Damaged hair can occur due to hair coloring, overheating and over-styling. When hair becomes damaged, it may be harder to manage. Sometimes it’s hard to detect if hair is damaged, but there are signs to look for that help make that determination. There are a variety of products to help repair damaged hair, and salons often offer treatments for damaged hair to make it become healthy and manageable again.
Brittle texture
Texture is one key symptom because hair often appears as weak or brittle. Healthy hair is strong, whether hair is fine or thick. A quick way to test if hair is brittle is by holding a section of hair up in the air, pulling it toward the ceiling.
Feel it. Did it feel soft, yet strong or did it feel hard and dry? If it felt hard, rough or dry, that is a good sign hair is not holding moisture and denotes the hair is damaged. Use a conditioner that is pH balanced, moisture restoring and protein rich to remedy the situation.
Split ends
Split ends are found at the tip of the hair where the hair may separate. To test split ends, grab a small section of the tips and wrap them around a finger. Are there any little pieces of hair that stick up/out or are they all continuous strands of smooth hair? If any pieces of hair stuck out from the rest, this is often a good indication split ends are present. Unfortunately, nothing can repair them.
The only way to remedy this situation is by cutting them off. Most of the time when ladies get a trim at the salon, this is the portion of the hair that is being cut off anyway, so it’s not a big deal. By keeping tips trimmed and free of split ends, it helps keep the hair healthy and encourages growth.
Prone to Breakage
Damaged hair is often more prone to breakage, which can occur when brushing/combing hair or styling it. There may also be excess hair left in the hairbrush or even noticeably shorter hairs. Hair does and will fall out. This is normal, but excessive hair loss can also be a result of damaged hair.
To help hair become stronger, use a deep conditioner at least once a week. When styling hair, using a light spray-on conditioner will help stop hair breakage. Conditioning products help protect hair and possibly lessen some damage but the key to having healthy hair starts with prevention.
