Not Shampooing Enough
Washing your hair two
or three times a week strips away layers of product and excess oil.
Brushing Your Hair Right
Out of the Shower
Hair is at its weakest
and most elastic when it's really wet. The tight pull of a brush, can
overstretch the hair shaft and lead to breakage. A betterdetangling
strategy: Use your fingers or a wide-tooth comb to work through knots while
your hair is coated with conditioner in the shower.
Blowout With
Soaking-Wet Hair
Remember that last
slide? You shouldn't be brushing superwet hair. Plus, the sooner you start
blow-drying, the longer your hair is exposed to damaging heat. Start your
blowout when your hair has already air-dried at least 50 percent of the way.
Using the Wrong Brush
Natural-bristle
brushes are great for grabbing thick, slightly damp hair and smoothing it out
during a blowout. But they create too much tension on fine or damaged hair.
Vent brushes are a gentler option. Their rubber-tipped bristles glide through
the hair, and they have open backs that allow air and moisture to pass through
for a quicker blow-dry..
TIP: Check comb teeth for seams or roughness
(there shouldn't be any) and run your brush along the inside of your arm. If
there are any scratches, toss it. If it harms your skin, it's going to harm
your hair, too.
Turning Up the Heat
Heat damages your
hair, so you need to keep temperatures in check. If your blow-dryer hurts your
scalp. Your best bet is to use one with at least 2000 watts and set it on
medium heat. That way, you're relying more on airflow than on heat to eliminate
moisture. And never, ever turn your flatiron above 350 degrees.
Ironing Too
Aggressively
Yanking of any kind
doesn't do your hair any favors, but it's especially damaging when the weapon
of choice is a flatiron. The combination of heat and a pulling action can
really weaken your hair. So go easy with your iron. And always, always use a heat-protecting
styler first. Most contain some combination of silicones, cetyl alcohol, and
quaterniums, all of which help the iron glide along the hair shaft without
tugging.
Going Overboard With
Silicones
Use serums that
contain dimethicone or
phenyl trimethicone, they are a safer bet. Just remember that using any kind of
hair serum or oil (many of which contain more silicones than actual oils) is a
bit like happy hour: Get too enthusiastic and you'll have a big, sloppy mess on
your hands. Comb a drop—and only a drop—through damp hair
before drying and styling as usual.
Wearing Hair That's
Not Your Own
An occasional detox
could mean the difference between bald patches and full, healthy hair. Weaves
sew tracks to tight braids, which tug at the hairline, and lace-front wigs act
almost like epilators, yanking out the hair. The hairline recedes from tight
pulling. Clip-in pieces are the most gentle option; they're very temporary and
very easy to remove.
Overcoloring
You should be able to
go about four to six weeks between dye jobs. If you find yourself needing more
frequent color upkeep—which can stress and damage hair—make a few changes at
home: First, avoid styling products with alcohol, since they strip away dye and
expedite fading.
Misusing Relaxers
Just like the peroxide
in permanent hair color, relaxers are chemicals that can destroy the hair if
they're not applied properly. A relaxer should be done by a professional every
four to eight weeks, depending on your hair growth. And when you go back for a
touch-up, the solution should be applied only to the new
growth. Some stylists pull it through the whole strand, which leads to dryness
and, eventually, breakage.
