If you suffer from frail or damaged hair, then you know just how frustrating it can be. It weighs on you and zaps your confidence. It can prevent you from feeling your best and living life on your own terms. Thankfully, there are solutions. You simply have to find and implement the ones that are right for you.
Causes of Frail and Damaged Hair
You’re not the only person with dry, brittle hair. It’s a much more common issue than most women would care to mention. And it has to be treated with extreme care; otherwise, it could morph into a bigger problem over time (including excessive hair loss).
Brittle hair is essentially a combination of multiple factors: frizz, split ends, and dryness. And while it might start off as annoying, it can quickly turn into breakage and hair loss.
Some of the causes of frail and damaged hair include:
- Chemical treatments. Getting your hair styled or colored is always a tradeoff between beauty and health. Too many chemicals can strip your hair of nutrients and leave follicles vulnerable to damage. Over time, these chemicals may dull your hair and cause breakage.
- Excessive heat styling. Heat styling tools like flat irons and blow dryers are convenient, but they may be hurting your hair health. Excessive temperatures can actually cause water bubbles to form inside your hair, which damages the follicle. In other words, using a blow dryer or iron that’s too hot cooks your hair and makes it rough and brittle.
- Weather. Hair is heavily influenced by weather conditions, and the summer months can be particularly problematic. Between swimming and excessive sun exposure, hair can become dehydrated and prone to breaking.
- Poor nutrition. A lack of proper nutrition can leave your hair frail and damaged. If you don’t get enough vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, or protein, this could be one of the underlying causes of your brittle hair.
- Hormonal changes. While you can account for most of the factors highlighted above, sometimes frail hair is caused by things you can’t control, like a shift in your hormones. Whether it’s menopause, birth control pills, or pregnancy, sudden physiological changes can have adverse effects on your hair.
Sometimes it’s one of these issues, while other times multiple factors come into play. And with each additional factor that comes into play, the process is accelerated. The sooner you deal with them, the better.
5 Tips for Revitalizing Your Hair
The good news is that most frail and damaged hair can be treated and restored. Here are some useful steps you can take to revitalize your hair:
1. Be Gentle With Wet Hair
It’s imperative that you use caution when dealing with wet hair. Vigorously rubbing your hair after getting out of the water can damage hair and cause frizz, which ultimately makes breakage more likely. (Wet hair always breaks more easily than dry hair.)
Rather than rubbing hair, wrap it in a towel and let it dry naturally. You can also grab strands and gently wring out the water prior to towel-wrapping.
2. Turn Down the Heat
As previously mentioned, heat is damaging to hair. This includes heat from styling tools, water, and even the sun. Use these tips:
- When showering, keep water at a lukewarm temperature and rinse with cold water. (This helps the cuticle lay down flat.)
- When outside, wear a hat and/or seek shade to protect your hair from prolonged sun exposure.
- When styling hair, always keep temperature settings as low as possible. (You can also use a heat protectant beforehand.)
Simple little steps like these might seem small in the moment, but they all add up to promote stronger, lusher hair.
3. Use Better Hair Products
Not all hair care products are created equal. Many of the cheap options you see lining supermarket shelves contain damaging chemicals and additives that are rough on delicate hair. Ingredients to avoid include: mineral oil, petroleum jelly, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, polyethylene glycol, benzene, phthalates, parabens, formaldehyde, synthetic dyes, and sodium hydroxide.
Be on the lookout for options containing natural ingredients and safe elements that are designed to restore your hair to its natural state. You may also try hydrating formulas that are specifically designed for dry hair.
4. Try LLLT
In addition to avoiding the bad habits and dangerous factors that are stripping your hair of its vitality, there are steps you can take to promote healthier growth moving forward. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is one of them.
LLLT, which can be safely administered at home using a simple laser cap, works by regenerating hair follicles and giving them an increased supply of energy through stimulated blood flow. With the Kiierr Laser Cap, you can expect to see frail follicles transformed into thick, healthy hair with consistent 30-minute treatment sessions.
LLLT won’t give you overnight results, but it will leave you with stronger and fuller hair after weeks and months of continued use. This isn’t a “quick fix” – it’s a long-term solution for discovering healthy hair.
5. Improve Your Diet
Hair health is heavily influenced by diet and nutrition. If you want to restore strength and vitality to your hair, you have to strip your diet of processed foods and focus on fresh options that give you a balanced array of proper vitamins and nutrients.
Sugar should be avoided as much as possible, as it increases inflammation throughout the body and is heavily connected with hair breakage and hair loss and thyroid issues. In addition to eliminating sugar, try consuming more lean meats, nuts, and legumes – anything with protein. Foods that are high in vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc are also helpful.
Reclaim Your Hair Once and for All
You don’t have to suffer with frail, damaged, and brittle hair. Once you understand what’s causing your hair to be weak, you can develop a strategic plan that’s tailored to your unique health needs. Let this article serve as a launching pad to help you revitalize your hair once and for all!