Whether your hair damage is caused by extreme color changes, frequent chemical treatments, product overuse, unlucky genes, bad weather or a combination of all these factors, the only way to actually make the damage disappear is to cut it off an start fresh. But since not everyone is ready to take on a pixie, a judicious combination of conditioner and regular trims can help you keep your hair while you work through the damage.
Identification
Your conditioner can't repair damaged hair, but it can help mask the signs of damage and protect your hair from further damage, explains the beauty department at "Good Housekeeping" magazine. The best conditioners for extremely damaged hair help fill in and seal the outer cuticle of your hair shaft while moisturizing and strengthening your hair from the inside to improve elasticity, restore healthy hydration levels and prevent breakage.
Ingredients
Choosing a conditioner that contains the right ingredients is essential for improving damaged hair. Look for conditioners that contain strengthening proteins like keratin, wheat or soy protein; oils like mineral oil or petrolatum to coat your hair shaft; moisture-restoring ingredients like dimethicone, shea butter or nut oil, recommends the beauty department at "Women's Health" magazine.
Time Frame
You'll need to apply conditioner a few different ways if your hair is very damaged. Use a moisturizing shampoo every time you shower, but limit shampooing to a couple of times a week, recommends Ni'Kita Wilson, a cosmetics chemist in New Jersey, in "Women's Health" magazine. Use an intense oil or moisturizing mask once a week to restore moisture to your hair, recommends "Good Housekeeping." And if your extremely damaged hair isn't improving with these measures, cover your pillow with a towel and sleep with a moisturizing mask on your hair overnight, recommends Mark Townsend of the Sally Hershberger salon in New York City in "Allure" magazine.
Misconceptions
Despite what you may have heard, rinsing your hair with cold water after conditioning won't actually seal your hair shaft so that moisture stays locked in, says Cheri McMaster, senior scientist for Pantene, in "Good Housekeeping" magazine. What a cold water rinse actually does is to minimize the amount of conditioning agents that get stripped from your hair during rinsing.
Considerations
Conditioners can help, but if your hair is seriously damaged, you may need to take other measures, too. Stretch out the time between chemical treatments by using a color-depositing pen to fill in roots and stick with demi-permanent color, which is less damaging, says celebrity colorist Jason Backe in "Women's Health."
Member Comments