13 Everyday Habits That You Didn't Realise Are Damaging Your Hair

Get your locks in shape with these simple tips. Brought to you by TRESemmé Biotin+ Repair 7.

1. Leaving your house with wet hair.

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Sometimes it's hard to find time to both wash and dry your hair before you leave in the morning. But leaving the house with wet hair can cause breakage and damage – especially when it's cold outside. Your hair is at its most vulnerable state when it's wet, which leaves it more susceptible to breaking and damage.

What's worse is putting your hair up or styling it when it's wet, as that causes stress on your locks.

How to prevent damage: Blow-dry your hair, making sure to use a heat-protectant spray to protect against damage. If you air-dry your hair, use a microfibre towel to speed up the process. Make sure to tap the towel on your strands, rather than rubbing. If you really have to leave with your hair wet, throw on a hat or silk scarf to keep the moisture in your hair.

2. Living in a city.

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Many of us know that pollution isn't great for your skin, but that also applies to your hair and scalp. Tiny bits of dust, grime, smoke, and pollutants can settle on your hair, leaving it rougher, drier, and more subjected to breakage due to pollution. While people who live in cities are at higher risk than the rest of us, the truth is that your hair is vulnerable anytime you're outdoors.

How to prevent damage: As pollution dries out your hair, you should add a weekly moisturising mask to your hair-care routine.

Polluted air also weakens the lengths of hair, making it brittle and prone to split ends. To combat this, be gentle when brushing and styling your hair, and brush from the bottom up. Getting regular trims will also help with split ends.

3. Using hair glue to secure a weave.

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Many people use hair glue to keep a wig or weave in place, and it's not a healthy habit for your hair. This glue can pull out hair, damage your hair line, and prevent growth at the edges. It also can irritate your skin and scalp if the glue comes into direct contact with those areas.

How to prevent damage: It's best to avoid using glue altogether. A strong-hold gel is a good alternative, as are bobby pins (just make sure not to clip them to the same spots each time).

4. Sleeping on a cotton pillowcase.

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Cotton pillowcases can be rough on your hair. Not only can their texture cause breakage, but they can also soak up natural oils from your hair, which leaves it feeling dry. Then you're likely to apply products and heat to get rid of the frizz you wake up with.

How to prevent damage: Swap out your cotton pillowcases for silk ones. They're a bit more expensive, but it should mean you spend less on damage-control products. If you have afro-textured hair, also wrap your hair in a silk scarf before you sleep to make sure the moisture stays in your hair.

5. Brushing your hair from the roots.

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If you regularly find lots of hair in your brush after you use it, you may need to switch up your brushing technique. Brushing downwards from your scalp can cause a lot of breakage. When you brush downwards from your scalp, your brush runs into tangles along the length of your hair that will pull on (and break) your strands.

How to prevent damage: Start brushing at the ends of your hair and work your way up instead. Once knots are out of one section, move the brush up a few more inches. Eventually your hair will be tangle-free, and you'll be able to safely brush from roots to ends.

6. Using certain types of hair ties.

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We're all familiar with taking out an elastic hair tie at the end of the day, only to take out a good few hairs with it. Hair tends to get caught in between a tie's metal clamps, and obviously this isn't great for your locks.

How to prevent damage: Easy – switch to an elastic hair tie without a metal clamp or a fabric one.

7. Getting out in the sun.

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Those pesky UV rays from the sun can cause your hair quite a bit of damage. Brittle hair strands, dryness, and split ends are just some of the things sun damage does to your hair.

How to prevent damage: Protect your hair from the sun's rays in the same way you protect your skin. Wear a hat or use a parasol when out in the sun for long periods of time, seek shade, and use a leave-in conditioner or hair oil.

8. Overwashing your hair.

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For some hair textures, washing your hair every day causes dryness, which leads to damage. People with fine hair or a greasy scalp may want to wash their hair daily, whereas people with thick or dry hair may need to wash their hair less often. There isn’t a rule that suits everyone; it all depends on your hair type and habits.

How to prevent damage: Experiment with different hair-washing frequencies to find the best fit for you. Thicker-haired people may want to limit washing their hair to, at most, every other day. If you need to wash your hair every day, you can wash just the roots as that's where oil builds up. You can also dilute your shampoo with water or coconut water to make it gentler.

9. Drying your hair with a towel.

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Wet hair is more susceptible to damage, due to the elasticity it has. Rubbing your hair with a towel is rough on your cuticles, and leads to frizz and breakage.

How to prevent damage: Instead of rubbing your hair dry, blot it with a towel instead. If your hair is prone to frizz, swap out your towel for a cotton T-shirt or a microfibre towel, which is much more gentle on your locks.

10. Playing with your hair when you're bored.

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Playing with our hair is something lots of us do without even realising, but this innocent habit can lead to breakage. Running your hands through your hair or twisting and twirling it puts a lot of tension on your strands.

How to prevent damage: Leave your hair alone and let it do its thing. Afro-textured hair, which is commonly misconstrued as strong, is actually very delicate and needs to be left alone, too.

11. Using a dirty hairbrush.

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Hair brushes, like any other styling tool, become dirty over time, especially when we carry them around with us. Bacteria and dead skin can transfer from the surface of your hair brush to your scalp. This debris can clog your scalp.

How to prevent damage: Clean your brushes once a month by soaking them in water and baking soda for a few minutes. Then let them dry.

12. Styling your hair with heat.

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For many of us, heat-styling our hair through straightening, curling, or blow-drying it is a daily occurrence. Unfortunately, this isn't too great for your hair. Hair shafts are very delicate, especially if your hair is thin, and heat can sap them of moisture.

How to prevent damage: Use a heat-protectant spray every time you apply a tool to your hair, and consider using a protectant shampoo and conditioner. Also, make sure to never heat-style your hair when it's wet.

13. Tightly braiding your hair.

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Hair braids are gorgeous (and impressive!) but unfortunately can cause a lot of breakage. If your hair is pulled back too tightly, it can break away from the roots, which may result in follicle damage and weaker strands. The constant tugging from braids on hair follicles also puts your hair under a lot of stress and tension.

How to prevent damage: Switch up your hairstyles to avoid regular stress on the same areas of your hair. For example, if you wear a tight braid one day, wear your hair down the next day to give it a bit of a break.

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