Your hair is an important part of how you look. But while healthy hair looks shiny, playful and full with volume, damaged hair looks dull, lifeless and it’s split ends give an appearance and texture that is not pleasant to the touch. And let’s be realistic, most often we’re the ones to blame for our damaged hair.
Whether it’s due to the lack of time or ignoring the rules to maintain healthy hair, every woman makes certain mistakes that affect the beauty of her hair. However, it’s important to mention that sometimes the most intensive care can harm you hair and have the opposite effect. Here are the most common bad hair habits that can damage your hair:
Bad Hair Habits That Can Damage Your Hair #1
Most women are a fan of the ponytail because it’s the fastest and easiest way to look put together. But if you tie your hair in a ponytail everyday, it can permanently damage your hair.
Tight ponytail can damage the front line of your hair and the hair where the elastic is tied. Bad elastics (rubber bands or bands with metal parts) can damage the hair follicles and inevitably lead to damaged hair, and in some cases, hair loss.
Tip: If you simply can’t avoid wearing your hair in ponytail, every day, try to tie it one inch higher or lower. Avoid tying your hair too tight and let your hair loose as much as you can. Use silky, smooth and soft elastics.
Bad Hair Habits That Can Damage Your Hair #2
Do you have a habit of touching your hair, and plucking the split ends? This is a big no-no. Plucking the split ends and pulling your hair unnecessarily will affect not only your hair’s appearance, but also the follicles.
Tip: If you can’t ignore the split ends until the next haircut, take small scissors and cut them rather than breaking them off.
Bad Hair Habits That Can Damage Your Hair #3
There is nothing wrong with wrapping your hair in a towel after showering, but aggressively rubbing the hair with the towel is one of the most common mistakes women make. Hair is most sensitive when it’s wet, so strong friction with the towel can damage the cuticle of the hair, and make it more prone to breakage.
Tip: After washing your hair, first remove the excess water from it by squeezing it gently, then wrap it with a soft cotton towel and let it stand for about 10 minutes. Don’t tighten the towel too much. With this process you will dry your hair naturally without damaging it.
Bad Hair Habits That Can Damage Your Hair #4
Many women wash their hair literally every day. Some do it because they need to remove the styling products from their hair and scalp, some do it to cool off from the hot weather, and others do it because they have a daily hair washing habit. What you need to know is that daily shampooing only does your hair wrong.
The hair looks best when the natural oils from the scalp to reach your ends. Frequent hair washing only leads to dryness. In fact, when you apply the shampoo, you strip your hair of its natural oils, so it gets dry which leads to split ends. Remember, the more you shampoo your hair, the less shiny it will be. This is why you need to use conditioner after washing your hair with shampoo.
Tip: Wash your hair every second or third day, depending on your hair type, because let’s admit it, the hair looks most beautiful when there are natural oils it (the second and third day after washing your hair). Wash your hair every day only if your workplace requires you to do so or you do sports actively (but use gentle shampoo).
Bad Hair Habits That Can Damage Your Hair #5
Do you believe in the myth that your hair should be combed 100 times every night for a more polished look? If you do this, it’s time to stop. Too much combing and brushing will damage your hair and hurt your follicles.
Tip: When combing or brushing your hair, move the comb or brush through your hair just a few times until your hair is untangled and the natural oils from the scalp are dispersed to the ends, but don’t overdo it.
Bad Hair Habits That Can Damage Your Hair #6
This is one of the most serious bad hair habits that make women who want longer hair make. They just visit a hair dresser too rarely. After a certain period of your last visit to the hairdresser, your hair starts to become dry and you get split ends, giving your hair an unhealthy appearance. A hairstyle has a maximum ‘effect’ of 12-20 weeks (8-12 weeks if you have short hair) before it starts to lose its shape and your becomes hard to style.
Tip: Visit your hairstylist every 12-20 weeks. Trimming the split ends will make your hair look shiny and full of life.
Bad Hair Habits That Can Damage Your Hair #7
Although you might think that all shampoos are the same, this is not true. If you ignore to choose the shampoo that is suitable for your hair type, you’ll end up using the wrong product. You need to choose the shampoo and conditioner that are made for your hair type. Using the wrong products can make your hair too dry or too oily, frizzy and damaged.
Tip: Always read the label before you buy a particular shampoo and choose the one that is most suitable for your type of hair. If you can’t determine what type your hair is, ask your hairdresser.
Bad Hair Habits That Can Damage Your Hair #8
It is true that in today’s dynamic lifestyle we rush with everything that we do, but when it comes to your tangled hair, patience is everything. If you comb your hair too aggressively trying to get rind of the tangles, you risk to break and damage your hair.
Tip: Start to comb your hair from the ends and slowly work your way to the roots. When you find a tangled spot, try to untangle it first using the tips of your fingers then use a comb or brush.
Bad Hair Habits That Can Damage Your Hair #9
If you start to dry your hair while it’s too wet not only it’ll be very difficult to style it, but you can also damage it. Also you’ll have to dry for a long time, thus exposing your hair to too much heat from your hairdryer.
Tip: Always wrap your hair in a soft cotton towel and leave it for 10 minutes. Then dry it with a hairdryer for no more than 5-10 minutes. Hold the hairdryer at least 10 inches away from your hair and blow dry until your hair is 80-90% dry. Allow the air to finish the job.
