Table of Contents Show
What causes hair breakage has become a tense question for many. Hair has always been a crucial topic to discuss. It might seem like what’s there to talk about hair.
But, as hair is a part of our body, it automatically plays a vital role there. People often neglect their hair, which tends to cause severe problems.
We care for our skin; similarly, one should pay attention to the hair1. Here, we will discuss one of the severe hair issues: hair breakage. We will also briefly discuss what causes hair breakage and what can be done for its prevention.
When your hair seems to look different or feel different, then it is time to know that your hair is not healthy enough. Healthy hair is everyone’s dream, but still, due to various reasons, things don’t work out for them.
Keeping a healthy hair cycle is not easy. It does need some effort to help you get the healthy hair growth you have always longed for.
But, not only looking or feeling healthy hair does mean you have discovered the issues. You have to know primarily what causes hair breakage.
Without knowing about the main root of what causes hair breakage, you can never cure it at any cost. First, you have to know what is hair breakage and, later, what causes hair breakage.2 Then, you can automatically discover how to treat hair breakage.
Hair breakage is not only caused due to some specific problems. Multiple reasons behind it depend upon personal mistakes or some unknown facts. Who would love to see their hair lose a lot of its natural oils, shine, hair growth, and more?
It is so disheartening for the person to experience hair loss on actual property. People are lazy about maintaining healthy hair; finally, they can see the changes in themselves. This is what causes hair breakage as the first step.
What Is Hair Breakage?
Hair breakage is one of the most common and disheartening things for damaged hair. In simpler terms, hair breakage refers to the problem where the person sees problematic issues in the regions from roots to the strands.
Hair breakage is not only limited to the fact of split ends. But, some other issues like frizziness as well as problematic scalp.3
You can notice that your hair can come off your head easily. It includes a lot of causes, but finding the right cause can only be identified by a professional.
Hair health is as important as any other health-related thing. But, people ignore it until they realize some serious symptoms that stress them out the most. One who loves their hair knows the worth of their hair.
So, even if you did not think about this situation, try to solve the issue and stop hair breakage. After knowing what causes hair breakage, start working on it immediately. Don’t wait for things to turn to a worse situation where you powerfully see future hair breakage.
When Do I Know I Have Hair Breakage?
You know you have hair breakage if you have noticed some slow yet drastic changes in your hair texture. It includes sudden hair fall, split ends, dry hair, and more.
You will notice slight changes when you feel your hair. But, if you start seeing some abnormality through your eyes, then it’s time to take some serious steps to prevent hair breakage at present and in the future.
People are sometimes unaware of the points of what causes hair breakage. Sometimes sun exposure also causes breakage. What causes hair breakage is more important to find out before starting treating them.
What Causes Hair Breakage?
There can be so many reasons for what causes hair breakage. Some are done unknowingly, and some knowingly. People neglect to take care of their hair when it is in its best form. Later, when they see their hair texture degrading daily, they panic. They stress out what to use and what not to.
People face more problems when they try out several products that damage their hair more drastically. So, a few of what causes hair breakage has been mentioned below that will help you to know everything more precisely.
1. Stress
Stress is one of the primary causes of many health issues. When you stress out or feel too much tension, you can easily see its effects on your skin. So, similarly, when you stress out, it also affects your hair.
When you tend to stress, your brain releases signals to your body which directly hampers your body’s normal growth cycle. Thus, the hair cycle also gets affected by it and starts showing negative results like brittle hair.
2. Thyroid Disease
Yes, Thyroid disease is also one of the major causes of excessive hair damage4. Every body part, hormone, organ, and other related things are all interlinked with each other. When a particular section stops working, or you notice some imbalance, it automatically affects the other body parts. So, thyroid diseases also hamper your hair’s health.
As you know, there are two types of Thyroid. Amongst them is hypothyroidism, the low thyroid disorder that affects your hair’s health. When the thyroid hormone produces lower rates of hormones, it directly affects your hair by causing damaged hair, temporary hair loss, dryness, frizziness, and more. People face it quite often and stress out on this as well.
