Repair for damaged hair

Damaged hair repair
First, if you're guilty of any of the above hair sins, stopping them will be your best defence. If the hair is really badly damaged, hairdressers will demand that you 'cut if off!' This may not be too bad an idea; it will instantly update your look and you will give your hair a second chance.

Damaged hair is dry, course, and the follicles are split and stand at end, making your hair look bushy and normally the damaged bits are lighter than the rest of your hair. Colouring away problem hair is not a solution you should try at home. Damaged hair is more porous than healthy hair, so you'll end up with more intense colour on the damaged bits.

A clever hairdresser could achieve more success and the hair colouring products available are not as harsh as those used in the past, so salon colouring is often an intense moisturising treatment that could help restore lustre to lack-lustre hair.

Tools of the damaged hair trade
Truth is, once the hair follicle is damaged, nothing can make it whole again. Also, damaged hair weakens healthy hair – you know how a split end can run up a hair if you pull it?

Products can only temporarily make your hair look better, but investing in good hair products is the best way of preventing damage in the first place. If you're not sure what you should use, ask your hair stylist.

Shampoos
You'll get better results if you use a product that is specially formulated for damaged hair. Get the water temperature just right: too hot will cause even more damage. Use a blob the size of a R2 coin for short hair and one the size of a R5 coin for long hair. Make sure you rinse really well (product left to dry on hair that is not meant to be left to dry on hair, will dry hair out even more).

Try these:
Kanebo Shidenkai XD Hair Loss Treatment; Paul Mitchell Botanical Prep Shampoo; L'Occitane Nourishing Shampoo; Essensuals Spa Shampoo; Avon Techniques Tri-Nutriv Formula Hydrating Shampoo; Thermasilk Heat Activated Shampoo moisturising formula; Pantene Pro-V Shampoo; Wella Lifetex Aroma hair and body shampoo

Conditioners
Leave-in conditioners and those with a SPF are best for badly damaged hair. Follow instructions and rinse well if you're not using a leave-in product. Also use conditioners if you think you're going to do some hair damaging activity – this will protect the hair from some measure of damage.

Try these:
Thermasilk Light Leave-In Conditioner or Heat Activated Conditioner, moisturising formula; Pantene Pro-V Conditioner; TIGI (please pronounce 'teegee') Haircare Spray Shine with sunscreen; Sheen Biological Intensive Treatment Conditioner; L'Occitane Shea Butter Conditioner; Avon Techniques Tri-Nutriv Formula Hydrating Conditioner

Treatments and hair masks
You'll need the added benefit of hair masks or special treatment products, probably for as long as you don't cut your hair.

Try these:
L'Oreal Kerastase Aqua-Soleil Reparatrice – a spray-in, rinse-out oil; L'Oreal Kerastase Aqua-Soleil Protective to condition and strengthen hair follicles; Clicks Hair Rescue Frizz Control Treatment; L'Occitane Hair Mask – a treatment that leaves dry, damaged hair soft and manageable.