4 Great Hairstyles for Damaged Hair

It's no surprise that damaged hair has unique styling needs. It’s dry, fragile, and can’t be manipulated as much as healthy strands. That means that finding a hairstyle that both looks great and keeps your hair safe can be challenging. So, in this article, we’ll walk you through some hairstyles that are great for damaged hair and help you decide if they’re right for you.

Cornrows

Cornrows might be just what your type 3 or 4 hair needs if you're suffering from damage. They’re an excellent way to give your hair time to recover from the stress of daily styling. When properly cared for, cornrows can keep your hair protected for weeks at a time. They can also help hide signs of severe breakage until your hair grows out. Just be careful not to braid them too tightly, and don’t forget to wash and moisturize your braids after installation.

Wash and Go

A wash-and-go is a super low manipulation hairstyle and is one of the easiest ways to make your type 3 and 4 curls pop! Damaged hair has less of a curl pattern, so start by applying your favorite curl-defining gel to freshly washed hair. Gently run your fingers down the length of each curl to separate and define them. Then, just air dry or use a blow dryer with a diffuser attachment to keep your curls intact. The most important thing is to give your hair enough time to dry thoroughly. Otherwise, you’ll notice a lot of frizz later in the day.

Messy Bun

This versatile style is perfect for giving your hair a break from high manipulation hairstyles. It also keeps your hair pulled up, which protects your fragile ends from rubbing against your shoulders and breaking off due to friction. Messy buns look great on any hair texture but are the perfect fast hairstyle for type 1 and 2 strands. All you have to do is gather your hair into a loose ponytail, wrap it around itself, and secure your bun with a hair tie. And that’s it! You can either wear your bun as is or throw in cute hair accessories to add a fun pop of color.

Bixie cuts

When it comes to getting rid of your damaged hair once and for all, there’s nothing like a haircut. Bixies are a medium-length haircut that combines a pixie and a bob. It's an incredibly flattering cut that’s versatile, low maintenance, and easy to style. Bixies are chin length, so they’re perfect for anyone who wants to go shorter without making a drastic change.

Bixie cuts help volumize type 1 hair while highlighting type 2 hair’s gorgeous texture. If you have type 3 or 4 hair, don’t be surprised if your bixie looks slightly different than expected. Curly hair shrinks, so keep that in mind and get your curls cut in their natural state.

While styling damaged hair can be challenging, your options don’t have to be limited. Just make sure you’re taking the proper precautions, and your hair will continue to look great while you nurse it back to health. We hope this article has shown you how to do just that!

Author: Andrea Reyes

Andrea is a mother, wife, writer, and natural hair enthusiast of 15 years. Currently on her natural hair journey, she’s been trying countless products and techniques to understand and embrace her natural hair. She is the creator of NaturallyTextured.com, a new website featuring informative articles that share tips, tricks, and techniques aimed to help others learn to love their hair through proper hair care. She writes with the hope of making hair care easier to understand and implement.