How to Treat Dry, Damaged Hair

When your hair is dry it can look lifeless and lack natural sheen. When this happens action is necessary to get it back to a healthy condition. When hair is damaged and breaking, it is often the result, cause or a companion to your hair's lack of moisture and must also be properly treated and cared for. To do this you must understand what steps to take and what daily actions must be stopped for maximum results.

• Determine the source of the damage and dryness. Take into consideration if you have recently had a chemical treatment, switched hair care products or if you blow dry, flat iron or use the curling iron on your hair on a daily basis. Determining the cause of the problem is the first step in identifying what needs to be done to treat it. 


• Stop before putting any new chemicals on your hair until you are able to make it healthy. Begin a deep conditioning or moisturizing treatment at home. The best way to determine what is the best conditioner for your particular hair condition is to see a hair stylist. He or she can look at your hair, tell you what is likely to be the problem and start a conditioning treatment in the salon. Tell him or her what you are using in terms of shampoo and conditioner and ask him or her what he or she recommends to use at home. 


• Get a haircut. Evaluate the amount of damage there is to your hair. If you have minor split ends and are comfortable handling haircutting scissors, give yourself a trim. If there is serious breakage, you may need a professional haircut to even up your hair and remove the damaged, problematic hair. 


• Don't wash your hair on a daily basis. Daily shampooing isn't necessary for everyone, especially if your hair is dry as it can worsen the problem. Switch to washing your hair one to two times a week. If that seems too long, switch to washing it every other day.


• When wet, only comb your hair using a wide tooth comb while conditioner or leave-in conditioner is on it. A brush or regular comb on wet hair can result in further damage by causing it to break. 


• Stop using heated styling tools or drastically minimize how often you do use them. Towel blot your hair and let it air dry as opposed to using a hair dryer. Use magnetic hair rollers to curl your hair and sit under a bonnet style dryer instead of using a handheld hair dryer. If you must use heated styling tools, always use some form of heat protecting spray and pick one method only. For example, if you are going to use a curling iron, let your hair air dry.