“Are there any hair care mistakes I should avoid to minimize damage?”
Making sure that you care for your hair properly is important if you want to have hair that’s healthy and looks good.
Who doesn’t want gorgeous hair?
However, proper hair care involves more than just regular washing and conditioning.
If you find yourself wondering “Why is my hair so fragile?” despite using good products, you might be making one or few hair care mistakes.
The thing is, damage prevention is an equally important part of healthy hair journeys.
Many daily hair-care habits can be damaging to your hair if performed incorrectly or too frequently.
For the sake of healthy tresses, I’m reviewing the worst hair care mistakes that can do the most damage – so you know what to avoid!
1. Overwashing cycles
One of the worst hair care mistakes – overwashing – can actually cause damage to the shaft of your hair. I used to think more washing meant cleaner hair – nope!
If you wash your hair too frequently, you strip it of its natural oils, which can lead to dry, frizzy hair that breaks very easily.
More breakage = more split ends.
More split ends = more styling efforts to achieve a somewhat okay hair look. If you want to understand them better, my guide on what causes split ends and fixes explains it all.
More styling = more heat, and the story goes on.
How To Prevent Washing-Related Hair Care Mistakes
To avoid overwashing, obviously, the solution is to wash your hair less.
But what if your hair gets oily fast?
You may find that if you start to wash your hair less often, initially, you may struggle with oilier hair even more.
However, anecdotal experience from people who tried less frequent washing suggests that it might be temporary.
Oil regulation is a natural part of the process as your body adjusts to your new hair-washing routine and you can always use dry shampoo in-between washes to freshen up your hair.
Keeping a good dry shampoo in your bathroom drawer makes those in-between days so much easier to get through.
How you wash your hair is equally as important.
Don’t be tempted to rub shampoo vigorously into hair as this leads to knots and tangling, which can cause hair to snap when combed through.
One more thing – you don’t need to shampoo the ends of your hair, as these are naturally drier than hair closer to your scalp.
Simply massage shampoo gently into your roots and allow the suds to rinse down onto the rest of your hair.
2. Drying mistakes
Whenever you touch hair that is wet, be extra – extra gentle.
One of the most common hair care mistakes is forgetting (or simply not knowing) that wet hair is a lot weaker than dry hair.
You should towel dry your hair gently, avoid rubbing it, and whenever possible, allow your hair to air dry.
Switching to a microfiber hair towel is such an easy change, because it soaks up water gently without all that rough rubbing.
Don’t rub!
pat dry instead.
If you do need to use a hair dryer, curling iron, or straighteners, be sure to use a heat-protective spray before styling.
I like keeping a heat protectant spray right next to my hair dryer, so I never forget it.
Investing in the right kind of tools and equipment is also important.
Choose hair styling tools with a range of heat settings and always use the lowest one possible.
Many professional hair dryers are designed with keratin grills that evenly distribute the heat to reduce the likelihood of damage to the hair.
Additionally, try to alternate how often you use heated hair tools to give your hair a chance to recover. I’ve seen split ends from one too many blow-drying marathons in my early beauty days.
3. Brushing horrors
You know the drill:
Never brush wet hair, always use a wide tooth comb to remove tangles before styling.
Different hair types require different brushing techniques but, generally speaking, you should always start from the bottom and work your way up.
Other brushing-related hair care mistakes are tugging the brush through your hair, and not using a detangling spray or cream to lessen the friction.
Always remove the brush if you reach a knotted or tangled area and gently tease the knot out with a wide tooth comb before continuing.
The type of brush you use is also important.
Hair brushes made from natural materials such as wood, bamboo, and boar bristles are not only better for the environment but better for your hair too!
Natural materials can help to distribute your hair’s natural oils evenly, keeping your hair healthy and shiny.
If you're ready for an upgrade, a boar bristle brush is a classic, well-loved choice for spreading those natural oils from root to tip.
4. Styling nightmares
I have already touched on a few hair care mistakes.
Let’s take a look at what can be done to prevent hair damage while styling it.
First and most important, try to avoid extreme hairstyles.
A great example is any hairstyle that requires backcombing because it can tangle and break your hair.
Avoid tight buns and high ponytails, which can pull hair and even lead to hair loss.
If you do wear these styles, try to alternate them with more relaxed styles or simply wear your hair loose to avoid long-term hair damage.
When tying your hair up, always use covered elastic bobbles that won’t snag your hair.
Swapping in a few silk scrunchies is an easy way to tie your hair up without the pulling and snagging.
What about weaves? Weaves and extensions should always be fitted at a specialist salon.
If you dye, bleach, perm, or relax your hair, make sure to get advice from your hairdresser about how to take care of your hair between appointments to keep it healthy.
Conclusion
These are the most important hair care mistakes to stop making today. Even though I’m sure your hair is beautiful as it is!
However, as with anything looks-related, it’s totally okay to want to preserve or enhance the beauty of your best features.
Be gentle with your hair – and yourself!
