Many women unintentionally end up with heat-damaged hair, often due to excessive use of a curling iron or a hair straightener iron.
Although these tools help us enhance our beauty, albeit temporarily, the reality is, using them in the long term can cause serious damage to our hair. The results are usually fragile, thin, dry hair with a burned look.
Unfortunately, people aren’t usually aware or don’t take seriously the side effects that heat exposure has on hair.
Like most things in life, it’s only when you’re facing this issue do you start searching for a solution. To help you solve this problem we asked Minuca Elena to reach out to 40 beauty bloggers and hair specialists to ask them the following question:
How to Repair Heat-damaged Hair Due to Excessive Straightening?
Keep reading to see what they had to say.
Beth Shankle Anderson – The Style Bouquet
Heat-styled hair can become quite damaged by hair straighteners. This damage can possibly be reversed with a few techniques.
First, do not wash your hair every day because it strips hair of its natural oils.
Once every couple of days should suffice. However, do not use hair straighteners on hair with product buildup, debris, oil, and dirt because it would be searing the dirt and debris into the hair.
Next, use moisture-rich conditioners with coconut oil, avocado, or aloe vera all of which will absorb into the hair and help in its repair. Leave-in treatments with yogurt, honey, and olive oil can help get hair back to its glossy appearance.
Using a conditioning treatment containing keratin can also help to smooth broken hair. If you choose to blow dry your hair, make certain that your hair is damp, not wet.
Blow drying wet hair is akin to searing hair so avoid it while repairing your hair. Lowering the temperature of your flat iron will also help preserve your luscious locks.
Sandy Taylor – Foundation Fairy
Heat-damaged hair due to excessive straightening can be fixed temporarily using a DIY coconut oil hair mask.
Coconut oil works great for heat-damaged hair because it helps to reduce protein loss and replenishes moisture in the hair.
All you need is about five tablespoons of coconut oil (melted). Here’s how to use this mask:
1) Wash and towel dry your hair, make sure your hair is still damp.
2) If you have only a section of hair that is damaged, apply the melted coconut oil to that section only. Be generous with the coconut oil and ensure the damaged parts are covered with coconut oil.
3) If you have a lot of damaged hair, part and section your hair to expose the damaged parts, and then apply the coconut oil to the damaged sections. Pay attention to the roots and ends of the hair as these are usually the trouble areas.
4) Cover your hair with a shower cap and leave the oil in your hair for about 2 – 3 hours.
5) Rinse out the coconut oil and wash your hair again with shampoo. Apply your regular conditioner.
Note: If you find that you didn’t get the results you were expecting after your first treatment. Simply repeat these steps but leave the coconut oil in your hair overnight to allow the oil more time to soak into your hair.
Note from WigReports: We can’t agree more that making use of high-quality nourishing oil is one of the best ways to repair damaged hair, we have mentioned other oils great for repairing heat-damaged hair in this article.
Desireé Delia
This can be a tricky one because every time we straighten our hair we know we run the risk of potentially causing heat damage. Not just with straightening but anytime we use a hot tool or blow dryer on our hair.
Because heat damage can make the hair appear dry and brittle, the first thing we want to do is start by cutting back on the amount of heat we are applying to the hair and in some cases cutting heat out altogether for an extended period of time.
Secondly, trim your hair. Trimming your hair or chopping your locks depending on the amount of damage is important because it removes split ends and hair damage which encourages new growth of healthy non damaged hair.
Think of it as getting rid of the “dead weight” holding onto it isn’t doing anything good for you. From this point, start to incorporate leave-in conditioners, hair masks, sulfate-free shampoo & conditioners into your routine.
And, when you are ready to add heat back to your hair remember to always use a heat-protective spray or product to make hair more resistant to heat damage.
Ghanima Abdullah – The Right Hairstyles
Most people relate hair bonding treatments to hair color and their potentially damaging after-effects. However, the same types of treatments can also be used for heat damage.
