10 Home Tips on How to Repair Damaged Hair

how to prevent hair damage

Hair is one of the most sensitive parts of the human body. Just like any other part of our anatomy, it can easily get affected by the outside world, especially weather and pollution. But dying it often, mood swings, day-to-day stress and other factors are equal reasons to worry about its quality. Luckily for everyone who has to deal with problematic hair, there are plenty of home tips on how to repair damaged hair.

White hair texture, African hair texture, Asian hair texture, American hair texture and so on are all different. With that come various problems as far as maintenance goes. No matter where you live, though, your scalp will become dry, you may get split ends if you decide to bleach it and the number of issues will continue to rise if you don’t take measures. Here’s what you can do about it using only natural remedies!

Causes of Damaged Hair

There are a number of causes for damaged hair and hair breakages. Following are some common causes of damaged hair:

Hair Products and Styling

Products that people use to color their hair or for perming contain chemicals which weaken the hair and make it more likely to break.

Some shampoos can also cause the hair to break, make it turn frizzy, or make it become brittle.

Over-Brushing

Brushing the hair too often can cause breakages.

You may not need to brush your hair as much as you think you do. It is advised that you only brush your hair as much as needed to style it.

Heat and Lack of Moisture

Frequently heating the hair can remove moisture from the hair and can damage the hair shafts, which causes the hair to break.

Over time, devices such as blow dryers, curling tongs, and straighteners can damage the hair.

Humid climates and hot weather can also dry out the hair and increase the risk of breakages.

Towel Drying

Rubbing your hair dry with a towel can damage the hair, cause breakages, and increase the frizziness. Wet hair breaks more easily than dry hair.

It is better to allow the hair to dry naturally.

Not Having Regular Haircuts

Split ends are a direct result of not having enough haircuts. These broken ends make the hair much more likely to break higher up, closer to the hair shaft.

Even when growin out your hair, you should still get regular haircuts to keep the hair healthy and strong.

A hairdresser will also be able to provide the best advice on maintaining healthy hair and can help to address any issued that you are currently experiencing with your hair.

Diet

Nutrition plays a huge part in the promotion of healthy hair. If you are deficient in a certain nutrient, this may cause weakened hair which is dry, brittle, or dull. Severe nutrient deficiencies can also lead to loss of hair.

Tight Hairstyles

People who tie their hair up regularly in tight hairstyles, or using elastic bands, may find that their hair breaks easily. Tight hairstyles can stretch or break the hair away from the root.

If you regularly tie your hair up tightly, you may develop a type of hair loss known as traction alopecia. This is a temporary hair loss, however, it can become permanent if it continues to happen.

Stress

Extreme cases of stress can cause hair damage and can lead to a condition known as telogen effluvium.

Severe stress can cause the roots of the hair to reach their resting stage before they are supposed to and the hair then becomes loose from the scalp.

Thyroid Disorders

Hair breakages can be caused by a thyroid disorder. People with this condition can have much thinner hair and may notice excessive shedding or bald patches.

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders can lead to hair loss and can cause breakages in the hair.

This is due to the malnutrition and health issues which occur due to the eating disorder. Malnutrition can affect the natural cycle of hair growth and leas to breakages.

Our List of 10 Home Tips on How to Repair Damaged Hair

Time to lay off everything that can heat your hair

Do you like to dry your hair after every shower you take? You should really cut back on that and allow your fringe to dry on its own. Do you like to take care of your hair with hair curlers and other devices which use a lot of heat? We recommend turning the heat down to the lowest setting or using hair wrapping or rollers instead. Natural is the keyword here; don’t damage your beautiful set of locks with artificial methods.

A must-have for damaged African-American hair

Is your hair frizzy, brittle, weak, lifeless and dry? There are a lot of things that can make it look and feel that way. Neglect, bleaching agents, heat and styling tools will have that effect on the long run. Black and African American hair needs some very important TLC.

  • Use leave-in conditioner: protects cuticles so that they stay healthy, seals in the hair’s natural moisture levels and helps you style your hair.
  • Good protein treatment: this makes it easy for your hair to deal with everyday products that use many damaging properties.
  • Look for a moisturizing conditioner and add a shampoo to that: these two combine powers to prevent your hair from snaping when you work with it.
  • Shea butter: use it to coat your ends, then take a wrap and cover the whole thing. After your favorite moisturizing hair product does its job, your hair will be both hydrated and soft.
  • Vinegar rinse: gets you rid of residue while strengthening and smoothening your hair.
  • Hair mask made out of avocado and banana: these fruit contain high fats, which translates into a deep moisturizing effect on your hair.
  • Homemade hair mayonnaise: if your hair is dry and severely damaged because of chemical products, this particular treatment will work wonders.

How to repair damaged hair naturally with olive oil

One of the best tips on how to repair damaged hair is to use olive oil. This natural element has been preffered throughout history by women with scalp problems. Its vitamin E, antioxidants and fatty acids heal the hair and deliver protection from morning till noon. Here’s how to tbenefit the most from this natural treasure:

  • Apply some olive oil (make sure it’s warm) on your scalp and then on the hair shafts.
  • Massage gently a couple of minutes.
  • Take a towel (warm it beforehand) and cover the hair with it overnight (or for 30-45 minutes).
  • When you wake up, use shampoo and some conditioner.

