Whether it’s from coloring your hair, heat styling, or mechanical damage, all hair textures and types experience breakage. However, some experience more damage than others. This is why every guest can benefit from knowing how to reduce the factors that lead to compromising hair health. With fall and winter dryer air approaching, Ashley Brown, Sam Villa Ambassador and Mizani Artist @ash_hairbarbie dives deep into how to identify breakage, how to prevent it, and the various ways to wrap hair for ultimate protection.
How To Prevent Hair Damage
Identifying Hair Breakage:
- When brushing hair, if many short to medium pieces fall in the sink or counter, it’s a clear sign of hair coming apart/breaking off.
- If there are multiple strands clumped in concentrated areas randomly throughout the head that stick straight up and/or straight out, and are considerably shorter than the overall length, it is a sign of breakage.
Preventing Breakage:
Stop using heat. Overusing heat, using too high of a temperature, and/or not using the proper heat protection products leads to breakage.
Invest in professional products and tools. Products such as the Mizani Press Agent System provide the moisture and protein hair needs to thrive and protect it from heat damage, UV rays, and free radicals that lead to breakage. Pro tools such as the Sam Villa Signature Series 9 Row Finishing Brush ensure that when detangling hair/ blowing it out and distributing products for deep treatments, strands are gently treated with little tension because tension can also cause damage. Tools such as the Sam Villa Light Professional Ionic Blow Dryer utilize ceramic/tourmaline ion generation technology to reduce frizz and static, resulting in a smoother, shinier cuticle, which creates a healthier finish to hair. And pay attention to heat settings, tools like the Sam Villa Light Professional Ionic Blow Dryer and Sleekr Professional Straightening Iron have multiple heat settings to be kinder to all texture types of hair.
Wrap Hair. The best practice for being proactive in keeping hair as healthy as possible. There are two versions: See here.
- Classic Wrap: Wrap hair around head shape the opposite way it usually lays, secure with toothless clips, fold a silk scarf in half (a triangle), tie it at back and then remove clips.
- Bun Wrap: Brush hair up into a bun and use a silk scrunchie to gently hold the bun very loosely and very close to the front of the hairline. Fold a silk scarf in half and place the long edge over the front of the bun. Criss cross longest ends behind the head and tie in a knot at the front by the bun.
Get regular trims. This keeps the ends as healthy and intact as possible. The average recommended time between trims is 6-8 weeks.
Use a silk pillowcase. It reduces friction which leads to breakage.
Recommended Products:
Sam Villa Signature Series 9 Row Finishing Brush
Sam Villa Light Professional Ionic Blow Dryer
Sam Villa Sleekr Professional Straightening Iron
