Damaged hair requires gentle treatment. Blow dryers, hot curlers, styling irons and color take their toll on hair. Think of damaged hair as injured hair that you must nurture back to health by treating it differently than you have in the past. If your hair is over-processed, don't give up hope. You can bring it back to life by giving it special attention.

Give it Special Treatment

Protein treatments give dry hair the moisture it needs. It also fills in damaged areas of the cuticle. There are many protein treatments on the market. Follow your protein treatment with a conditioner for extra softness. Indulge your hair with a deep conditioning treatment once a week. Apply a heat-activated conditioner to your hair and cover hair with a plastic cap. Sit under a dryer or use a blow dryer on low setting to heat hair for 30 minutes to lock the conditioner in your hair. Schedule regular trims. It's important to remove damaged ends so they won't continue to split up the hair shaft. Trims every six to eight weeks keep hair looking healthy. Sleep sweet on a satin pillowcase. The smooth surface of a satin pillowcase prevents friction and breakage that can occur during sleep.

Style with Care

Choose a semi-permanent hair color because it contains fewer damaging chemicals than permanent dyes. Get your hair trimmed before you dye it, as damaged ends are more prone to soak up color. Use less heat. Heat damages hair and the more you can go without it, the better your hair will be. Don't use products that are more than five years old. Use a flat iron with ceramic plates because they work quicker and don't singe hair. Don't shampoo every day. Hair doesn't need shampooing that often and the natural oils from your scalp nourish your hair. Every other day or every third day is what most stylists recommend. Don't brush wet hair and don't comb wet hair from the roots down. Instead, begin combing from the ends and working your way up.

Treat it From the Inside Out

Eat for healthy hair. A diet that includes iron, protein and vitamins will make your hair strong, preventing more breakage. Carrots, broccoli and squash contain vitamin A, which promotes a healthy scalp. Leafy green vegetables, beans, legumes and wheat provide vitamin B, which promotes hair growth and circulation. Citrus fruits are high in vitamin C, which helps your body absorb iron. Take supplements to improve your hair. Vitamins and minerals that promote healthy hair are biotin, folic and pantothenic acids, zinc, iron, flax seed oil and kelp.

Source:

Good Housekeeping: Bring Your Hair Back to Life

Salon Web: Healthy Hair Secrets

American Chronicle: Diet for Healthy Hair