You’re Probably Doing These 13 Things Wrong With Your Hair

Healthy hair is a marathon, not a sprint. You’re doing your best. You wash and condition, you braid, you've even bought hair oil. But if your hair is still breaking, shedding, or refusing to grow past your shoulders, it’s probably not your products, it could be your habit.

Across Lagos and Abuja salons, the same avoidable mistakes keep showing up: too-tight styles, no bonnet in sight. Over time, they sabotage your hair goals, turning healthy strands into frayed ends and snatching edges faster than the Harmattan wind. 

This guide identifies the 13 most common slip-ups, then provides practical repairs you can start using at your next wash day. Ready? Let’s rescue those strands.

Chemical relaxers tame thick roots and reduce daily detangling stress. But too-frequent applications or combining them with dyes can lead to thinning, breakage, and long-term scalp trauma.
Chemical straighteners promise easy styling, yet constant touch‑ups weaken the cortex, causing thinning and substantial breakage. Many stylists still apply calcium hydroxide relaxers every six to seven weeks, far too soon for already processed hair.

Quick Fix

• Stretch relaxer cycles to ten–twelve weeks.

• Integrate protein treatments bi‑weekly to strengthen bonds.

• If you crave colour, book a professional patch test and opt for ammonia‑free tints.

2. Skipping Regular Deep Conditioning

Nigeria’s tropical sun, dusty roads and frequent air‑conditioning pull moisture from curls daily. Skipping deep conditioning leaves hair limp and frazzled.

Quick Fix

• adding a silicone‑free, moisturising mask rich in shea butter or avocado oil to your wash day.

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If your hair constantly feels dry no matter how much product you put on, this deep conditioning masque is designed to drench thirsty curls and coils with 6x more moisture than a regular shampoo alone.

Use it biweekly with a heat cap or steamer for best results, especially if you’ve been skipping wash days or wearing protective styles back-to-back.

• Slip on a heat cap for fifteen minutes so ingredients penetrate.

• Rinse with cool water to seal cuticles.

It’s easy to focus only on the part of your hair you see, style, and flaunt. But your scalp is living tissue, and without regular care, it becomes clogged with sweat, product, and environmental debris. A healthy scalp is where strong, vibrant hair begins.

That means clarifying once a month with a sulphate-free shampoo that includes ingredients like tea tree oil or peppermint to gently lift buildup while soothing inflammation.

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This tea tree shampoo and conditioner set from Pure Nature Lux Spa is sulfate-free, paraben-free, and packed with salon-grade ingredients like argan oil and silk protein to hydrate deeply while gently clearing away buildup. Designed for both men and women, it targets dandruff at the root while restoring balance to your scalp without stripping your hair.

• Massage the scalp during cleansing to lift residue and boost circulation.

• Finish with a lightweight, peppermint‑infused scalp serum.

Protective styles like box braids, faux locs, or sleek ponytails are staples, offering low-maintenance options that keeps it (and us) from having to style it often. When done too tightly, braids can cause lasting damage, like traction alopecia. The edges are the most fragile part of your hair, and excessive tension around them causes thinning, soreness, and even permanent bald spots over time.

If you notice tenderness, bumps, or a shiny patch where hair once grew, it’s time to reassess. The fix is simple: ask your stylist to leave a little space at the root, and avoid over-sleeked styles,

Quick Fix

• Ask braiders to start single plaits away from the roots, easing pull on baby hairs.

• Alternate between loose twists and flat twists to redistribute stress.

• Release hairline sections at the three‑week mark if tenderness appears.

Protective styles work best when they protect your hair from manipulation. The hair sheds naturally every day, and when these shed strands remain trapped in protective styles for five, six, even eight weeks, they start to tangle around the new growth, forming knots and mats that are difficult to remove. Ideally, you should take down your protective style after four weeks, especially if you’re not washing or refreshing your hair in between.

Quick Fix

• Schedule takedowns every four or five weeks.

• When removing, always detangle gently using a conditioner-soaked spray to soften buildup.

• Finger-detangle first before using a wide-tooth comb, and always follow with a gentle clarifying shampoo and deep conditioner.

6. Washing with Hard Lagos Water without Clarifying

Many women don’t realize how much the quality of water affects their hair. The water in many parts of the city is “hard,” meaning it contains high levels of calcium and magnesium. Over time, these minerals build up on the hair shaft, leaving it stiff, dry, and resistant to moisture. Even the best deep conditioners can feel like they’re not working if your strands are coated in mineral deposits.

Quick Fix

• One way to counteract this is by installing a basic shower filter or, if that’s not possible, rinsing your hair with bottled water after washing.

• Once a month, mix one tablespoon of lemon juice with two cups of warm water and rinse.

