Your hair is exposed to all sorts of micro-aggressions, especially if you also treat it with styling products or expose it to heat from your hair blower, curler or straightener. When you also add dyeing or bleaching into the mix, your hair can become seriously damaged, all along its length. In this case, you need to take some measures to repair it, in order to prevent even more serious problems (like damaged roots, an overall bad look of your hair, and even hair fall). Wondering how to repair damaged hair without buying any expensive treatments? There are two main ways to do it at home, and all the remedies presented here also work great for hair damage prevention, as well.
You can choose to repair your damaged hair by applying various products to it directly (and, as you will notice if you try a comparison, natural products work best so choose them over expensive cosmetic products any day). You can also repair damaged hair (and prevent it from falling out) by way of some internal treatments as well (food supplements). If you’re really interested in how to repair damaged hair optimally through home remedies, we suggest combining the two approaches. Here is what you need to know about damaged hair repair, in a nutshell.
These are the best ways to revitalize your hair (no matter how damaged it is), give it a nice sheen and stimulate its growth.
Doing a long-term treatment with apple cider vinegar can have all sorts of wonderful results, beyond the benefits to your hair. You can read more about the general health benefits of ACV (apple cider vinegar) here, but this is what you need to know about its effects on the health of your hair. Ingesting small quantities of apple cider vinegar helps with the revitalization of your hair’s roots, making it grow healthier, thicker and preventing future hair loss. It also gives your hair a slightly more intense natural shine (in a good way).
To do this treatment (and get your hair – and overall health – in a much better shape), this is what you need to do: mix a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a cup of water and drink this 30 minutes before your main meals. This means you need to drink this vinegar-y water three times a day, every day. Don’t worry about taste; it’s almost like lemonade. Do this for 3 months for a really intense boost and full benefits (on your hair and beyond).
Beyond its other wonderful health remedies, gingko biloba, taken as an internal supplement, can help hair regenerate faster and grow stronger. If you’re dealing with hair which is very damaged, besides doing what you can do externally in order to repair your deteriorated follicles, taking some supplements to help with growing new hair is also indicated.
Another great herb for the regeneration and general well-being of all hair types is the stinging nettle. This herb can be used both internally and externally to benefit your hair. This is how to repair damaged hair with the help of nettle: buy yourself several packs of nettle tea (you can find it relatively easily in health shops and online) and drink 2-3 cups daily. In addition to this, also use a cup of freshly brewed (but cooled) nettle tea for the final rinsing of your hair during your washing ritual. No need to also rinse with clean water; don’t worry, the nettle tea won’t make your hair dirty or weird-smelling, quite the opposite, actually. Nettle tea has a very pleasant and discreetly herbal scent and your hair will benefit from its wonderful bio-phenols fully if you leave it in your hair and just dry it the way you usually do.
Next, here comes the second part of our guide on how to repair damaged hair at home. These external remedies can be mixed together in whatever combinations you like, in order to benefit from their revitalizing effect fully. Creating your own natural hair masks for repairing bleached, color treated or just severely damaged hair can fun! But any of the home treatment options presented below can work just as well by itself (and they are usually designed to work by themselves). So if you prefer to use one substance at a time, don’t worry about making combinations. In fact, you can probably monitor the effects and results of each remedy better by using them separately.
This may sound a little gross, but its beneficial effects on very damaged hair cannot be denied. Users interested in how to repair damaged African-American hair or those interested in how to repair bleached damaged hair swear by the effectiveness of mayo, so you can be sure that it works even for the most serious of cases.
In order to use this remedy, just make sure that the mayonnaise you will apply has been produced naturally. Home-made mayo works best: all you need in it are the egg yolk and oil. Since you plan to apply this on your hair, feel free to skip the salt, vinegar, mustard and whatever other spices you would normally add to mayo. Just apply the mayo to your damp hair, from root to the damaged hair tips, wrap your hair in a plastic wrap and sit in a warm room for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. Then rinse and wash your hair with shampoo and follow your usual hair wash routine. Repeat this treatment every week for great results.
Coconut oil is another great remedy for hair health and hair repair. So if you’ve been looking for how to repair damaged hair at home with minimal fuss and nothing seems to have worked so far, coconut oil is what you need. Invest in a small jar of cold-pressed coconut oil (or maybe you already have one around for cooking) and use it every time you wash your hair. Apply a generous amount to damp hair, then wrap in a plastic shower cap (or even a warm towel) and allow it to work its magic for at least one hour, or, even better, overnight. The recommended frequency is of once every 2-3 days.
There are rumors of a medieval queen with full and voluminous hair that traced behind her like a shadow, and the hair treatment she used. It was allegedly made of beaten egg yolks and a bit of rum (the rum had no purpose besides its pleasant perfume). Follow her lead and apply an egg yolk onto damp hair, from the scalp to the roots. Allow it to work on your hair for 10-15 minutes, then rinse with cold water (to prevent the egg from curdling and turning into omelet in your hair). You can skip the shampoo afterwards and skip directly to your conditioner or a natural hair mask (such as the ones presented below).
