15 Secret Tips to Restore Dry, Damaged Hair

Is your hair dry, damaged, dull and even thinning? We’re sharing a TRUE story of a mom who suffered from severely damaged hair after taking medication to prevent malaria. Her story is an inspiration to any mom who desires to have shiny, beautiful, bouncy hair!

Hair is super important to many of us moms.

We’ll spend extravagant amounts of time and money to give our hair the perfect shade, cut, style and texture.

Sometimes we feel like going straight and sleek, other times we want to add some fun and give it a few curls.

Whatever the case, we moms want to have beautiful, healthy hair.

After taking meds to prevent malaria,my shiny, thick hair became dry, damaged and thin. Here are my 15 secret tips that actually made my hair drastically improve in only three months!

A few months ago I noticed one of my Facebook friends had posted a pic of her hair before and after she tried some healthy hair tips.

The change was almost unbelievable!

And I am not the only one who noticed!

She had lots of women commenting and asking her what she did.

I couldn’t help but reading read as she patiently answered everyone’s hair-related questions.

Apparently she wasn’t the only one suffering from dry, damaged hair!

I did what any blogger would do…I asked her to share her tips!

But before we dig into the tips that transformed her hair from dry and damaged to shiny and vibrant, let’s found out how her damaged hair story started.

The VIRAL Damaged, Dry Hair Story

Amanda always enjoyed thick, shiny, envy-worthy hair.

But the condition of her hair drastically changed when she took part in a mission trip to Africa.

She was required to take anti-malarial and typhoid meds prior and during the duration of the trip.

Not until later did Amanda realize the ugly truth: 1% of people will experience negative side effects from those exact meds — and she was one of the 1%.

After two months she noticed some thinning of her hair, but had no idea how much damage had actually been done.

But, she was soon to find out.

Upon her return from her mission trip, her husband soon commented about the change in her hair.

She knew something was very wrong if her husband noticed.

When she returned home, both her and her husband combed out her hair and snapped some pics.

That’s when the damage startled them both.

She immediately went to get a trim so the damage wouldn’t be so obvious.

(Just so you can see the difference yourself, here are pics that show the transformation. The far left is the before picture, and the other two are one and two months after she started her at-home healthy hair treatments.)

After weeks, and even months, of asking questions and researching dry and damaged hair, Amanda found some secrets that truly helped her hair become beautiful once again.

how to turn damaged hair into healthy hair

On her quest to restore her dry and damaged hair, she decided to heal her hair on the inside and the out.

(And by the way, when I tried Amanda’s tips for myself, I noticed that my hair loss from living in a tropical, humid country and dealing with chronic illness drastically improved too! My hair stopped falling out when I brushed it, thickened up and it’s youthful shine returned!)

Just with any restorative process, make small changes so you’re not overwhelmed!

And to keep yourself motivated, take pictures of your progress! <3

15 Tips to Help Transform Dry and Damaged Hair to Gorgeous and Youthful

From Damaged Hair to Healthy Hair Tip #1: Use a hair dryer with controlled and gentle heat settings.

She recommends (and so do we) choosing one with controlled heat settings.

That way it’s more gentle on your hair!

We’ve linked to the exact one she purchased below, but be sure to check out your local discount stores — like TJMaxx and Marshall’s for some great discounts!

Amanda found hers for $35 at TJMaxx.

Awesome snag!

Turbo Power 325 Superf Turbo Lite 3300 Nano Tourmaline Ionic Ceramic Hair Dryer, 1700 WattTurbo Power 325 Superf Turbo Lite 3300 Nano Tourmaline Ionic Ceramic Hair Dryer, 1700 WattKeratin Complex Keratin Care Shampoo and Conditioner Duo 33oz setKeratin Complex Keratin Care Shampoo and Conditioner Duo 33oz setblowpro Hydra Quench Daily Hydrating Shampoo, 8 fl. oz.blowpro Hydra Quench Daily Hydrating Shampoo, 8 fl. oz.

 

From Damaged Hair to Healthy Hair Tip #2: Take one multi-vitamin and 5,000 mcg of Biotin at night.

Remember she wanted to heal her hair on the inside and the out?

This is part of that plan!

I’ve got some Biotin in my room right now and it really works!

By the way, I met up with a hair dresser who I mistakenly took for an 18-year-old because her hair was so thick and healthy!

She really encouraged me to keep up the Biotin to see the same amazing hair results.

I’ve been extremely happy with my results!

From Damaged Hair to Healthy Hair Tip #3: Take Silica Complex three times per day(with meals).

This supplement made a HUGE difference for Amanda!

I immediately ordered a bottle myself and started using it.

It helped my nails grow too!

But, definitely follow Amanda’s example and take them with meals.

If not, you may experience some nausea. I did!

