If your hair looks brittle, dry and lifeless, it may be damaged. Hair may become damaged due to hair treatments, like coloring, perming or relaxing. Hair damage may also accumulate due to blow drying, straightening, curling or using hair products that contain alcohol.
If your hair is damaged, it may take patience to allow your hair to grow out without subjecting it to further damage. Treating your hair gently will revive your hair, making it strong and silky again.
Step 1
Put down the blow dryer. Instead of blowing your hair dry, blot it with a towel and allow it to air dry. If you absolutely must blow your hair dry, spray it with a heat-conditioning spray that coats the hair and prevents it from heat damage, says stylist Alain Pinon in the article "Can I Protect My Hair from Blow-Dryer Damage?" in "O," the Oprah Winfrey magazine.
Step 2
Get a haircut to remove split ends, says Mark Garrison in the article "Reviving Damaged Hair" in "Ladies' Home Journal." Getting regular trims will help keep your hair looking healthy and allow you to remove the damaged sections of your hair gradually as new, healthier hair grows.
Step 3
Wait at least six weeks between hair-relaxing treatments. If you use hair relaxers to make your hair straight, treating your hair more than once every six months may cause more damage. To allow healthier hair to grow, relax your hair as infrequently as possible.
Step 4
Use hair products sparingly. Although some hairsprays, gels and creams may make your hair look good, they may also contain harsh chemicals and alcohol, which dry out the hair. To allow the hair that grows in to be as healthy as possible, keep your hair natural.
Step 5
Wash your hair as infrequently as possible. Even though washing your hair makes it look and feel better, scrubbing your hair with shampoo may dry it out, damaging it even more. To keep your hair's natural oils intact, wash your hair every other day at the most.
Tips and Warnings
- Brushing your hair with a natural-bristled brush while blow drying may help absorb excess heat from the hair.
- Consult a doctor if your damaged hair is accompanied by any health symptoms.
Things You'll Need
- Towel
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