(BlackDoctor.org) -- As
Black women, we don’t
play about our hair. We will
go through leaps and bounds
to
keep our hair looking good.
So as we relax and color our
way to the hair we want, when
we want it, are we
actually doing more harm than
good to our locks?
Here are eight ways our beauty
habits cause hair damage:
1. Bleaching
- Bleaching your hair
penetrates the cuticle
with chemicals and
removes your natural
pigment. You are changing
the structure of your
hair, making it more
susceptible to damage.
Once you bleach,
you've altered the
strength of your hair,
making it weaker.
If you add blow-drying
and styling on top
of bleaching, you
can really damage
your 'do, causing
hair breakage, a dull
look, and split ends.
2. Perms
- Perming refers to
either a chemical
straightening or a
chemical curling.
It works by breaking
the inner bonds of
the hair and re-forming
them back together
in a different way.
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Like bleaching, it weakens
your hair, leaving it dull
and damaged over time so that
instead of luxurious curly
locks or shiny straight tresses,
your hair looks brittle and
dry.
3. Highlights and
coloring - Highlights
and semi-permanent dyes aren't
as damaging as bleach, but
they
aren't without consequences.
They can also change the inner
structure of the hair, causing
a lackluster
look and dryness, especially
if you frequently color to
hide roots or gray hair.
4. Flat iron and blow-drying
- Heat causes temporary changes
to the hydrogen bonds that hold
hair
together and that can make hair
look dull.
Over time, the temporary
changes can lead to more permanent
damage if you tend to blow
dry or iron on
a daily basis.
5. Ponytails and
braids - Ponytails
and braids can cause hair
to break, especially if your
style is pulled tightly.
If you wear it that way every
day, results of permanent
hair damage can occur.
Braiding or putting your
hair in a ponytail when it's
wet can cause damage sooner
because wet hair is more
fragile.
6. Over-brushing
- Think 100 strokes
a day will make your hair
shiny and full? Think again.
Over-brushing your hair can
cause split ends and breakage,
with the over-brushing causingtoo
much
consistent friction for hair
to handle.
Cheap brushes don't help
either, causing snags and
tangles that are hard to get
out and resulting in broken
hair and split ends.
7. Over-shampooing
- The goal of shampooing is
to cleanse the scalp and remove
oil buildup on your hair.
But over-washing can wash
away your hair's natural moisture
that helps your hair look
healthy, making your
hair dry. Although a significant
amount of research has gone
into making shampoos beneficial
for your hair,
you can still get too much
of a good thing.
The less vigorous you are
in washing your hair, the
less damage you'll do to the
cuticle. And find a
frequency to washing your
hair that works for you ...
whether it's a few times a
week or once a week.
8. Extensions and
weaves - Extensions
and weaves are a lot like
ponytails and braids. Over
time, they
can leave hair broken and
brittle. The difference is
the damage is at the roots
where it is harder to cut
out.
If you have a discomfort
or ache in the scalp, that
indicates that what you've
done to your hair is causing
too much pressure at the roots.
Worse, traction alopecia
is a serious hair loss condition
caused by wearing tight hairstyles
like extensions for
too long of a time period.
So either keep it loose, or
try growing your hair instead
of going for instant length.
Hair Damage Repair
Whether it's heat, chemicals,
dyes, or styling, it's all
doing some degree of damage.
A good rule of thumb is,
the less you do to your hair,
the better.
The good news is today's
products, including dyes,
are much better suited to
our hair than 20 years
ago, with technology and research
helping to make most styling
products actually beneficial
to our hair.
How can you undo
some of the damage done through
countless visits to the salon?
There are two things you
can do. First, cut off the
damaged ends and start fresh.
And try reducing what
you're doing. ... If you notice
your hair looking dull and
dry, cut back on your styling
until you get your hair back.
Recommendations for
maximizing hair health:
