Is your crowning glory less than glorious? If your hair is dry, frizzy or prone to breakage, your lifestyle, hair styling habits and even the weather could be causing daily damage to your tresses.
Is it possible for your hair to be smooth, soft and shiny again? Of course, it is! Almost all hair types and lengths will benefit from professional deep conditioning treatments, but it is important to know what damages our hair in the first place.
Why should you get a deep conditioning treatment?
- Heat
We often don’t give much thought to the damage we are causing our hair in the name of beauty. For many of us, hair dryers, straightening irons and hot tongs are part of our daily routine. However, the intense heat of these appliances dehydrates the hair by removing hydration moisture from deep within the hair shaft as well as the surface moisture. Removal of this hydration moisture leads to damage of the hair cuticle.
- Sun
Summer is great for so many things; sadly it’s not so great for our hair. Sun, salt water, sand and chlorine can all damage your hair and leave it frizzy, dry or completely unmanageable.
During the summer months, we may find ourselves outdoors more often than other times of the year. We all know that too much time in the sun is bad for our skin, but not many of us think about our hair. Exposing your hair to all that extra sunlight is the same as exposing your skin to it: It dries the hair and can cause discoloration and dullness — overexposure can even lead to hair breakage.
- Air conditioning
Stuck behind a desk all day? Can’t sleep without an air conditioner? You may be staying cool, but you are likely adding to your hair’s damage. Most air conditioners work by removing moisture from the air; this means they are removing the moisture from anything within range, including your hair.
From your hair’s point of view, overexposure to air conditioning is just as damaging as overexposure to direct sunlight.
- Hairstyles
We’re all guilty of it. It’s hot and sticky, we don’t want our hair down and sticking to our sweaty neck. So we throw it up into a high pony, and we’re good to go. While this may be more comfortable, overuse of taut styles and tight hair bands will cause damage in the long term.
- Swimming
A cool dip on a hot day is refreshing, but have you considered that dip could be harming your beautiful locks? If left in the hair, chlorine and salt may intensify the damaging effects of the sun and wind. To minimize damage, hair should be saturated in clean tap water before swimming, tucked into a swimming cap while swimming and rinsed thoroughly immediately afterward.
With the cooler months approaching, now is the perfect time to show your hair a little TLC by making an appointment with a deep conditioning treatment salon to ensure you are getting the best treatment for your hair.
Benefits of a deep conditioning treatment
- Adds moisture
Treatments should be left in for longer than your daily conditioner and may be used with or without gentle heat to increase absorption. This allows the treatment to penetrate right into the hair shaft, providing nourishment and boosting moisture where it is needed most.
- Reduces hair breakage
Nourishing and moisturizing each hair strand from within improves the hair’s natural elasticity. Hair lacking in elasticity breaks and snaps easily when under pressure, including from brushing or using hair ties. Improving hair elasticity reduces incidental hair breakage.
- Prevents future damage
By increasing the moisture level and reducing hair breakage, using hair treatments on a regular basis will help to prevent future damage. As the hair’s condition improves with each treatment, you will soon find your hair is able to withstand the effects of modern life with grace and resilience.
- Improves appearance
Heat, dryness and harsh chemicals leave the hair cuticle raised away from the shaft. This results in rough-looking hair and leaves the hair open to further damage and dryness. A deep conditioning treatment will help to smooth the cuticle and ensure your hair looks smooth, shiny and lustrous again.
Conditioning Treatments by Hair Type
It doesn’t matter if you have thick, wavy hair or fine, straight hair — there is a deep conditioning treatment out there that is just right for you.
Fine hair will benefit from protein-based treatments such as keratin because oil-based treatments may leave the hair and scalp feeling greasy. Protein treatments will not add weight but will work to strengthen the hair shaft.
Thick hair is thirsty hair! This type of hair will thrive with treatments based on shea butter or nourishing oils such as avocado, sunflower or olive. The thirstiness of this hair means it can withstand more regular treatments.
Colored hair should be treated with a conditioner that will help maintain your perfect color for as long as possible. By smoothing the cuticle, color loss and fading is minimized, extending the life of your color.
Dry/Damaged hair requires careful treatment to avoid further damage. While there are many DIY options available, it is recommended you seek professional salon advice on which dry damaged hair treatment is best for you.
While there are many things you can do at home to improve the condition of your hair, remember that nothing beats the feeling of placing your hair in the hands of a professional at your favorite salon.