If you’re looking for a fuss-free tip on how to repair damaged hair at home, avocado should be your best friend. It is one of nature’s greatest magical cures, and works perfectly as a nourishing mask, both for your skin or hair. Make a paste from a very ripe, softened avocado and apply it to your entire hair length, from scalp along the hair shaft and onto your damaged hair tips. Wrap the hair in a plastic shower cap and allow it to work its magic for at least one hour or overnight. Then rinse and wash your hair with shampoo as you usually do.
Bananas are another great natural cure for all hair damages. The precious minerals and deeply nourishing substances inside bananas work better than most high-end expensive hair masks. This is how to repair damaged hair using a banana mask: mash one or two bananas in a small bowl (you will need more or less depending on your hair length) and then proceed just the way you did with the avocado.
One of the most miraculous oils discovered so far, olive oil is great both for your hair and skin if used properly. To use it for repairing damaged hair, just apply it generously from roots to hair ends, onto damp hair. Wrap it all in a warm towel and allow it to nourish your hair for a couple of hours or, better yet, overnight. Rinse with shampoo and water and proceed with your usual routine afterwards.
You can also use aloe vera gel just the same way in which you would do with your regular hair mask. Just allow it to work on your hair longer (1 or 2 hours), in order to fully benefit from its hair repairing properties.
Use freshly brewed black and green teas for rinsing your hair or mixing a bit of their liquid into other natural hair masks you are preparing. They are full of antioxidants and vitamins which will help nourish your locks and prevent future damage. They also help moisturize your hair follicles and seal water in, maintaining your hair’s normal hydration levels.
Hibiscus has been successfully used as a hair remedy for damage repair for centuries. If you can find fresh hibiscus flowers, cook 6-7 of them in half a cup of coconut oil and then use the infused oil as a hair treatment.
Honey is, as you probably already know, full of amazing substances with almost miraculous properties to human health. There’s no reason you shouldn’t benefit from these properties through external use as well. Both your skin and hair can be greatly helped by a good dose of honey. This is how to repair damaged hair through honey masks: apply a generous layer of natural honey onto damp hair, by itself or combined with something else (avocado, banana, yogurt, etc.). Let it work for 1 hour or more and rinse off with your usual shampooing routine.
The healthy fats in Greek yogurt are a great relief to stressed-out, heavily damaged hair. To use it, just apply it the way you would proceed with your usual store-bought hair mask, only allow it to rest on your hair longer. A few hours is ideal. Then rinse and wash with shampoo as you normally would.
In order for all these nourishing substances to circulate within your hair follicles properly, they need a little help. Brushing has been known as a great way to promote the health of your hair for centuries, but you don’t need to do it too much or too hard in order for it to work. Make sure you use a brush made from natural wood, with rounded wooden tips which can provide a gentle scalp massage as well. Also, if you’re up for it (and why wouldn’t you?), it’s a great idea to enhance the effect by actually massaging your scalp with your finger tips for 5-10 minutes, every night before sleep. The results won’t fail to appear shortly.
Further tips: don’t use heat devices on your hair if it already damaged, and even try to dry it out in the natural way after washing, instead of using the blow-drier. If you use a hair iron, you risk making your hair tips even more badly split then they currently are. Also refrain from artificial coloring or styling for a while, since chemically straightened, colored and treated hair is even more fragile and vulnerable to damage.
Who’d have thought you can use butter on your hair and it can actually treat brittle ends? Just a small amount of butter helps your strands to absorb vitamin D, vitamin E and essential proteins that help your hair shine and repair itself. Massage a tablespoon of product into dry hair, cover and leave for 30 minutes. Rinse and shampoo and condition as usual. For even better results, opt for an organic, unsalted version.
There are a few ways to apply this oil to your hair for luscious locks. As well as repairing damaged hair, this botanical oil adds sleekness and curbs flyaway strands. This non-toxic oil is also great to use as a straightening agent if you struggle to achieve tamed hair after using the straighteners.
Create your own mixture by using 4-7 drops of sandalwood oil with 1 drop of jojoba oil. Apply the solution to dry hair, concentrating on the ends. Massage into the scalp to increase blood circulation if you’re trying to grow your hair. Sandalwood oil is also an effective anti-dandruff solution as it removes excess sebum on top of the scalp to add moisture and eliminate any dry, dead skin cells.
Your hair isn’t supposed to be tied up in awkward knots and angles as this pulls the hair strands in unnatural ways. Ponytails and braids are two of the worst hairstyles for damaged hair as it can cause breakage. You should also avoid tying up your hair when it’s wet and it’s more fragile in this state.
For times when your strands are dangling in your face, opt for grips to keep it out of your way. Leave your hair down more often than not as this allows the hair to lay naturally. Try this when your hair is wet too, and unleash your natural waves.
