the 4 causes of hair damage, how to repair it, and how to prevent future damage

Let’s talk about damage today! Repairing damage is the number one global concern when it comes to haircare and 1 out of 3 women are concerned about damaged hair. So what exactly is damage? Hair damage occurs when aggressors attack the protective outer layer of your hair, the cuticle, and there are 4 key causes of damage.

THE 4 KEY CAUSES OF DAMAGE

THERMAL DAMAGE

Blow drying, curling, and flat ironing your hair can lead to the most common cause of damage — heat damage! The overuse of heat or turning your heat up too high can lead to serious dryness, breakage, and split ends.

CHEMICAL

Coloring, lightening, relaxing, perming, etc. all can lead to chemical damage. Chemically treating your hair can leave it weaker and more prone to breakage and it can leave cracks in your cuticle.

MECHANICAL

Mechanical damage is actually a very common type of damage that’s often overlooked. Overly shampooing your hair, ripping a brush through your hair, aggressive or excessive towel drying, getting your hair caught on jewelry, your baby ripping it out, and hot water — yes, hot water causes damage.

ENVIRONMENTAL

The last key cause of damage is environmental damage. UV Rays, pollution, chlorine, the wind, etc. Regular exposure to environmental stressors can lead to damage over time.

THE 7 KEY SIGNS OF DAMAGE

Now that we know what causes damage, how do we know if our hair actually is damaged? It’s time to asses your hair! There are 7 key signs of damage to look for.

DRY HAIR

Dry hair isn’t always damaged but damaged hair is always dry!

TANGLED HAIR

When your hair is dry, it lacks smoothness and moisture which results in easier tangling. If you’re noticing excessive tangles, your hair could be damaged.

DULL HAIR

When cuticles get damaged, hair loses shine.

SPLIT ENDS OR ENDS THAT BREAK OFF

Split ends and ends that break off are probably the most common sign that your hair is damaged.

EXCESSIVE BREAKAGE

Typically, damaged hair splits/breaks off at the end of the strand but if you’re noticing excessive breakage towards the middle of your hair shaft this is a definite sign of damage. If you’re noticing a ton of breakage in your sink, shower, brush, etc. (not to be confused with hair that’s been shed), your hair is damaged.

LACK OF ELASTICITY

If you pull on a strand of hair and it snaps quickly, your hair is damaged. Healthy hair should bounce back and it should be difficult to snap.

FADING HAIR COLOR

When the cuticle is damaged, color releases out of the hair quickly causing it to fade quicker. If you’re noticing your hair color fading faster than usual, it could be because of damage.

HOW TO REPAIR CURRENT AND PREVENT FUTURE DAMAGE

DAMAGE REPAIR

Now that we know what causes damage and how to tell if your hair is damaged, let’s talk about damage repair. Thankfully, science in haircare has come a long way and gone are the days when the only way to repair damage was to cut it off.

The Damage Repair Line by MONAT includes four products — a shampoo, treatment, masque, and leave-in/heat protectant — and it doesn’t just heal surface damage. The products in the Damage Repair Line actually heal all three layers of hair.

DAMAGE PREVENTION

There are many different ways to prevent damage but these are some of the easiest things you can do:

  • USE A SAFE HEAT PROTECTANT AND TURN DOWN YOUR HEAT — whenever you’re styling your hair, you want to make sure you’re using a safe heat protectant (a heat protectant that won’t leave build-up/residue on your hair) and you want to make sure you’re not using heat above 360 degrees (and 360 is generous). There is absolutely no reason you need to use 450-degree heat. If you find that your hair won’t style without high heat, you have way too much buildup on your hair and I would recommend switching to cleaner products!

  • SWITCH TO SCRUNCHIES — unlike other hair ties, scrunchies allow slip and don’t get tangled in your hair.

  • WEAR LOOSER AND LOWER PONYTAILS — the higher and tighter the ponytail the more tension is applied to your hair and in turn it’s more prone to breaking.

  • WASH AND RINSE WITH COLD WATER — I’m not saying you have to take cold showers, just turn down the heat when you’re getting your hair wet. Not only does this help to prevent damage but it also preserves color better and prevents frizz.

  • BRUSH GENTLY — I know, we’re all in a hurry in the morning to quick brush and get out the door, but take some time and brush through your hair as gently as you can to avoid breaking it. Start at the bottom and work your way up. Switching to a Wet Brush is also incredibly beneficial along with using a detangler.

  • TAKE JEWELRY OFF WHEN STYLING — I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten hair caught in my wedding ring, I don’t notice it, and I rip it right out of my head. I always take my ring off when styling my hair now.

  • SLEEP ON SILK OR SATIN — silk and satin offer more slip which helps to prevent breakage and tangles aka bedhead. The natural oils your body produces are good for you and you need them. Cotton pillowcases absorb them, while silk and satin pillowcases allow your hair and skin to absorb them.

  • USE A COTTON T-SHIRT OR MICROFIBER TOWEL — using a microfiber towel or cotton t-shirt is gentler than standard bath towels. When you get out of the shower, don’t aggressively rub your hair with the towel (or t-shirt), just simply wrap your hair in it and allow the material to soak in the water.

  • PROTECT YOUR HAIR FROM THE SUN — just like your skin, your hair needs protection from the sun, when you’re going to be exposed to the sun make sure you use a UV Protector.

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