With heat damage, the hair is usually limp because the protein within the hair structure has been stretched to capacity and the bonds that hold the protein in place have broken leading to damage and breakage.
With chemical treatments, the protein within the hair is suffering from dissolution and broken bonds.
So in both of the cases, there is a change to the state of the protein along with broken bonds.
Bond repair treatments attempt to connect the protein back to the bonds, so while the heat-treated hair might not completely revert, it can still do a lot of good and stop you from having to cut your hair off.
They also provide protein building blocks, amino acids, which can help the health of the hair by creating new protein to substitute for some of it that has been stretched beyond repair.
Gabrielle Richens – The Rich Skin Club
As with all health and wellness, repair starts at the root. Therefore, the first step to repairing heat-damaged hair is by treating your scalp.
Ayurvedic remedies such as olive oil and cayenne pepper can help to stimulate the scalp which nourishes the hair follicles by increasing blood flow.
Rice water is another popular DIY treatment for damaged hair because rice proteins have been reported to strengthen hair strands by enhancing hydration, flexibility, and sealing split ends.
Deep conditioning your hair weekly can put the gloss back in your locks too! Try to choose a fragrance-free and silicone-free conditioner that contains plant oils and butter that replenish dry, brittle hair.
A trick I recently learnt from my hairstylist is to apply a deep conditioner to dry —not wet, hair. This means the product doesn’t have to fight with water to get into and penetrate the hair cuticle.
Finally, once your hair is repaired avoid straightening your hair with heated appliances so often. Save it for special occasions and invest in a good thermal heat-protective spray!
Molly Thompson-Tubridy
You can easily restore your hair back to its former glory without having to go at it with scissors!
My main tip is to approach your hair with care and be gentle! After a shower, your hair is prone to breakage more easily, so I recommend wrapping it up in a cotton T-shirt rather than rubbing it with a towel.
Since the T-shirt is thin, it will soak up the moisture much quicker and prevent any further breakage that would come from towel drying.
Next up I would recommend having treatments at home ready, after a shower I like to apply some No.7 Olaplex oil throughout my hair.
This is a weightless repairing and styling oil that helps to restore the natural bonds in your hair, giving it a healthy shine without stripping the natural oils.
I would also recommend getting a conditioning hair spray, one with keratin, this will help smooth out your broken hair especially if it is heat-damaged.
Karisa Karmali – Self-Love and Fitness
Depending on the extent of the damage, trimming split ends to ensure that the entire hair strand does not break would be the ideal first step.
Other than that, try an oil hair mask at least once a week, be it Argan, castor, or coconut oil and use a high-quality heat protector spray before straightening or blow drying.
There are many affordable options that create a barrier between the hair and the heat.
Tiffany Young – Thin Hair Thick
You’re addicted to your flat iron, and it shows. Heat-damaged hair is a real problem. Fortunately, it is possible to coax your cuticle back into shape after you’ve mistreated it. Tightly aligned cuticles have a natural luster and reflective quality.
Heat-damaged hair is a problem at the cuticle layer and disrupts how the hair behaves. Don’t reach for that smoothing serum that has silicones, instead, you’ll want to fix the problem by strengthening the cuticle hair bonds.
Olaplex Bond Building products are designed to repair damage—either from heat or overbleaching. Their system, specifically the “Number 3,” encourages your cuticles to play nice and get along.
As a result, you’ll have manageable, soft hair that you’d swear had never been straightened a day of its’ life.
Looking for a similar effect but need a more wallet-friendly option? Consider L’oreal’s Elvive 8 Wonder Water.
Bottom line, both of these calm your cuticles and strengthen the hair shaft. Skip the silicones that may offer a temporary faux fix by making your hair shiny. Silicones don’t work on the same scientific level as the two products mentioned above.
Shanise – Styles by Shanise
Once the hair has been damaged with heat excessively it can be nearly impossible to repair without cutting, due to the loss of elasticity in the hair strands. Elasticity in hair care is the ability of the hair strand to stretch and revert back without any breakage.
