But we can all probably agree no one wants dry, brittle strands that split and break off, no matter your hair type, color, or cut. Unfortunately, it's your daily haircare routine that often causes the most damage to your mane — think heat-styling, aggressive brushing, sun damage, and improper washing.
Things like aggressive brushing and combing, sleeping on wet hair or rough fabrics that create friction, constantly pulling your strands into styles that are too tight, and heat styling are all some of the main reasons why hair breaks.
Once the hair strand splits, there is no way to repair or mend it. The only effective way to remove split ends is to trim them off. Leaving split ends untreated can indeed lead to further damage, as the split can travel up the hair shaft, causing more breakage and making the hair appear frizzy and unhealthy.
As we've noted, damaged hair repair isn't possible because the protein bonds and cuticles have been permanently altered. Instead, the focus should be on maintaining hair to prevent further damage. If your hair is severely damaged, the most extreme solution is to cut it off and start fresh.
Using products that are designed to nourish the scalp and hair can definitely speed up this process, but on average you'd be looking at six months to a year to fully see a difference in your hair's condition.
Damaged hair is dull hair.
Dull hair is similar to tangly hair- when the cuticle is lifted up and haphazardly pointing in any direction, the shine of the hair decreases. Thus, when you take care to lay the cuticle down on the shaft, you are going to bring back your natural shine.
Some common causes are overprocessing and color-treating, which can both cause hair to lose moisture and eventually grow brittle if not conditioned continually to help stall more damage. Some hair type's have a cuticle that's naturally lifts easier, and thus are more prone to damage inherently.
"Cutting off the over-processed hair and starting anew with the healthier hair on the head is an option to 'restart' a healthy hair journey. Damaged strands can break and continue to do so along up the shaft making the hair shorter, so often a good snip is the solution."
You may also experience a change in texture, and your hair might not cooperate as it once did. Damaged hair becomes brittle and breaks easily. Your hair might look dull and dry, and the appearance of split ends is more noticeable. It can also be challenging to get your hair to lie flat.
If you damage your hair follicles after an injury, they can repair themselves and your hair will grow back. It could take up to four years before you see new hair growth out of damaged hair follicles, depending on the severity of your injury.
Harsh chemicals like bleach or relaxers can break down the bonds of the hair, making it weaker and thus more prone to breakage. Heat styling can also put enough stress on your hair to cause breakage, so it is always important to use a protectant before you grab a hot tool.
Here are some common signs of damaged hair: Split ends: When the ends of the hair shafts are frayed, it creates a split or forked appearance. Dryness: Damaged hair often appears dry and rough, lacking the natural shine and softness of healthy hair. Dullness: Damaged hair can lose its luster, looking dull and lifeless.
It Causes External Damage. "Your hair will continue to rub against clothing, get ripped out by sunglasses, and generally get beat up by your day to day life," Bivona notes. "This roughs up the cuticle, which will cause your hair to lose its shine and cause added dryness and weakness.
But we can all probably agree no one wants dry, brittle strands that split and break off, no matter your hair type, color, or cut. Unfortunately, it's your daily haircare routine that often causes the most damage to your mane — think heat-styling, aggressive brushing, sun damage, and improper washing.
Fried hair can absolutely go back to normal, so long as you address the problem the right way. The best way to do that is by speaking to an expert and, in the meantime, nourishing hair with protective products and little to no heat or dyes. How long does it take to fix fried hair? That depends on the problem at hand.
If you've got damaged hair (thanks, hot tools!), genetic structural abnormalities (they typically cause hair to break off at a certain length) or certain hair types, your hair might also grow more slowly.
According to Colombini, healthy hair actually takes the longest to dry. While it's less than ideal, your hair may take a long time to dry simply because you maintain healthy hair practices and your strands are able to easily absorb and retain moisture.
The hair strand test
If the hair stretches and then returns to its original length, it's healthy! (Nice). If it stretches but doesn't return it's dry. If your hair doesn't stretch, or it stretches a bit and then breaks, your hair is damaged.
Gently pull the hair at both ends and see how stretchy it is. If it's able to expand by around a third and then returns to it's original length, then you know your hair is healthy. If there is no give at all, then you have damage problems.
Only riboflavin, biotin, folate, and vitamin B12 deficiencies have been associated with hair loss. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) is a component of two important coenzymes: flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) [22].