8 Everyday Hairstyles That Damage Your Hair
Without even thinking about it, you might be damaging your hair every single day. That’s a bummer, right? But your go-to hairstyles might not be doing your hair any favors, especially if you’re not using easy protective hairstyles that will keep your strands strong and healthy.
While some hairstyles may seem obvious as far as damage is concerned, others may not. Pulling your hair into a tight bun will obviously cause some breakage, but does wearing headbands cause hair loss? (More on this later!)
There are many ways you can help your hair stay strong but there are also ways you can stop damage in its tracks and bring your hair back to its healthy state. Even if you’ve been wearing harsh hairstyles for years, you can backtrack by opting for hairstyles for damaged hair or easy protective hairstyles that will show your locks some love.
Keep reading to find out which everyday hairstyles could be wreaking havoc on your hair so you can switch over to hairstyles for damaged hair that are more protective.
1. Same Ponytail Every Day
Wearing the same ponytail every day can tug on your hair and cause breakage. Instead of the same hairstyle day in and day out, which puts stress on your hair in the same spot, change it up at least a few days a week. If you want your hair out of your face, try a braid or even a headband. While these can also tug on your hair, they’re a little looser on your strands. So if you’re wondering, does wearing a headband cause hair loss? Well, not if you’re careful.
“Consider that hair grows towards the front, so always brushing it back puts stress on the hair follicles that hold the hair in place and can thereby cause hair loss,” says cosmetologist and hair expert Ghanima Abdullah of The Right Hairstyles. You could also try keeping your hair back with a silk headscarf, which is extra gentle on your locks but can still keep your hair out of your eyes.
2. Too-Tight Braids
Do braids damage hair? Well, it depends. Some people love tightly braiding their hair back, and we can’t deny how beautiful it looks. However, those tight braids are really harsh on your hair and scalp. If you’ve worn tight braids, you may have noticed some breakage, especially if you have thin hair. Instead of wearing them so tight, try a looser braid lower on your head. This will still keep your hair back and out of your way without putting so much stress on your strands. So while some braids damage hair, looser braids should not. Loose braids are actually an easy protective hairstyle that we recommend!
3. Wet Updos
After you’ve washed your hair with our shampoo for damaged hair and conditioner for damaged hair, it can be tempting to wrap your wet hair up in a scrunchie to go about your day or even go to sleep. However, that can wreak havoc on your strands—and that goes double for pulling wet strands into tight styles like a high ponytail or high-tension bun. Remember, your wet hair is much more fragile than dry hair, so gently towel-dry or air-dry your locks a little before doing anything else with your hair.
4. High-Tension Hairstyles While Sleeping
Easy protective hairstyles are key to keeping your hair from getting too damaged, and wearing your hair tightly tied back while you sleep is definitely not an easy protective hairstyle! Try to refrain from wearing your hair in a tight bun or braid while you’re sleeping, as those create tension on your scalp. Because your hair is already pulled so taut, it’s much easier for it to break while your hair is rubbing against your pillow at night.
You can try a looser style that’s still protective, like a loose braid, or you could even put your hair in a silk bonnet. A silk bonnet will keep it all contained without damaging it.
5. Too-Light Hair Color
“An unflattering color can age you,” Abdullah says. “Bleach blonde, for example, looks too improbable, and trying to achieve this color when your hair is becoming more fragile with age can really damage your tresses.”
Instead, try richer colors that will add fullness to your hair, especially if your hair is thin and aging. You lose some oomph in your strands as you age, so coloring it with a really pigmented tone can help nourish your hair (unlike super-light hues, which take away rather than deposit color and can be more damaging and drying to delicate tresses.) Top it off with a toning or deep conditioning treatment to really bring some life back into your strands.
6. Super-Straight Hair
Straightening your hair with heat can put stress on your strands, just like any hot tool would. If you’ve been using a flat iron or curling iron day in and day out for years, you’ve definitely caused some breakage—even if you are using a heat protectant.
Instead, try going the no-heat route more often than not. There are a ton of ways you can style your hair without using heat, including some easy protective hairstyles. In fact, why not consider embracing some waves? While straight hair may have been your go-to for years, change it up now with something different.
Or, you could try straightening your hair in a different way. One way to do this is by wrapping your hair. To do this, you wrap your damp hair around your head flat and either secure it with a scarf or bobby pins. Once dry, you unfurl it and it should be fairly straight. There are a few things to watch out for, though. Wrapping hair can cause thinning and damage if done too tightly or too often. You are bobby-pinning wet hair, which is fragile and bobby pins can cause hair loss by prompting breakage and creating split ends. So while this is an alternative to a flat iron, still be aware that wrapping hair can cause thinning and bobby pins can cause hair loss! To avoid it all, just let your hair be free and wavy!
7. Teased Tresses
Teasing your hair may have been big when you were in high school, but it’s trendy again. However, it’s also really harsh on your strands, especially for thin, aging hair. So we can’t say we recommend it, even though it looks quite cool. And here’s why: “It tangles the hair right near the roots and can create knots and breakage,” Abdullah says. She instead recommends a volumizing product that works with your hair rather than against it, like our Lift Me Up Hair Thickener, which wraps around hair strands and lifts them at the roots for instantly thicker-looking hair.
8. Too-Long Hair
As you age, your hair gets thinner, as you already know. Thinner hair tends to tangle more easily, and by keeping your hair too long, you’re just asking for the tangles, Abdullah says. Tangled hair is damaged hair, which you don’t want. “Try short cuts with some layering,” she says. “If you want long hair, don’t let it grow past the point where it looks good. That’s around bust level. If your hair is visibly thinning, very long hair will accentuate this. It’s better to get a short haircut or pixie cut that uses layers to hide the hair loss.”
Tell Us: What are some easy protective hairstyles you love for your hair? Share in the comments below!
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At Better Not Younger we understand that aging hair is delicate hair. That’s why we make it our business to provide you with essential hair-care tips, gentle yet effective products and hairstyling options—like easy protective hairstyles—to help your mature tresses look and feel their best day in and out. Visit our online shop for our complete collection of hair-care products designed specifically for women over 40.