Follicles feeling a bit fried? There are a few ways to fix damaged hair and restore it to its former glory.
How long does it take to repair damaged hair follicles?
If your hair has been damaged – either by heat, bleach or general wear and tear – it can lose its natural elasticity and moisture. But how long does it take to repair damaged hair? The time it will take to repair damaged hair follicles is entirely relative to the extent of the damage. If it’s seriously frazzled, then you might have to just wait for it to grow out, so this will depend on how quickly your hair grows. Using products that are designed to nourish the scalp and hair can definitely speed up this process, but on average you’d be looking at six months to a year to fully see a difference in your hair’s condition.
5 Key Steps to Repair Damaged Hair
1. Cut your losses
While you can try and replenish it with conditioners and oils, split ends are a lost cause. (Despite what some claim, split ends can’t ‘seal’ back together.) Unless you trim the ends of hair which are split and broken, the damage can travel further up the hair shaft so it’s best to get them cut and focus on nourishing the roots and mid-lengths of the hair.
2. Use gentle, non-drying products
If you have damaged hair, start by cutting out harsh, drying ingredients from your hair care regime, which includes silicones, sulphates and ‘bad’ alcohols – often found in shampoo. And you’re in luck, because MONPURE products– like our Strengthening Silk Protein Shampoo and Strengthening Essence Conditioner – contain none of the above, and also star vegan silk peptides to boost the condition and strength of hair, making it less vulnerable to heat damage by providing a ‘second-skin’ effect to the scalp and hair follicles.
Hydrating ingredients such as glycerin and aloe vera can also revive dry, damaged hair (found in both of the above products, together with our Clarifying Scalp Scrub).
3. Invest in a good conditioner
While alcohol in haircare is seen as detrimental to its condition, our Strengthening Essence Conditioner does contain two alcohols: cetyl alcohol and cetearyl alcohol – however, these are ‘good’ alcohols for your hair. Because instead of making hair dry and brittle by dissolving its natural oils, they work as humectants, which draw moisture into the hair like a sponge, helping it to become smooth and preventing knots and tangles. As well as vegan silk peptides (see above) our conditioner also contains panthenol, another hydrating ingredient, to leave hair shiny and strong.
4. Be gentle when brushing and styling
Hair strands are extremely fragile, so it’s important to treat them with care – especially when wet. Rough drying with a towel and brushing too vigorously can further the damage. Swap your cotton towel for a less abrasive microfibre version and pat your hair dry gently. Once fully dry, brush from the ends of the hair upwards to loosen tangles.
According to our resident dermatologist Dr Sue Ann Chan: “When it comes to boosting hair growth, I would advise to avoid common causes of hair ‘wear and tear’. For example, limit use of ceramic straighteners or hairdryers on a high setting. It’s also best to avoid pulling your hair back in tight braids or ponytails.”
If your hair is naturally wavy or curly, try working with your natural texture rather than spending hours trying to get it poker straight. If you have to use heated styling tools, try using a lower heat setting and always prep hair beforehand with a heat protector spray.
5. Feed your follicles to speed up healthy hair growth
While you might not be able to rewind the clock on hair that’s dry and broken, you can give new hair growth the best possible chance with our Follicle Boost Hair Density Serum and Nourish and Stimulate Scalp Mask. This formidable duo work to stimulate the scalp, improve cell turnover and help prevent hair loss and thinning with the help of vitamin-rich castor oil, collagen boosting retinol and pumpkin seed extract (the latter scientifically proven to block an enzyme linked to hair loss) – while actively promoting thicker, fuller hair growth.
Discover Victoria's story, who rebuilt her bleached, damaged strands using MONPURE's fortifying range.
Any questions for the team about repairing damaged hair? Feel free to email us at experts@monpure.com.
