Managing Your Hair When It's Damaged

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Figuring out ways of managing your hair when it's damaged isn't a difficult process. However, it requires that you do dedicate some additional time and care to your hair. If you decide that you do not want to cut off your damaged hair and start over, there are some things you can do remedy manage it in the meantime.

managing your hair

Damage to hair can rear it's ugly head in the following ways:

Damaged Hair Symptoms

Uneven hair ends
Visible split ends
White bulbs on ends or middle of hair
Breakage (severe in some spots)
Notice short pieces of your hair on your clothing
Abnormal shedding (over 100 strands per day)
Dry and brittle
Poor elasticity
Gets dry quickly (poor porosity)
Tangles easily; difficult to detangle
Won't hold a style

If the majority of this list describes your hair, then most likely you are suffering from damaged hair. You can manage your hair by using the recommendations below.

Damaged Hair Remedies

Give yourself a protein conditioning treatment.

There are some hardcore protein treatments that you could try such as Aphogee. I have never used anything like Aphogee but I have heard good things and bad things about it. Nexxus Emergencee and Joico K-Pak Reconstructor are also protein treatments that are not as harsh as Aphogee that I have heard raves about. Do some research yourself until you find an appropriate protein treatment to try. You should do a protein treatment at least once a month. Check out this article to read more about protein conditioning.

ALWAYS follow up a protein treatment with a moisturizing conditioning treatment like Nexxus Humectress. The protein conditioner will add keratin back into your hair helping to fill in some of the holes of damage...temporarily while you get your hair back into shape. You must do this as long as you're experiencing damaged hair.

Deep condition weekly.

Use a conditioner for damaged hair once a week with heat. Heat will help the conditioner penetrate.

To add extra conditioning, you can add some oil to the conditioner but not too much or you'll end up with oily hair. I'd recommend Jojoba Oil or Grapeseed oil because they are light oils.

Wash with Conditioner.

Instead of using shampoo to wash your hair, try using conditioner to cleanse your hair and scalp. This is called conditioner washing (co-washing) or no pooing. Simply take a light conditioner (Suave or VO5 works well) and apply it to your hair just like shampoo and massage it in. Click here to read an article on conditioner washing.

This is one of the easier ways of managing your hair when it's damaged that will yield a lot of benefits. Make sure to alternate conditioner washes with shampoo washes.

Moisturize with water more often.

Rinse and condition your hair twice a week to ensure you're getting proper moisture. If you're suffering from poor porosity, it's very important to wash more often since your hair is not holding on to moisture easily. The longer you go between washing, the drier your hair will become.

Get your hair trimmed immediately.

Depending on what you're comfortable with and how bad your split ends are, you may need to trim an inch or up to 3 inches. However, trimming at least an inch will make a major difference in the breakage and shedding that you may be experiencing. A trim will also help with the detangling and give you a more healthy appearance while you're dealing with the damage.

Here's an article on trimming your own hair.
If your hair is natural, here are some tips on trimming natural hair.

Practice no-heat styling.

Eliminate using all types of heat on your hair immediately. Managing your hair without heat can be simple with practice. Start air drying your hair or roller setting (cool setting or air drying) for a straight style. Or simply wear a wet bun or wash n' go.

Conclusion

Managing your hair when it's damaged does require a few adjustments. But I can assure you that it is worth it once you begin to see your hair's condition improving. I have been a victim of damaged hair and by following the above tips, I was able to continue growing my hair for 18 months before cutting off the rest of the damage! Be consistent with your hair care regimen and you will see results.