Depending on your hair texture, excessive straightening can permanently damage your curls or coils.
To reverse this process as much as possible, I would suggest no direct heat for at least 60 days, weekly deep conditioning treatments, and styling hair while it is still wet.
I would suggest using hooded dryers on low heat for moisture treatments to prep your hairstyles and you will notice a difference in the look and feel of the hair.
Remember direct heat whether in chemical form or handheld tool can cause damage, so I would suggest using sparingly or not at all.
Natural hair thrives off of moisture and excessive straightening will dry your hair out while causing more breakage. I would also suggest using a leave-in conditioner to help strengthen your hair.
Jazmin Alvarez – Pretty Well Beauty
I think it goes without saying that the first step is to lay off the heat styling tools for a minimum of 3 months.
But if you do decide to resume using them in the future, be sure to prep the hair beforehand to protect the hair from heat and do not use settings that are excessively high. Investing in a high-quality heat styling tool will eliminate that need.
Now to repair the damage that has been done, there are a few ways.
1. Protein treatments to strengthen the hair. There are several products one can buy on the market for this but you can also crack an egg and mix it with some olive oil and leave it in the hair for 20 minutes after washing.
Then rinse with cool water ( NEVER use warm or Hot water as the egg will scramble). Doing this monthly will help strengthen the strands with current damage as well as prevent future damage.
2. Introduce a pre-cleanse to your routine. This is something you do before using shampoo which will protect the hair from hard water damage and not only strengthen the strands but also hydrate them.
Damaged hair NEEDS hydration and protein in order to thrive.
3. Finally, keep your hands out of your hair. Too much manipulation can cause breakage so be patient and do less, not more.
Rachel Roff – Urban Skin Rx
No store-bought product will completely repair heat-damaged hair, but there are some great natural options that you can include in your daily self-care regime.
To begin treating your dry, brittle, and dull hair you will want to trim the damage first, then use a simple coconut oil hair treatment either daily as a moisturizer and detangler or as a weekly deep-conditioning treatment.
Coconut oil is perhaps one of the most effective hair treatments that you can use for heat-damaged or over-processed hair due to the presence of vitamin E, capric acid, and lauric acid that work together to repair your hair from the inside out and prevent future damage.
You can also prevent future heat damage by limiting your use of heated haircare tools and incorporating coconut oil into your daily hair care routine.
Note from Editor: I tried this treatment when I was washing my human hair wigs and curly hair extensions, it worked really well on them!
Avni Parekh – Luvly Long Locks
Beautiful, straight hair can come at a cost, especially when you use heated straightening tools, such as a flat iron, to achieve your look. In fact, the more you use these tools, the more they will damage your hair, indefinitely.
Therefore, in order to repair heat-damaged hair, you’ll have to follow a new, strict routine if you want to restore luster back to your magnificent mane.
First, it’s crucial to stop using heated hair tools. My recommendation is to stop using them for at least six months to a year if you’re able to.
Second, invest in hair products known to repair damaged hair. The best way to verify that these products actually work is to read their reviews on Amazon.
Third, find alternative methods to achieve your classic look without using heated straightening tools.
For instance, if you continuously comb wet hair while it’s in the process of air-drying, you’ll be able to naturally straighten your hair. I did this for years after damaging my hair by excessively straightening it, and it worked like a charm!
Aparna Barthwal – Reequil
Dry and damaged hair is usually a result of heat damage. Whether you are using styling tools at home or doing chemical treatment in a parlor, both can damage your cuticles and make them prone to breakage.
Therefore, it is important to take a day off from your styling tool and follow numerous ways to repair heat damage for those thick and healthy manes.
1. Start from the basic form of a haircare routine that contains a mild shampoo and conditioner to maintain a healthy and clean scalp.
2. Weekly head massage is always a great addition when it comes to restoring your hair health. Various studies show that the combination of scalp exercise with warm oil helps in repairing damage by penetrating deep inside the hair cuticle and nourishing your hair deeply.
