If you’re reading this, you probably want to have healthy hair that looks shiny, voluminous, and moisturized. Avoiding damage to your hair is a big part of maintaining hair health. There are four main ways hair sustains damage: chemical processing, environmental conditions, heat styling, and mechanical damage.
Mechanical damage is sustained at home from your hair maintenance and management routines. Unfortunately, mechanical and material damage to your hair can cause just as much harm to your hair as chemical processing.
Let’s look at what mechanical damage looks like, the ways in which it occurs, and how to prevent it.
What is Mechanical Damage?
Mechanical damage to your hair is caused by everyday hair maintenance activities that harm the hair cuticle. Over-brushing your hair, aggressive detangling, towel drying, rushing a ponytail, braids that are too tight, and heavy hair extensions can all cause mechanical damage to your hair, harming the cuticles.
Combing and Brushing Routines
This is a big part of reducing mechanical damage. Excessively aggressive brushing can cause hair strands to snap, or cuticles to open. Use a brush or comb that fits your hair type. Fine tooth combs for straight hair, medium combs for wavy hair, wide tooth combs for curly or coily hair.
Detangling Hair Carefully
Everyone has a different hair type, and some hair is curlier than others. Using a wide tooth comb is better for curly and coily hair than a fine tooth comb or brush. Detangling your hair when it is wet can also lead to mechanical damage.
When you detangle your hair, brush from the tips of your hair in sections, up towards the roots, to minimize breakage and damage to your cuticles.
Regular Moisturizing
Moisturizing your hair daily and deep conditioning once a week is good for repairing hair damage and fortifying the hair cuticle, but it also good for preventing mechanical damage. When your hair is moisturized and conditioned properly, it is easier to detangle and style.
Take Care With Ponytails
Ponytail holders can cause cuticle damage at the root. Be sure not to overtighten hair ties and take them out of the hair with minimal friction. You can also wear your hair loosely pulled back, and only use soft bands made for ponytails and buns.
Towel Dry Your Hair Gently
Rubbing a towel on your wet hair causes lots of friction, damaging the hair cuticle. Instead, gently pat and blot the hair dry with a towel, never rub the towel on your hair. Microfiber towels are even better than regular cotton towels for protecting your hair. Air dry when possible.
Use Satin Pillowcases
Cotton pillowcases cause mechanical damage to your hair while you sleep. Friction from movement in your sleep can damage the hair cuticle. Satin or silk pillowcases do not cause as much friction on your hair, reducing mechanical damage.
Avoid Hair Extensions
Hair extensions are a way to add more depth to your hair, but they can cause massive breakage to your hair over time. Tape in extensions or glue in extensions in particular cause damage to your hair when you remove them. The weight of extensions can also pull on your hair, causing damage from the extra force being exerted. If you are considering extensions, do your homework before using them.
Become a Certified Cosmetologist in About 30 Weeks at Our Sacramento Location
If you want to become a cosmetologist in California, you can attend our world-class training program at our Sacramento location. Campus Sacramento, formerly MTI College, has a Paul Mitchell the School cosmetology program that will give you the skills you need to become a certified cosmetologist in about 30 weeks. If you want more information, contact our Admissions team or call 888-675-2460 for more details.