We have all had to deal with it at one point—bad hair days where damaged hair was simply too dry or fizzy to be able to fix. And worse yet, sometimes it took days for things to finally get back to normal.

The reason why this happens however, is because many people do not know how to take care of their hair whenever it becomes dry and damaged.

In fact, there are plenty of things that people do to maintain their healthy hair which simply will not work while their hair is vulnerable.

Being aware of what you can do for your hair and when you can do it is as important as keeping your teeth as healthy as can be. And what’s more you only need to learn just a few of these tips to keep your hair in the best shape possible (or at least, to recover quickly from a bad hair day).

One of the most important tips on how to deal with damaged hair is not to wash it every day. This is especially important if you live in an area where the climate is normally cold.

This is because whenever you wash hair, even if you end up cleaning it you also take away what makes it healthy—which is all of the natural deposits of oil. By taking away the hair’s natural means of staying moist, it will get very dry and damaged.

Another tip you can keep in mind when it comes to treating damaged hair is never to blow dry it. If you feel the need to dry your hair, use a towel. Blow drying will only end up damaging your hair even more.

And it is really that simple to take care of damaged hair. So long as you keep the tips above in mind, you will never have to worry about your hair remaining in that sorry state for long.

WHAT DAMAGES HAIR?

So many things can damage hair, it can be hard to pinpoint exactly what damages hair the most.

There are so many different reasons why hair can get damaged. It can get damaged by simply staying out in the sun too long. It can be damaged by washing too much or using too much shampoo. It can also be damaged from using different kinds of hair improving chemicals, or products such as hair gel and wax.

Let’s face it, our hair can cop a beating.

We tease it, pull it back, twist it up, blow dry it, straighten it, curl it, perm it and colour it. With all that and more, it’s little wonder our poor hair protests by giving us bad hair days. We all know the things listed above can cause damage, but there are other things that may not cross your mind when you are wondering what damages hair.

1) Sleeping

Yes, sleeping can damage hair! Okay, not sleeping itself but when our hair rubs against the pillow it can rough up the hair’s outer layer, or cuticle. When this happens our hair can frizz and break.

Sleeping on a satin pillowcase will go along way towards preventing this. It’s also a good idea to comb your hair before going to bed. This will mean it will be less likely to tangle and snarl so it will be less likely to break off.

2) Drying it

While drying hair with a blow dryer, especially one that’s set to a high temperature, can damage hair, so can drying hair roughly with a towel.

Hair is at its most fragile when wet, therefore more prone to damage and breaking. Not only will rough drying stretch the hair when it’s at it’s most vulnerable, it will also lift the outer cuticle making it more likely to frizz.

Gently squeeze as much water as you can out of your hair after rinsing then soak up the excess water with a towel, pressing and dabbing rather than rubbing briskly.

3) Brushing

Never brush wet hair, and when combing it be sure to use a wide toothed comb.

Combing your hair before washing it and combing conditioner through rather than just rubbing it in will mean you will have less knots to contend with and therefore less potential for breakage. A leave-in conditioner will also help.

So the next time you are thinking about what damages hair give some thought to the less obvious things which could be affecting the health and appearance of your hair.

4) Bleaching

One way hair can truly get damaged is by using far too much bleach. Over-bleaching your hair will end up in a result that makes your hair look as bad as it is damaged. This can also deal a blow to your self-esteem, which can lead to all kinds of random problems. So as much as possible, if you have damaged hair caused by bleaching it is important to treat the problem right away.

5) The Weather

While we can’t control the weather, we can minimise our hairs’ exposure to it thus preventing dry and damaged hair.

Many of us love the beach, but not what it does to our hair.

We’re all aware of using sunscreen to prevent skin damage, but did you know there are hair care products that contain UV protection? 

While these do a great job of protecting your hair from the sun’s harsh rays they won’t protect your hair from salt water damage.

So if you go into the water, be sure to rinse your hair in regular water as soon as you come out as the combination of salt and sand on hair is very drying. If you don’t have access to a tap, take a large bottle of water and use it to rinse off your hair.

You can then apply more hair care product with uv protection or even just some regular leave in conditioner. The warmth of the sun will help it soak in and protect your hair.

Another alternative for beach lovers is to wear a hat or sit under an umbrella.

6) Swimming Pools

Chlorine is exceptionally drying for hair and it can dramatically change the colour of freshly dyed hair. Brown hair can take on an orange, rusty tinge and blonde hair can turn green. For this reason, it’s a good idea to stay away from chlorinated water for at least a week after dying your hair or to wear a swimming cap. After swimming in chlorinated water rinse your hair in regular water as soon as possible and apply conditioner to get moisture back into your hair right away.

7) Styling Tools

Over use of styling tools can quickly lead to dry, dull hair and breakage, so limit their use. Once or twice a week is fine, but use them every day and your hair will suffer. Due to their high heat levels and because they come in direct contact with hair, straightening irons and curling wands are more damaging than blow dryers so before using these apply a heat protecting hair product to minimise damage

8) Diet

Hair is almost entirely made up of a protein called keratin.

Diets lacking in protein will result in hair that is dry and brittle and excessive shedding will occur. Good sources of protein include nuts, seeds, dairy products (low fat is fine) and lean meat. Salmon is great for hair health as it supplies Omega 3 essential fatty acids.

Vegetarians can get Omega 3 from Flaxseed oil. Iron is also important. A lack of it can lead to brittle, frizzy, shedding hair.

Remember, the hair you see is actually dead. Hair grows approximately 1/2 an inch a month and what you eat today will reflect in the condition of your hair in the coming days, weeks, months and beyond. Make sure your diet is plentiful in foods that prevent dry and damaged hair and follow the tips above and you will soon have hair to be proud of.