How to Fix Fried Hair: 6 Steps to Repair Heat Damage

If your hair feels rough and brittle, especially after styling, you might be dealing with fried hair — otherwise known as heat damage. From bouncy blow-dries to sleek ponies to voluminous curls, heat tools are the answer to some of the most covetable hairstyles out there. But the ease, speed and effectiveness of heat styling can come at a cost. Heat damaged hair is an all-too-common problem when the right protection isn't used.

The good news is, while you can't reverse heat damaged hair, you can take steps to nourish it and, over time, restore it back to health. It may not be a quick process, but with a few trims and the tricks below, your heat- damaged hair will start to look healthy and hydrated once more…

What is Fried Hair?

Fried hair is another name for heat- damaged hair. It can be caused by frequent use of styling tools such as blow dryers, flat irons and curling wands, leaving hair feeling brittle and prone to breakage.

What Are the Signs of Heat- Damaged Hair?

1. Dull, Dry Hair

If your hair looks and feels drier than usual, heat damage may be the culprit, especially if it's dull and brassy, too. Why? Because heat can strip away the natural, protective oils that keep strands feeling supple and hydrated.

2. Split Ends and Breakage

Extreme heat can also cause the hair cuticle to lift while weakening the cortex. This leaves the hair shaft vulnerable to breakage and split ends, a problem that can also lead to thinning, fraying lengths.

3. Stubborn Tangling

The drier and frizzier your hair becomes, the more it will be prone to tangles. If you can't glide a brush or comb as easily through your hair, this is yet another sign of heat damage. Some level of tangling is normal due to daily wear and tear, but when hair strands become a challenge to tame, emergency care is needed.

Why is Heat Damaging to Hair?

Heat causes damage to your hair in a multitude of ways, starting at the hair cuticle the outermost protective layer that shields the inner cortex. This cuticle layer is made up of overlapping cells that look a little like fish scales, which can lift when exposed to heat, leaving your hair strands looking and feeling rough, dry and brittle.

That's not all. This process can also strip away moisturizing natural oils, so you're left with dryness, dullness and a lack of shine. Plus, heat can impact the internal bonds, leaving your hair weaker and more prone to breakage. But don't let that put you off heat styling tools. With the right steps including a heat protectant you can enjoy all the smoothing benefits of flat irons and curling irons, minus the added stress.

We recommend the ULTIMATE REPAIR Protective Leave-In to protect your hair overnight. Protection is the most important part of any skincare regimen, including your scalp. Apply 1-4 pumps depending on your hair type for protection from breakage, UV, heat, mechanical damage and frizz.

Alongside this, amp up your night time routine with the ULTIMATE REPAIR Night Serum. The invisible protective shield of the night serum corrects dullness, dryness and breakage caused by night stressors such as pillow friction.

So, How Do You Fix Hair Damaged By Heat?

1. Trim Split Ends

Your first course of action is to trim off split ends. If you love your length and want to maintain it, head to your nearest Wella salon and ask for the Cut & Seal service. First, your stylist will precisely target stressed ends only for an 'invisible' cut. Then, they'll mist ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue from root to tip to seal your hair. More than a leave-in conditioner, this intensive treatment repairs hair damage in 90 seconds¹, leaving you with 99% less breakage². A true miracle.

2. Wash Your Hair with Repairing Products

Use bond-repair shampoos, conditioners, and masks that strengthen from the inside out. Look for ingredients like:

• AHA / proteins - To rebuild internal bonds.
• Omega oils - To restore the protective layer.
• Deep conditioners - To boost softness and hydration.

ULTIMATE REPAIR has heat damaged hair covered, featuring a blend of AHA to repair the internal bonds, and Omega-9 to recreate the protective outer layer. So, use ULTIMATE REPAIR Shampoo and Conditioner, and even the most stressed strands will feel softer, stronger and healthier. Need extra nourishment? Once weekly, do a deep conditioning treatment with the rich and sumptuous ULTIMATE REPAIR Hair Mask for an added boost of bond-building care.

