Rapid Repair for Damaged Hair


lady with long, luxurious hair Pic: Rex/Shutterstock

Summer is tough on hair. While we might love some sunshine and swimming in the sea, our hair might not!

Using eggs to repair your hair and curling your locks using an old pair of socks could help give you damaged locks a new lease of life according to Maja Tisma, Hairtrad.com’s in-house blogger.

However, the wrong type of hair care could be doing it more harm than good.

Maja Tisma says,

Believe it or not caring too much for your hair by washing it daily, styling it all the time, and brushing it too often, all contribute damage.

“Using the wrong products and or bad quality hair dye are also key factors to ruining your locks.

“For healthy, shiny hair you need to know how to spot the early signs of damage. The sooner your spot them the higher your chances are of saving your hair.

“If you notice any brittle texture, extreme breakage or dulled shine in your hair, you need to take immediate action before it goes any further.”

10 ways to rapidly reverse signs of hair damage

1.    Eggs for repairing hair

Eggs white can help reduce the oil produced on the scalp that makes roots shiny after a few days. Mix the egg whites well before applying directly to your scalp. Save the yolk, as it’s ideal for treating split ends. This will leave your hair clean and oil free.

2.    Don’t wash your hair daily

Your locks produce oil as a natural defence mechanism to keep moisture inside, so a daily hair wash will strip this away, leaving it dull and dry. Try to go at least two or three days between washes and top up with dry shampoo when your roots are looking oily.

3.    Avoid using hot water on your hair

Hot water will dehydrate your hair even if you use conditioner. It’s best to use warm water, followed by a cool rinse once you are done washing. The purpose of dousing yourself in cold water is to close all the hair particles that cause frizz, so it’s worth it in the long run.

4.    Use a hair serum after every wash

Use hair serums on clean dry hair after towel drying or even better air-drying. Just use a penny-sized amount to make your hair look and feel silky smooth.

5.    Replace your conditioner with a hair mask

Hair masks are much more effective if your locks are dry and damaged. They are wonderfully moisturising and have an instant result right after washing your hair. When using a hair mask, cut out your conditioner as your hair may end up looking flat and oily with too much product build up. There’s no need to do it for every wash too, once a week should do the trick.

6.    Use a blow-dryer with a cold air setting

Just like hot water, drying your hair with hot air will have the same effects. Use cool air to dry it; it may take a bit longer to dry but your hair will thank you for it.

7.    Use heat protecting spray when styling your hair

Curling irons and hair straighteners will damage your hair considerably without any protection. It’s best to keep your hair protected and invest in a good quality product. Try to find ones that form a protective layer and lock in moisturise to prevent excessive drying.

8.    Give your hair a break

At least one day a week, try to give your hair some TLC and a day off. That means letting it air dry and no heat products at all. Oversaturating your hair with products and care can do a lot of damage too so it needs some occasional time off.

9.    Consider your hair colouring

Using an at home dye for your colour? This might be contributing to the damage. If you keep seeing negative results after treating your hair, it might be time to switch to the salon for your highlights.

10. Try heat free styling

If you want to ease up on the amount of heat damage you are applying to your hair, try some less harsh ways to style it. Plaiting wet hair makes excellent mermaid waves; socks can make great rollers or you could even try a cute headscarf up do.

More hair advice…

Moira Chisholm

I'm the Health Editor on My Weekly and am always interested to hear what's new in this fascinating field. I also deal with the gardening, shopping pages, general features, our website content and the Ask Helen problem page. I have a special interest in Christmas content because I'm on the team for Your Best Ever Christmas Magazine, too!