Anatomy of Damaged Hair
Multiple factors can be responsible for hair damage. Sun exposure, environmental aggressors, frequent usage of heat styling tools, pollution, chemical processing, over-colouring the hair, and improper hair care practices – all these things can cause the cuticles to scrape off, burn the hair fiber, or weaken the bonds of your hair, leaving you with dry and damaged hair. While hair damage can’t be reversed overnight, you can improve your hair health by following an effective damaged hair treatment plan, including the best products for damaged hair, and most importantly, eliminating the root causes of hair damage.
Learn what the experts at L'Oréal Professionnel have to say about damaged hair and find the best hair damage solutions along with the best-in-class hair care products for damaged hair.
Difference Between Dry and Damaged Hair
The symptoms of dry hair and damaged hair can confuse a layman. However, these two hair concerns are completely different (although may have similar symptoms - dullness, frizz, coarse texture) and hence should be treated with specialized products.
Dry hair is the result of lack (or the removal of) natural oils that act as lubricants along the hair fiber. Too much, and the hair looks oily, but too little and the hair dries out. Dry hair is often accompanied by white flakes of skin and a coarse, rough texture.
When it comes to damaged hair, things are different. At the heart of the fiber is the hair's cortex, which contains the hair colour (melanin). This core is protected by overlapping scales called cuticles, which on normal healthy hair, lie flat against one another to strengthen the hair and give it a uniform, shiny appearance. However, when these cuticles are damaged or weakened, the core gets exposed and becomes vulnerable to snapping. When the hair snaps off or breaks into split ends, it looks frizzy and dull, which are the tell-tale signs of damaged hair.
The most common signs and symptoms of damaged hair include:
• Tangled hair
• Dry hair and dullness
• Split ends
• Hair frizz
• Brittle strands and breakage
Now that you know the difference between damaged and dry hair, you can now build an individual plan for dry hair care as well as look for the most effective hair damage solutions along with the best-in-class products for damaged hair. While dry hair essentially craves hydration, understanding and catering to damaged hair is quite complicated. Let’s discuss it in detail.
What are the causes of damaged hair
The following are the potential causes of damaged hair -
• Heat-styling tools
• Over-colouring or incorrect way of colouring the hair
• Bleaching the hair
• UV damage
• Pollution
What are the different levels of damaged hair
Moving on to damaged hair, did you know there are different levels of damaged hair? Read on to identify what those levels are and find an ideal hair damage solution accordingly -
Level 1: In this level of hair damage, hair cuticles are jagged, with some of them lifted or broken. However, the hair's internal cortex is not yet fully exposed at this stage. The hair is slightly dry with less shine, duller colour and thinner ends.
Level 2: In this stage, cuticle abrasion is noticed, which means that the external layer is scraped off and the internal cortex is probably left unprotected and vulnerable to damage in some areas of the hair fiber. At this point, the number of cuticle layers decrease, with a large number of cuticles being jagged and lifted, exposing the cortex to damage. You are left with hair that has rough texture, a dull appearance, an uneven colour balance and the development of split ends.
Level 3: This is the highest level of hair damage where the cuticles are highly damaged, with parts of it withered away completely. The cortex is exposed and weak. At this level, the hair's surface texture is very coarse and deconstructed with no shine, faded colour and split ends.
How to prevent dry and damaged hair
Repair hair damage and hair dryness by following the tips mentioned below -
#Tip 1 - Choose the right products for damaged hair
Start your dry and damaged hair repair journey with dedicated products for damaged hair and dry strands.
Introducing L'Oréal Professionnel Absolut Repair range, an innovative addition to your damaged and dry hair treatment routine. This hair care range was curated to support the hair's fiber from root to tip, infusing nourishment and a weightless protective layer. Listed below are the products you should consider including in your hair care routine.
• Absolut Repair Shampoo is a professional shampoo designed for damaged and dry hair care, which instantly cleanses and restructures damaged hair to offers 13x resistance to hair damage.
*instrumental test: Absolut Repair Shampoo + Mask on Damaged Hair
• Absolut Repair Mask immediately restores damaged hair. Its Gold Quinoa + Protein formula makes the fiber 7x shinier* and smooth. Leave the Absolut Repair hair mask on hair for 3-5 minutes then rinse out thoroughly to repair damaged hair. Apply it once or twice a week.
*Shampoo + Instant Resurfacing Mask
• Absolut Repair 10-in-1 Oil is an effective hair damage solution that benefits your hair in 10 ways – offers anti-pollution and heat protection up to 230°C/450°F, nourishment, lightweight touch, softness, resurfacing, detangling, split ends reduction, easy blow-dry, and frizz control.
Products from the L'Oréal Professionnel Pro Longer can help protect the hair from future damage and mend the hair that is already damaged, or showing signs of fragility or thin ends.
• Pro Longer Concentrate Treatment is a weekly hair treatment that can help provide strength and durable thickness to ends.
You can also indulge in regular hair spa sessions to witness improved results for dry and damaged hair.
• Hair Spa Repairing Creambath is a professional hair treatment for damaged hair (infused with water lily and purified water) product that intensely repairs and strengthens damaged hair.
#Tip 2 - Colour your hair carefully
If you planning to colour your hair, get a professional service to prevent any further damage. Damage protection starts in-salon. Ask your L'Oréal Professionnel stylist about how to prevent damage during the colour process.
#Tip 3 - Limit using heat-styling tools
When it comes to styling, heat-styling tools can seriously damage the quality of the hair fiber. Using a heat protectant spray will give extra support against damage, but it is still recommended to reduce the use of heated styling tools (flat iron, curling iron etc.) and lower the temperature as much as possible.
Adopt the best hair care and hair styling practices and implement the above-mentioned hair damage solutions in your damaged and dry hair care ritual to pave the way for strong, robust and healthy hair.
For professional assistance on product recommendations and further guidance on damaged and dry hair treatment, pay a visit to the nearest salon and let the experts at L'Oréal Professionnel help you repair your damaged hair.