3. Use This Damage Repair Power Pair

The moments after you've washed your hair are crucial to how healthy it looks and feels. Trust us: when you're dealing with heat damage, you want only the most nourishing formulas helping you take your hair from wet to dry. So, try this power pair:

• Mist ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue from root to tip while your just-washed hair is still damp. This is the same salon-grade, leave-in treatment from step one, which works to repair hair damage in 90 seconds¹ (including heat damage), so you can enjoy strong, healthy hair with 99% less breakage².
• Because heat damaged hair is often lacking natural oils, it's important to put that nourishment back in while your hair is damp. So, pump ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum into the palm of your hand, and smooth it over the top of ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue. The lustrous and luxurious blend of Squalane and Omega-9 nourishes your hair in 30 seconds, locking in smoothness that lasts up to 3 days³. Goodbye, frizz!

4. Apply Hard-Working Heat Protection

Never style your hair without a heat protectant.The latest formulas do more than simply shield your strands; they offer a range of other hair care benefits that prove essential when you're not ready to hang up your hot tools. Case in point: ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum. Along with 96 hours of frizz control³ and inside-out nourishment, it delivers heat protection against temperatures up to 230°C/450°F. No regimen for heat damaged hair should be without it. So, whether you use it while blow drying, straightening or curling your hair, it's got protection covered with a dazzling dose of mirror-like shine to seal the deal.

5. Turn the Temperature Down

If you're skipping the heat, ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum is great for air-drying, as it keeps frizz at bay to let your natural hair texture shine. But it's also going to keep your hair protected while you blow-dry, which means you can still use heat styling tools as long as you check the temperature.

To prevent further heat damage, it's important to ensure your heat settings aren't too high. This is true for all your heat styling tools, including flat irons and curling irons. Not sure what temperature is right for you? These are the optimal temperatures for your hot tools based on hair's thickness:

• Fine/thin hair: 250–300°F (120–150°C).
• Thick/coarse hair: 350–450°F (175–230°C).
• Blow-dryer: low to medium heat.

6. Reduce Friction and Physical Damage

Heat-damaged hair is delicate hair, so switch up your styling techniques to be ultra-gentle. Your goal is to reduce friction and physical damage in any way possible which is easier than it sounds. Here's how:

• Be mindful when massaging shampoo in. You want to lightly lather it up in circular motions without any scrubbing or rubbing of already damaged strands.
• Start detangling weakened hair from the ends first, then work further up the hair shaft until you've gently released every knot from root to tip.
• Switch cotton pillowcases for silk pillowcases and a few drops of ULTIMATE REPAIR Night Serum. The weightless formula protects your hair while you sleep, so you wake up to reduced frizz and fewer tangles. Bonus: less frizz = less need for more heat styling.
• Trade hair elastics and slicked-back styles for silk scrunchies and low-tension looks. Nape-hugging ponytails and chignons are your new go-tos while you get heat damaged hair back to its best.

How Long Does it Take to Repair Heat Damaged Hair?

There's no set timeline for fixing heat damage. Mild heat damage may improve within weeks, whereas severe damage may take months. How long it takes all depends on how bad the damage was, as well as how consistent you are with your new reparative regimen.Visible results start with a cut, which can make a big difference, and then follow the steps above to ensure your heat damaged hair is getting the best care from root to tip. You'll start to see changes from day one with ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue, which is so fast-acting, it repairs hair damage in 90 seconds¹.

FAQs on Fixing Fried Hair

Can you fix fried hair without cutting it?

You can improve your hair’s strength and smoothness with treatments;, however, trimming split ends is the only way to remove permanent damage.

What’s the fastest way to repair fried hair?

Trimming split ends, using bond-repair treatments, and protecting hair from heat damage gives the quickest visible results.

Can oils alone fix fried hair?

Oils can make hair feel softer and reduce frizz, but they don’t repair internal damage.

How do I stop my hair from frying again?

Always use a heat protectant when heat styling, turn down temperatures on your styling tools, and give your hair regular no-heat days.

Learn more about your hair with our Hair Quiz, where you’ll get an expert hair consultation and receive product recommendations. Looking for more ways to care for your hair? Discover our complete collection of Hair Care Guides, featuring tips for every type and concern.

¹ When using ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue.

² When using ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue, instrumental test vs. non-conditioning Shampoo.

³ When using ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum, if unwashed for 3 days, vs. untreated.