Hair worthy of modelling on a shampoo commercial is the envy of women everywhere. But between using the blow-dryer, straightener and the curling wand, achieving thick, shiny, healthy-looking locks is easier said than done. Protect your hair against styling abuse and moisture imbalance by following our expert advice.
Blow-drying
It’s important to use a protective product before blow-drying or using a straightening iron in order to avoid dehydration.
Always use the nozzle of your blow-dryer as it directs the heat and prevents damage caused by whipping the hair around. Experts also recommend investing in a ceramic blow-dryer.
Ceramic ionic blow-dryers – and don’t be fooled by those ceramic-coated models – neutralise the charge of the hair, decreasing static and fly-aways. They’re a lot healthier for your hair, less structurally damaging and can really speed up the drying process.
Blow-drying is certainly less damaging than a hot iron as the heat is not pressed directly to the hair shaft so the dryer temperature does not reach that of an iron, which is around 180+.
Straightening irons
Using a straightening iron on a daily basis or, worse, twice daily, is one of the most damaging things you can do to your hair. Minimise hot iron use to a couple of times a week. Ultimately, using heat appliances on a regular basis will split and damage the ends of the hair. Regular trims and weekly treatment masks will help keep moisture replenished for shiny manageable hair.
Work with a ceramic flatiron to reduce snagging and static, and never use an iron on damp hair. Don’t leave the iron on the same spot for more than a few seconds, and keep it moving down the hair shaft as needed (usually one or two strokes). If the damage is done, invest in a weekly leave-in conditioning therapy packed with nourishing proteins.
In the sun
Unfortunately, the sun’s ultra violet light is just as bad for our hair as it is for our skin. Ultraviolet chemically breaks down the building blocks of our hair – keratin proteins – making them weaker, drying them out and making our hair more likely to break. But there are shampoos, conditioners and protective sprays out there that provide protection against UV to shield your hair against the harmful effects of the sun.
When spending time in the sun, ensure a scarf or hat is protecting your hair, if possible use a UV protector in your hair or, better still, slick some treatment through it.
Brushing and combing
Contrary to old wives’ tales, you don’t need to brush your hair with 100 strokes. But not brushing the hair and scalp can lead to a build-up on the scalp and a depleted blood flow due to the lack of stimulation. Use a good quality brush made with boar or soft nylon bristles and when the hair is wet use a wide-tooth comb. They are great in the shower while detangling with conditioner. Brushes are better when the hair is dry, or for root lift when blow-drying. Detangling with a brush can be a little too harsh, as it stretches beyond the elasticity of the hair and can also cause breakage.
One of the worst things you can do to your hair is to tease or back-comb it. This is often done to achieve volume, which is what a lot of women with thin hair are after, but back-combing pulls the hair in the wrong direction, damaging the hair shaft and often leaving it in a tangle. Untangling it can lead to more damage and healthy hairs being pulled out.
Tied up
When tying hair into a ponytail, use snag-free elastic or a soft fabric coated elastic band. This will help counteract the friction the band creates on the hair shaft to prevent breakage.
If it can be avoided, don’t tie your hair up when it’s wet. When hair is wet it can stretch beyond its normal elasticity, when the hair dries it shrinks back to its normal state. This can then put stress on the hair strand and the root area. If hair is pulled back wet regularly it can cause hair loss or breakage.
Chlorine and salt water
The cortex, or inner layer, of hair is protected by the cuticle, or outer later. Sebum is a natural lubricant that protects the cuticle. Chlorine in pools sucks the sebum out of the hair, which may cause the cuticle to crack. This damage causes the hair’s natural sheen to diminish and the unprotected cortex to split (creating split ends).
Swimming in chlorine pools without a swimming cap is almost like soaking your locks in a bucket of White King bleach, so minimise chlorine damage by wearing a cap. It might not look all that attractive, but it stops the hair soaking in the chlorine. For double protection, pre-wet the hair and slick through a mask or treatment under the cap.
If you have highlights and swim in a chlorinated pool, your hair may turn green as the chemical oxidises. Using protective product and an anti-residue shampoo can help prevent this ultimate bad hair look.
When you swim in salt water salt minerals stick to the hair, which can cause severe dehydration and fading and can often alter your hair colour. Apply a leave-in conditioner and as soon as you’ve finished swimming in the ocean rinse your hair immediately and reapply a conditioning treatment.
Chemical damage
No matter how mild they may be, any chemical treatment that changes the structure of your hair, such as perming, relaxing and dyeing, causes some level of damage. However, it’s only when a treatment is not applied correctly that it can cause serious damage like chemical burns, which damage the scalp and the follicles.
Always listen to your colour technician’s advice, if they suggest your hair is sensitised or prone to damage, stay away from lightening your mane. Damage caused through excessive bleaching and lightening cannot usually be repaired. In the worse cases breakage will occur. Look for a more gentle colour technique such as a conditioning gloss colour.
