Breakage is the number one problem with long hair care. Usually, breakage is seen as split ends or fly away strands. Unhealthy hair is caused by poor maintenance, from improper brushing, washing, and too few and far in-between visits to the hair stylist. Poor nutrition, stress, and even bad sleeping patterns can lead to damaged hair.
Caring for long hair takes a lot more time compared to caring for short hair or hair of normal length. Just washing and drying long hair can be quite a task in itself. Below are some tips on managing long hair.
Always Comb Your Hair When it’s Wet
When your hair is wet, it is important for you to use a wide toothed comb. The main reason is because a brush will cause your hair to experience breakage when it is wet. It is important to remember that the only time that you should comb hair is when it’s wet. Keep in mind that if there is no comb on hand, you should simply avoid brushing your hair at all until it has dried. Do not even brush your hair while it is damp if you want to prevent breakage.
Don’t Forget to Moisturize Long Hair
It is important to make sure that you moisturize your long hair often. Consider using a moisturizing shampoo, conditioner or both. When you comb your hair, you will want to be sure to use a leave-in conditioner, which will help you manage tangles much easier. Moisture is one of the best ways to prevent your hair from drying out.
Avoid Using Hot Styling Tools Frequently
Hot styling tools can cause hair damage by drying out your hair. You will want to avoid using the blow dryer, curling iron or flat iron too frequently. When you do use any of these hot styling tools, it is a good idea to use them in combination with protective hair serums, which will help prevent heat damage. It is best to limit yourself to styling your hair with hot tools to only once or twice a week.
Don’t Constantly Switch Hair Colors
Although there is nothing wrong with dying your hair, it is important to avoid constantly switching hair colors. If you are going from blonde hair to black hair to red hair in a matter of a month, then you know that you have a problem. If you want to make a change, the best way is to do it by making several gradual changes over a period of time. This way, your hair will not experience so much shock and, ultimately, it will not dry out.
Other Tips for Long Hair Care
* Avoid sleeping with tightly braided hair or hair in a tight ponytail. The stress can cause breakage and/or hair loss.
* When your hair is braided, make sure that it is not too tight or it could cause breakage and/or hair loss.
* If your hair is braided or you have a ponytail, use a specially treated band or scrunchie which will prevent breakage of your hair, limit your use of clips, bows, and untreated bands.
* Even if you plan on growing your hair out further you should trim your hair once every 3 months, if not split ends will cause your hair to break off and your hair will begin to lose it’s beauty, if you plan on just maintaining your length, a trim once every month and a half to two months should suffice.
* Don’t use a brush to detangle your hair, this will stretch your hair and may cause your hair to break off. Instead use your fingers, a pick, or a wide tooth comb to detangle your hair.
* When detangling your hair work your way from the tips of your hair up to the hair roots. Work on detangling one section of your hair at a time and go in a downward direction.
* Be gentle when detangling, pulling down on your hair too hard will cause breakage.
* If you detangle your hair before washing it, it’ll be easier to dry and style as well as decrease the knots and tangles after you are done washing your hair.
* Don’t rub your hair dry with a towell, instead blot the water out of your hair, when you rub, it’ll cause your hair to tangle.
* Hair can get caught on cotton pillow cases and break when you are sleeping especially if you toss and turn a lot when you sleep. Using a satin or silk pillowcase where your hair will make it so that hair will slide across the pillowcase without getting caught. Another tactic to prevent breakage is to put your hair up in a ponytail on the top of your head with a scrunchie or specially treated band (that prevents breakage).
* An alternative to the silk pillowcase is to wear a satin or silk scarf over your hair before your sleep to prevent breakage.
* Brushing your hair is important because it spreads the the hair oils out across the length of your hair. Use long strokes starting from the roots of your hair when brushing and stroke your hand over your hair after you are done brushing to get rid of static.
These are just some of the many things that you should know about when it comes to caring for long hair. If you are unable to do one or more of these things, then you may want to reconsider sticking with a long hairstyle. Keep in mind that although the idea of long hair may seem appealing, it often does not look good because so many people are unable to properly care for it. If you really want long hair, you may want to consider opting for clip-in hair extensions instead. In most cases, however, a medium hair style tends to work the best.
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