Damaged Hair Help?

A friend used Herbal Essence Dye on my hair and it had bleach in it. Something she failed to mention. I noticed within minutes and washed it out, but it severely damaged my hair. I've noticed little hairs sticking up along the top of my head and believe it's my hair breaking off. I've been sleeping with deep conditioner on and a shower cap, but read that I need a Reconstructor. I bought Joico K-Pak reconstructor today, which I read is one of the best. So, here are my questions:

1. Can I sleep with a reconstructor in and do I need to follow with a deep conditioner? Should I add heat?

2. Can too many conditioners and treatments cause more damage?

3. Is there a website that offers a hair dictionary so I can check whether the ingredients of certain products are good or bad?

I live in a VERY small town and when I went to the few salons there are for help, I got conflicting information.

Damaged Hair Help?

I just went through a bout with hair damage from chemicals. I had highlights and got a perm on top of them. The combination of the two had a nair like effect on the highlights in my hair. I ended up having to get it all cut - not super short, but shorter than I wanted to (it was long, it's now the length on my avatar). Anyway, what they didn't cut off, the salon (a very spendy one in downtown Charleston, SC) recommended some products for - but what they told me is that I needed to stay AWAY from PROTEIN treatments - as the proteins make hair "stronger" but by being stronger they become more brittle (think of it this way - a wet spaghetti noodle isn't very strong - a dry one is...the dry one cracks...the wet one bends...get it?) Anyway, the product they sold me was called "Crede ER treatment" developed in Japan for fine hair. IT WORKED WONDERS!!!!! I paid 30 bucks for 8 ounces of it at the salon, but later found 24 ounces for 50 bucks on ebay - and I won't use anything else!! The remains of the highlights looked like blowdried barbie doll hair before I began to use this stuff...my entire head of hair is gorgeous again, and it's only been a week!!! You have to try it!

Damaged Hair Help?

aussie shampoo helped my sisters hair alot, her hair was friend from dyring and straightening it. now its as smooth as can be! there are multiple shampoos.

tresemme' for dry/damaged hair is also good

Damaged Hair Help?

tresemme and aussie are both good brands that work effectively. if u can wash ur hair and let it dry by itself then it wont be as damaged. like wash ur hair the night before that way in the morning it will be dry and u can straighten/curl it then. getting out of the shower drying then straightening/curling is REALLY damaging. u can sleep in conditioner and it wont make it worse. good luck!!!