3. Usage Of Elastic Hair Ties
You should always keep yourself away from elastic hair ties. Of course, it helps your hair in one place. It helps to keep your hair tied so that you don’t face any problems while working.
Elastic ties are too harsh for the hair. You can notice hair loss at an excessive rate. It stresses your hair from the strands as it pulls your hair from the roots. It becomes difficult for your hair to bear such harsh activity as they are soft and delicate.
But, the main question is, if not these elastic ties, then what? You can switch to satin scrunchies as a hair tie. They are not only generous with your hair but help you to avoid hair breakage. Satin is a material that is too light and soft on your hair. People have already started to switch, so you should also try it out.
4. Heat Styling
Heat styling has always been the top cause of hair problems. People use heat-styling objects like curling irons, flat irons, and blow dryers, severely damaging their hair. When your hair directly comes in contact with such hot tools, it gets burnt.
You can gradually notice that your hair has lost its natural oil, and the hair breaks. Heat styling might give a brief good appearance, but at the same time, you have to be ready to lose its natural texture.
You are risking out your hair for such kind of heat damage. It’s like you are purposely putting yourself in such kind of situation. So, think before using the heat tools.
5. Blow Drying
I hope you all are aware of blow drying. A blow dryer has become a common tool for most people in their busy lives. You need to connect your dryer to your plug point, and you can dry your hair easily.
When a person doesn’t have much time to spend drying their hair air dry, they use the dryer. The dryer quickly evaporates the water and gives it a completely dry look. It is even used to style your hair to get the volume you have always longed for. Using such tools on your hair is not good as it gradually damages it.
Of course, in some cases of urgency, you have to use it, but it is better to avoid it as much as possible. It dries out your air after some point in time. Thus, it shed hair to a great extent.
6. Usage Of Harsh Chemicals
Harsh chemicals on your hair can also be one of the reasons behind your experience with hair shafts. When you treat your hair with chemicals, it starts to react negatively. Harsh chemicals are generally used for straightening, smoothening, spas, hair coloring, and more. The products used during the processes are highly toxic for your hair, from the roots to the hair strands.
Harsh chemicals are so toxic for your hair that people often experience hair fall or even affect hair growth. Sulfates and parabens are the two most common chemicals present in the products.
They make your hair weak, and later your face hair falls. So, choose your hair products wisely to avoid them as much as possible.
7. Improper Hairstyles
Did you know improper hairstyles can also be a cause of hair shafts? Yes, improper hairstyles also cause hair damage. When you try tight hairstyles, it puts pressure on the roots as well as on the strands.
It stresses your hair and pulls it from the roots. If you have noticed after an improper hairstyle, you experience severe hair fall. A messy bun is one of the hairstyles. You can see that your strands fall from your head.
8. Eating Disorders
If you are a junk eater, this can also show up on your hair. Yes, it is widely experienced by many people. Junk foods always carry a high rate of unhealthy and chemical products, tastier and, of course, loved by the crowd. But do you know about the consequences of such eating disorders? If not, let us talk about it.
Eating anything excessive is bad for your overall body. The parts where it shows up are your skin, hair, and internal health. People munch almost all the time which can drastically affect your hair health.
A few problems like anorexia and bulimia nervosa5 are the ones that clog the hair follicles and affect hair growth. This may seem simple and unexciting, but it is an issue you should not neglect.
9. Hair Type
Every individual has a different hair type. Some have straight, curly, wavy, etc. According to the type, their hair texture also varies. So, the main question is, what causes hair breakage?
Of course, some hair type is naturally strong, but still, they need to maintain it as much as possible. For example, curly hair types are difficult to manage. They get dried and frizzed easily, even after taking care of them. So, better to stay away from the tools or styling statements in such hair.
10. Excess Oil
When your hair shaft produces excess oil, your roots are moistured. But, the hair strands are dried out, which causes hair breakage.
