How To Stop Frustrating Hair Breakage For Good
Dry, brittle, and weak hair that breaks mid-strand is something that most people will deal with at some point in their lives. While it's normal to shed around 50 to 100 hairs per day, broken hairs are easily identifiable because they're shorter when you lose them. Alabama-based dermatologist Corey L. Hartman, M.D., tells Allure that broken or damaged hair "tends to be shorter with frayed ends" and lacks the "shiny and smooth" look of healthy, well-moisturized hair.
According to Medical News Today, several factors can cause hair breakage, including chemicals found in hair products and hair dye — particularly in bleach — that weaken the hair. Over-brushing your hair can also lead to hair breakage, as can towel-drying wet hair, heat-styling, forgoing regular haircuts, and not getting a balanced diet with enough nutrients. Stress can also cause hair breakage, as can certain medical conditions including hypothyroidism, lupus, anemia, and alopecia (via IMBB). And while hair breakage might not be the end of the world, it can have a major impact on a person's self-esteem and get in the way of their long-term hair goals. The good news is that it's possible to stop your hair from breaking and achieve healthier, glossier locks through simple lifestyle changes and nourishing treatments, both store-bought and DIY.
Lifestyle changes to stop hair breakage
Changing your habits is the best place to start when it comes to dealing with hair breakage since this is often easy and cost-effective, if not completely free. Zala recommends swapping your regular bath towel for a soft microfiber towel to dry your hair, and not rubbing it roughly to dry it. Hair is the weakest and most prone to damage when it's wet, so try gently dabbing it dry and avoid pulling it or tugging it. The website also advises not using heat-styling frequently and holding back on treatments such as perms and hair dye when you can.
It can also help to incorporate vitamin supplements into your diet if you're not getting enough nutrients from food alone. According to The Kewl Shop, vitamin B12 is one of the most essential vitamins for healthy hair because it promotes cell production. Biotin, also known as B7, is another key vitamin that helps hair grow. Other vitamins that can help to prevent breakage include iron, which aids in the delivery of blood to the hair follicles; vitamin C, which helps the body produce collagen, adding protein to the hair strands; and zinc, which helps with tissue growth and repair. Silicon supplements are also worth looking into, as silica can decrease hair breakage while promoting hair strength (via MindBodyGreen).
What hair treatments stop breakage?
Along with changing your lifestyle to prevent hair breakage, you can also use treatments to rehydrate dry locks that are prone to breaking. Where hair has already broken, or the ends have already split, the only true remedy is to cut off the dead hair. But for hair that's weak or brittle but not yet broken, it's possible to restore it to health. Speaking to Byrdie, celebrity hairstylist Anthony Cristiano explained that hair breakage treatments can "strengthen the inner core" and "begin to rebuild the cuticle" of the damaged hair. Store-bought treatments are typically hydration-based, which can be used daily, and protein-based, which should be used less frequently due to the potential of increased damage from too much protein.
Natural DIY treatments might also help to restore hydration to your hair, and eMediHealth advises that you can use ingredients that you might already have at home, such as bananas and eggs, to make simple hair masks. Green tea is another natural ingredient that may prevent hair breakage due to it being rich in antioxidants. Several online sources support this claim, including Mane Addicts, who recommends spraying cool green tea onto clean hair, massaging it into the strands and then leaving it to soak for 30 minutes before rinsing. While hair breakage that stems from a medical condition will likely require guidance from a doctor, most cases of hair breakage can be dealt with using these simple remedies.