “cook” your hair.
How Long Does It Take to Repair Heat Damaged Hair?
The result depends on each particular case. It’s much easier to restore heat damaged hair at an early stage. You may require a month of treating your locks with specific nourishing products to make them look shiny and healthy again. Sometimes, this process may take up to half a year. However, if your hair is severely damaged, it is better to chop off the damaged strands, and sometimes even go for a big chop.
…you must give yourself TIME! Time for the hair to breathe, recover, grow!! Getting a regularhaircut, getting hairtreatments to restore moisture, shine, elasticity are essential as well. @cheveuxblowoutbar
The main rule to remember is that it’s always better to take care of your hair than seek magical remedies for healing it afterward!
Be sure that while you’re transitioning, you’re trimming your hair to help minimize the shedding and also letting go of those dead ends. (There is no way in reviving those dead ends. Eventually you will have to part ways with it.) @rosie_curlycrown
Featured Image: gpointstudio – www.freepik.com
