Photo used for illustrative purposes.

Can heat damaged hair be reversed? Jamien Lim, Senior Hair Research Scientist from Dyson says, “To simply answer the question, heat damage is irreversible. Once the protein bonds are broken and the hair cuticles are cracked, the inner cortex is exposed to all types of damage which makes it weaker and less pliable.”

Eight Signs of heat damaged hair

Dryness and dullness

The cuticles of your hair are what make it shiny. When the cuticles are damaged, the hair loses its shine. After the hair wash, the hair should look brighter and shinier than it was. If it's dull, that's one of the first signs of heat damaged hair. Dryness also contributes to dull hair. Damaged hair doesn't properly maintain moisture, leaving the tresses dehydrated and prone to breakage.

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Split ends & Breakage

Heat damaged hair loses elasticity because applying heat on a regular basis affects the hair’s ability to retain moisture, often resulting in split ends. Split ends weaken the structure of the hair, which increases the chances of hair breakage. Exposing hair to frequent high heat also increases the risk of breakage because it loses its elasticity.

Rough or changed texture

To determine if the texture has changed, one can run the fingers through the hair. Heat damaged curly hair may lose its spring and not bounce back the way it did when the hair was healthy. Damaged straight hair can go from feeling smooth and silky to feeling rough and coarse. You may even describe heat damaged hair as feeling frayed or singed at the tips.

Knots and tangles

Hair cuticles are made up of “shingles”. When the hair cuticles become damaged, the shingles begin to stick out, causing strands of hair to easily knot with other strands. Knots and tangles make brushing or combing the hair more difficult and can lead to further breakage.

Hair loss

The average person has approximately 80,000 to 120,000 hairs on their head. Hair strands grow for 2 to 6 years, and it's normal to shed hairs. During these 2 to 6 years, strands collect damage. If one has heat damaged hair, the strands are weaker therefore, one might witness more hair loss.

As it is established that damaged hair repair isn't possible because the protein bonds and cuticles have been permanently altered. Knowing the signs of heat damaged hair will help you determine if that's what you're dealing with, and it allows you to start taking steps to get your hair in a healthy state once again.

Indo-Asian News Service