How can I improve my damaged hair?
filed in One Bytes on Dec.01, 2009
My hair hasn’t been growing as well as it used to. I think it is getting damaged from the hard water at work (I work at a hog barn and we have to shower in and out). Because I can’t do anything about the water, I was wondering if there is any shampoo/conditioner that I could use to keep my hair healthy (or other treatments for that matter). Thanks everyone for your help!
December 1st, 2009 on 8:58 am
You can definitely fix the hard water problem !
The best way to make your hair healthy is to take care of it naturally , and there are lots of natural things you can do to your hair to keep it nice and healthy without harming or smothering it with chemicals :
Apply nourrishing masks twice a week !
Try this one : one mashed banana, one spoon of honey, one spoon of olive oil, one spoon of avocado oil, one spoon of castor oil, one egg yolk and, if you’re courageous enogh to take the smell of it, some garlic. Apply that on your hair, wrap it in aluminium foil, put a beanie on and let it rest a few hours, a whole night being the best !
After you washed it, add one spoon of vinegar and spoon of lemon juice to one liter and a half of water, and rinse your hair with that, to avoid chlorine and hard water lingering on your hair, because that causes your hair to go dry and brittle over the long haul !
Also, if you don’t have that, buy a genuine silk pillowcase to sleep on : other fabrics are very harsh on your hair and rub it hard during the night, it’s very damaging to it. As well as straightening, blowdrying or any other heat source ! You really want to stay away from that !
Also shea butter is great for your hair ! Any time you want to wash your hair, make sure you apply shea butter or almond oil on it for about half an hour before you wash it. And put a tiny wee bit of jojoba oil on your ends ( it’s a very fine oil, it won’t show or make your hair greasy ) to prevent them from drying because they’re the most fragile part of the hair.
Apply hair organic sun block on your hair everyday, no matter what the season is or what the weather is like, sun rays dry the hair and skin big time !
Trim it at the very least every four months, though after a few months of that regimen, you’ll notice a huge difference and won’t even need to trim that often ( I sometimes go eight months straight without cutting my hair once , and at this point I don’t have a single split end, yet my hair used to be full of them and so dry and ugly ) !
Taking care of your hair from the inside is very important too : eat hair food, such as meat, eggs, raw vegetables and fruit, lentils, bran cereals etc.
To stimulate the blood circulation under your scalp ( hair gets the nutrients it needs through blood ) ; massage your scalp a few times a week. Here’s the technique : put the tips of your fingers on your scalp and massage it applying circular motion movements. You have to press the tips of your fingers firmly on your scalp, in order to make the scalp move on the skull, and not the fingers move on the skin, because that would not only be a waste of time, but it would also weaken the roots ! Start at the base of the nape and work your way to the forehead, then do the sides. If you can wiggle your scalp muscles, it brings more blood to the roots and you don’t need the massage ! Wiggling them five to ten minutes on a daily basis strengthens the hair like crazy over months, to the point it will never turn greyish ( if you’re young to start with ), for more information about this exercise :
http://www.shapeyourface.com/exercise_five.htm
If you want your hair to be straight, you can straighten it in a healthy way, it’s called wrapping ; when it’s damp ( not dripping ) comb and smooth it all around your head, secure it with bobby pins, then tie a silk scarf around your head and wait for your hair to be dry. It will look evenly straight, but in a natural looking way ! This is a link to a tutorial video showing you how to wrap your hair :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21Uwt-w4mq4
If you want curls or beach waves, you can also do it in a healthy way ( no heat involved ) :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50yw2W5F_z8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epuFmdcE4FA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q9w5ERE5dA
Do these on damp hair, not drippy, so it dries faster. If you’re in a hurry you can blowdry it set on cool air, making sure your hold the blowdryer away from your hair.
If it’s curly and you want to tame your frizzes naturally : apply a tiny bit of jojoba oil on it when it’s damp, put a silk scarf on your hair and wait for it to dry under that ; it will curl in a nice defined shiny way. The silk pillowcase trick also takes care of curls and waves during the night so they don’t lose their shine and definition overnight. When you wake up, spray your hair with rose-water, to loosen the curls so they don’t look rigid, this will also give your hair a natural shine as well as a nice flowery smell.
Also you will find that washing your hair with natural shampoo will make a huge difference ; if you can’t afford or don’t want to buy organic shampoo, you can just make your own one ; basically you start with 1/4 cup of distilled water and 1/4 cup of Castile soap ( Castile soap is created exclusively from vegetable oil ), then add the oils and scents you need or want. You’ll notice your hair become very clean for a longer time, and it won’t look tired and flat anymore ; check these sites to find your recipe depending on your hair type ;
http://www.instructables.com/id/Homemade-Shampoo/
http://www.life123.com/beauty/spa-treatments/beauty-tips/easy-homemade-shampoo.shtml
If you don’t want to bother gathering all these ingredients, just use the water and Castile soap mix and add an egg and some olive oil or coconut oil to it. If you don’t have Castile soap, you could replace it by a tiny bit of shampoo, organic shampoo being better.
Hope that helps !
December 1st, 2009 on 8:58 am
I use Burt’s Bees Deep Conditioner… I think it’s called. It really helps repair my damaged ends.
