How to Care for Chemically Treated Hair

Brushing hair
Photo: Dreamstime
Hair that has not been chemically treated is hard to come across these days. Forget the coloring and the straightening, etc. Just by using shampoo you're exposing your hair to a variety of chemicals!
 
If you color your hair so often that you don’t remember your natural hair color anymore, or you put it through regular sessions of straightening, curling, perming, etc., you’re no stranger to chemically treated hair. Now you don’t need a genius to tell you that these chemicals are bad for your hair. But if you take good care of your hair, the chemicals won’t be as bad... hopefully.
 
• Choose the Right Products
 
You know when you went to the supermarket and picked up that shampoo right off the shelf without bothering to have a look at what it does? Well, that's what you did wrong! You have got to, I repeat, got to be very careful with the hair products you use when your hair is chemically treated.
 
You’ve gone through great pains (physically and financially) to get your hair to look good. Now keep up the good work and buy some products that are designed for your hair. They will treat your hair gently and maintain whatever chemical treatment you’ve used.
 
Hair salon shelves with hair products
Image: AI illustration
• Wash Your Hair Carefully
 
It's a lifelong commitment, this chemical treatment. Be prepared! Equipping yourself with the right shampoo and conditioner isn't good enough. You need to wash your hair carefully, too. First of all, never wash your hair for at least 24 hours after any chemical treatment.
 
This is because during the treatment your hair shaft has been chemically altered. Your locks need to get used to it, and if you wash it before 24 hours you'll only be diminishing the effectiveness of the chemical treatment.
 
• Stay out of the Sun
 
Regular maintenance of chemically treated hair is important, so there are some things you should or shouldn’t do. One of the most important tips I could give you is to avoid the sun. The strong rays of the sun don’t help your hair treatments at all.
 
Not only does the sun strip moisture away from your hair, but if you have colored hair, you should know too much sun fades it. The best advice would be to keep your head covered whenever it is possible. If not, buy yourself some color-protecting serum or spray which can act as a sunblock for your hair.
 
Young woman with her hair in a bob cut and wearing a straw hat
Image: AI illustration
• Styling Products
 
Styling your hair isn't super hard work. You just need to take a few extra precautions with chemically treated hair. Your chemical treatment could probably dry out your hair anyway, so use a styling product that is rich in content and has been known to touch up dry ends.
 
A heavy, greasy product will only weigh your hair down. A hair conditioner that is rich in antioxidants is a good protective measure to keep in mind before styling your hair.
 
• A New Haircut
 
Maintaining your look is of vital importance. Just getting a quick chemical treatment isn't enough if you don't have a great haircut to go with it. In fact, a good haircut every few months is essential with chemically treated hair. This is because the treatments can strip away moisture and your hair-ends might end up looking dull and dry without regular trimming sessions at the hairdresser.
 
Chemical treatments can be harsh, and we all know that. That doesn't mean we're going to stop doing it. But the least we can do is take good care of our hair afterward. I hope these tips get you on track!
 
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