Cut The Crap: Save Yourself From A Chemical Cut
By Abbey Meyer, Contributing Writer
Hair color is one of the most fun and easy ways to mix up your style; changing it can even give a fresh new start to the year. However, playing with bleach is a dangerous game, and all too often over-bleaching and over-processing hair leads to permanent damage to the follicle. Dubbed a “chemical cut” by stylists, the effects of bleach can even cause hair loss if you’re not careful. If you have found yourself the victim of over-treated hair, fear not, because there are a number of steps you can take to refresh your locks and grow your hair back long, strong and shiny.
The Chop
When hair is bleached too often, the ends become dry, brittle and broken. In order to begin fully healing the hair, the dead ends have to go. As difficult as it is to say goodbye to long hair, trimming the ends is one of the most important steps to growing healthy hair. Breakage can move up the strand as your hair grows, causing an increase in hair loss and thinning of hair in the long run. By chopping off the dead ends, you allow the hair to grow both thick and even, which will result in faster growth overall.
The Products
With so many products advertised to protect damaged hair, it is tough to know exactly what will bring life back to your locks. Ingredients should be the top priority when selecting shampoo, conditioner and styling product. Sulfates, dyes and parabens, which are harsh chemicals that can actually lead to additional damage of hair strands, are often included in popular hair products. Switching to natural hair care products, like the Shea Moisture line, and implementing healing oils is a great way to moisturize and strengthen your hair on a daily basis.
Many oils contain different healing properties to help grow and protect the hair shaft. Coconut oil, for example, is high in protein and contains medium chain triglycerides, a specific type of beneficial fatty acid that assists in the nourishing of hair follicles. Switch between applying a hot oil treatment of a high protein oil like coconut oil and a moisturizing oil like argan or jojoba oil. Add a dash of peppermint essential oil, then rub the slightly warm mixture into your scalp and work down the length of the hair before covering with a hair cap and a warm towel. The peppermint essential oil stimulates hair follicles at the root, which encourages hair growth, while the oils work to both strengthen and moisturize dry and damaged strands.
The Wash
Washing hair is an important step to keep the follicles clear of debris and promote faster hair growth. However, washing too frequently dries out the ends of hair and leads to further breakage. Following a weekly wash schedule is an easy way to make sure you are not over-washing your mop. In addition to laying low on shampoo, incorporating a deep conditioning treatment, like the Macadamia Deep Repair Masque, before every wash is an easy way to get more moisture into hair follicles. Simply apply the deep conditioning mask an hour or so before you plan to wash your hair. If you shower in the morning, apply conditioner to hair overnight and wash it out in the morning.
The Styling
Of all these tips, the most important is to stay away from heat styling. Embracing natural hair is extremely tough, especially considering heat-damaged hair often lacks nice texture. However, staying away from blow-dryers, flat irons and curlers is the quickest way to give hair a break from harsh treatment and allow the follicles to heal. Thousands of top knot, braid and ponytail tutorials are floating around the internet, giving plenty of options to rock your natural locks (especially if it’s been a few days since the last wash).
Though living with color-damaged hair is dreadful, the healing process doesn’t have to be. Commit yourself to 30 days of no heat, while incorporating some of these other tips, and your hair will be looking summer-ready in no time!