Colouring and bleaching have damaged my hair: how can I repair it?

Repairing hair damaged by colouring and bleaching

 To begin the repair process, start by saying sorry to your damaged hair; that usually helps to calm things down! 

Even if we tend to say that when a hair breaks, it's already too late: don't panic, there's still time to fix it. But to prevent it from happening again, it's best to understand what made your hair go haywire. Think of the inside of your hair as a ladder with two sides connected by amino acid rungs. When hair is said to be damaged, it means that the rung of the ladder is broken, and the architecture of the ladder is damaged, as a result of an attacker who has managed to break through all the natural barriers. 

Seen from the outside, damaged hair is dull, brittle, electrostatic and difficult to detangle. The list of factors is long: the nature of the hair (fine hair will naturally be less resistant), the environment (pollution, hard water, etc.), the state of your health (fatigue, stress, iron deficiency, medication). And of course, the main suspects are aggressive techniques that modify the structure of the hair itself, such as colouring, bleaching, straightening, perming, daily blow-dries, etc.

Does this mean you have to adopt the 100% natural look and say goodbye to your blonde dreams? Not at all! But adopt the same habits as for when you go into the sun: if you don't give your skin a minimum amount of preparation, the result can be catastrophic. It's the same with your hair: pre-pare it, so you won’t have to re-pair it. But if the harm is already done and your hair is damaged, read on!

René's advice for repairing hair damaged by colouring or bleaching

Make a restorative “cure” with plant-based keratin!

Put on your work overalls, you'll have to rebuild. Don't worry, we have the right equipment. Your damaged hair needs intensive amino acid-based repair to rebuild the rungs of your hair fibres and restore their natural vitality. But there's a reason why it's called a " cure "— it won't happen in two days! At René Furterer, we have designed the Absolue Kératine range for this purpose. But whichever one you choose, make sure you stick to the prescribed duration, usually around one month. A hair treatment with plant-based keratin is like a recovery period for your hair: give it time to rest and regain its health. So, push back your next colouring session, space out the blow-dries... Take a break! Repeat the treatment twice a year.

Let your hair rest and rebuild itself

At the same time as your plant-based keratin “cure”, allow your hair time to rest, to regain its health: push back your next colouring, space out the blow-dries; in short, take a break. Try to avoid aggressive styling techniques.

Protective hair solutions to apply before my hair gets damaged!

As you can see, the best thing is to avoid getting to this stage. It's very simple. Think of your hair as your face: if your skin is not healthy, hydrated and maintained, no make-up will last. You need to take continuous care of your scalp and hair to prepare it for the stresses of techniques such as colouring or styling and to prevent it from becoming so damaged that it needs repairing. Before changing up your look, make sure your hair is healthy and ready for the technique by using masks rich in essential fatty acids. Once the technique is done, follow a suitable routine: shampoos without sulphates after straightening, special products to preserve and prolong shine (like Okara shampoo), and continue with nourishing care, just like the after-sun cream you apply on your body when you get back from the beach. When blow-drying, use styling products that protect against the effects of the hairdryer (such as the Style heat protection spray) and use the right distance and temperature. And of course, if you can, space out harsh techniques and opt for gentler methods such as natural dyes.