Avoid Damaging Your Hair
Having shiny and strong hair is very important but harsh chemicals can damage it. There are methods to take to avoid damaging your hair, even if you have bleached or permed it.
Contents
Steps
- Do not wash your hair daily. At the most, two days a week. This will help preserve your hair's natural oils. Too much hair-washing removes these crucial oils which naturally replenish and re hydrate your hair. Use a good shampoo, one that is for your type of hair. Wash the scalp as well as the hair. Use cool water to rinse the shampoo off, for a good shine.
- Condition your hair after washing it. Use conditioners once or twice a week, to keep the hair elastic and strong.
- Air-dry your hair instead of using a blow dryer. The heat will cook your hair and make it brittle. Gently towel-dry your hair by wrapping it in a towel and squeezing the water out. Do not wring your hair in the towel.
- Before and after washing your hair, detangle it with a wide-toothed comb. Start from the ends and gently work your way up to the scalp. If a knot is too stubborn, start at the ends and work your way up instead of tearing it off. Tearing causes split ends.
- Use a leave-in conditioner once or twice a week and use a hair reconstruction preparation once a week. Alternate with different shampoos once in a while, as well as hair deep conditioning products. A hot oil treatment is also good once a week--focus on moisturizing the ends of the hair.
- Cut hair or at least the ends monthly, to get rid of split ends.
- Try to stay away from hot irons, and rubber bands. Both will break the hair or burn it.
- Brush your hair with a boar-bristle brush at least once a day, from scalp to ends. This will distribute the natural oils from your scalp throughout your hair, helping to moisturize it and maintain its strength. Clean all your brushes and combs once a week to prevent dirt buildup.
Tips
- Braid your hair loosely before bed and finish with a scrunchie to avoid it rubbing against the pillow and getting friction damage.
- Do not use bare rubber bands on your hair. Your hair will stick to the rubber and tear away when you remove the band. Use cloth-covered rubber bands, like scrunchies, instead.
- Don't brush your hair more often than you have to, it damages the hair.
- If you are about to go swimming, put a treatment of leave-in conditioner throughout your hair and wear a swim cap. This will protect your hair from the drying effects of chlorine and salt.
- Use satin pillow cases to further cut down on damage during sleep
- Clarify your hair every week with a clarifying shampoo or homemade clarifier. This is also good to do after your hair has been exposed to harsh chemicals like chlorine. To make homemade clarifier, mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda with a quarter-sized dollop of shampoo to make a paste. Shampoo as usual. Rinse with a mixture of one tablespoon apple cider vinegar to one quart of lukewarm water. Condition as usual.
- Don't tangle your hair.
- If you wear braids, remove them prior to going to sleep. Massage your scalp after removing the rubber bands.
- Contrary to popular belief, using cool water doesn't affect the smoothness or shine of your hair. Use warm water to wash your hair, and if you want, do a quick final rinse in cool water to close pores and prevent acne.
- Wash your hair everyday if you're commuting or always outside. All that pollution damages the hair and clogs the pores in your scalp.
Warnings
- This takes a lot of patience and time.
- Do not use petroleum jelly (example: Vaseline) in hair. Some say it makes it softer but in fact it makes it greasy, retains moisture and dirt and it is impossible to get out.
