Best thing for damaged hair?

[VitoCorleone]

My hair is damaged, although it only seems to be on the left hand side, bits are breaking off and its obvious that the right hand side is longer, I'm getting stressed about it which probably isn't helping.

My hairdresser advised me to use some sort of oil on my hair and not use straighteners as often.

I'm using a split end serum, shampoo with oil in and taking vitamins especially for hair and nails but i cant see any improvement yet.

Has anybody else had damaged hair and managed to sort it out? How long did it take to get better and what did you use?

Hairdresser also warned it could be anything from diet to medication, I'm just stressing about it, my hair is usually half way down my back, now at the shortest side its just below my shoulders.

Oh and im also using that Aussie 3 minute miracle stuff

I had this too a few years ago and the only thing that helped was not using straighteners at all .
I got a good trim all over, bought a good hairbrush and just blow dryed
Also not washing as frequently , every few days instead of daily and hair in updo for work
Aussie is great but I definetely think the damage only stopped when I cut down on heated hair appliances

Hi there OP,
My hair fell out after kids and my friend who is a photographer working with models recommended a vitamin called viviscal. I was in the US at the time. It was amazing and my hair grew back . In fact a bit too much and Sessions of laser hair removal went down the drain but heh! what can you do?

This could have been my post last year. In fact you made me double check name changes!!
Mine lasted ages unfortunately. Solution was regular trims (I know - I wore a scarf a lot to hide that it was shorter than I wanted) and using a big hair rather than GHDs

Plus. If it's that long you can easily cut it.

I made my own hair mask from
1 tablespoon of honey, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a few drops of 100% argan oil.

massage it all in -I did it all over my hair and left it for two hours wrapped in an old towel.
then I washed and conditioned really well with dr organic argan oil shampoo and conditioner (from Holland and barrett).

I just sat outside and let it dry naturally. then when it was finished I smoothed a few drops of argan oil through it. btw do this after straightening, if you're doing that, or you will fry your hair.

my hair came out lovely and soft and full of body. so I will be doing that weekly as my hair has gone really dry recently.
I only use straighteners once a week, if that and I'm going off them, I prefer a bit of a wave now.

Fox, did it take an age to wash the oil out?

( btw my damage was on the right hand side only, oddly)

I've recently wrecked my hair with bleach. Its still going to need a mega big cut but I've found John freidas full repair intensive masque amazing. I didn't use the shampoo and conditioner , I used the joico range which is packed with protein to rebuild your hair.

no I just shampooed it out with one wash but rinsed well, but my hair is thick and quite dry so could handle it. it still feels soft 2 days later.

Over the last year or so my hair has got incredible brittle (I can just snap it off with no effort whatsoever), thinning and fine. Consultant says most likely female pattern hair loss made worse by side-effect of HRT.

I have tried so many things to help the condition as the thinner it gets the drier and knottier it gets. The best so far is Ojon Instant Restorative Hair Serum. Don't know what made me buy it but am glad I did. It has made my hair feel a lot smoother, softer and look and feel far less dry and weird. I have only got the trial size which was around £14 from Boots but you only need a little. Also got a trial size Hair Mask in the same range and have used that twice so far and the condition of my hair looks much much better.

I am 'low normal' in terms of iron/ferritin levels so the consultant has put me on iron tabs to see if that helps. She also recommended I try Minoxidil foam but am very reluctant to use it because of side effects as well as it being harsh on hair/scalp. Have heard very good things about Viviscal.

I'm was just about to start using a scarf as a hair-wrap and have done (I started a thread asking for opinions) but since using the Ojon stuff, have put that on the back burner for a bit because my hair looks better than it's looked for about a year.

This could be my post. I've been straightening for years with no ill effects and now it's all gone wrong and the front left of my hair is a good 2 inches shorter than the right . Using hair masks, serums, expensive shampoos has halted the damage but I foresee short hair in the future.

Fox, Thank you.

Tbh the best cure is a good haircut and start again being kinder to your hair.
I have curly hair that between dying and straightening was fried and snapping off. I got it cut by a hairdresser I trusted keeping as much of the length as I could.

No I only straighten two maybe 3 times a week, use argan oil, try and avoid blow drying and dyeing less regularly. I get it trimmed every 6-8 weeks and it is growing much better now than it was before because it's not snapping off.
Really once it's fried it's fried there is really no fixing it.

I was just about to start a thread on this.

Hairdresser said any oil is good. I've used olive oil before.

Currently sat here oozing class with my hair drenched in baby oil and a Tesco carrier bag on my head.

Anyone else done this? Potentially something I should have asked first

I've always been told one treatment a week and straighten as little as possible.

oh how am i the only one losing MY RIGHT side
i always used to straighten the left way better, being right handed, so i never quite got it.

babyliss big hair instead of GHDS

You probably over straighten that side (right handed?), only run straighteners over it once and use pure argan oil overnight on it.

I straighten it maybe 3 times a week, ive turned the heat down on my hairdryer too.

Its so annoying though, i just wish i knew what was causing it

Straighteners 3 times a week is a lot, you need to stop them altogether, the heat is so high, they just wreck hair. It'll take some time, but you will see the benefits long term.

I know, but my hair looks horrendous if i don't straighten it, that's my problem.

I thought that. But have had loads if compliments since I big haired

I think of it as the beach babe look

Olive oil from the supermarket, a big fat litre bottle will set you back about ten quimassage it in your scalp and coat your hair with it, pop on a shower cap and leave on as long as possible

Then wash out and don't use any heat

I have very unruly hair but try to limit straightening to 1-2 times a week and use a lot of heat protector.

However, a few months ago i decided to bleach my hair and it is completely and utterly ruined- elastic when wet, breaks easily etc.

Damaged hair cannot be repaired, the texture can be improved but you can never actually fix hair! Having said that, Aphogee make a 2 step protein treatment that actually hardens your hair to prevent breakage. its very snazzy and can be found on amazon and ebay I think.

Ive been using the keratin treatment by the same brand and I've noticed an improvement but I still have to use a load of morrocan oil and kerastase oil to make it look half decent. cut off about 15cm of length to sort out the ends but the baby hair area around my face which was full length iyswim is now very short after it snapped off

Ive learned my lesson.

Slather in oil overnight once a week. Stop straightening it - no shortcuts. And surely BBh is still intense heat? Kerastase Masquintense also good.