Did you know that heat damage is permanent and irreversible?
Hold up, did you say permanent as in you will never ever. Ever. EVER. get it back to looking shiny and healthy? The answer is YES.
Heat damage is when your hair becomes over-exposed to the heat of blow drying, curling irons, hot rollers or any other styling tools. This causes the proteins in your hair to break down which are responsible for holding up and maintaining your lustrous strands. As a result, you lose shine and volume while becoming more prone to split ends and breakage which can make your hair appear dull, limp and lifeless.
Heat damage is irreversible, but easily preventable. In this article, we will show you how to spot if you have heat damaged hair and what you can do to prevent it.
Identifying Heat Damaged Hair
If you are one of those people who loves to get prep and use heat styling tools, you’ll probably see some signs of heat damage. If you suspect you have early signs of hair damage, check if you have these 5 common signs:
5 Common Signs of Heat Damage
#1 Flyaway
Hot tools like hair curlers or straighteners on high heat volume can strip moisture from your hair strands and damage your hair cuticles. This can result in flyaway and dry limp hair.
#2 Split Ends
Split ends are the most common reason which causes unhealthy hair.
Split ends are caused mainly by damage to your hair strand from heat styling tools, chemical treatments, and even environmental factors. Each time you brush your hair or apply heat to it, the hair cuticle is opened and broken which leads to split ends.
Split ends are irreparable. Once you have them, the only way to get rid of them is to cut them off. However, there are treatments that may be able to reduce the appearance of split ends such as hair masks and hair oil which can help prevent further damage and condition your hair simultaneously.
#3 Rough and Dry Texture
Dry and rough hair are two of the worst nightmares for every woman who is very conscious about her appearance. This is because the hair can be lifeless, dull-looking, and difficult to manage.
Shinny hair often has healthy hair cuticles. There are a few reasons why your hair might feel rough and dry but the most common one is because of heat damage. If your hair feels rough and dry, then you might be overexposing your hair to too much heat!
If this happens, cut back on using a hot styling tool and focus on hydrating and moisturizing your hair strands.
#4 Excessive Hair fall
The normal person sheds about 50 to 100 strands a day, according to the American Academy of Dermatologists. However, if you have heat damaged hair, you might see more hair shedding than normal when you run your fingers through your hair or while you are doing your daily hair brushing.
This is because heat can damage and weaken your hair strands making it more prone to breakage and hair fall.
#5 Breakage and Lack of Elasticity
Hair is known to become fragile and lack elasticity when exposed to heat.
The excess heat damages the keratin in your hair – the natural protein that gives each strand of hair its strength. When this damage accumulates, it can lead to breakage and a lack of elasticity in the affected area.
One way to check if you have heat damaged hair is to do the hair elasticity pull test.
How to Do the Hair Elasticity Pull Test
Take a strand of hair and pull from both ends. If it breaks or does not stretch, then you may be dealing with heat-damaged hair.
How To Fix Heat Damaged Hair
Heat damage can occur not only from using hot hair tools but also from sun exposure and hot weather conditions. The damage can cause split ends, broken strands, and dullness. Although heat damaged hair cannot be undone, it can be prevented. Here are 5 tips to fix heat damaged hair...
#1 Get a Trim
If you have damaged hair, then there is a good chance that it needs to be trimmed. Regularly getting a trim can help remove split ends and encourage hair growth of new healthy hair.
Unfortunately, if you have extremely damaged hair, the only option is to chop it off and start anew. Yes, it can be frightening, and you might think of keeping your damaged locks instead of going short but that would only prolong the problem.
Once you have decided to chop the damaged locks off, be sure to follow the 4 tips below to maintain healthy hair!
#2 Avoid Heat or Use Heatless Hair Tools
If you really want to avoid hair heat damage, then you need to pull the plug on the main cause – heat styling tools. Yup, say goodbye to your favorite hair curler, blow dryer, and hair straightener.
Instead, try alternative heatless hair tools like the Dyson Heatless Air wrap or natural ways to curl your hair. Check out our Lazy Girl's Guide to Achieve Heatless Curls
#3 Nourish Your Scalp and Strands
You need to seriously consider starting a great haircare routine to prevent hair burn out. Start nourishing your scalp and strands by incorporating a hydrating hair mask every 2-3 days a week to your haircare routine.
You may also try these tips:
Tip 1: Massage your scalp for 2-3 minutes while shampooing or conditioning your hair
Tip 2: Avoid hair products with sulfates and alcohol
Tip 3: Eat more food rich in omega-3 and antioxidants
Tip 4: Apply a hair serum
Tip 5: Use a hair heat protectant spray and essential oils
Bonus Tip: If you’re blonde, you can brighten and reduce your hair’s brassiness while giving it deep hydration with this Purple Hair Mask from LxH
#4 Consider a Hair Supplement
Vitamins rich in Biotin or B7 can help stimulate keratin production and promote healthy hair growth. When looking for a Biotin supplement, pick one that is gluten free and non-GMO. Check out this delicious strawberry flavored biotin from LxH
You may also eat Biotin rich food from the list below:
- fish
- meat
- eggs
- dairy products
- nuts
- seeds
- whole-grain products
#5 Invest in a Good Shampoo & Conditioner
Damaged hair can make you look unkempt and tousled. One of the best ways to invest in your hair health is by choosing the right shampoo and conditioner that will prevent damage and bring back moisture.
For starters, pick one without sulfate. Sulfate-based shampoo or conditioner may strip natural oils from your hair and it dry and easily prone to breakage. If you are looking for faster hair growth, add strength and shine, pick one with DHT blocker like our Pure Biology Premium Reviva Hair Conditioner.
Conclusion
Heat damage is irreversible but can be prevented with proper hair care. The hair can easily be damaged if it is overly exposed to heat styling products like hair dryer, hair straightener, hair curler, or even overexposure to the sun.
Some signs to watch out for are flyaways, split ends, dry and rough texture, excessive hair fall, and lack of elasticity. Prevention is the best cure in avoiding severe hair damage caused by too much heat.
Keep in mind those 5 tips above to help maintain healthy hair health!
Sources:
https://salonworthyhair.com/damaged/heat/how-you-know/
https://www.dyson.com/knowledge/hair-care/9-signs-of-heat-damaged-hair
https://www.webmd.com/connect-to-care/hair-loss/does-biotin-really-prevent-hair-loss