You Can Fix Your Damaged Hair — But Only If You’re Willing to Do This
Most people think damaged hair is gone for good...And sometimes, that’s true — but not always.
If your hair has been damaged for a long time, the fix might be harder.
But if it still has some curl left, some signs of life — there’s a chance.
You just have to be willing to put in the work before, after, and during the damage.
I’ve fixed my own damaged hair before.
Not all of it, but some.
And I’ve also learned how to prevent damage in the first place so I didn’t have to keep starting over.
Let’s talk about how.
The Truth About Damaged Hair
Hair gets damaged when the inner structure breaks down.
This can happen from heat, bleach, dye, tension, dryness, and even bad habits over time.
Damaged hair loses strength, elasticity, and often its curl pattern.
Sometimes the damage is small and fixable.
Other times, the strand is beyond saving — and the only thing left to do is cut it off.
But here’s the thing most people don’t want to hear:
You can’t neglect your hair for two years, then suddenly expect a miracle.
Prevention matters just as much as recovery — and most people skip both.
How I Prevented Damage Before It Happened
People talk a lot about how to fix damaged hair, but not enough about how to avoid it.
Here are some of the most common ways people damage their hair without realizing it — and what I do instead.
P.S: If you’re not sure what to do for your damaged hair — or you feel like you’ve tried everything and nothing’s working — that’s exactly why I started offering custom routines for paid subscribers. For $5/month, I’ll build a plan that actually makes sense for yourhair. No more guessing. No more stacking random products. Just clear steps based on what your hair needs right now.
1. Tight Buns and High Tension Styles
It’s not just bleach or flat irons that cause damage.
Wearing tight buns, braids, or ponytails too often pulls at the scalp and weakens your strands — especially around your edges.
Now, I’m careful about how much tension I use.
I stretch my styles, wear loose buns when possible, and switch up my part so the same area doesn’t get stressed.
2. Too Much Gel, Too Often
Yes, gel helps with definition and slick styles.
But if you’re using heavy gels constantly and not washing your hair properly, that buildup can lead to dryness and breakage.
I use gel sparingly now, and I always make sure I clarify my scalp and condition afterward.
It’s not about avoiding gel — it’s about balancing it.
3. Heat Damage from Blowouts and Flat Irons
Heat isn’t evil. But too much heat, especially without protection, is what causes damage.
If I plan to straighten or blow out my hair, I prep days in advance.
I do a protein treatment or bond builder before applying heat. This helps strengthen the strands before the stress begins.
Then I follow up with a moisture mask and more protein after the fact to help my hair bounce back.
4. Dyeing and Bleaching Without Prepping First
Bleach and color work fast — and they don’t care about your hair’s health.
So if you don’t prep your strands ahead of time, you’re going to feel it later.
Before dyeing, I always do a bond builder or protein treatment at least a few days before.
Afterward, I double up on moisture and continue using protein consistently in the weeks following.
Damaged hair is usually dry hair — so keeping it hydrated is a must.
So What Do You Actually Need to Fix It?
If you want to recover from damage, you need three main things:
A protein treatment to help strengthen weak areas
A bond builder to help repair broken internal bonds
A deep conditioner to add moisture and softness back in
But here’s the thing — which type you use and how often depends on your hair.
If your hair is fine or low porosity, you’ll need something different than someone with thick, high porosity hair.
So I’m not going to throw random product names at you.
Instead, I’ll break down how to build the right plan for your hair in my next post.
This post gives you the truth.
The next post will give you the exact blueprint. Tomorrow, I will be posting a part 2 with FULL details on how to bring your damaged hair back to life.
Most damaged hair isn’t dead. It’s dehydrated and confused.
What’s My Step-by-Step Damage Repair Routine?
In my next paid post, I’ll share the exact recovery routine I used when my hair was damaged — before I had to big chop.
This includes the full weekly breakdown, how I used protein and bond builders without breakage, and how to keep your hair moisturized enough to heal without making things worse.
I’m also breaking down what to use based on porosity, density, and strand thickness — so you don’t have to guess.
If your hair is damaged but still “alive” — there’s still time to fix it.
How I Can Help You Right Now
When you subscribe to my Substack ($5/month), you get a custom routine based on your hair type, porosity, density, goals, and how much time you’re actually willing to put in. Here’s what I include:
• A step-by-step routine for wash days, deep conditioning, styling, and maintenance
• Product recommendations that match your porosity and density (no filler)
• A cheat sheet so you don’t have to keep watching videos or googling anything
• Weekly tips that make it easier to stick with your plan and actually grow your hair
• DM access to ask me questions if you need clarification or adjustments
Get your plan started for $5/month — I’ll build it just for your hair.
Why Should You Trust Me?
I’m a 3x Certified Natural Hair Practitioner, and I’ve spent the last 8 years learning, experimenting, and teaching everything I know about afro-textured hair. I’ve helped thousands of people grow longer, healthier, stronger hair by giving them routines that actually work for their hair type.
I price my routines at just $5/month because I remember how hard it was to find real help when I started. Most hair courses and coaching programs charge $100+, and honestly? A lot of them still leave you confused. I want this to be accessible, affordable, and actually helpful — because that’s what I needed back then.
Some testimonials from my paid subscribers…
This Is a Limited Offer
I only take on 50 new custom routines per week. I don’t outsource this. I read your answers, I write your plan, and I make sure it makes sense for your hair. That’s why spots are first come, first served.
If you subscribe now, your routine will be delivered within 3–7 days. The sooner you subscribe, the sooner you get started.
Stop Guessing. Start Growing.
If your goal is to grow your hair, define your curls, or just finally understand what works for you — this is the best place to start.
Subscribe now and I’ll build a plan just for your hair.
Not ready to subscribe? Grab the free Hair Product Cheat Sheet to start somewhere.
P.S. If you’ve ever wanted a space where people actually get your hair struggles — this is it.
Join our FREE Hair Discord server to connect with naturals who are growing, learning, and sharing real results every single day.
We talk routines, product wins, scalp issues, protective styles — all of it.
It’s the community I wish I had when I started.
Click here to join us.
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