| Healthy strands boast tightly closed cuticle layers. | | | | Raking through damp strands with a fine-toothed |
| If hair is in good condition, it shines, swings, feels | | | | comb, yanking at tangles, brushing hair 20 times a |
| good when touched, and has no "cotton-candy" | | | | day, absentÂmindedly tugging at locks, |
| ends or split strands. The easiest route to healthy | | | | backcombing strands for a fuller finish - these all |
| hair is to avoid as many of the following damaging | | | | constitute rough handling, and they're all surefire |
| things as possible. | | | | ways to damage fragile tresses. |
| Shampooing | | | | Every time you handle your hair, even if you just |
| Shampoo works by removing dirt and excess | | | | push your fingers through it, you put stress on its |
| sebum from the hair's surface. Gentle shampoos | | | | cuticle layer, causing the cuticle's tightly |
| remove just what they need to. Harsh shampoos, | | | | overlapping tiles to come unhinged; in hair-care |
| however, can take with them your hair's | | | | circles, this is known as mechanical damage. |
| protective sebum, that necessary natural oil that | | | | Particularly aggressive treatment can even strip |
| keeps hair pliable, moisturized, and healthy. In | | | | away a section of these tiles. When this |
| some cases, harsh shampoos also disrupt your | | | | protective armor is compromised or removed, |
| hair's cuticle layer, roughing up those tile-like | | | | hair splits, frays, or snaps off. |
| portions and allowing damage to the interior | | | | Hair accessories |
| cortex. | | | | Ponytail holders, barrettes, combs, clips - most of |
| Wet hair is up to 30 percent weaker than dry | | | | us have been using these and other hairdo helpers |
| hair, so handle damp strands carefullly! Wait untill | | | | since childhood. This is fine, as long as you don't |
| your locks are dry before doing any heavy-duty | | | | use them more than one to three times a week. |
| brushing, combing, or styling. | | | | Wearing your hair day after day in the same |
| Don't overdo it | | | | style can wear away the hair's cuticle layer and |
| In countries such as America, where people have | | | | cause breakage in those locks that are contained |
| a pathological obsession with squeaky-clean | | | | by the accessory. For instance, the hair directly |
| tresses, hair is often overwashed. (As an | | | | under a barrette can be roughed up by the |
| American, I am allowed to say all of this.) When | | | | friction created between the hair and the |
| strands are shampooed too frequently - this | | | | ornament's metal clasp. |
| means washing hair when it doesn't need to be | | | | Similarly, if you're not gentle when removing |
| washed - there is no dirt for shampoo to | | | | them, hair accessories can damage locks in |
| remove, so it moves to whatever else happens | | | | another way: Try not to yank free any tresses |
| to be clinging to your strands: This is usually your | | | | that become stuck in the hinge of a clip or a |
| hair's protective sebum. Get into washing habits | | | | barrette or wound around a ponytail holder. |
| that suit your hair and you will benefit from | | | | Unfortunately, ripping strands out of a hair |
| healthyÂlooking, naturally shiny hair. | | | | ornament's grasp can strip away a long swath of |
| Rough handling | | | | the cuticle layer. |