Tips for growing out damaged hair?

[Anonymous]

I used to have waist-length, extremely healthy hair. About a year ago I went in for a trim and the stylist talked me into getting some highlights.

What followed was a year of more and more damage being done to my hair and stylists having to chop more and more off. The roots looked awful, so I’d get highlights re-done, which damaged my hair so they’d cut more off, which required more heat and styling, which damaged my hair further so they’d cut more off, etc.

Last weekend I went in to get my roots done and begged him not to cut my hair. He said the ends were so damaged he had to but would do the bare minimum. He ended up cutting off a ton and now here I am with an absolutely ugly bob that feels like potato chips and I want to cry.

I know I have to just suck it up and have damaged hair with massive roots for the next few years. But is there anything I can do? Any tips to make it look better or grow faster?

[Anonymous]

Dye it back to your natural color so you don't have the awful highlights and roots look and then grow it out.

No more bleach on your hair. Avoid heat styling.

[Anonymous]

Alao use bond repairers to help repair the damage.

[Anonymous]

You need to cut off the damaged hair. It’s dead and done.

[Anonymous]

As PP said, dye it back to original color. Then get a plastic shower cap and only expose area around the face, gently wash and condition only that hair as needed. When you need to wash full head, do that repair conditioner.

It will take time and patience, but the less you can wash the dry ends the better. And when you do have to trim, INSIST they only trim very little. 1/4 inch, 1/2 inch will make them look better. But if they keep chopping off how much they say they need to chop off, it's a losing battle.

[Anonymous]

Also, you can put a leave-in conditioner on the dry ends, which will also help with the appearance.

[Anonymous]

One last. When I said dye it back to the original color, I should have specified ONLY the roots. Do not dye whole head.

[Anonymous]

+1 to bond repair. Follow Abbey Yung on Insta/TikTok for product reviews.

[Anonymous]

That sounds like more is going on - have you had your ferritin checked? Take magnesium and iron supplements.

[Anonymous]

Get a wig.

[Anonymous]

Olaplex No. 3 to repair the hair.

Ask your stylist if a gloss will help disguise the roots. If not, suck it up and live with massive roots.

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry. I'm going through the same thing. I stopped doing highlights about 5 months ago and you can see the line where the old highlighting was and the (semi permanent) growth has come in. The latter half of my hair looks fried.

[Anonymous]

I think semi permanent dye makes hair healthier, no? maybe do that - in your natural color.

[Anonymous]

Get toner to tone down the highlights and blend them with your natural color. Olaxplex 3, no heat styling.

[Anonymous]

Stop trying to hang on to damaged length. Trust- it looks like crap. Suck it up and get a real chop.
Use bond repair products. Ask your stylist for help going back to your natural color (don't just put dark dye on it- damaged hair needs to be filled before it's colored).

I just got a keratin treatment after a big cut and my hair looks way better. It makes your hair smoother and glossy and it's gentle. It's expensive but worth it.