What Causes Gummy Hair?

Gummy hair indicates that the outer layers of your locks have become damaged, failing to seal in moisture to the protein-rich core of your locks and provide moisture retention.

To fix sticky hair, you need to replenish any nutrients lost by bleaching and use an Olaplex deep conditioning treatment for replenishment. Furthermore, avoid frequent heat styling and opt for low-manipulation styles like buns, ponytails, wash n’ goes, or pineapples when styling for minimal damage.

Bleaching

Bleaching is a popular beauty treatment that helps individuals achieve the shade of hair color they want, yet it can cause irreparable harm if performed improperly. Bleaching damages the disulfide bonds within hair shafts – essential components that ensure their strength and healthiness.

When done improperly, bleaching may cause sticky strands due to disulfide bonds being damaged, which are responsible for keeping each strand strong. Bleached hair can often leave it damp due to stripping away natural oils that help retain moisture. Therefore, it is vitally important that a deep conditioning treatment be employed after bleaching to avoid over-processing your locks and damaging their quality.

Another way to combat gummy hair after bleaching is limiting how frequently you wash it. Washing too often strips strands of their natural oils, leaving them dry and frizzy. Aim to fly at most twice per week. Also, avoid heat-styling your locks; opt for low-manipulation styles such as buns, ponytails, braids, or pineapples.

Chemical Processes

Damaged hair from bleaching or chemical dyeing treatments may become sticky as the chemicals used cause its cuticle to release its melanin content and shed. Under normal circumstances, your cuticle would close following these chemical processes. Still, if too much product or too long of a function is used, it will remain open, leading to dry and brittle strands that don’t recover as quickly.

Gummy hair can be an indicator that it has become damaged. To address this, seek professional deep conditioning treatment using natural oils like coconut oil to restore it. In addition, try to avoid tight hairstyles and heat styling to minimize further damage, while trimming split ends regularly will keep them in good health – this will help give your locks a healthier appearance and restore elasticity. Although gummy hair won’t completely disappear with proper care, these steps should make your locks look more beneficial than before and regain their elasticity.

Over-Styling

Your hair may feel sticky and tacky due to an accumulation of products such as gel or heat-styling tools such as flat irons or curling wands. This can indicate excessive use of such products on your strands. Buildup can be alleviated by adding natural oils to your haircare routine, creating a healthy shine while protecting your locks from further damage.

Gummy locks may never return to their former condition; however, you can at least lessen their sticky state with regular treatments and trims. This will prevent further damage while leaving your strands healthy from root to tip. Consider clarifying shampoo and investing in Olaplex products to repair the damage to strands. With consistency and patience, you’ll soon have luxurious locks!

Diet

Poor diet may also contribute to sticky hair. If you consume primarily processed food, your hair could lack essential nutrients for health. Try including more fruits and vegetables in your diet, and consider taking a hair vitamin supplement for added support.

Bleaching can damage your hair extensively, including dissolving protective layers that retain moisture in your strands and opening up its defensive layering system. Unfortunately, when applied using bleach, these layers become permanently compromised and cause sticky hair and overprocessed textures.

One way to treat gummy hair is with protein treatments designed to rebuild its structure. Various protein treatments are available on the market, or you could even make your own at home. For instance, you could try an egg white protein mask or take an anti-gummy hair vitamin that contains biotin and collagen for added benefits to your strands.