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You may think that only those who have coloured or permed their hair face the problem of damaged hair – well, think again. Some of your daily routines may damage your hair without you even realising! Here are five hair-damaging habits you would want to quit right away and what you can do instead.

1. Over-washing your hair

prevent hair damage - wash

Of course, washing your hair regularly is important to keep your hair and scalp clean. But over-washing can be detrimental to your hair and scalp health. Spending too much time in the shower, washing your hair more than once a day strips your scalp of its natural oils, which in turn dries out your scalp and causes flakiness and irritation.

Do this instead: Wash your hair at most once a day and use only lukewarm water instead of hot water to rinse.

2. Rubbing your hair dry with a towel

Prevent Hair Damage Dry Hair 1

Your hair is dripping wet after a shower. So you wrap a towel around your hair and give it a rigorous rub to dry it. Sounds familiar?

You might want to change this habit. Friction from the rubbing action roughens your hair cuticles, making your hair more vulnerable to external aggressors. Roughened cuticles also give the appearance of frizzier and duller-looking hair, which is certainly not a look you’ll want to leave the house with.

Do this instead: Opt for a micro-fibre towel that is gentler on your hair cuticles, and always use the dabbing motion to dry your hair. When your hair is no longer dripping wet, dry thoroughly with a hairdryer.

3. Exposing your hair to too much heat

The number one culprit that causes damage to our hair is heat! This means using heat styling devices and even being under the sun for too long will cause damage to your hair.

Here’s why: Extreme temperatures change the shape of keratin strands. In fact, at 150°C and above, hair loses its elasticity and breaks more easily, and at temperatures higher than 230°C, the bonds in hair break down to such an extent that hair starts to “melt’.

Do this instead: Invest in a great hairdryer!

Dyson Supersonic User 1

To make sure that minimal damage is done to your hair, invest in a hairdryer that can prevent damage on your hair as much as possible. Consider the Dyson Supersonic, which is designed with a glass bead thermistor that measures the temperature of airflow 20 times per second. A microprocessor then intelligently controls a patented heating element which keeps airflow temperature constantly below 150°C, protecting each precious hair strand from heat damage.

4. Brushing or sleeping when your hair is wet

Prevent Hair Damage Comb

Remember we mentioned that your hair strands are more fragile and susceptible to breakage when they are wet? Brushing your hair when it’s wet adds pressure to the fragile hair strands and cause them to weaken further.

Do this instead: If you worry about hair tangling after shower, try combing your hair before washing. Otherwise, comb your hair only after it has dried thoroughly and ideally dry it using the Dyson Supersonic!

One of the top reasons why many simply love the Dyson Supersonic hairdryer is its speed of drying. Your hair can now dry completely within a shorter time, compared to conventional hairdryers, which allows you to quickly hop into bed after shower.

The Dyson Supersonic uses a patented technology called the Air Multiplier to amplify the volume of air drawn into the motor by three. This helps the hairdryer produce a high pressure, high velocity jet of air for precise drying and styling.

5. Swimming in chlorinated water

Prevent Hair Damage Swim

There are two damaging substances that are commonly found in swimming pools: chlorine and copper algaecide. Chlorine causes hair cuticles to damage and copper algaecide can discolour hair. This is why regular swimming will take a toll on your hair over time.

Do this instead: Wear a swim cap to protect your hair. Right after swimming, head straight to the bathroom to give your hair a thorough rinse and then shampoo away any residue of chlorine and copper algaecide.

How many of these habits are you guilty of? Thankfully, it’s never too late to start protecting your hair from damage. Take the first step to improve your hair care routine by kicking bad habits and learning more about the Dyson Supersonic and what it can do for you and your hair health!

This article is brought to you by Dyson.