High Potency Biotin (10,000mcg) with Organic Coconut Oil; Supports Hair Growth, Glowing Skin and Strong Nails; 120 Mini-Veggie SoftgelsHigh Potency Biotin (10,000mcg) with Organic Coconut Oil; Supports Hair Growth, Glowing Skin and Strong Nails; 120 Mini-Veggie SoftgelsWholefood Power Daily Multivitamins and Minerals for Women and Men: 90 Count - 30 plus Real Whole Food Fruits and Vegetables, Probiotics, Digestive Enzymes, B-Complex. Vegan and Made in the USAWholefood Power Daily Multivitamins and Minerals for Women and Men: 90 Count – 30 plus Real Whole Food Fruits and Vegetables, Probiotics, Digestive Enzymes, B-Complex. Vegan and Made in the USANOW Silica Complex,180 TabletsNOW Silica Complex,180 Tablets

 

From Damaged Hair to Healthy Hair Tip #4: Invest in quality, moisturizing shampoos.

Amanda chose the two, highly-rated, moisturizing shampoos shown above.

Keratin Complex smoothing therapy and Blow pro essentials (hydra quench) are known for adding moisture.

And that’s exactly what damaged hair needs!

From Damaged Hair to Healthy Hair Tip #5: Apply Moroccan Oil to hair often.

If you’re unable to find or afford Moroccan oil, coconut oil is a good plan B.

It’s also natural oil, but it’s available at so many stores and is in most people’s price range.

But Moroccan oil is known to render incredible results when used on hair!

And it’s much cheaper to apply at home than to opt for an oil treatment in the salon.

Amanda said her bottle of Moroccan oil lasted her an entire year!

How does she use it?

When her hair is damp, she places approximately a dime-sized amount onto the ends of her hair.

If her hair seems a little dry after being styled, she will add about half of the previous amount again — just to the ends of her hair.

From Damaged Hair to Healthy Hair Tip #6: Avoid high heats on straighteners.

I know these beauty tools help us look our best for date nights, but if you absolutely need to straighten your hair, at least lower the temperature!

But I will tell you a little secret: if you do a coconut oil treatment the night before your special occasion, your hair may very well “look” straightened without using the straightener.

I often get asked if I straightened my hair when I do a coconut oil mask and follow through with a thorough washing, a good conditioner and a gentle blow-dry.

From Damaged Hair to Healthy Hair Tip #7: Be very careful about wet hair.

Hair is at it’s most vulnerable state when it’s wet.

Be mindful of this when you’re styling and brushing!

From Damaged Hair to Healthy Hair Tip #8: Only wash hair 2-3 times per week.

This will give your hair time to build up natural oils and prevent dull, dry hair.

Use dry shampoo in between washings if necessary until your hair naturally adjusts to only 2-3 washings per week.

From Damaged Hair to Healthy Hair Tip #9: Always use a powerful conditioner.

Never skip this step!

The conditioner is sometimes more important than the shampoo.

Don’t skip this step even after an oil treatment!

You always want to replenish your hair with a moisturizing conditioner after you’ve soaped up your hair.

From Damaged Hair to Healthy Hair Tip #10: Stop messing with your hair!

Brushing it repeatedly, teasing it etc. can accelerate damage.

Just fix it and forget it! (One of my favorite tips from a hair stylist!)

From Damaged Hair to Healthy Hair Tip #11: Don’t live in a bun or an updo.

Avoid putting your hair up when it’s wet.

Your hair is extremely fragile when it’s wet.

Leave it down until dries!

Putting your hair in elastics or rubber bands can cause hair breakage.

If you’re looking for some time-saving hair tips to replace your bun or updo, check these out!

From Damaged Hair to Healthy Hair Tip #12: Don’t start brushing wet hair.

Let it blow dry or air dry halfway before beginning to brush.

And when you do brush it, be patient and brush slowly.

Don’t jerk your hair through any tangles.

Slowly work through them.

Your hair will thank you!

From Damaged Hair to Healthy Hair Tip #13: Look for natural highlighters or bleaching options.

If you absolutely need to color your hair, look for natural products.

Be careful when heading to a salon.

They often use strong solutions because they render better results.

Until your hair has healed, be very careful with what you put on it!

From Damaged Hair to Healthy Hair Tip #14: Add more protein to your diet.

Adding protein to your diet creates stronger strands of hair, which equals less breakage!

From Damaged Hair to Healthy Hair Tip #15: Get a fresh hair cut.

To give your hair a chance after loads of damage, give it a quick, fresh trim.

Ask your hair stylist to trim off the damaged ends so you can get a head start on transforming your hair from dry and damaged to healthy and beautiful!

Have you struggled with damaged hair before?

What steps did you take to gain your healthy, thickness and shine back?

Share your story with us on social media!

*Amanda and Alison are not healthcare professionals, only moms that desire healthy hair.

*Affiliate links have been added to help you find some natural remedies for your kids!*

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