Overview
There are numerous reasons for hair breakage. A healthy hair strand is held together by an inner cuticle with overlapping scales. Your hair may get dry and split as these scales fall off, causing damage. Breakage occurs, as well as other symptoms such as frizz and dryness.
Learn about some of the most frequent reasons of hair loss and what you can do to prevent it.
Eat a healthy diet
When it comes to hair and skin health, the old adage “you are what you eat” holds a lot of truth. Certain nutrients aid hair growth and prevent breaking due to injury. Make sure you get enough zinc, iron, and folic acid in your normal diet. Protein and antioxidants (found in plant foods) can also help to protect your hair from damage. The top five vitamins for hair growth are listed below.
Anxiety
There’s a lot of research linking stress to hair loss, but it’s also well known that stress can cause hair breakage. The type of stress most likely linked to hair damage is telogen effluvium. Hair in the middle of its development cycle may fall out because stress causes your follicles to go dormant. You might also notice that your hair is thinning. Stress reduction may result in healthier hair.
Dehydration
Damage and breakage are sometimes preceded by unusually dry hair. Dry weather, low humidity, and too much heat are all variables that contribute to it. When washing your hair, make sure to use warm rather than hot water, as the latter may cause it to dry out even more.
Consider concentrating shampoo on your scalp just if your ends are dry. It’s also a bad idea to skip the conditioner. If you’re short on time, spritz damp hair with a leave-in conditioner before combing. (As an added benefit, this one from It’s a 10 also protects against heat.) Check out these more ways to get rid of dry skin.
Heat harm
To get the best results from your hair dryer, flat iron, or curling iron, use high heat. You risk damaging the cuticle by exposing it to extreme temperatures if you use these equipment incorrectly or excessively.
Giving your strands a vacation from all styling tools at least once a week is one approach to avoid general heat damage. Select ceramic styling tools to reduce actual heat damage from your styling tools; these heat up more evenly, so you don’t have to keep using them on the same sections of hair over and over. It’s also important to keep your hair healthy before applying heat. Use this heat-resistant spray to prevent damage.
Excessive processing
Perms, relaxers, professional straightening, and colouring can all help your hair appear healthier after just a couple of sessions. However, if you use these services too frequently, the cuticle can break down, resulting in hair damage.
If possible, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) suggests extending the interval between sessions to 8–10 weeks. In the meanwhile, use a hair treatment like this color-protecting mask to extend your effects.
Excessive washing
If you have oily skin, you’re more likely to have excess sebum (natural oil) production in your scalp. This may tempt you to wash your hair more frequently than necessary.
If you have oily hair, daily washes are OK, but you shouldn’t wash your hair more than once a day. According to the Nemours Foundation, severely dry hair may only require weekly shampooing. Also, be sure to shampoo gently at the scalp and apply conditioner evenly from ends to roots. Try Living Proof’s Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo if you need more oil control during the day.
Inadequate towel drying
It’s normal to rub a towel on your skin and hair when you get out of the shower. However, touching your hair while it’s at its most vulnerable causes damage (after being wet). Rather than rubbing the water out of your hair, wrap an absorbent towel around it. You can also use a towel to absorb excess water in your hair as a temporary remedy.
Hair ties with elastic bands
When exercising, hair ties with elastic bands are needed. And, let’s be honest, they’re useful on poor hair days or when you’re in a rush.
Hair ties are inconvenient because they pull on the scalp and hair cuticle. You may notice that some hair falls out as you undo your ponytail.You may address this by letting your hair down every now and then or loosening up your updo so it doesn’t drag on your hair as much. Also, make sure you’re using real hair ties rather than rubber bands, which might harm your hair.
Brushing and combing errors
You may have heard that brushing your hair 100 times a day is beneficial to your hair, but according to the AAD, this is a misconception. They advise that you only brush and comb your hair when styling it. To avoid breakage, make sure you utilised wide-tooth combs. Use a brush only after your hair is completely dry, and avoid using plastic bristles. Instead, use a brush with natural bristles.
Insufficient hair trimming
Trimming your hair may look to be harmful. Hair trims, on the other hand, help to keep your hair healthy and free of split ends. Exfoliation for the skin is comparable to a hair trim in that both involve the removal of some old cells to allow new ones to form.Split ends cause breakage because the splits in the cuticle can move up the rest of the length of your hair.
Visit your stylist at least once every eight weeks. Trim damaged ends even if you’re growing your hair out to prevent further breaking.
Hypothyroidism
When your thyroid gland does not create enough thyroid hormones, hypothyroidism (low thyroid disease) develops. Despite its modest size, the thyroid is critical to the proper functioning of your body. This encompasses everything from your metabolism to your heart rate to your hair development.
Hair damage and loss may be noticeable in those with low thyroid, especially in the shower or after brushing. If you have dry, damaged hair and are experiencing low energy, weight gain, or depression, see your doctor for a thyroid check. Learn more about hypothyroidism’s impact on the body.
Anorexia nervosa
Hair loss could be a sign that you or a loved one has an unhealthy relationship with eating. This is especially true for eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia nervosa, which produce malnutrition. Hair follicles lack the nutrients they require to produce new hair in such circumstances, and the process is halted. You might even notice new hairs breaking off in the middle of the cycle.
Eating disorders can have far-reaching repercussions and necessitate medical intervention. Reading personal accounts of people who have recovered from eating disorders may encourage you or a loved one to seek therapy.
Hair Care Suggestions
Consider the following must-do hair care measures to avoid future hair breakage:
- Shampoo and condition your hair every day, but gently.
- After going to the pool, use a swimmer’s shampoo and conditioner set.
- When possible, let your hair air dry. For air-dried hair without sacrificing style, check out Redken’s No Blow Dry products.
- Make sure all weaves and extensions are light to avoid straining on the scalp.
- Consider a new hairstyle that requires less time and effort to maintain.
- Eat a well-balanced diet to ensure that your hair gets all of the nutrients it need.
- Tight hats should be worn for sun protection rather than fashion.
The delivery
Hair loss can be aggravating. The good news is that most underlying problems can be addressed by altering one’s lifestyle. If you’re still experiencing hair breakage after making dietary and hair regimen modifications, it’s essential to consult a doctor to rule out any underlying medical issues.
