Reviving Damaged Hair (Best Salon for Repairing Damaged Hair in Sinking Spring)
Damage control! If you need to revive dead hair you’re not sure how to begin the recovery process, consult a professional.
It doesn’t have to feel like homework! To get pampered at a wonderful hair and beauty salon in Sinking Spring, PA, visit Lords & Ladies Salon and Medical Spa. Our professionals with over 700 hours of training offer experience and expertise in all areas of hair and skincare.
Keep reading for more info on how to revive damaged hair — and how to know when it’s time to consult the pros.
No doubt about it — damaged hair is a downer. Things like excessive heat styling, chemical processing, and a lack of regular trims can leave your hair limp, lackluster, brittle, and broken.
But here’s the good news — damaged hair doesn’t have to be a death sentence for your overall look. Even if the situation is dire, the right combination of products, at-home treatments, and salon services can revive even the most frazzled locks.
Keep reading for 12 pro tips from Lords & Ladies’ Sinking Spring stylists to help revive dead hair — and tips for preventing future damage.
1. Get Regular Trims
One of the best tips to revive damaged hair is proactive — get regular trims. It’s not just about keeping your look fresh — it’s about trimming off split ends.
Here’s the deal. Over time, the ends of your hair, which are the oldest part of your hair shaft, can become dry and brittle. This can cause your hair’s outermost layer to break, leaving you with split ends.
In general, split ends are simply part of life, and are easily remedied with regular trims. But if you ignore your split ends, they can become a big problem. You see, those split ends can travel up your hair shaft, which can result in frizz, tangles, and dull, lackluster locks. Over time, the damage may be irreversible, meaning you might have to chop off more hair than you’d like to stop the damage.
Just how often should you get trims? While your ideal schedule will depend on factors like your hair’s texture, style, and length, a good rule of thumb is to seek out a trim every 6-8 weeks for longer hairstyles, and every month or so for shorter hairstyles. A professional stylist can offer customized guidance on how frequently you should get trims based on your hairstyle.
2. Invest in High-Quality Products
There’s a saying that goes, “Invest in your hair — it’s the crown you never take off.” High-quality products, particularly those specifically formulated to revive damaged hair, can help breathe life back into your lackluster locks — and prevent further damage.
One product suite we highly recommend is L’Oréal’s Absolut Repair Molecular system, which includes a sulfate-free shampoo, rinse-off serum, and leave-in mask. This patented system is specifically designed to revive damaged hair and includes a peptide bonder and amino acids to gently nourish and strengthen your hair fibers.
Regardless of what products you choose, if you tend toward frizzy or dry hair, try to avoid shampoos or products containing sulfates, which are chemical agents that can strip your hair of moisture and leave it brittle.
3. Think Beyond Shampoo + Conditioner
Can you revive dead hair? Probably not with shampoo and conditioner alone. Consider incorporating products that provide intense moisture and nourishment for your hair, including:
- Hair Masks: A hair mask is a reparative treatment for your hair that provides higher concentrations of hydration than the average conditioner. This makes them an ideal addition to your repertoire if your goal is to revive damaged hair. A hair mask works sort of like a face mask, but for your hair — you slather it on, leave it on for several minutes, then wash it out (leave-in varieties are also available). Specific formulation are available to treat any number of specific types of hair damage — a few that we like include L’Oréal’s Vitamino Color Mask for color-treated hair, Curl Expressions Intensive Moisturizer Rich Mask for curly hair, and Redken’s Frizz Dismiss mask for frizzy hair.
- Leave-In Conditioner: Leave-in conditioner is just what it sounds like: A conditioner that you apply then don’t wash out. Typically, they’re formulated a little differently than traditional conditioners, so they won’t weigh your hair down once dried. By leaving the conditioner in, it can penetrate the hair shaft and deliver more nourishment and moisturization to damaged hair. One of our top picks? Redken’s Extreme Length Leave-In Treatment. Infused with biotin, this leave-in conditioner is specifically designed to strengthen damaged hair and is advertised to visibly reduce the appearance of split ends by 78%.
- Serums: Serums aren’t just for your skin! Hair serums are treatments specifically formulated to provide a protective layer over your hair fibers. Specific formulations can treat different types of hair damage — for instance, if you’re worried about damage from heat styling, Mizani’s Press Agent Raincoat Styling Serum is a serum specifically formulated to lock in moisture and protect your hair cuticles from temperatures up to 450 degrees F. For general frizz control, L’Oréal’s Techni.Art Liss Control Serum is a super-lightweight and intense smoothing serum that controls volume and reduces frizz for up to 24 hours on all hair types.
4. Three Words: Cezanne Keratin Treatments
If you’re looking for a long-term solution that can remediate hair damage and strengthen your hair to make it less susceptible to future damage, we suggest the Cezanne keratin treatment, which is appropriate for all hair types. Why the Cezanne keratin treatment specifically? Because it’s one of the few keratin treatments that does not contain formaldehyde, which not only smells terrible but can damage your hair over time.
The Cezanne keratin treatment is formulated with a naturally-occurring protein produced by the silkworm called sericin. Sericin bonds to your hair’s natural keratin, effectively creating a coat of armor around each strand. Not only does it protect your hair, but it gives your hair a more smooth, straight shape — and the smoothing effects can last for up to several months.
