Top 10 Common Causes And Solutions For Hair Breakage

Nothing is more painful than seeing your hair break. If you are heartbroken by the sight of your hair breaking, then you are not alone. There is nothing cute about dry and brittle hair that can break off so easily. When your hair is breaking off so excessively, it is hard to imagine a good hair day. Yes, breakage sucks but you don’t have to live with hair fall all your life.

Breaking and falling are two different things. Your hair starts breaking off when the shaft of the hair breaks and results in split ends making your the strands shorter. It happens when your hair is suffering from dryness and damage, particularly in the scalp area. Before breaking, your hair loses its color and then turns into a split end. Breaking is also a result of mishandling your hair by excessive use of products that contain bleaching agents, heat styling, and even the wrong hairbrush. Now let’s see what hair fall means. Hair fall is like hair loss which happens when the hair follicle becomes thin resulting in the reduction of the bulk of your hair. That actually means your hair is falling from the root. Some amount of hair fall is a natural phenomenon because if you are losing 100 strands of hair a day, that is totally normal.

Before we move on to the remedies of hair breakage, it is important to know why your hair is breaking off. Here are some possible reasons:

If your hair is breaking off too much, it’s an indication that it is not getting the desired moisture. If you are washing your hair with hard water that contains heavy metals and chlorine, it can be taking away all the moisture. It can also damage the hair cuticles, weaken your hair and then result in breakage.

One of the common forms of chemical exposure to hair is, of course, hair color. Hair coloring is a process of treating your hair with chemicals that make them dry and brittle. Those hair colors that involve bleaching can be particularly harsh on your hair. Hence why too much hair coloring could be breaking your hair.

Here is another common cause of hair breakage since most of us are guilty of blow drying wet hair. Dermatologists recommend that instead of blow drying your hair when they are dripping wet, it is best to air dry them first. If you are in a hurry then you can blot your wet hair with a microfiber towel. Be easy on your hair since the whole idea is not to damage them. Once your hair is semi-dry, it is a lot safer to blow dry them. Another reason your hair could be breaking off is the way you are handling them when blow drying. Brushing wet hair and blow drying them at the same time is not good for their health. Also, do not yank your hair too hard and don’t let the nozzle of the blow dryer get too close to your hair. It is recommended to keep it at the distance of 2 inches.

We all know this pretty well that excessive heat styling can make not just the roots but the ends of your hair brittle and eventually make them break. It could be even damaging to your hair if you are not using heat protection. Do you heat style every day? That could be why your hair is breaking off. Switch your styling routine for the health of your hair. Instead of using hot tools every day, use them once a week. Heat styling also causes split ends. Whenever you have to heat style, apply a serum on the roots and ends of your hair to prevent them from breaking off. Read the instructions on the heat styling tools before using them. Make sure you don’t leave them in your hair for more than the suggested time. If you use a flat iron every day, only use the one that has ceramic plates to protect your hair.

People who have oily scalp have no choice but to wash their hair daily. This happens when your scalp produces excess sebum. If oily hair is a problem for you, daily washing is fine but don’t wash your hair multiple times a day. The more you cleanse your hair, the more its natural oil is stripped away and natural oil is necessary to keep your hair healthy. Hair stylists recommend shampooing your hair 3 times a week only. If you have oily hair that needs to be washed frequently, you must shampoo carefully. Before lathering up, have your hair drenched in water thoroughly from roots to ends. Shampoo the hair 2 inches closet to your scalp since sebum collects there the most. Use cold water to rinse your hair. Why? Because it smoothens the hair cuticles, making the frayed ends less obvious. Use the anti-breakage shampoo so that frequent hair washing does less damage to your hair.

Before you complain about hair fall, ask yourself do you get regular haircuts? If no, then that’s why your hair is breaking off. Hair trims are a necessary part of the hair health care regime. It’s a smart way of keeping away from split ends too. Hair trimming is like exfoliation for the skin. You get rid of the dead cells to grow healthy cells. In case you didn’t know, when you have split ends, the splits travel up the length of your hair and cause hair breakage. So, even if plan on growing long hair, it won’t help. With trimming, you can prevent the damage and breakage. It is recommended to see a hair stylist after every 8 weeks.

Our hair needs protein to remain strong and healthy. Protein helps repair the weak hair shafts and prevents breakage. However, too much of it can be unhealthy for your hair since an excess of protein makes the hair brittle. You must find the right balance by maintaining a healthy diet for strong and healthy hair.

It is natural to rub a towel on your skin and hair as you come out of the shower. Just like you shouldn’t harshly rub a towel on your skin, you shouldn’t harshly rub your hair as it will cause damage. Always blot because you want the towel to absorb water from your hair. It is ok to leave the towel in your hair too but make sure it doesn’t stay for long otherwise you will be breaking off more hair.

Medical conditions like Hypothyroidism can also be a possible reason why your hair is breaking off. It is a thyroid disorder and it occurs when your thyroid gland is not producing enough thyroid hormones. The thyroid maybe small in size but it plays a large role in keeping your body functioning. It is also responsible for hair growth, metabolism and heart rate. If thyroid production in your body is low, you will experience excessive hair loss at the crown and middle. It is recommended to check yourself by a doctor because a medical condition can be a reason why your hair breaking off.

Elastic ties can also be one reason why your hair is breaking off. Yes, plastic ties can be very useful on a bad hair day or when you are working out and you don’t want your hair to come in the way. But they pull your hair cuticles. That’s why every time you make a ponytail, you notice some hair stuck on it. To avoid the breaking, it is recommended to wear your hair down as much as you can. Whenever you have to make an updo, keep it loose so that the hair from roots is not pulled. Also, to do less damage to your hair, it is best if you don’t wear rubber band, but actual hair ties.

Now that you know why your hair is breaking off, it is time to fix it and implement a solution. Here are some remedies that can prevent the breakage: • Instead of using a towel to dry wet hair and rub them harshly from the middle and the crown, use a cotton T-Shirt. Be gentle and blot dry your hair. • Don’t brush wet hair because they are the most fragile at that time. First, the knots must be detangled and for that, you can use a detangling spray to gently glide the comb through your hair. • Whether you are using a flat iron or a curling iron, regardless of the type of heat styling, too much of it can damage your hair. If you want to keep them from breaking off, then keep the temperature setting low. Also, keep the hair section to 1 inch. If it is bigger than that, it would need multiple passes and this can damage your hair. • Air dry your hair instead of using a blow dryer. Your hair needs break from all the heat styling too. • Give your hair a break from bleaching agents and chemicals. If they have lost their shine and they are already dry, use a repairing lotion to strengthen them and prevent them from breaking off. This will fortify your hair, moisturize them and bring back the shine. • Before styling, apply a good heat protectant to prevent your hair from getting damaged. • Next time you tie your hair into a ponytail, don’t pull your hair too tight. That could make them break from the middle and the crown. • If you don’t want to rough up your hair while you are asleep then sleep on a silk pillowcase. • Sometimes, the only way to deal with the breakage is to get your hair trimmed. So, don’t be afraid to get regular trims, even if you are trying to grow your hair. • Instead of shampooing your hair, there are other ways to keep the scalp clean too. Experts recommend cleansing and moisturizing your scalp biweekly to prevent hair loss. You can use astringent for this purpose. It can also help reduce the damage caused by bleaching agents.

If your hair is falling from the middle and the crown of your head excessively, then it is time to see a dermatologist.