Headband braid 1: Asian girl with long soft hair

5 Habits That Cause Hair Damage

Don't worry! We're all guilty of at least one of these.

Styling your hair can be pretty fun, exciting, and even addicting at times. There are so many things that you can do to your hair to show your personality. If you’re reinventing your fashion preference, you also get a hair makeover in the process. But all these things can eventually lead to hair damage.

With everything you do to your hair, how much time do you actually dedicate on keeping your hair healthy? Here are a few common mistakes you’ve probably been doing to your locks without even knowing.

Ditch These Practices That Cause Hair Damage

1. You use the wrong type of comb or brush

Learn how to tease hair step 5: Smooth out your hair
Go for a brush with soft to medium bristles to prevent hair damage.

So many women make the mistake of just buying either the cheapest or the cutest looking brush in the department store. Consider your hair type and texture before you buy a brush. For detangling, use a wide-tooth comb, a detangling brush, or a flat paddle brush and detangle the ends first before you start brushing from your roots. In fact, this is the right way to brush your hair. Meanwhile, when blow-drying, use a round, vented brush. Knowing which tool to use can help save your hair from breaking easily and from damage.

2. You condition your roots and not the ends

Beautiful woman applying hair conditioner and washing hair
Wash your hair properly so it stays healthy and beautiful. Credit: iStock

When washing your hair, you should shampoo from the roots to the tips to remove dirt buildup on your scalp. When using conditioner, though, you should only apply it from mid-length up to the tips. The point of using conditioner is to moisturize your hair strands to keep it from becoming dull and dry. Conditioning your roots may cause your scalp to become oilier than usual, and this may lead to skin problems, so best avoid going too far up when giving your tresses a treat.

Cream Silk Triple Keratin Rescue Ultimate Repair Shine

Editor’s tip: Want a conditioner that can help repair damaged hair? Use Cream Silk Triple Keratin Rescue Ultimate Repair & Shine Conditioner. It has three benefits of keratin—it calms frizz and moisturizes hair, revives damaged strands, and bring back shine to dull hair. 

3. You use high heat to dry and style your hair at the same time

How to use a flat iron – Step 5
Always spray heat protectant on your hair before using any heated styling tool.

When you set the heat on your flat iron, curler, or blow dryer on high, what you’re doing is burning your strands and possibly damaging your hair follicles. If you do this every day, you might notice your hair becoming drier and looking fried as time goes by. Even if you’re in a rush, you should dry and style your hair separately. Don’t skip it—dry your hair first before straightening it, and remember to only go for medium heat setting to avoid damage.

Editor’s tip: Always protect your hair from heated styling tools with a heat protectant spray like TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Flat Iron Smoothing Spray.

4. You bleach your hair too often and you do it yourself

Light blonde hair: Closeup shot of white model with blonde blunt bob walking on the runway
Give extra TLC to your bleached hair so it doesn’t get dry and dull. Credit: indigitalimages.com

Coloring your hair may be fun because it’s another way of self-expression. However, dyeing your hair often can damage your hair, especially if you’re into lighter shades that require bleaching. Bleaching basically takes out the melanin in your hair, and the risk of damaging your locks is high.

To avoid brittle and rough strands, ask your salon expert when it’s safe to bleach your hair again. Getting the opinion of hair experts is important especially if you love coloring your hair.

5. You use the wrong product for your hair type

Lazy bun: Asian woman with long dark brown hair wearing a dark blue dress
Pick the right hair care products for your hair type.

Not all shampoos and conditioners are created equal, and not all are hiyang for you. First, identify your hair type then research about what hair products are good for your locks. It may take time to find the right products for your hair, but the search is worth it. If you start to follow your own hair regimen, stick to it no matter how busy you are. Always make time to keep your hair healthy, and your tresses will thank you for it.

Clear Complete Soft Care Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

Editor’s tip: If you’re dealing with dandruff, keep these white flakes under control by switching to an anti-dandruff shampoo like CLEAR Complete Soft Care Anti-Dandruff Shampoo. It nourishes and helps moisturize your scalp while making your hair smell fresh, thanks to is Sakura Fragrance. 

More Products to Prevent Hair Damage

Got weak hair that’s prone to breakage? You might want to switch to hair care products that strengthen your hair and improve its overall health. Here are our recommendations.

Infographic of shampoos for brittle hair to prevent hair damage
Improve the health of your hair with these products. Design: Bianca Dodds

1. Dove Nourishing Secrets Hair Boost Ritual Shampoo

Get inspired by the North American practice of treating your hair with nourishing concoctions. Made with white tea and coneflower, Dove Nourishing Secrets Hair Boost Ritual Shampoo helps make your hair stronger and healthier. You’ll also enjoy its fragrant smell.

2. TRESemmé Total Salon Repair Shampoo

If your hair is reeling back from years of damage, this shampoo can help nurse it back to health. TRESemmé Total Salon Repair Shampoo helps repair damaged strands and reinforce your hair’s natural protective barrier. This way, your tresses get protected from further damage and breakage. This is great when your hair has endured years of bleaching, styling, and treatments that have made it dull and brittle.

3. Sunsilk Strong & Long Shampoo

Don’t let breakage ruin your long hair! Use Sunsilk Strong & Long Shampoo that’s formulated with Biotin to help make hair stronger as it grows. This way, you can rock ponytails, buns, or even let your hair down without having to worry about damage.

As they say, prevention is better than cure. This rings true for your hair, too. It’s better to adopt a hair care routine that can prevent hair damage rather than looking for remedies later on. This way, your hair stays healthy and damage-free.