Beauty Blunder 8: Treating Overly Processed Hair

Question: Hey girl! I have a few things that I've been curious about. I've been trying to grow my hair out forever and with how frequently I dye my hair it's almost impossible. I've heard about supplements such as biotin or MSM being good for hair growth. Is this true or just a rumor?
And I'd also be curious if there are any treatments specializing in the repair of bleached hair?

Answer:  Hey lady!  Oh no, it sounds like you have the bleacher's conundrum.  Here we go!  If you're trying to repair already damaged strands of hair, a supplement won't work.  That hair is already past the point of turning it around with miracle pills.  My teacher in cosmetology school once said, 



"If you want to grow your hair, eat a steak!"  Hair is made up of protein, so make sure you're not lacking in that essential part of a balanced diet.  You  can try natural supplements, but my recommendation is to simply eat healthier.  Everything your body needs can be found in nature, and you'll save $$$.


The new hair growing out of your scalp is healthy and unprocessed; it's called "virgin hair" in the beauty industry.  Your damaged shaft to ends are the problem, so I would recommend a moisturizing treatment, like a hair mask, for this area.  Check out this post for more information on processed hair:  http://beautyblunderblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Hair%20Color There are definitely products that specialize in treating bleached hair.  Think MOISTURE MOISTURE MOISTURE.  Truth be told, once the outermost, top layer of hair strands, the cuticle, is destroyed there's no getting it back.  Products will just help in the appearance, but you'll still have damaged hair on your hands, er, I mean on your head.  In fact, you should probably get it trimmed every 6 weeks or so to prevent split ends from taking over your tresses. In the end, it'll help with growth because you'll have less damaged ends splitting and breaking all the way up.


The new hair growth at the roots will come equipped with a full cuticle layer, which you can begin protecting by moisturizing your hair and using treatments.  If you start eating more protein, the new hair will have an edge, too.  Try not to bleach/color it too often, and when you do, try not to re-bleach areas that are already lightened.  Leave the bleach for just the roots.  Also, the darker your natural color is, the more damage you do by processing it.  It takes a lot of bleach and damaged cuticle to get naturally dark hair to appear light.  You can also look into demi-permanent color which uses very little peroxide and much less ammonia if you want to add color or a clear gloss to your hair.  It's gentle, the smell is less offensive, and it'll help the hair you have.  


Good luck!


What are your hair blunders or treatment tips?