3. Strengthen your hair with a protein-based hair mask that contains ingredients such as pea protein, ceramide, and omega-3 to promote healthy and shiny hair.
4. Avoid using harsh ingredients such as sulfate and paraben in your hair care product as it dries your hair and makes it breakage-prone.
Valerie Barnett – Pleasing Care
Yes, banana isn’t just a fruit full of healthy contents that’s good for our body, turns out it’s an effective home remedy for fuzzy and dry hair due to excessive straightening.
Banana is rich in potassium and moisture which are great factors to keep our hair healthy, soft, and shiny.
All you need to do is mash one ripe banana, apply it on the hair, leave for at least an hour, and rinse with warm water.
This process is ideally done at least twice a week for faster results. This will not only eliminate dryness of the hair, but it can also minimize split ends and improve the elasticity of the hair for a bouncier look.
Michele Scott-Lynch – Bouclème
If your hair has become damaged from using heat stylers like straighteners, the best thing you can do is stop and give your hair a break. Think of it as your hair giving you a sign to embrace your natural texture.
Treat your hair to weekly deep conditioning this will help to infuse your hair with moisture and to maintain optimum hydration levels. Regular protein treatments will help to strengthen your strands and restructure the surface of your hair.
How much protein your hair needs is really individual (depends on the level of damage and porosity) but be careful to not overload your hair as it can become hard and brittle. Start with a monthly treatment and then increase to bi-weekly depending on the results.
Book yourself in with your hairstylist for a much-needed trim. You can’t really repair split ends so getting them snipped off will give you a better foundation to build upon.
If you don’t want to stop using straighteners altogether then try instead to reduce the frequency. Make sure you prep your hair before exposure to heat by using a thermal protector like our Revive 5 on your hair before heat styling.
Suzi – Gurl Gone Green
Hair that is constantly exposed to heat can become dry and brittle. Follow these tips to repair damaged hair and get back the shine.
First, cut back on heat styling altogether. Air dry your hair instead of blow-drying, skip the flat iron or curling iron and try braids or invest in some fun hair accessories. This will help minimize further heat damage.
Get some regular trims. Getting your hair trimmed consistently can help keep it healthy. It stops the ends from splitting more and gives your hair a fresh look overall.
Wash your hair every other day, or longer if possible. Excessive washing can damage hair even further and dry it out. Invest in a good dry shampoo and skip the daily hair wash.
Get a good leave-in conditioner. Leave-in conditioners can help replenish moisture loss, protect hair from further heat damage and strengthen hair follicles with essential vitamins. They’re lighter, not weighing hair down as much.
Get a deep conditioning treatment at a salon or invest in a hair mask you can do at home. This will nourish the hair follicle from the inside out.
Laura Roncagli – My Beautik
Hair damages deriving from excessive heat are very difficult to take care of, as once the hair is seriously damaged and broken, it is extremely hard to repair it.
The products I use and recommend, to help hair restoration and prevent further damages, are:
- Masks
- Oils
- Heat-protectants
- Bonding treatments
Hair masks are essential cosmetics for a professional like me; high-quality masks can be expensive, but you can also go for homemade ones. I normally use quick masks, but if you have time I recommend you to let them sit, wrapping your hair in a towel or cap.
Hair oils are also very useful and effective against the typical breakage deriving from regular straightening. Hair oils have a lot of nourishing additives, like vitamins, fatty acids, and proteins, that strengthen your hair and increase its elasticity.
Oils are usually leave-in treatments, to be applied on damp or dry hair, avoiding the roots to prevent a greasy look.
Heat-protectants are fundamental cosmetics I could not work without. They don’t have any effect in terms of repairing your hair, but they preserve and protect it when using straighteners, curlers, and hair dryers.
Finally, the so-called bonding treatments are the most effective ones, as they can partially reverse the damages deriving from excessive heat and re-build the hair structure.