Do all of this once or twice a week.

Get that color back with honey

Many things can be said on the topic of how to repair dry damaged hair, but the honey we get from bees is truly magical. If you’re no stranger to dying your hair more than once a year, you might want to go back to your natural hair color now and then. Which is where honey comes in. The effect it has on hair cuticles is priceless: they will have their moisture back and your hair will be healthy again. Let’s see how you can play around with honey.

  • Mix 1/4 cup of honey (the organic kind) with water until it’s thinned out.
  • Make sure your hair is damp.
  • Apply the mix to the hair.
  • Let it sit for around 30 minutes.
  • Warm some water.
  • Rinse everything out with it.

It’s best if you follow the treatment 2 times a week.

coconut oil, 10 Home Tips on How to Repair Damaged Hair

Mix in some coconut oil

It’s possible you might want to know how to repair bleached hair. Don’t worry, it’s not that difficult to do. Just go to any health food store and you’ll find this miracle product there. Coconut oil is one of the best options you have if you bleach a lot and your hair is both heavy and thick.

All hair types can use some raw eggs now and then

How to repair severely damaged hair, you ask? You’d better go to the supermarket and find a couple of good raw eggs. Their white and yolk are equally healthy and work their magic on every kind of damaged hair, be it broken, really dry and so on. The egg’s white part has some very useful enzymes that destroy bacteria, leaving your hair free of unnecessary oils. The yolk moisturizes dry hair, thanks to its proteins and fats.

  • Make your hair ready by dampening it.
  • Apply 1/2 cup of egg mixture to your hair.
  • Wait for it to do its job (20 minutes tops).
  • Rinse using only cool water.
  • Shampoo your hair.

This treatment needs to be applied once a month if a whole egg and yolks are in the mix. If you only want to use only the whites, you have to apply the treatment every 2 weeks.

Repair sun-damaged hair with aloe vera

Aloe vera is an excellent remedy for a large number of health problems, including being a key tip among the most tested and true facts on how to repair damaged hair. Your hair will get much-needed help from the fruit’s vitamins E and C, amino acids and enzymes. Aloe vera contains humectant properties that are all crucial to the health of your hair. Benefit from all of that and more with these instructions:

  • get a bit of aloe vera and apply it on your hair;
  • it should sit for 10-15 minutes;
  • use warm water to wash everything off;

If you follow this treatment once a week, you’ll see results in no time at all. In case it doesn’t work, try this:

  • mix 4 tablespoons of aloe vera gel, 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and 3 tablespoons of yogurt (plain one);
  • stir the composition;
  • apply it on your hair;
  • leave it there for 30 minutes;
  • rinse the hair;
  • wash it with a shampoo (use a mild one).

Black tea to the rescue

If you’re a fan of naturally-made hair treatments, black tea is always an excellent pick in the multitude of tips and recipes on how to repair damaged hair. Your naturally dry hair will take its fill of vitamins E and C from it, as well as polyphenols. The natural elements found in this variety of tea have another property: they make sure your hair doesn’t suffer from UV rays. Damaged hair will regain its softness and shine as soon as you’re done with your black tea treatment. Which should be applied like this:

  • boil 1 cup of water;
  • add 1 black tea bag;
  • cover it;
  • let it work for about 10 minutes;
  • add 1 or 2 drops of jasmine essential oil;
  • let the water cool;
  • shampoo your hair;
  • rinse it;
  • let it sit for about 15 minutes;
  • use water to get rid of it.

Make sure to follow the treatment above once (or twice) a week.

Get rid of an itchy scalp with lemon juice and olive oil

We already spoke highly of olive oil. But lemon is also the perfect ally for your damaged hair, especially if you fight a losing battle against flakes every day. Mixing olive oil with lemon juice is the most potent of remedies. The moisturizing properties of the latter combined with the former’s acidity removes every bit of dry bit of skin.

  • Mix 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, 2 of olive oil and 2 of water.
  • Massage this into your damp scalp.
  • Leave it be for around 20 minutes.
  • Rinse hair.
  • Use your favorite shampoo.

You don’t have to use this treatment every single day; every other week will be enough.

White vinegar for a healthy scalp

Hair follicles are very sensitive to external and internal factors. This is what allows them to soak in substances, and all tips and treaties on how to repair damaged hair will never fail to mention vinegar as one of the fastest-acting such substances. White vinegar saves the day by getting them rid of all sorts of residue. The cuticles are neatly sealed and your damaged hair is damaged no more. If you miss seeing your hair shine and grow at a normal rate, you’ll love white vinegar.

  • Mix 1 cup of distilled white vinegar and 3 cups of water.
  • Condition your hair.
  • Rinse it with that mix afterwards.
  • Let it sit for around 5 minutes.
  • Use lukewarm water to rinse it all out.
  • Use a towel and dry your hair with it.

Apply either every few weeks or once a week.

Having problems with your hair shouldn’t make your life a living hell. Choose one of these tips on how to repair damaged hair and you’ll see a difference in no time at all.