What does damaged relaxed hair look like?

Author: Dr. Kali O'Kon III  |  Last update: Sunday, June 29, 2025

Is your client's relaxed hair showing the danger signs of damage? You'll know them when you see them: dryness, split ends, excess frizz and, worst of all, breakage.

How do you know if your relaxed hair is damaged?

Here's two ways to know if your hair is damaged. 1. Your hair breaks easily. If your hair is breaking from little things, like taking off a T-shirt, it's a good sign that your hair is unhealthy. 2. You notice a change in texture. If your hair used to feel smooth and silky, but now it feels rough and rigid. Follow me.

How to repair damaged hair from a relaxer?

Use a hydrating shampoo and conditioner specifically designed for damaged or chemically treated hair. Look for products with ingredients like shea butter, argan oil, or coconut oil. Incorporate deep conditioning masks into your routine once a week. These treatments penetrate the hair shaft and provide intense moisture.

What does extremely damaged hair look like?

In most simplest form, damaged hair is hair that is not straight. It looks frizzy and has weird irregular shapes that are either not straight nor curly. It's also has more porosity (and higher porosity leads to more damage) so it's less smooth when you touch it and has rougher texture.

Can relaxer permanently damage hair?

Hair relaxers have also been known to cause extreme dryness and hair breakage due to brittleness or the inability to maintain moisture, and the more adverse results include permanent hair loss, chemical burns, bald patches, and scalp infections.

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Does your hair go back to normal after a relaxer?

Yes, as long as you do not continue to process your hair with any chemical treatments. According to Medical News Today, hair grows at the equivalent of 0.2 to 0.7 inches per month. As a result, your natural hair texture will eventually come back after a relaxer. This hair is sometimes called “new growth.”

Is hair loss from relaxer reversible?

You might also get sores on your scalp following a relaxer session, in addition to the burning. That difficult situation may result in infection or permanent hair loss due to relaxer use.

How do you know if your hair is permanently damaged?

How To Tell If Your Hair is Damaged
  • Dry or Brittle Hair. If your hair constantly feels dry, damage to the cuticle layer may be to blame. ...
  • Hair Feels Thick at the Root and Thin at the Ends. ...
  • You Notice More Shedding. ...
  • Your Hair Is More Tangled Than Usual. ...
  • Your Hair Appears Dull.

What shampoo is best for damaged hair?

Best Shampoos for Damaged Hair
  • Crown AffairThe Volumizing Shampoo for Oily, Flat Hair. ...
  • Living ProofPerfect hair Day (PhD) Hydrating Shampoo. ...
  • NécessaireRosemary Shampoo For Thinning Hair. ...
  • amikaThe Kure Strength Repair Shampoo​ ...
  • K18 Biomimetic HairscienceDAMAGE SHIELD pH Protective Shampoo.

Should damaged hair be cut off?

Damaged Hair

All experts agree on this: when hair is damaged, it must be cut off. “If the damage is so bad (you're bleaching too much or using too much heat), that's when it becomes a cut instead of a trim,” says Polko.

What is over-processed relaxed hair?

It's a condition where the hair has been subjected to excessive chemical treatments, heat styling, or other damaging practices. overprocessing can lead to various issues such as dryness, breakage, split ends, and a lack of elasticity.

Can perm damaged hair be repaired?

Since the perm method uses chemicals to bend hair, it is not possible to fundamentally eliminate damage. However, it is possible to reduce the dryness that causes damage. Use treatments with moisturizing and repairing effects both before and after perms.

How often should I wash relaxed hair?

As a general rule, you should aim to wash your relaxed hair once a week.

How to repair relaxer damaged hair?

How to Repair Hair After Relaxer Damage
  1. Wash with a Nourishing Shampoo. ...
  2. Apply a Sumptuous Conditioner. ...
  3. Repair with a Leave-In Treatment. ...
  4. Moisturize and Seal Dry Relaxed Hair. ...
  5. Detangle with a Wide-Tooth Comb. ...
  6. Avoid Blow-Drying Soaking Wet Hair. ...
  7. Use the Gentlest Hair Color Products. ...
  8. Sleep with Silk Pillowcases and Hair Wraps.

How can you tell the difference between dry and damaged hair?

Try stretching the wet strand you did your porosity test on. If it snaps, it's likely to be damaged. Hair that's dry and lacking elasticity may stretch without snapping, but is unlikely to return to its original length.

Does damaged hair change texture?

You may also experience a change in texture, and your hair might not cooperate as it once did. Damaged hair becomes brittle and breaks easily. Your hair might look dull and dry, and the appearance of split ends is more noticeable. It can also be challenging to get your hair to lie flat.

What do hairdressers recommend for damaged hair?

Top Salon Treatments for Dry, Damaged Hair
  • 1: Keratin Treatment – The Smoothing Solution.
  • 2: Deep Conditioning Treatments – For Intense Hydration and Restoration.
  • 3: Bond Fusion Treatments – Building Healthier, Stronger Hair.
  • 4: Hot Oil Treatments – Protecting Hair Against Damage.

What does damaged hair look like?

1.HAIR LOOKS AND FEELS DRY AND BRITTLE

It's lacking in shine, it's permanently parched, and it's more difficult to style as a result. Hair strands can dry out for a whole raft of reasons, whether it's because of heat damage Opens in a new tab, bleach damage Opens in a new tab, or just simple genetics.

Can anything really repair damaged hair?

The short answer is no. Most hair damage is permanent, and the only way to fix the issue is to cut it off and start anew. You can't physically splice together split ends, but some hair care products on the market contain potent nutrients that can help you achieve visually healthier-looking hair.

How to tell if your hair is fried?

Hair Looks and Feels Dry and Brittle. The first tell-tale sign of hair damage Opens in a new tab is usually that dry and brittle feeling. It's lacking in natural shine, it's permanently parched, and it's more difficult to style as a result.

Can damaged hair ever be healthy again?

“You can improve the quality of hair after slight chemical damage using bond-building products that will rebuild the amino acid bonds that make up the keratin in hair, however, you cannot restore split ends or breakage in severely damaged hair,” details Caspara.

Does relaxed hair ever go back to normal?

Relaxers are permanent, so whatever parts of your hair that have been in contact with a relaxer will never grow back naturally. Therefore, at some point in time your hair must be cut off to above the demarcation line. If you're not willing to go for the big chop, the next step is to do regular trims of your hair.

What to do when a relaxer burns your scalp?

First, treat your scalp with extra tender loving care. This isn't the time to irritate it or bother any scabs that may have developed. Don't comb or brush your hair if it hurts. Use clean cotton swabs and apply aloe vera gel or an antibacterial cream like Neosporin to any painful spots or scabs.

Will my hair grow back after relaxer damage?

If the chemical burn caused by your hair relaxer was severe, it may also leave scars across the scalp. In this instance, the burnt areas are unlikely to fully regrow hair and may result in areas of permanent baldness where the follicles have been destroyed.

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