Flash News: Dyes, straighteners and blow dryers may help make you
stylish in the short term, but over time, harsh chemicals and heated styling
devices can damage your hair.
I have been collecting questions about prevalent hair problems from my patients over the last few weeks today I'd try to adress the most common ones bringing to light the top causes of
hair damage and tips on how to maintain a healthy and lustrous head of hair.
Are
chemical dyes bad for the hair?
Chemical damage is one of the most common culprits of hair
damage, as processed hair loses its natural moisturizers and the protective
lipid layer of fat on the outside of the cuticle (responsible for making the
hair shiny) is removed. The result is dried-out, dull, & frizzy hair.
What are the best ways to combat chemical damage?
- Use conditioning shampoos and conditioners regularly to
improve the appearance of frizzy hair. 2-in-1 shampoos that remove oil from
the scalp, clean the hair, and then condition the hair in the rinse phase also
are good choices.
- Look for shampoos, conditioners, sprays, and creams
containing dimethicone,
which has been shown to decrease static electricity, increase shine, and
improve manageability.
- Hair serums rubbed through the length of the
hair may also help.
- Of course the best option is to stop dyeing your hair. If
you do dye, choose a shade that's within three shades of you natural color.
Dyeing hair darker, rather than lighter, also generally is less damaging.
Can
the sun damage hair?
Hair can get tanned and damaged, just like skin.
Exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun or a tanning booths weakens the hair
structurally, resulting in hair breakage and loss.
The best protection is a hat or an umbrella, though
conditioners that contain a sun screen can
help too. Just be sure to reapply after each shampoo.
Grey hair is most subject to damage from the sun, followed
by blonde hair. If your hair is grey and you’re going to be out in the sun a
lot without a hat, you may want to consider dyeing it dark; it's a trade-off,
but damage from the sun is worse in this case than damage from the dye.
Can
blow-drying my hair result in damage?
Yes. Water in hair is what makes it flexible. Heating
appliances boil the water within the hair shaft, creating escaping steam. Hair
bubbles form on the hair shaft, creating a loss of cuticle. Signs of heat
damage include hair that smells burned, has frizzy ends, and breaks easily.
How
can I dry my hair without damaging it?
Allow it to air dry, when possible. If you have to use
a hairdryer, start out on the lowest heat setting first and gradually increase
it.
Moisturizing the hair regularly will help the appearance of
heat-damaged hair to some degree, but hair damaged by heat cannot be repaired.
The affected hair will need to be cut off and allowed to regrow as healthy
hair.
Since
hair is alive, won't damaged hair just grow back?
One of the most common misconceptions about hair is that it
is alive, when in fact hair is nonliving and does not heal itself once it is
injured. So once the hair is damaged it cannot heal itself except through new
hair growth at the scalp.
How
about straightening my hair?
If you're straightening hair with a ceramic iron, put a
moist towel in the device to protect the hair from direct heat.
There's also a procedure called keratin hair straightening
that uses gluteraldehyde or formeldahyde in combination with heat to straighten
the hair’s natural bonds. After the chemical solution is applied to the hair, a
keratin protein conditioner must be put on the hair to make it less brittle.
The hair must be kept dry and not bent or manipulated for several days or the
bonds will repair and the hair won't be straight.
