4 Warning Signs of Damaged Hair (and How to Fix It Fast!)
Your hair follicles go through four different phases: anagen, catagen,
telogen, and exogen. It's normal for you to lose 50-100 hairs a day during the
final phase called exogen, also known as the shedding phase.
Are you seeing signs of damaged hair? Are
you looking for ways to treat your hair and maintain healthy hair?
Check out this article to learn about four
warning signs of damaged hair and what you can do to prevent further hair
damage.
1. Your Hair Looks Dry and Dull
Do you notice your hair lacking shine?
Dull or dry hair may be a sign of damaged hair. Healthy hair usually has a
natural oil that keeps it moisturized and looking healthy and shiny.
Damaged hair may be stripped of the
natural oil in your scalp. This may also happen if you shampoo too often.
If you shampoo too much, you could be
removing too much of the natural oil in your scalp which could leave your hair
looking dry.
You can try to shampoo less often, such as
every other day. The amount of shampooing your hair needs a week depends on a
variety of factors including your hair type, texture, and how oily or dry your
scalp is.
2. Your Hair Tangles or Breaks Easily
Another sign is if your hair tangles
easily. If you can't get your comb or hairbrush through your hair without it
becoming tangled or your hair breaking off, then this could mean your hair is
damaged. Dry hair can tangle easily.
It's better to not brush hair when it's
wet. This is because wet hair is fragile and is more likely to break. You can
also try brushing or combing starting from the ends of your hair.
You can brush out the tangles from the
bottom and work your way up to detangle your hair.
If you do brush wet hair, you can use a
wide-toothed comb to carefully comb out the tangles.
3. You Have Split Ends
Split ends are another sign of damaged
hair. Split ends occur when the ends of your hair become damaged and dry. This
can occur from heat damage such as from styling tools or from chemical damage
from hair dye.
How to Check for Split Ends
Wondering if you have split ends? You can
look at the ends of your hair. A split end looks like the end of your hair
shaft is split into two.
If you do have split ends, you can try a
temporary treatment to add moisture back to your hair through a deep mask
conditioning treatment. However, you cannot fix split ends permanently.
If you have split ends, you can get a
haircut or a trim regularly to ensure your hair stays healthy and free from
split ends.
4. Too Much Hair Loss
Do you feel like you're losing more than
the normal amount of hair every day? Do you feel like your hair is thinning?
If you feel like you are experiencing hair
loss that is more than normal, you should consult with your doctor to see if
there is an underlying cause.
What You Can Do to Treat Your Hair
There are things you can do to prevent
more hair damage in the future. Here are some healthy hair tips for taking care
of your hair.
Get a Haircut Regularly
To maintain the health of your hair, you
should get a hair cut regularly. Wondering how often you should get a haircut?
The answer depends on a variety of factors such as your hair length, texture,
or how often you use heat-styling tools.
Generally, you should get your hair
trimmed about once every couple of months.
Limit Styling Tools and Hair Dyes
To limit damage to your hair, you can try
cutting back on heated styling tools and hair dyes. Instead of blow-drying your
hair every day, you can cut back to every other day or let your hair air dry.
When you do use styling tools, make sure
to apply a heat protection product on your hair. You can also try lowering the
setting of the heating product to its lowest setting.
If you regularly dye your hair, you can
try extending the time between hair dye sessions.
Take Your Vitamins
There are links between certain
nutritional deficiencies and loss of hair.
For example, there are studies that link
hair loss and a deficiency of the vitamin biotin. What's more, iron
deficiency can result in anemia. Anemia can also be a cause of losing hair.
In addition, there are other vitamin
deficiencies that have been linked to hair loss including vitamin C, vitamin D,
and vitamin E.
The best way to get your vitamins is through
the foods you eat. However, you can discuss with your doctor to see if using hair vitamins is right for you.
Be Gentle When Drying Your Hair
Another action you can take to prevent
hair damage is to be gentle when drying your hair.
You should let your hair air dry. However,
if you don't always have the time for that, you can use a lightweight
microfiber cloth to dry your hair instead of a heavy towel.
Also, don't rub on your hair with a towel
which can cause further damage to already fragile, wet hair. You can gently
squeeze your hair instead of rubbing it.
Don't Skip the Conditioner
Our final tip is something simple, don't
skip the conditioner when washing your hair. It can be tempting to shorten your
shower by skipping the conditioning treatment. However, this can lead to dry
hair.
Final Thoughts on Signs of Damaged Hair
We do a lot to our hair, whether it's
constantly using styling tools or blow-drying it every day. If you notice the
above signs of damaged hair, there are things you can do to prevent further
damage. The above tips can help keep your hair looking shiny and healthy.
Want to learn more tips for styling and
maintaining the health of your hair? Check out more articles in our Beauty
section.