Blow-dryers, flat irons, hair dye, and even an innocent brush can stretch and break your hair strands. If you want to do some damage control to your hair before doing anything drastic with it, you might consider following these steps. (I do better with hair damage control than with bad credit reports, so trust me on this)

• Let your hair air-dry. Did you know the heat from a blow-dryer makes your hair more pliable? It softens the keratin in the hair’s core, and sucks out the moisture during the process. They key here is to get our as much water as you can before you start blowdrying. You might want to wait until your hair is two-thirds dry before beginning.
• Shampoo every other day – at most. Dermatologists love to point out that the natural oils of the scalp are what keeps hair looking shiny and healthy – and washing everyday just sends those oils down the drain. It may be impossible for some, so use the right shampoo in the right way. (More tips on that later)/
• Stop coloring your hair (I hear a collective “WHAAAAAT?” from my readers now). If that is close to impossible, try not to overprocess the ends of your hair.
• Get a trim every three weeks. If not, once a week, apply a deep conditioner. It’s cheaper and more convenient to camouflage the damage and that is where deep conditioning comes in. Formulas with glycerin, panthenol, or amino acids can penetrate the hair’s cuticle, filling in area weakened by the heat or chemicals.