Our hair goes through so much every day! From styling tools to weather conditions, we put our locks through trials that can leave them damaged and unhealthy. Most of us don’t even realize we’re doing harmful things to our hair during our daily routines. Let’s look at some common ways we accidentally damage our precious strands.
1. Washing with Scorching Hot Water
Hot water strips away natural oils that protect your hair and scalp. The heat opens hair cuticles too much, letting moisture escape and causing dryness. Lukewarm water is your hair’s best friend! Try finishing with a cool rinse to seal those cuticles and add shine.
2. Brushing When Wet
Wet hair stretches up to 50% more than dry hair without breaking. Aggressive brushing pulls and tears these fragile strands, causing breakage and split ends. Use a wide-tooth comb instead, starting from the ends and working upward.
3. Overusing Heat Styling Tools
Flat irons, curling wands, and blow dryers can reach temperatures of 450°F! This extreme heat boils the water inside your hair shaft, creating bubbles that weaken the structure. Try embracing your natural texture some days or using heat protectant products.
4. Skipping Heat Protectant
Heat protectants create a barrier between styling tools and your hair. Without them, high temperatures directly attack the hair cuticle and inner structure. These products contain ingredients like silicones and proteins that shield your strands from thermal damage.
5. Tight Hairstyles and Ponytails
Constantly pulling hair tight creates tension that damages follicles. This can lead to traction alopecia – actual hair loss around your hairline and temples. Loosen up those styles and switch positions regularly. Your edges will survive to see another day!
6. Sleeping with Wet Hair
Wet hair is super fragile and prone to breakage. The friction from tossing and turning on cotton pillowcases creates tangles and roughens up the cuticle. Your hair also stretches when wet, potentially breaking as you move during sleep.
7. Skipping Regular Trims
Split ends travel up the hair shaft when left unchecked. What starts as a tiny split can work its way up, forcing you to cut off more length later. Even if you’re growing your hair, trimming every 8-12 weeks removes damaged ends before they spread.
8. Rubbing Hair with a Towel
Rough towel-drying creates friction that lifts the cuticle layer. This roughened surface makes hair look dull and frizzy while weakening the strand structure. Try gently squeezing excess water with a microfiber towel or even an old t-shirt instead.
9. Over-Washing Your Hair
Daily shampooing strips away natural oils that protect your scalp and hair. This triggers your scalp to produce more oil, creating a vicious cycle of greasiness and over-washing. Most people only need to shampoo 2-3 times per week.
10. Using the Wrong Brush Type
Metal brushes conduct heat and can actually burn your hair when used with blow dryers. Plastic bristles create static and snag on tangles, causing breakage. Natural boar bristle brushes distribute oils and are gentler on the hair shaft.
11. Chemical Overload
Back-to-back chemical treatments break down hair’s protein structure. Combining coloring, perming, relaxing, or keratin treatments without adequate recovery time leads to severe damage. Always wait 2-4 weeks between chemical services to let your hair recover.
12. Ignoring Sun Protection
UV rays damage hair just like they damage skin. Prolonged sun exposure breaks down the hair’s protein structure and fades color-treated hair rapidly. Hair-specific SPF products or wearing hats can shield your strands from harmful rays.
13. Skipping Deep Conditioning
Regular conditioner only treats the surface of hair strands. Deep conditioners penetrate the hair shaft to repair internal damage that everyday products can’t reach. Weekly deep conditioning treatments restore moisture balance and strengthen hair from within.
14. Coloring Too Frequently
Hair dye contains chemicals that lift the cuticle to deposit color. Repeated exposure weakens this protective outer layer, leading to porosity issues and moisture loss. Try stretching time between color appointments or using demi-permanent options.
15. Neglecting Protein-Moisture Balance
Hair needs both protein and moisture to stay healthy. Too much protein makes hair brittle and stiff; too much moisture causes limp, mushy strands. Learning your hair’s unique needs helps you choose the right products for optimal strength and flexibility.