Some Types Of Hair Damage Are Reversible And Hair Can Heal

In this study, reversible hair damage was observed. What was the key factor in the observations regarding healing? The presence of water.

This explains to me even more why the use of cosmetic or USP/BP mineral oil has been so very helpful to stressed or damaged hair, even bleached and damaged hair, in being able to grow out stronger and have a healthy appearance. The hair is no longer being mechanically stressed or tangled because friction is reduced to a minimum, while the mineral oil helps keep needed moisture in the hair longer than other products like vegetable oils, silicone and natural sebum. The mineral oil is also filling in gaps in the cuticles. The water is vital.

In more than one case I know the details of where mineral oil alone has replaced conditioners and treatments, heat is still being used on the hair damaged by bleach and hair colour. No pre-treatment was used prior to the chemical processing. Results are still great. Mineral oil can help protect hair from thermal damage.

So, in some cases, hair can heal after all.

Note added in response to a blog email: The number of mineral oil drops needed and the size of drops actually used vary with the person and their hair. The idea is to use the least amount you can to not overuse it. Less mineral oil than many people think at first is required for the advantages over other products it can provide. More can be added to make up the difference, if enough has not been used in the first application and areas of hair have been overlooked. Those sections of hair can be rewet or redampened if necessary. Mineral oil does not usually need to be reapplied between washes.

Reference
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9540981
See Also
Forum post
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2012/04/mineral-oil-as-thermal-protectant.html
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2012/04/how-mineral-oil-can-help-even-damaged.html
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2012/06/cosmetic-uspbp-mineral-oil-updates.html
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2011/12/mineral-oil-and-hair-care-and-skin.html