Beautiful healthy hair is something that we all wish for. The problem is, most of us lack the knowledge on how to properly care for our hair on a daily basis in order to prevent damages, and maintain a head of healthy beautiful hair. Hair damage can occur simply from day to day wear and tear, and how you care for each type of damage is essential to maintaining and growing healthy hair. Take notes beauties!
Heat Damage
We all love a good flat iron and a blowout that leaves our hair straight and easy to manipulate. But did you know that too much heat can damage your hair? Heat opens up the hair cuticles, allowing the hair to dry when curling or blow-drying. Whenever heat is being applied to hair, it is essential that a heat protectant is used each and every time to protect the hair by providing a protective barrier around the hair strands to prevent direct heat from inflicting damages. Lastly, always use a heat setting that is appropriate for your hair type and texture, and never use heat on dirty hair.
Chemical Damage
Whether it is a relaxer, perm or color, all chemicals can disrupt the hair fiber which can lead to breakage, dryness or even split ends. Compromised hair fibers are very difficult and sometimes impossible to be fixed or reversed. The best approach in preventing damaged hair fiber is to refrain from using harsh chemicals on your hair. Otherwise, it is best to adjust hairstyle habits and implement practices that promote healthy well nourished hair fibers.
It is essential to use a protein pre-treatment by applying it to dry hair prior to shampooing. A detoxifying moisturizing hair mask will do the trick, and remember moisturizing your hair daily is a necessary step to maintaining well nourished hair fibers. Moisture. Moisture. Moisture!
Split Ends
Split ends aren't hard to identify. A couple of telltale signs of split ends are when the hair strand is split into two or more heads or if the hair shaft feels rough with little microchips. Also, another sign of split ends is when the hair is in a weaker state and tends to tangle and break more than usual.
Trimming the hair every 60-90 days will help to eliminate split ends and retain healthy hair length. You don't need a significant haircut to make a huge difference. A half inch to one inch trim will take care of most split ends. Also, using a hair serum that contain polymers can help to temporarily mend any splits of the hair strand.