Let’s try and remember what you’ve done to your hair today. Washing, drying, brushing, and styling is probably four daily hair beauty steps that women do every day. Not to mention coloring, curling or straightening occasionally. If this sounds like you, then your hair is prone to damage like frizz and split ends.
It is true that hair will naturally thin and look dull with age, but there are steps that anyone can take to stop or even reverse this problem. All we need to do is by avoid these common mistakes that can damage our hair:
Brushing hair while it’s wet
Strands of hair are much weaker when they are wet, and one of the biggest mistakes to make is forcing a brush through it. Brushing your hair while it’s still wet can lead to stretching the strands to the point of breakage, especially if you’re using narrow-toothed comb. Use a wide-toothed comb instead if you must brush your damp hair gently.
Washing your hair every day
As a general rule, hair should be washed as often as needed, which is every two to three days. If you tend to wash your hair every day, you risk stripping your hair of its natural, protective oils that keep it shiny and healthy. However, there are other factors involved in this. If you live in a humid city and sweat a lot, you may not be able to wait three days. In this case, you can try rinsing with water, scrubbing the scalp, and conditioning your ends only.
Sun damage
Sun damage can lead to a dry and itchy scalp as well as battered hair. But, a sun damaged or dry scalp can be repaired. Use a dandruff relief shampoo to help with the itching. Specialty repairing shampoos and conditioners also aim to repair the hair and scalp after exposure to the sun.
Using too much heat when styling and without heat protectant
Many modern styling tools now come with adjustable heat settings, and your own setting will depend on the type of the hair that you have. Experts say to start at 300 degrees; and if you’re getting the desired results, stay there. If not, gradually turn up the heat until you do. Never use the hot tools when your hair is still wet or damp. Always use a heat protector before using any styling tools; as it also seals the hair in shine, calms frizz, and keeps hair from becoming dry.
Using the wrong type of shampoo and too much conditioner
Sulfates, cleansing agents in shampoos, actually have no health hazards. However, these chemicals do have a tendency to dry out skin, hair, and the scalp while stripping away color. You may try to avoid those problems by applying conditioners on all parts of your hair, but this is not a correct step. The ends of the hair are the only parts that truly need conditioner. Don’t apply too much because it can lead to greasy strands.
Avoiding haircuts
The average length of time to go between trims is about 3 months. However, even if you’re trying to grow your hair out, when you begin seeing split ends, you should opt for a trim. If you don’t, damage will continue up the shaft and eventually necessitate a cut of more length than you may want.
Too many chemical treatments
On an average, you should only be getting about 2 treatments per year (exclude coloring). Chemical treatments will not only harm your hair, it is also not healthy to breathe them in regularly.
