What can damage hair?

So much of our day-to-day lives and styling habits can have long-lasting effects on hair, and different factors can produce slightly different results. So let’s have a think about some of the things that might be damaging your clients’ hair, and how these types of damage might show up. Next, we’re exploring some of the most common causes of hair damage: 

1.  Heat

2.  Sun

3.  Bleach

Heat damaged hair

We all know the power of heat styling tools, whether it’s for poker-straight locks, enviable curls or a bouncy blow-dry. But sadly, we also know that high temperatures can break the hair’s chemical bonds in order to form these new, beautiful shapes. And repeated exposure to elevated temperature can permanently damage the hair’s structure. The result of this kind of damage is typically reduced strength, elasticity, and shine. 

Sun damaged hair

Just as we need to protect our skin from the sun’s radiation, so too we need to be aware of how it can damage our hair. Exposure to the sun’s UV rays can cause hair proteins to break down, stripping moisture and impacting the natural colour of your client’s hair. In fact, this radiation can even make the hair’s cuticle become weaker and compromise its levels of keratin – that all-important protein that keeps hair strong and soft. 

So, if your client’s hair looks like it’s had some of its natural lustre, colour and softness sapped – particularly in the areas that are most exposed to the sun – it may well have sustained damage this way.

Bleach damaged hair

Again, bleach is a powerhouse in the world of hairstylists, allowing people to fully transform their looks. But as with heat, we know that the bleaching process can cause damage to hair. It works by lifting the outer cuticles to penetrate the interior, and over time this cuticle becomes permanently raised, opening the door to continuous moisture loss and damage. That’s why bleach damaged hair shows up not only in its colour, but also often in a more coarse, straw-like texture. 

What does damaged hair look like?

So we’ve covered some of the main symptoms of those common types of hair damage, but let’s look at some of the other things to be on the look-out for generally as you assess your clients’ levels of hair damage. After all, sometimes the signs aren’t as obvious.

Dry, brittle look and feel

The most common sign of hair damage is parched, frizzy locks that feel brittle to the touch. The hair cuticles are jagged and slightly lifted, leading to thinner ends. 

Breakage and shedding

When left untreated, the damage progresses to split ends and brittle hairs that snap easily during styling. 

Dull, brassy tones

When hair’s lacking in nutrients and hydration, it loses its natural shine and looks dull and brassy, with an uneven colour balance.  

How can you repair damaged hair?

Once you’ve identified the level of damage and symptoms, you can create a plan for treating and styling your clients’ hair, to ensure they leave your salon looking and feeling their best. It’s likely that the first steps you’ll decide to take will be to trim any split ends they might have, and to ensure you leave time to nourish their hair with a deep conditioner or hair mask. 

Of course, there are lots of different products available that have been designed for damaged hair – so how do you choose the best for your clients? Our suggestion would be to always reach for damaged hair treatments that repair hair at the molecular level, like the L’Oréal Professionel Absolut Repair Molecular range. These products have been expertly formulated to restore broken bonds, resulting in improved elasticity and shine for your clients.