After dyeing it into a rainbow, soaking it in chemicals to change its natural beauty, and ironing it under two hot plates, hair is finally standing up for itself.

Women know the products that make hair perfectly straight, curly, vibrant, wavy, colorful, textured, or big, but not every woman know s the price their hair is paying for those desired hair styles.

Hair can become damaged, whether it is split ends, hair loss, hair breakage, balding, frizz, or thinning of hair. There are also ways in which hair can be protected from damage and repaired, for example using heat protecting products can improve hair safety, and deep conditioners can help men and women repair their hair. Before going through the process of repairing hair, however, it must first be damaged.

>> Heat

The present trend of having “stick straight” hair can really take a toll on hair.

“I like using heat to style my hair, even though it is damaging,” Stephanie Nikolas, sophomore, said. “I ignore the negative effects it has on my hair because I like the way it looks on a day-to-day basis.”

Nikolas straightens her hair every other day because of “awkward” waves she dislikes. One of the  reasons why girls straighten or use other heat instruments on their hair is because they are not comfortable with their natural hair and want to change it. What they may not realize, however, is the amount of heat against their hair can make their natural hair even worse.

“Blow drying, straightening, and curling your hair can damage hair, but if you use a quality instrument like an ionic hair dryer, it will cause less damage,” Agnieszka Krasowski, hair stylist and owner of Second Nature Salon, said.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, exposing hair to temperatures of between 374 and 419 degrees for even five minutes can cause split ends, dry hair, and damage.

“I have a million split ends. My hair is very fragile, has thinned out, and it breaks really easily. I also pick at my split ends, which I have heard makes your hair even worse,” Nikolas said. “I guess the heat isn’t very good for my hair, and if it’s not good to burn your skin, then it’s probably not great to straighten and burn your hair.”

>> Color

There are the  people who are comfortable with their hair color, and there are people who have to experiment with hair color until they are satisfied. By doing so, these hair scientists are sometimes not observing the destruction that can occur to their hair.

“Because my hair is so straight, I got bored with it, so I decided to change the color because I couldn’t change anything else,” Dorothy Potts, sophomore, said. “In the process, dyeing my hair has stripped all of my hair’s natural oils, and my hair is not soft anymore and frizzier, which makes it harder to brush through.”

Potts dyes her hair on her own and dyed it over six times until she was pleased with the color. Although hair color is a way to update your appearance and change things up, putting chemicals in your hair is dangerous to hair health.

“Coloring can have long term effects. If [hair] is bleached too much, it can get dry, become brittle, and break,” Krasowski said.

Both peroxide and ammonia are harmful chemicals found in common hair dyes. These chemicals can also be used as household cleaners. According to the Woman’s Day Website, other chemicals are inside hair dye that can be harmful as well and may dry out your hair.

“My hair used to be extremely soft, and I use to be able to rub my hands through it in the morning and be totally ready to go,” Potts said. “After dyeing it, [my hair] is harder to brush through and I have to use this hard core conditioner, which makes it smooth, but doesn’t last very long, and once it wears off, my hair gets all knotty and turns into these bird nest things.”

>> Perms

While others may temporarily modify their natural hair, some go to the extreme and completely change the appearance of their hair by getting a permanent.

“If not done correctly by the stylist, perms can damage your hair. For example, if the hair is not healthy or the chemicals are on your hair for too long,” Krasowski said.

A perm lasts about two to six months and is achieved by applying a solution which breaks the structural bonds in the hair. There are a variety of perms to choose from, like a straight perm, wavy perm, or curly perm. The chemicals that are placed in the hair break and reform the bonds of the hair, changing its natural appearance.

“I got a wavy/curly perm, and after I got the perm, my hair became a lot more dry and frizzy because the chemicals dry out your hair,” Morgan Karija, junior, said. “I knew the damage was going to occur after I got the perm, but I liked how [the perm] looked, so I got it anyway.”

According to http://Professoreshouse.com, getting a perm damages and dries out your hair, but if brushing the fresh perm is minimal and moisturizer is regularly applied, the amount of damage to the hair can be lessened.

“If you want a change I would recommend a perm,” Karija said.” But if you like your hair, I wouldn’t cause any more damage to it.”