Simple Solutions to Bad Hair Days

Preventing Damaged Hair

Your hair tells you a ton about your overall health. Just as skin can glow and shine, so can your locks -- as long as you use the right tactics to maintain them.

Prevent Damaged Hair

Many people damage their hair during the maintenance and styling process -- often without even knowing it. Here's how to steer clear of the major damagers:

• Go easy on the combing. Over time, excessive combing and brushing, especially of wet hair, can cause the delicate cuticle scales to lift and, in extreme cases, peel away. Forget those 100 strokes a night. The idea was to move oil from scalp into hair to give it shine. And if you comb aggressively when hair is wet, it will be damaged.
• Don't tease. Teasing is extremely harmful, since it tugs hair in the opposite direction of the cuticle scales, which can eventually rip them off, leaving the inner cortex exposed.
• Turn down the heat. When too hot, or used on wet hair, heated appliances can actually cause hair to boil, creating permanent welts that weaken and dull the hair shaft and set the stage for breakage. Never use ceramic appliances on wet hair.

Mend Split Ends

A split end develops when the hair's cuticle layer is severely weathered or missing, causing the exposed shaft to fray like a piece of yarn.
Solution: Give your hair a dose of protection and intense moisture by using conditioner daily. Regular trims help, too.

Restore Lackluster Locks

Daily environmental wear and tear and a buildup of styling products contribute to hair looking dry and dull.
Solution: A mild shampoo will remove residue. But be careful you don't overdo it and strip the hair of all its natural oils. A deep conditioning (conditioner on for 10 minutes) will give you softness as well as shine.

Treat Oily Hair

When hair follicles release an excessive amount of sebum, the natural protein, hair can look flat, oily, and greasy.
Solution: An oily scalp needs consistent care. When you shampoo, massage into the roots and down the hair shaft. And try to handle your hair as little as possible. Combing, brushing, and running your fingers through your hair help move sebum from the scalp down the hair shaft, which can make hair look greasy.

Brighten Dull Hair Color

No matter how permanent your chemical hair color claims to be, all dyes will fade with time. The sun, air, and harsh shampoos all contribute to a lackluster shade.
Solution: When coloring, use a semipermanent rather than a permanent hair color. It is far gentler and is designed to fade over time, allowing you to replenish your color sooner without causing as much damage. Also, use shampoos and conditioners that are designed for maintaining hair color.