Straightening/curling
The chemicals in hair straightening or curling creams work by reorganising your hair molecules. This makes your hair porous and fragile. Relaxing your hair using hair irons too can harm the hair as the temperatures at which the hair get straightened are unhealthy. If you use the wrong iron or do it longer than required, you might end up burning the hair.
Solution: Limit usage.
Washing infrequently
Not washing your hair often leads to collecting dust and dirt, which blocks the scalp’s natural oil release. This oil is required to keep your hair shaft lubricated. The result: dry, stinky and brittle hair that is vulnerable to breakage.
Solution: Wash your hair at least thrice a week with a mild shampoo, meant for your hair type.
Getting too much sun
Exposing your hair to the sun for long [especially in summers] is just as harmful for them as it is for your skin. The ultra violet radiation damages the core layer of the hair, ruining its original texture. Also, our sweat and oil glands get overactive, making the hair sticky and oily.
Solution: Cover your hair when you are out in the sun.
Rubbing it dry
If you are like most people, you must be rubbing your hair dry after a headwash. Rubbing your hair vigorously results in breakage, as the hair is most vulnerable when wet. When we rub harshly, it also damages the hair cuticle [the outer layer] as the hair strands stretch. Other repercussions of this seemingly innocent and natural habit are split ends and frizz.
Solution: If you have long hair, gently wrap the towel around them and squeeze the water out.If you have short hair, dab your hair with the towel and rub it gently in circular strokes.
Colouring at home
Colouring can damage your hair if the colour is of low quality and if it is not done by an expert. Cheap colours contain substandard minerals that destroy the hair’s structure. This makes them dry, brittle and lifeless, sometimes, permanently. Experts know which hair colour is good for you based on your hair quality and the contents of the colour. They also know the right quantities and ways to use the colour to avoid damage. Opting for light colour is another decision that proves disastrous for the hair; the lighter the colour, the more the damage.
Solution: Get expert help.
Bleaching
Bleaching your hair to change its colour is one of the worst things you can do to them. When you apply bleach to your hair, the chemicals in the bleach dissolve the melanin in your hair, which results in the colour change. However, the bleach does more than just change the hair’s colour: it causes permanent damage by weakening your hair, making them susceptible to breakage.
Solution: Don’t do it. Period.
Blow drying
If you do it once in a while, it won’t matter much. However, if blow drying your hair is a habit, you better break it if you want to keep your hair where it belongs. Blow-drying uses intense artificial heat to dry your hair, which makes it brittle and easy to come-off. Don’t worry though, the hair loss is not permanent.
Solution: Avoid frequent blow drying. Apply conditioner before drying and dry on low heat to reduce the extent of damage.
Using tight bands and wrong combs
There’s more to combs than just teeth. Combs are a species in themselves, with a lot of varieties available to suit different hair types. Using the wrong comb, can lead to breakage, hair fall and even damage to your scalp. Using tight clips or bands leads to breakage and pulling of hair roots. Leave your hair loose as much as possible.
Solution: Consult your hair expert on the comb that is right for your hair.
Styling too much
Your hair needs to breathe to be healthy. If you keep styling it all the time, smearing it with one product after another, it will lose its natural look and appear listless. Besides, the chemicals in products may definitely leave behind their effect.