One of the most famous and appreciated ones is Olaplex, a system capable to restore broken disulfide bonds. These types of hair cosmetics have a more complex chemical formula, that allows a much more effective and long-lasting treatment of damaged hair.
I used Olaplex on hundreds of clients and it really makes miracles. It can be bought also for home-DYI-treatment, while the professional kit can be purchased only by salons and hair specialists.
Last but not least: don’t forget to stay hydrated and to feed your body, and your hair, with a balanced diet!
Eliza Pineda – Mayraki
Regular protein and hydrating treatments
Depending on how damaged hair is, frequent nourishing treatments will have to be done. They can be done at home or professionally. This usually involves hair masks, oils, and keratin (protein) treatments to build the hair’s strength back up and restore moisture.
Get a salon treatment
Alternatively, getting a professional salon treatment can also be beneficial. Your hairstylist will be able to tell exactly what treatment you will need to get.
Use a good heat protectant
To prevent further damage, use a heat protectant when heat styling hair or even just going out in the sun.
Take a break from heat styling
Of course, hair needs time to heal. Taking a longer break between heat-styling hair will give the hair time to repair itself. Try no-heat styling alternatives or go au naturel for a little while.
Ayanna Denise
The best way to repair heat-damaged hair from straightening is to withdraw from heat set styles and incorporate good fats into your scalp and hair. Here is how to get in those good fats:
Deep Conditioning with the support of avocado.
Apply Aloe Vera to your scalp and hair shaft.
Use conditioning techniques and leave on hair covered with a treatment cap for at least 2 hours for best results.
End your use of products containing alcohol, such as holding spray, setting spray, mouse, gel, and permanent color.
Don’t let shampoos slip through the cracks. Most of them, especially the ones claiming dandruff control, are loaded with alcohol. This contributes to overall dry hair, resulting in breakage.
There are stylists who specialize in healthy hair to support you in this. Many times, heat damage leads to breakage. A regular trim will keep this under control as well.
Lastly, protective styles, especially during the cold months, are great for hair ends. Don’t forget to trim your ends regularly.
Dr. Anna Chacon – My Psoriasis Team
The reparation of heat-damaged hair due to excessive straightening is slightly challenging. It is important to note that it is very difficult to repair split ends or chemically burned or treated hair.
Usually, it is best to cease the damaging motion. This is also true of habits such as straightening or chemically or heat processing of the hair.
It is best to give your hair a clean slate and avoid doing damaging behavior in the future.
And what also sometimes helps includes using a hydrating and moisturizing oil on the distal portion of the hair follicles themselves.
It also helps to avoid the scalp which may cause oiliness and greasing us to this area.
Ayana Aden – The Curl Market
Heat damage due to excessive straightening can occur due to several reasons. Common reasons include not using a heat protectant, straightening on hair that is not sufficiently dry, and using your heat tools on a high-temperature setting.
Those with fine hair strands, low density, and/or tightly coiled textures are more susceptible to heat damage.
If someone has heat damage, the first thing one should do is stop using heat. Continuing using the heat will accelerate heat damage (given that the hair is already impacted) and may damage new growth.
The second thing to do would be to invest in a protein-based product system, such as Olaplex that aims at repairing and replenishing broken protein bonds.
Olaplex uses a patented protein molecule that mimics the protein in our hair and can alleviate and repair some of the damage, depending on severity.
Lastly, always speak to a local hairstylist who can assess the level of damage. A stylist may recommend getting a trim or haircut, depending on the severity. Even trimming an inch will significantly minimize the look of the damage.
Delilah Orpi – The Holistic Enchilada
Lay off the heat. Stop using heat altogether if you can, or use low heat. Straighten a lot less often or try heatless methods.
Consider embracing your natural texture if your hair is wavy or curly. Over time, it gets healthier and the texture will improve and be easier to manage.
Use strengthening treatments. Incorporate hair masks and deep conditioners designed to strengthen and repair hair on a weekly basis. Bond building treatments are also great if you color your hair too.
Use styling products that strengthen the hair and help it retain moisture. Leave ins and creams with protein are a great choice for this.