December 1st, 2009 on 8:58 am
pantene nature fusion
December 1st, 2009 on 8:58 am
Well first i say you should trim your hair that really helps. And as for shampoo i really like garnier it helps hydrate my hair, atleast it does for me. just make sure u get a shampoo that says for dry damaged hair (:
December 1st, 2009 on 8:58 am
there r hair facials. totally would help. u can also soak ur hair in warm water. and umm pantine and sean decial is realllllllly good
December 1st, 2009 on 8:58 am
I used to have straw like hair but since i have been taking care of it, it does what i want it to do.
i wash 2 times a week. I excersise a lot so instead of shampooing, ill just use conditioner when im in the shower.( i use a little shampoo for my bangs tho)
I do a weekly treatment. Splurge on a gooood treatment!
what kind of shampoo r u using?? when i get my hair done, the stylist tells me that using drugstore shampoo is like perming ur hear every time u wash ( pert plus is a nooo noo!!). Aussie and treseme were salon products so the PH level in those arent so high.
never use a brush on wet hair. use a wide tooth comb.
the products i use are, treseme leave in conditioner, chi silk infusion and iron gaurd.
this works for me! hope it does for u
December 1st, 2009 on 8:58 am
Chemicals and heat are two of your hair’s worst enemies, and they are the two elements that we constantly expose our hair follicles to. Natural elements like sun, cold, and hard water can also cause hair damage. With all of these things working against the health of your hair it is important to know a few easy tips for repairing some of the damage that has been done to your hair.
Tip 1 – Use the Same Shampoo
Most people don’t realize that changing your shampoo can actually cause your hair to go into shock. When your hair is in shock it is brittle, straw-like, and unattractive. To give your hair a chance to stabilize you should find a shampoo that gets your hair clean and then stick with it.
Tip 2 – Use a Conditioner with Sun block Every Day
Using a conditioner with sun block every day has two functions. First, conditioner helps the scales on your hair follicles to lie flat, which improves both the look and feel of your hair. Secondly, the sun block in the conditioner helps to protect your hair from sun damage. If you can’t find a conditioner with sun block, look for a spray-on sun block that is designed for hair.
Tip 3 – Use Hair Care Products That Are Designed for the Type of Damage That Your Hair Has
There are hundreds of hair care products that you can use to treat your damaged hair. However, before you select a product make sure that it is designed to treat the type of damage that your hair has, and make sure that it is a quality product. When you get your products home, make sure that you read the instructions carefully before you apply it to your hair. By following the directions on the product you will be able to improve your results. Mane and Tail shampoo is a perfect product to fix damaged hair.
Tip 4 – Trim the Ends of Your Hair Every Two Weeks
Even if you are trying to grow your hair out it is important to trim the ends of your hair about every two weeks. You don’t have to trim very much, just about a centimeter if your hair is relatively healthy. However, if you have seriously damaged ends you will need to trim above the damaged area. By trimming your ends you will stop split ends and you will improve the overall look and health of your hair.
Tip 5 – Use Kitchen Products to Heal Your Hair
There are several items in your kitchen that you can use to improve the health and appearance of your hair. For split ends, dry hair, and frizzy hair you can use olive oil and a beaten egg. Start by massaging olive oil into your hair. Then add in a beaten egg. Let this mixture marinade your hair for about 10 minutes and then shampoo and condition your hair. Mayonnaise is another kitchen staple that can be used to condition your hair. To use this home remedy simply massage mayonnaise into your dry hair and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Then rinse it out of your hair. Finish up by shampooing and conditioning your hair.
December 1st, 2009 on 8:58 am
i know this sounds really weird but depending on how long your hair is get 2-3 table spoons of olive oil and heat it up if you want and spread it through just the lenght of your hair and the ends leave it in there for half an hour at the least. It shouldnt make your hair greasy if you didn’t get it on the roots and it comes out easy wash twice if you have too i do it like twice a month it makes my hair really soft and shiny. give it a try
December 1st, 2009 on 8:58 am
Tips-
To grow your hair
Take vitamins.
Examples are
Biotin
Vitamin E (Which helps regrow hair and circulate blood)
Vitamin B (and all the other vitamin Bs. Like Vitamin B6 and B12, Etc)
Drink water.
If you can, go exercise.
I’m not saying 2 hours a day, everyday.
At least walk/run for 20-30 mins., 3 times a week.
Sometimes using too much shampoo is a bad thing. When you clean your hair as often, you hair doesn’t have it’s nature oils.
When you’re hair is frizzy, damp some olive oil on your hair for an hour (or longer). Careful though- make sure to take off at least 50% off.
Other methods are
leave egg yolk in your hair (wash off after 10 mins. to 15)
Mayonnaise and avocado (wash off after 10 mins. to 15)
NEVER towel dry your hair! What it does is cause friction and gives you split ends.
If you Must straighten (or blow dry) your hair, use IC Hair Polisher Heat Protector Straightening Serum By: Fantasia. I recommended it.
Protect your hair at night.
Best way is to buy a satin pillow.
Put oil in the tip of your hair.
Just, whatever you do, do leave your hair loose.
June 13th, 2010 on 11:07 pm
I have a lot of hair & it is very curly & course. I generally sleep on silk every night, because it keeps my hairstyles fresh & prevents bed head, split ends & keeps my hair from drying out while I sleep. Whenever I sleep on cotton it messes up my hair & never looks right when I wake up. http://www.essenceofsilk.com has the best prices & selection that I’ve found plus they also sell the hair wraps as well.