How to Do a Deep Treatment

Co-authored by Danielle Chiz

Last Updated: January 20, 2023 References

A deep moisturizing treatment, protein treatment, or hair mask, can be store bought or homemade. A deep treatment is a great way to improve dry or damaged hair because it moisturizes and strengthens the hair. Read on to learn how to apply one!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Basic Deep Treatment

1
Obtain the deep treatment. You can buy one from a store or make your own see below for recipes in "Related wikiHows" that you can make at home.^{[1]
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2
Wash your hair. The hair should be freshly washed before applying the treatment so it can soak in properly. Don't wait until your hair dries to apply the treatment.^{[2]
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3
Apply the deep treatment to your whole head of hair. Use a comb or brush to distribute the product.
- You can also apply the treatment from the middle to the ends of your hair, since your scalp already produces oils that hydrate the hair on top.
4
Put your hair up in a towel turban, shower cap, heating cap, etc. This will keep the deep treatment on your hair, and not on your clothes.^{[3]
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5
Wait for 10-15 minutes. Or you can sleep while wearing the deep treatment.
- Always follow the exact time recommendation on the package.
6
Take the cap off, rinse your hair, and style as usual.
7
Enjoy your soft, moisturized hair!

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Avocado Mask Deep Treatment

1
Get your ingredients. For your deep conditioning mask, you'll need 1 egg-white, 1 avocado, a tablespoon of olive oil, and a tablespoon of honey. These measurements can be altered depending on how long and thick you hair is.^{[4]
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2
Mix the ingredients. Using a blender or food processor, add all your ingredients and blend them on high until a creamy consistency has formed. If you don't have a blender, you can mash the ingredients together manually, but it will take a bit more time.
3
Apply the mixture to your hair. Scoop some of the mask onto your fingertips, and spread it throughout your hair, focusing primarily on the ends of each strand. When you've used all of the mask, you can wrap your hair up in a shower-cap to prevent the mask from rubbing off on your clothes.
4
Let the mask set. Leave the mask for 20-30 minutes to allow time for it to soak into your hair. You can leave it on for longer if you would like, but make sure that you wait at least 20 minutes.^{[5]
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5
Rinse out the mask. Remove your shower-cap and run your hair under warm water in the shower. Using just the warm water, wash out all of the remaining mask. If you need to, you can use shampoo, but try to avoid it because it will dry out your hair again. When you're finished washing your hair out, dry your hair with a towel.
6
Repeat the process. You can apply this mask to your hair 1-2 times a week for the optimal results. Otherwise, apply this avocado mask to your hair whenever it starts to appear dull, frizzy, or is dry and damaged to the touch.

Community Q&A

Question

Do I apply the treatment after or before washing my hair?

Community Answer

Wash your hair first, if possible. Your hair will soak up the moisture in the hair mask a lot better when it is freshly cleaned and you will get better results. Just make sure to wash the treatment out with your usual routine, to remove any leftover treatment.
Question

Do I use shampoo after putting it in?

Community Answer

No. You shampoo your hair before doing the treatment, not after - just as with conditioner.
Question

How often can I use a hair mask?

Community Answer

It depends on the product, but normally you can use a hair mask once or twice a week.

Warnings

Don't do deep treatments too often or you can over condition your hair. Over conditioned hair feels soft, mushy, and is hard to style.

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When making a deep treatment at home, be sure to blend extremely well, and be careful what you put in your hair. You want it to wash out easily!

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