Cut back on other processes and products that cause damage to your hair. Coloring, relaxing, and incorrect brushing can cause more damage so take extra caution with these as your hair is already in a weakened state.
Consider doing these less often or modifying them a bit. For example, consider less lightening of your hair or highlighting less often.
Maintain your hair. Make sure you’re doing all these steps for as long as you need to. It’s not an overnight process so don’t expect your hair to magically change after a week of care.
Vanessa Thomas – Freelance Formulations
Excessive use of heating tools can contribute to weakening the hair and eventual damage of the follicle. Heating tools will burn and break the bonds in the hair follicle, and excessive heat styling without protection and follow-up care will result in damaged hair.
The only way to completely prevent the over-processing effects on hair is to either cut down on the things that cause over-processed hair damage or completely stop these processes.
To help with the damage and improve texture, using a hair mask, products, and relaxers that infuse the hair with keratin and proteins, using a heat protectant spray, can help to minimize the damage that occurs.
I recommend using coconut oil or using a hair mask that contains coconut oil. Coconut oil has been shown to actually be able to penetrate into the hair follicles, allowing it to moisturize more effectively with time.
I would also recommend washing hair no more than 2-3 times per week and opt for conditioning that hair only during those no-shampoo days.
If you are planning to get your hair relaxed or colored, it is best to see a licensed hair professional rather than trying to DIY with box color/bleaches.
Kash Lalka – Best Expert Reviews
Are you always on the go and want to keep your hair straightened but worried about the damage caused by heating tools? Here is a solution for you:
The following 3-step process will repair heat-damaged hair due to excessive straightening.
Step 1:
- Vitamin E & Olive Oil Hair Mask
- Vitamin E Oil
- Olive Oil
Step 2:
- Apple Cider Vinegar & Egg Hair Mask
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Eggs (2 pieces)
Step 3:
- Banana Hair Mask
- Banana (ripe with black spots)
Step 1. Vitamin E and olive oil hair mask.
Mix the Vitamin E oil and olive oil together. Apply the mixture to your hair and leave it on for about 15 minutes before washing it off.
Step 2. Apple cider vinegar and egg hair mask.
Mix the apple cider vinegar with eggs (two pieces). Apply this mixture to your hair cover your head with a shower cap and let it sit for 30 minutes. Wash your hair afterward with shampoo.
Step 3. Banana hair mask.
Mix the ripe bananas (with black spots) with eggs (two pieces). Apply it to your hair and leave it on for 20 minutes before washing it off.
Now you’ve repaired the damage caused by straightening! It is advisable to do this once or twice a week for short-term damages, or every day for long-term damages.
After washing your hair, you’ll notice how soft and smooth your hair is after the repairing process. These three masks are inexpensive and easy to get, so feel free to try them out!
Katie Emery – Katie Goes Platinum
Heat is gray hair’s worst enemy. When gray hair gets heat-damaged, it turns yellow. Unfortunately, yellowing caused by heat is impossible to repair.
Instead, you have two choices: You can either cut off the damaged hair and wait for your new growth to come in, or you can use a purple shampoo once a week to tone down the yellow. (Purple is the opposite of yellow on the color wheel, so it reduces the yellow tones).
Just make sure not to use purple shampoo more than once a week as it is very drying, and can leave a purplish tint on your hair if used too often. Follow it up with a deep conditioner, and your gray hair will look and feel great!
Stefani Sankelova – Fantastic Hairdressing
Invest in good quality hair care products – masks, oils, etc. You need to take care of your hair. Take note to provide the proper products for your hair type.
Reduce heat treatment to a minimum.
If your hair is badly damaged even with hair products and heat-resistant sprays is a no-no. This is still stress and unnecessary dryness for your hair. There are a lot of heatless methods to style your locks.
To naturally grow it if you don’t have the genes it’s more difficult but not impossible. There are again products that promote hair growth and thickening.
You can also try old natural recipes like the ones