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View Full Version : Have I ruined my hair after some highlights and blow drying? Newbie, please help



Jemima
March 12th, 2012, 04:46 PM
Hi everyone!
I'm having a bit of trouble with my hair, hopefully you'll be able to help me out. I had virgin bsl hair until I had it highlighted a few shades lighter twice in the past 6 months to get a bit more dimesion (it always looked really lank and flat but still really shiny). I really liked it the first time but the second set of highlights I had look flat and not the natural effect I wanted so I'm about to go back and have some of my natural colour put through.

But still on my mission to get volumous locks I started blow-drying, a little flat-ironing and hairspraying in the past two weeks and now my hair looks dull and aweful! I'm worried I've ruined it forever, is there anything I can do to save it? I tried lots of coconut oil on it yesterday and leaving it to air dry after washing but it's lost all its shine and I'd rather have my old shiny flatness back than this roughness that's got way more splits than I usually get in this amount of time. I used heat protector when I blow dried etc. I feel really silly for doing this after looking after my hair so well before so I can get to hip length.

Please help :(

Kitsu
March 12th, 2012, 04:51 PM
you could try giving your hair a deep conditioning treatment like the SMT? (snowet moisture treatment) its in the articles section

I don't think dying it again is going to help your hair. But whet you really need I think is time. Hair will not get better instantly. Just look after it and continue oiling and other babying type behavior and time will tell. I don't think you have ruined your hair forever.

UltraBella
March 12th, 2012, 05:00 PM
I would use a good clarifying shampoo and then do a deep conditioning treatment. You may just have a buildup of products.

spidermom
March 12th, 2012, 05:00 PM
Do some kind of a deep conditioning moisture pack on it. My DD did too much to her hair last summer, and conditioning packs along with trims has brought it back "to life". She used Joico KPak Reconstructor, plus a different one that I can't remember right now.

You'll have to do more than one deep treatment whether you choose SMT from the recipe section or buy something over the counter. If your hair is really unhappy, it might need a treatment twice a week for a couple of months.

Littlewing13
March 12th, 2012, 05:35 PM
Nope, you haven't ruined it forever. Hair grows. You might have to wait a while till the damage grows out but as new growth comes it it will be perfectly healthy virgin hair. What you chose to do with that will decide whether you continue to have healthy virgin hair or damaged hair.

Most of us struggle with highlighted hair & heat & getting to our goal length. Some can manage it however, so perhaps find a member on here who has similar hair to what you have/want & ask them for tips.

My recommendation: If you absolutely have to have highlights get them done with a tint, not bleach. Ask for a half or quarter head of foils only, not full, & get layers cut into it. This means only your top layers will dry out/damage, but it wont matter so much because they are shorter. Underneath will be darker but it will give the illusion of more volume anyway. & more importantly it will allow you to grow the bottom layers longer & keep them healthier.

Also I would recommend avoiding hot irons, only blowdry on cold setting on special occasions. for everyday? learn some upstyles, wear it in a ponytail so that you are not damaging it or tempted to damage it with heat.

kitcatsmeow
March 12th, 2012, 06:02 PM
I think you'll be ok! just stay off the heat, do a nice clarifying like Superbella said follow with a nice deep conditioner.

Careful with chemicals especially in the salon. Even when I was going to the same hairdresser for years and she knew my hair well, occasionally something "bad" would happen. I occasionally highlight/color but I do it myself so I can control the time, vol of developer, etc. Plus I soak my hair in coconut oil before hand and add oil to my bleach and toner. PLUS I can follow up with a SMT or some other sort of deep conditioning treatment if needed.

swearnsue
March 12th, 2012, 07:16 PM
I agree with Ultrabella, clarify then deep condition like crazy. Try rinsing with diluted vinegar and cool water too that will help with bringing back the shine. Good luck!

Jemima
March 14th, 2012, 02:29 PM
Thank you so much everyone! SMT is an amazing treatment, my hair was so soft afterwards and after the mention of product build up I realised that a new shampoo I had started to use had protein in so maybe it was also a build up of that as well. I had some of my natural colour put back through with my highlights at the hairdressers as well so I won't have to have it dyed so often and hopefully that will keep damage to a minimum and I will be clarifying regularly :) Thanks again everyone!

Nightshade
March 14th, 2012, 02:45 PM
There's an article on rehabilitating damaged hair in my siggy, you might find it worth the read. Have hope! You'll save your hair :blossom: