by Heather Craig

Created on: July 14, 2009   Last Updated: December 08, 2010

So, your hair is damaged and you are not sure of the proper remedies to heal, protect and maintain healthy hair? Well, there is no need for expensive, hard to find treatments! There is no need to spend loads of money on a hair salon! Tired of nappy, over processed, frizzy, dry, and just straight to the point, intensely damaged hair? There are very simple inexpensive and time efficient ways to bring your hair "back to life." My background on this topic starts from years damaged hair of my own due to regular dying, bleaching, flat ironing and blow-drying.

HAIR COLOR DAMAGE

Because damaged hair occurs mainly at the tips, rising up a few inches in some cases, you will want to be sure to take it easy on the hair dye. Unless you intend to keep the dye isolated on the root area, do not dye your hair for, at the very least, two months (this is, of course, depending on the extent of the damage.) Bleach? Stay away! One bleach treatment will turn luscious, strong hair into a fragile, straw-like terror. It not only strips all color from your hair, as you would expect it, but it also strips MOST of the natural protein from your hair and you will end up in a nightmare that is very hard to wake up from.

HEAT DAMAGE

You will also want to stay away from any further heat damage. This is one of the worst things you could do to brittle hair. If you flat iron, curl, or even blow-dry (in some instances,) your hair too often, the ends will start cracking and breaking off. Even the slightest tug on the end of severely damaged hair will cause the piece to rip off. If you muat blow-dry, keep the dryer set to "cool" always.

BEGINNING TREATMENT; SHAMPOO

As shampoo often dries the hair, you may want to limit yourself to once or twice a week shampoos. Don't worry, your hair's natural oils will help to keep your hair clean in between shampoos.

Recommendation for color treated hair is "Vive Pro-for color treated hair" It's about three dollars at your local Kmart. Or, if you do not dye, use the matching shampoo of the following conditioners listed below.

(Be sure not to let the shampoo sit in your hair for too long before rinsing it out!)

CONDITIONER

Recommendation: "Dove intense damage therapy for accumulated damage." Between four-five dollars. Now remember, as with everything, your body, hair included, becomes accustomed to things over time. You will want to switch conditioners every now and then (about every week) for best results. My next recommendation is "Pantene moisture renewal"

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