Heat damage repair quick picks
If you’re someone who typically uses heat on your hair, whether it’s getting a weekly blowout or playing around with all of the incredible hot tools currently on the market at home, figuring out the best ways to help your hair recover from heat damage will save you in the long run. After all, fried, frizzy, damaged hair is no fun to deal with. And while maintaining the health of our hair in a preventative and proactive way is super important, sometimes all we can do is treat our hair after the fact. If that’s the case for you, we’ve consulted pro hairstylists on the best products for heat-damaged hair.
How to identify heat-damaged hair
There are a lot of telltale signs of heat damage. Tylor Johnson, hairstylist and founder of Nous Haircare, explains that the general feel of your hair will indicate that it might be heat-damaged. “If you notice your hair feeling rough and the ends are looking frail and breaking, most likely you are suffering from some heat damage,” she says. Ashanti Lation, professional hairstylist and healthy hair expert, echoes that statement, saying to look out for hair texture that exhibits “increased dryness, brittleness and a straw-like texture. The hair may also become frizzy, prone to split ends and break more easily. Additionally, the natural curl pattern can be disrupted, resulting in limp or uneven curls or coils for those with textured hair.”
Lation confirms that “certain hair types are more susceptible to heat damage. Fine hair is particularly vulnerable because it has less structural strength compared to thicker strands.” You also might be more prone to heat damage in general if you have chemically treated hair. Johnson tells us that the dryness that results from doing things like color services or bleach can increase the likelihood that you’ll experience some level of heat damage. In her experience, she also finds that “a lot of curly/wavy textures have damage because they heat style more often than [people] with straighter textures.”
How to fix heat-damaged hair
We’ve all heard it before — using heat on your hair every day is a guaranteed way to fast-track heat damage, especially if you don’t use proper heat protectants prior to styling. Johnson recommends letting “your hair air-dry as much as possible before putting the dryer to it to minimize the amount of heat.” Lation cautions against using tools on wet hair as well. She also advises avoiding styling at high temperatures, as that can “significantly increase the risk of damage.”
To help damaged hair recover, celebrity hairstylist Ericka Verrett recommends that all hair types use a heat protectant, leave-in conditioner and a hair oil in their daily hair care routine. “Fine hair would do well with a dry oil so it won’t weigh hair down,” she adds. “Coarse or curly hair would greatly benefit from a leave-in [conditioner]. Heat protectant is a must for all.”
In terms of ingredients to look out for in products to help your hair recover from heat damage, Lation highlights the benefits of the following:
- Hydrolyzed proteins (keratin, silk, wheat protein) to strengthen the hair shaft.
- Natural oils (argan oil, grapeseed oil, olive oil) for deep hydration and nourishment.
- Humectants (glycerin, aloe vera) to retain moisture in the hair.
Johnson notes that “panthenol is a great ingredient in a heat protectant,” which is a derivative of vitamin B5 that has moisturizing and nourishing elements. She recommends staying away from “water-soluble silicones, which cause buildup and residue that will eventually leave your hair feeling worse.” Lation says to avoid “products with harsh sulfates, silicones and alcohols, as these can further dry out and damage the hair.”
How to prevent heat damage to your hair
There are plenty of alternatives to using heat and styling with hot tools if you’re trying to minimize your overall use. Johnson suggests adding layers of moisture to your hair in addition to trying out heatless methods. “I have helped many people recover their hair from heat damage, and unfortunately, it means you need to stop using heat altogether for a little while,” she shares. “Heatless curls are a great way to go, or embrace your natural texture and only heat style maximum once a week!” Lation praises heatless methods as well, recommending the following practices:
- Regular deep conditioning treatments: Whether you get them done professionally at a salon or DIY at home, using hair masks and other types of deep conditioning treatments will “help restore moisture and elasticity,” according to Lation.
- Protein treatments: Essentially, these are a more intense form of a hair mask or deep conditioning treatment. Collagen or keratin treatments can be “used periodically to strengthen and rebuild the hair’s structure.”
- Protective styles: Heatless styles are truly the name of the game. Lation notes that “these can help minimize manipulation and reduce breakage.”
- Trimming split ends: To further avoid breakage, make sure to regularly trim your hair. These “prevent split ends from traveling up the hair shaft and causing more damage.”
Best products for heat-damaged hair
This hair mask, an editor favorite and recommended by Johnson, promises to reverse hair damage in only four minutes. The formula reconnects polypeptide chains along the length and width of the hair, ultimately strengthening the hair over time.
“Known for its bond-building technology, it helps repair and strengthen damaged hair," Lation says of this rinse-out treatment that leaves hair softer and smoother. We tested it on multiple hair types and found that it made our hair more manageable overall.
"Ingredients that help repair the hair are keratin, collagen, argan oil and avocado oil. Each has a specific role in helping to repair damaged hair," Verrett explains. She recommends this hair mask that features all four star ingredients. "This will visibly transform your hair in 10 minutes by repairing breakage and restoring cuticle strength. I would recommend it once a week," she adds.
“This mask is packed with nourishing ingredients to hydrate and restore damaged hair," Lation says. We recommend adding it into your everything shower routine.
Pro hairstylist, founder of Harry Josh Pro Tools and Kerasilk ambassador Harry Josh says that moisturization and products that have oils are key for repairing hair. He calls this mask "a great at-home solution for dry, thirsty, stressed and damaged hair," explaining that "it’s an intense mask that helps repair the structure while deeply moisturizing dry and damaged strands." He also recommends Kerasilk's Strengthening Mask for fine and limp hair.
Lation says that this is "a versatile oil that can be used as a conditioning, styling and finishing tool to help improve the hair's health and manageability.”
For a low-maintence way to recover from heat damage, a bond-building shampoo and conditioner can help. Associate beauty editor Sophie Shaw loves Epres' set because you can feel a difference. The formulas cut out typical shampoo and conditioner ingredients that coat the hair and give it that slippery feeling, but the payoff is stronger, shinier and overall cleaner hair.
Lation says this three-product system is “highly recommended for strengthening, repairing and restructuring damaged bonds in hair.” It includes Healthy Hair Drops, a shampoo and a conditioner.
Containing arginine (a bond strengthener) and keratin, this hair mask helps with breakage and protects against future damge. It's ideal for strengthening and restoring elasticity to heat-damaged hair, according to Lation.