Sadly, there's really no way to heal damaged hair. Hair is not a living tissue with regenerative abilities, so it can't heal.
Using products that are designed to nourish the scalp and hair can definitely speed up this process, but on average you'd be looking at six months to a year to fully see a difference in your hair's condition.
Unhealthy hair usually has a rough texture, lack of shininess and luster, have split ends, lack of moisture and elasticity even after treatment and easily broken. Damaged hair will also get tangled up and result in knots due to hair dryness.
Harsh shampoo, hair treatments, styling products, and excessive brushing contribute the most to poor hair health. However, other culprits include: overconsumption of alcohol. low-calorie and crash diets.
Truly dead hair follicles are almost impossible to reactivate, except with the help of medical/surgical treatment, so it's important that you take action on your dying hair follicles as soon as you're able – the earlier the better.
using heat-based drying and styling tools too frequently. shampooing too often. using a shampoo with harsh ingredients, such as sulfates, that are drying for your type of hair. not using a conditioner often enough or one that's designed for your type of hair.
You're Hard on Your Hair
Using too much shampoo, brushing or combing your hair when it's wet, rubbing hair dry with a towel, or brushing too hard or too often can all strain your strands and make them break. Two big causes of breakage include braids that are too tight and weaves that weigh down the hair.
Fortunately, in the vast majority of cases, you can eventually grow the damaged hair out as long as the follicle itself has been preserved. The most common causes of damage are below. Damaged hair can still grow eventually, but routine damage can result in negative consequences for your hair.
For the most part, hair damage is permanent because hair is actually a collection of dead cells, making them beyond repair. The only real cure is time, a pair of shears, and taking steps to prevent new damage.
While the term hair damage is pretty broad, the five most common forms of hair damage include split ends, heat damage, color damage, chemical damage, and hair loss.
Depending on the type of damage your hair is experiencing, there are telltale signs that you need some TLC: Split ends, flyaways, or frizz: Damaged hair is at greater risk for breaking. Depending on where the break occurs along the shaft, you may experience these symptoms.
The good news is, yes, your damaged hair can grow back. After all, hair grows from the root, so don't eff it up by putting stress on your root.
Split ends are a sign that your hair has been weakened from chemicals and exposure to heat, wind, and sun, Blaisure adds. Trimming is the best way to keep ends from fraying and causing further damage.
People with oily hair or who use hair care products daily should consider washing their hair once every 1–2 days. People with dry hair can wash their hair less frequently. Those with textured or coily hair should only wash it once every 1–2 weeks.
"Washing your hair daily can cause dryness and breakage, but generally will not cause excessive hair loss," says Angela Styles, a hairstylist in West Hollywood, CA.
Basically, if you don't have a trim, your split ends will run riot and likely split further up the shaft eventually snapping and making your hair short, which stops it from growing long. This way, your hair can continue to grow healthily from your roots, but the ends won't fray and snap shorter.
You usually can't fully fix fried hair overnight. Depending on how damaged your hair is, your best bet may involve trimming away the damage and split ends and waiting for it to grow back. Still, you can help your hair's appearance by using moisturizing products and avoiding further damage.
Biotin. Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, is a complex B vitamin that is often touted for having hair growth benefits. And some of that hype may actually be worth it. Biotin has functions in “creating red blood cells, which carry oxygen and nutrients to the scalp and hair follicles,” says Dr. Green.
Things like aggressive brushing and combing, sleeping on wet hair or rough fabrics that create friction, constantly pulling your strands into styles that are too tight, and heat styling are all some of the main reasons why hair breaks.