Tips for Dealing With Damaged Hair

Heat tools, color processing and even the simple act of brushing, can cause hair to lose its strength. Indeed, eight out of 10 women in the U.S. experience some form of damaged hair, according to an IPSOS Brand Health Study. But there’s good news, say experts.

“You shouldn’t have to give up styling, coloring or all the things you love to do to your hair,” says Dr. Rocio Rivera, vice president and head of scientific communications at L’Oréal Paris. “You just need a solution that will repair and prevent the damage.”

To revive your locks and protect them for the future, consider the following:

Treat Hair With Care

Stick to the routines that leave you feeling beautiful. Just be sure to complete these tasks with care, gently shampooing and conditioning hair, avoiding unnecessary friction on the hair fiber by using a wide tooth comb (or whatever style brush or comb your stylist recommends for your hair type), avoiding tugging when combing and brushing, and considering wearing your hair in styles, at least some of the time, that don’t pull. A gentler beauty regimen will mean healthier hair.

Restorative Products

“Flat irons, curling irons, blow dryers — these daily essentials that give women the short-term look they want, often lead to long-term effects that cause real damage to the hair fiber,” notes Dr. Rivera. “Using a heat protectant before heat styling will prevent breakage and help hair remain strong.”

Dr. Rivera recommends undoing the effects of heat styling as well as protecting hair from future damage with restorative products, such as those from the Elvive Total Repair 5 Collection. The collection includes Total Repair 5 Protein Recharge Leave-in, which is made with almonds and protein to restore protein loss in hair, offer 450 degree heat protection and make hair 15 times stronger for 97 percent less breakage. Also included is a rinse-out balm product that repairs up to one year of damage in one use, fighting the appearance of split ends, weakness, roughness, dullness and dehydration.

To complete your hair repair routine, use shampoos and conditioners tailored to your needs. This collection’s shampoo and conditioner, for example, are made from a formula containing ceramide and protein to fight visible signs of damaged hair.

Get a Regular Trim

Even if you are growing your hair long, it’s important to trim ends regularly to do away with split ends and keep hair looking healthy and shiny. Skipping regular trims can cause the split end to go up the hair shaft, resulting in extra damage and frizz.

Check Your Lifestyle

Certain nutritional deficiencies, stress and lack of sleep are linked to hair damage and loss, so be sure your diet is well-rounded and contains all the components necessary for healthy hair. Likewise, get plenty of sleep and seek out ways to manage stress.

Love your styling routine but hate damaged hair? Don’t despair. Whether it’s dryness, roughness or split ends, hair damage is normal, and simple steps and useful tools can help you protect and revive your locks.