Are My Hair Styling Products Hurting My Hair?

It’s right to take care of your hair, whether in the shower or styling it afterward. But, unsuspectingly to most of us, certain hair styling products can actually hurt your hair. While this news might be worrisome, you can rest easy knowing that you can treat any damage before it gets worse. With a little care, you can reverse any damage and begin restoring the health of your hair, all while maintaining your preferred hairstyle. All it takes is identifying the culprit of your hair damage.

Using Too Much Conditioner

Conditioners are a great way to ensure your hair is retaining necessary moisture and oils, both of which making your hair easier to style and maintain. The right conditioner can help your hair from becoming brittle, remaining healthy and lively. However, too much conditioner, especially when applied to the scalp, can lead to hair becoming greasy. To avoid this, use only a small amount of conditioner—usually a dime’s worth—to properly condition the outer ends of your hair. Furthermore, it will help you to lessen overall costs on conditioner throughout the year.

Never Using a “Deep” Conditioner

If you style your hair regularly, you should use a deep conditioner every so often. Deep conditioners, which helps to rejuvenate your hair not only at the tip but down to the very follicle, help to restore the health of hair damaged by heat styling, coloring, and any other physical damage, such as excessive combing. Deep conditioners get to work by sealing your hair cuticles, preventing long-term breakage, all while keeping your hair looking healthy.

Experiencing Hair Breakage

Experiencing excessive hair breakage? It might be due to the ingredients inside of your hair-styling products. Products that provide too much protein to your hair can lead to eventual breakage. Similarly, products that provide a lot of moisture can lead to hair also breaking at the cuticle. Consider seeking out a styling product that features a balance between moisturizers and proteins to give your hair the best of both worlds, all while preventing breakage.

Product Build-Up

To achieve your favored hairstyle, you might need to use a large number of products every day. While the use of these products might make your hair look just as you’d like it to, a buildup of styling products can lead to hair damage that might make it more difficult to get the style you desire.

A common sign of product buildup is the accumulation of a white residue across your scalp and hair—something that appears both greasy and dandruff-like. To avoid this from happening, you should only use styling products as recommended per product. If your hair and scalp appear to be dry, you should consider using some scalp nourishing products to reverse product buildup damage.

Dry Hair from Harsh Products

While the right styling product might give you your preferred hairstyle, it could be damaging your hair. If your hair feels dry and brittle, it could be caused by your styling products. Common causes tend to be styling products whose chemical ingredients harm your scalp and hair, pulling moisture out from each strand. To avoid eventual breakage, you should reach for a styling product that provides moisture.

Lack of Moisture

Has your hair been feeling drier than you remember it once being, lacking the moisture it needs to remain healthy? The cause might be a styling product that lacks moisturizing agents.

To avoid hair that becomes dry, brittle, and damaged, you should reach for styling products that also work to moisturize your hair. By providing necessary moisture, these products help to keep your hair healthy and rejuvenated without becoming worn out.

Your Hair Has Become Stiff

While you might be using certain gels and oils to keep your hair held in place, certain products might cause damage to your hair that makes it appear to be “stiff.” Signs of stiff hair include frayed ends, brittle hair, and hair that won’t hold a curl. The cause of stiff hair tends to be chemical damage. When using styling products that include harsh chemicals, you’re putting your hair through regular damage, leaching both your hair and scalp of moisture and the essential oils required to keep hair looking full and healthy.

To reverse any damage before it gets worse, you should reach for moisturizing products, such as a deep conditioner that can be massaged into the follicles. Other methods can include trimming off dead ends to help hair regrow in a healthy free-of-harmful-chemicals manner.

Relying on the Wrong Products

Like medications, not all hair styling products are made the same, and they aren’t made for everyone. Dependent on your scalp and hair type, you might require a styling product that works for you but not your spouse. If you’ve found that your hair styling products have made your hair thin, brittle, and dry, your favorite styling product might be removing necessary moisture, oils, and nutrients from your hair and scalp. If your hair is feeling stiff and lifeless, you might be using a product harming your scalp, causing breakages to occur at your hair ends.

If you find yourself in such a situation, it might be time to consult someone for help. A dermatologist can provide some insight based on the current health of your hair and scalp, recommending clinical hair care products that can reverse current damage. Similarly, you can meet with a hairstylist to get a trim, so your hair will be able to properly regrow, and discuss styling products best fit for your hair and the style you wish to achieve.

Styling your hair just as you imagine it to look can be difficult, but you never want to overdo it. Too much styling can damage your hair, making it more difficult to style in the first place. To avoid such issues, consider testing products to see which works best for your scalp. If you’re not interested in testing the market, consult a professional to discuss which products would be best for your hair.