Cezanne keratin treatments have been a game-changer for many people with damaged hair. According to one Reddit user, “I endorse this treatment 100%! … I have wavy hair. It used to be frizzy, hard to blow dry and especially hard to keep it smooth, if it was even a tiny bit humid outside. My hair cut itself, because my hair was weak, porous and prone to breaking. Cezanne made my hair better. Stronger. Easier to style. I still have curls. If anything my waves are better because they are more defined; the strands are silkier.”
5. Don’t Shampoo Too Frequently
There is such a thing as shampooing your hair too much. If you lather up your locks too often, it could irritate your scalp and strip your hair of natural oils that protect and keep your hair healthy.
So how often should you wash your hair? That depends on your hair type, your lifestyle, and personal preferences. Some people may be OK with going five to seven days between shampoos — but if that goes beyond your comfort level, start by transitioning from once a day to once every other day.
Not sure how frequently to shampoo your ‘do? A professional stylist can help advise you on optimal frequency — and on what type of shampoo will work best with your hair.
6. Turn Down the Temperature
Some like it hot … But if you’re a heat styling junkie, there’s a case to be made for turning down the heat.
An article about how to avoid heat damage advises that most hair can be styled within a temperature range of 300-380 degrees F, and thick and coarse hair can frequently be styled using about 400 degrees. But these temperature ranges come with a caveat: don’t turn the heat down so low that it takes you ages to style, because prolonged exposure to heat, even at lower temperatures, can dry out your hair and lead to more damage.
Pro tip: Applying a protective heat-resistant serum like Mizani’s Press Agent Raincoat Styling Serum can help keep your hair safer if you style with heat.
7. Be Careful With Wet Hair
Right when you step out of a hot, steamy shower, your hair is at its most vulnerable. Here’s why. Your hair is composed of proteins called keratins, which are protected by your hair’s cuticles, or the outermost layer. Typically, these cuticles act like armor around your hair. But when your hair is still wet from the shower, your cuticles are open and the proteins aren’t as protected.
If your hair is damaged, the last thing you want to do is vigorously rub your wet hair with a rough towel or brush out the tangles — it can make the damage worse. Instead, rinse your hair (briefly) in cold water to seal the cuticles, and pat it dry with a microfiber towel. To detangle, either wait until your hair is dry to brush, or apply a serum for protection and use a wide-tooth comb instead.
8. Brush Smarter
Turns out, how you brush can improve the health of your hair. While many people brush from the top of their head to the bottom of the hair shaft, this method can result in catching and dragging down snags, which can lead to breakage.
Here’s a smarter way to brush: start from the ends and work the way up. Treat your hair gently — loosen tangles as if you were detangling a necklace that became tangled up, i.e, patiently and carefully. And brush thoroughly: It releases oils that can protect and smooth your hair shafts.
9. Tie Up Your Hair to Reduce Tangles
Tangles can be a one-way ticket to damaged hair. Here’s why. When your hair becomes tangled, your hair’s cuticles are no longer lying flat. This means the strands can snag on each other and break. Trying to drag a brush through tangles will only make matters worse.
To avoid damaging your hair, braid or tie it up when you find yourself in situations that could lead to tangles, such as driving with the windows down, walking around on a windy day, or even sleeping, when your hair can become tangled if you toss and turn on your pillow. But please, don’t use a rubber band to tie it up — they can break hair and can be painful to remove. A scrunchie or “no-snag” hair tie is a much better pick.
10. Give Yourself a Scalp Massage
Not only do scalp massages feel great, but they can improve your hair’s health! For one,
scalp massage stimulates blood flow, which can promote regrowth of hair. So if your hair is damaged, massage can help healthy hair grow in faster.
Additionally, scalp massage distributes your scalp’s natural oils, which can keep your hair moisturized. This prevents it from becoming dry and/or brittle.
But be careful: An overly aggressive massage can damage your hair follicles and move you in the wrong direction.
11. Eat Better
Nutrition isn’t just for your body — it’s for your hair, too. The right nutrients can support hair health and keep your hair healthy and strong.
According to dietitians, some of the most important nutrients for your hair include B vitamins, vitamin E, protein, selenium, and zinc. Here are just a few foods and supplements to consider incorporating into a hair-healthy diet:
- Blackberries
- Collagen peptides
- Greek yogurt
- Lentils
- Organ meats
- Salmon
- Sunflower seeds
12. Drink More Water
You probably already know that drinking more water is good for your skin. But did you know it’s good for your hair, too? While drinking more water won’t necessarily make your hair grow faster, it does support your hair’s health.
First off, remember that your hair is in a relationship with your skin: It grows out of your scalp. Since your skin is about 64% water, drinking H2O is crucial to keep your scalp hydrated and healthy.
Additionally, water contains trace amounts of nutrients that can impact your hair’s growth cycle, such as biotin, iron, niacin, and iron. If you’re not getting enough of these nutrients, sufficient water intake can potentially give your hair a boost.
Reviving Damaged Hair: The Final Word
The journey to revive damaged hair requires patience, dedication, and a commitment to nurturing your locks back to life. By taking proactive steps, changing up your routine, and seeking out the right products and treatments, you can both diminish the damage to your hair and help avoid further damage. For a head start, consult the pros at Lords & Ladies in Sinking Spring to start reviving damaged hair quickly and effectively.