Dealing with the Damage

Manage the Damage

by Jessica Rivers

Originally posted on Curlfluence.com in 2017

Heat damage.

If you heat-style your hair, you've probably dealt with this before. I love straightening my hair; especially in the fall and winter- for a number of reasons: it's low maintenance, it looks great with fall and winter fashion, and it doesn't frizz during the fall and winter months.

So what do you do when you have heat damage? Well the most obvious answer is to cut it off. I believe that it can be nourished back to health with proper treatment (protein, moisture, etc.). What worked/works best for me when I get heat damage is to add strengthening products to my regimen.

CAUTION: If you have low-to-normal porosity hair, like me, be careful not to use products too heavy in protein. Hydrolyzed proteins are okay since they absorb easily into the hair. If my hair gets a lot of protein it also has to get a lot of moisture, or else it will feel stiff. 

You can also try D.I.Y. treatments. Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, and eggs are also good sources of protein. Mix these ingredients together and use it as a pre-poo after suffering heat damage. Another way I've managed to combat heat damage is to use products that say 'anti-breakage' in the description.

My last tip is to MOISTURIZE. Natural hair loves moisture, so give your hair what it needs. Also, be familiar with your hair porosity, as your hair may resist moisture (low porosity/protein-sensitive), or lose moisture easily (high porosity). My favorite way to moisturize my hair (instead of using an actual leave-in conditioner) is to mix a rinse-out conditioner with water, a moisturizing oil, and a sealing oil in a spray bottle. For me, this method works better as a leave-in.