• Apply a moisturising leave-in conditioner that includes glycerin, aloe vera, or honey to rehydrate your coils.

7. Heat Styling without Thermal Protectant

There’s nothing wrong with wanting a sleek blowout or silk press. But heat tools like blow dryers, flat irons, and curling wands without any protection can be one of the fastest ways to damage your hair. Direct heat at high temperatures (often up to 230°C) breaks down the keratin bonds in your hair, leading to permanent texture loss, frizz, and thin, limp areas that no amount of moisture can fix.

Quick Fix

• • Limit direct heat to once per month.

• • Spritz a silicone‑based protectant from root to tip before blow‑drying or straightening.

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Simply Stylin' Light Silk Hair Spray helps tame frizz, boost shine, and keep your hair soft and smooth. Its lightweight formula, which leaves no residue, plus a fresh, pleasant scent, delivers a complete styling experience, with hair that is protected, polished, and full of life.

READ ALSO: These 11 Hair Oils Are Game-Changers for Natural Hair: Moisture, Shine, Growth

Leave-in here, an oil there, a gel on top; before long, the scalp is suffocated, and the hair feels heavy, greasy, or coated in white flakes. The truth is, not every product plays well together, especially if you’re using multiple formulas that contain heavy butters, silicones, or incompatible oils. Low-porosity hair is especially prone to buildup because it doesn't absorb thick products easily. Over time, this layering causes your hair to feel dry and your styles to look dull, even though you’re applying “moisture.”

Quick Fix

• Use the LOC (Liquid‑Oil‑Cream) method sparingly—fine strands often need only the “L” and “C.”

• Read ingredient lists; avoid layering multiple silicones or butters in one routine.

• Refresh your styles mid-week with a water-based mist instead of additional creams.

9. Sleeping on Cotton Without a Scarf or Bonnet

Cotton and other fabrics draw moisture away from your strands and create friction that causes breakage, split ends, and frizz by morning. A good-quality satin bonnet, scarf or silk pillowcase can drastically reduce friction, retain moisture, and protect your style.

Before bed, mist your hair with an aloe vera or water-based spray to maintain hydration, then tuck it into your bonnet or lay on a silk surface.

Quick Fix

• • Invest in a satin bonnet or silk pillowcase; both reduce friction dramatically.

• • Lightly spritz coils with aloe‑vera water before tucking them in.

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This Hair Growth Infusion deeply conditions and keeps your hair moisturised from root to tip, helping to prevent breakage and restore strength. It's formula works to freshen your scalp and revive your hair, leaving it soft, nourished, and visibly longer with consistent use.

10. Hanging on to Split Ends

I understand, after months of growth, trimming can feel like setting yourself back. But split, frayed, or rough ends doesn’t help you retain length; it does the opposite. Split ends travel upward if left untreated, causing breakage higher along the strand and creating an uneven, unhealthy look. Worse, they make your hair harder to detangle and style,

One of the biggest determinants of what will work for your hair is porosity, how easily your strands absorb and retain moisture. Low-porosity hair tends to repel water and products, often needing lighter, water-based formulas and gentle heat to open the cuticle. High-porosity hair, on the other hand, absorbs moisture quickly but loses it just as fast, and benefits from thicker creams, oils, and protein-rich treatments.

A simple float test (drop a clean strand of hair in water; if it sinks, you’re high porosity; if it floats, you’re low) can guide you. For low porosity, look for leave-in conditioners with fermented rice water or aloe. For high porosity, look for sealing oils and protein masks that restore elasticity and retain moisture.

The safest way to bleach your hair is under professional supervision, but if you must do it yourself, always start with a strand test on a small, hidden section of hair.

• • Conduct a strand test on concealed hair.

• • Mix bleach powder with 20‑volume developer, never higher at home.

• • After lightening, apply a bond‑repair treatment containing amino acids.

13. Skipping UV and Humidity Protection

80% humidity lifts your cuticles, causing frizz, dryness, and tangling. Many people forget that just like skin, hair needs protection from the sun. Going outside without a UV-blocking spray is like sunbathing without sunscreen. If you’re wondering why your colour fades fast

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Somma Heat UV Protection Spray Leave-In Conditioner is infused with nourishing keratin and argan oil, it protects your hair from heat damage while locking in moisture for smooth, shiny results.

• Seal styles with an anti‑humidity serum containing silicone alternatives like isoamyl laurate.

• Don a wide‑brimmed hat during beach trips to cut down direct exposure.

Small adjustments can produce remarkable transformations. By trimming split ends, loosening protective styles and choosing moisture‑centred routines, you’ll notice stronger edges and shinier coils in weeks, not months. Have you spotted your own habit on this list of hair‑care mistakes? Now you know what you’re doing wrong and how to fix it.