Winter Hair Care Tips for Damaged Hair

Here, we discussed winter hair care tips to prevent damage. But what if you already have damage, what now?

Winter can wreak havoc on textured hair that is already prone to dryness. It's very important to understand that different areas of the world can affect hair differently. Here, in the south, we still have enough moisture in the air. But in other areas, they may have freezing weather and high winds that can rip our hair to shreds. I have suffer from extra breakage that I normally wouldn't have in warmer weather.

When you've got breakage that you can't seem to curb, try these tips.

~ Use a richer conditioner. Creamier conditioners and leave ins can provide more protection and conditioning than more watery conditioners. The creme consistency provides lubrication helping to discourage mechanical damage - or manipulation.

~ Low manipulation. Especially for relaxed hair, opt for a low manipulation hairstyle that you can maintain for at least 4 days without having to comb or brush your hair. I find the braid out, pin curls,  and flexi rod sets are my friends. I can wear it out the first few days and put it in a cute bun or updo with a few bobby pins.

~ Avoid dry manipulation. A comb and brush are not your friend when you are experiencing breakage. This leads us back to the preceding tip. Choose styles where these tools are not needed or hardly needed.

~ Pace yourself on the product. Try to find a product that seals in moisture without blocking it completely out. Also remember not to glob on product as your hair will feel icky after only a few days. I keep my serum usage to a bare minimum by choosing styles that I don't use it on. Instead, I lightly use coconut oil every other day or as needed. Remember with non-water soluble serums that while you may be sealing moisture in, you're also blocking it out. After a few days, your hair will dehydrate.

~ Moisture/Protein balance. This tip is always important, no matter the weather or condition of the hair. Always monitor your balance. Experiment lightly with protein until you find your optimum levels. Remember, it's always better to under-treat than to over-treat. If you're a regular direct heat user, make sure your regimen contains a light protein at the very least to supplement damaged keratin.

~ Adjust drying options: If you're a frequent blow dryer, opt to lower the temperature and/or air speed on your blow dryer. If possible, air dry your hair first and finish off with blowdrying on cool. This saves on the manipulation front and doesn't dehydrate your hair too fast. Make sure to do a once-over on cool air to seal those cuticles.

I hope you found these tips helpful! What other tips do you follow to curb excessive breakage?

Posted in: Healthy Hair Growth,Natural Hair