Another way to extend your style? Protect it while you sleep with satin or silk pillowcases, scarves, hair ties, or bonnets. “Create a signature sleep style that allows oxygen to flow through the hair to the scalp, to prevent tangling and matting in the occipital point of the head while you sleep,” explains Hill, citing twists, pin curls, large braids, or the pineapple method as excellent sleep styles.
Type 2: Chemical Damage
How Does Chemical Damage Occur?
Fans of hair color and retexturizing treatments, take note: chemical damage is an insidious sort. While occasional chemical processing—accompanied by a strategic and regimented hair care routine—is no cause for concern, treatments that are too frequent, too harsh, or not accompanied by proper tending can lead to progressive deterioration of hair cuticles.
Take dyeing your hair. Nathan explains that some hair dyes can cause irritation or allergy on the scalp, which can lead to hair loss. They can also disrupt the hair shaft, which can lead to dryness and breakage. “This is an unpopular opinion, but I often advise against hair dyes in most cases,” she says.
Other chemical treatments, such as perms, can also cause damage to your scalp and strands. Treatments like Brazilian blowouts can contain formaldehyde, which Nathan says can cause inflammation or an allergic reaction. Some studies have also linked the harsh ingredient to cancer.
TLDR: Bleaching may make hair appear plump, and retexturing may make daily styling easier, but chemicals do significant damage to protein structures over time.
How to Repair Chemically Damaged Hair
Bond-building hair products—which work to repair amino acid bonds that make up the keratin in hair—have been all the rage in recent years. “You can improve the quality of hair with bond-building productsafter slight chemical damage, however, you cannot restore split ends or breakage in severely damaged hair,” says Caspara. Options like Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil and Living Proof’s leave-in treatment are reliable favorites for protecting against future damage, and Nathan adds that peptide hair treatments, like the Vegamour’s hair mask can also strengthen the hair shaft while replenishing lost moisture. When in doubt, Kaeding reaches for K18’s leave-in hair mask. “It works on all hair types to reverse damage on a molecular level, by penetrating at the inner most layer of the hair follicle to create stronger and smoother results.”
How to Prevent Further Chemical Damage
Though bond-building products help hair, regular maintenance—a.k.a. trims every six to eight weeks—is key for prevention. “The only way to rectify severe thermal or chemical damage is to frequently trim off dead ends and allow for healthier hair to grow down without being affected by lingering damage,” says Caspara. Brager agrees that regular trims can reduce split ends from fraying and breaking off, allowing you (and your hair!) to avoid more dramatic damage.
Type 3: Heat Damage
How Does Heat Damage Occur?
Though heat tools may help our hair appear perfect, relying on them too frequently can do lasting harm. As with chemical processing, the repeated application of heat erodes the cuticle and weathers strands, leading to breakage over time. Too-high heat can even cause immediate damage, literally singing the very strands you’re trying to style.
How to Repair Heat-Damaged Hair
While there’s no way to undo heat damage entirely, an overhaul of your daily products can help (along with, as you may have guessed, regular trims). To start, the pros suggest you first take stock of your shampoo and conditioner to ensure both are free of harsh sulfates. “Never skimp on shampoo and conditioner, because it’s the thing you use the most,” says Brager, who agrees that sulfate-free products are the way to go as harsh chemicals can strip hair of its oils, leading to further frizz and dryness.
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