This generally happens during the summer season or if you have an oily scalp. The roots get an unwanted amount of oil, while the strands don’t. Broken strands damage your hair.
How To Prevent Future Breakage Of Hair?
As mentioned above, we have discussed what causes hair breakage. Now, the important question is how to prevent future hair breakage. Yes, you can do that for sure. But, you must follow the steps religiously to avoid breakage as much as possible. A few that you can do to change your hair routine to improve your hair growth by preventing breakage are mentioned below.
- Use a heat protectant before styling your hair. Heat protectants work as the barrier between the hair and the heat. It will help to reduce breakage. Keep in mind that using a better quality will increase the chances of saving your hair more than the cheaper ones.
- Air-dried hair should always be preferred rather than using a dryer. When your air dries your hair, it helps your hair to remain in its natural existence.
- Use good quality hair products that are free from parabens and sulfate. Now, too many hair products are manufactured with the help of natural ingredients.
- Eat healthy food and avoid junk. Healthy food will provide you with all the nutrients that are required not only by your hair but your body as well. Include dry fruits in your diet to improve your hair growth.
- Use shampoo and condition your hair twice or thrice a week. Overwashing your hair can also break your hair.
- Don’t rub your towel on your hair. Rubbing can increase the chances of breakage.
- Use home remedies to strengthen your hair quality. But, too much experimentation is also not good for your hair. Only try the ones that suit you the best.
- Check your thyroid hormones every six months. If required, consult with a specialist for future help.
- Follow a hair care routine to avoid breakage.
- Take proper care during the changes in seasons. The winter season is a dry season that elevates the breakage.
- Repair damaged hair with regular trimming sessions.
- You can include protein treatment to remove excess dryness from your hair strands. Protein treatment has worked for many people, providing the right amount of protein to your hair.
Does Washing Your Hair Cause Hair Breakage?
Your hair maintains its pH balance by itself. The shafts of your head produce a natural oil that keeps your head moisturized. But, the oil can also catch dirt and dust, damaging your hair. And for that, we wash our heads regularly to keep heads clean and safe from bacteria. Washing our heads not only keeps us clean but refreshes our minds instantly.
But washing your hair daily with shampoo and conditioner can dry out your head and damage your hair. If it dries your scalp, it can cause dandruff, and if it dries your strands, it can cause split ends and frizziness. Thus, excessive washing of your head is not good for your hair health.
Do Supplements Help You To Control Hair Breakage?
The way food provides our body with the right amount of nutrients. Similarly, it does the same to our hair. But sometimes, it enables us to reach out effectively. For that, you need to take some extra care for some special cases.
Generally, people prefer to take Biotin or Vitamin B7 supplements for their hair. These two supplements help grow and make your hair stronger and better. Doctors also recommend taking supplements for some cases if they cannot reach through the food.
But, keep in mind to consult a specialist before trying any supplements. It can even negatively impact people’s bodies to react differently to various products. Thus, guidance is necessary for your hair as it is a sensitive section of your body.
Can My Damaged Hair Grow Back?
Yes, your hair can grow back faster after all the damage. The way you take care of your skin or internal body, you have to ensure you take proper precautions to avoid breakage. You have to follow a good hair care routine and avoid the mistakes you have been making for a long time.
It is foolish to repeat the same mistakes again and again even after knowing that you are doing things in the wrong way. Thus, you can repair damaged hair. Prevent breakage even before worsening the natural quality of your hair.
Nowadays, things have changed in terms of the environment as well. It can not maintain its health for too many reasons. So, regular hair cleaning with the right products must be included in your lifestyle. Otherwise, you will regret it later.
Does Conditioner Increase The Chance of Hair Breakage?
Conditioner is only made for your hair strands. If you leave it in conditioner for a long time, it can damage your hair. Conditioner used only to be left for 3-5 minutes maximum. More than that, it can have adverse effects. Also, if you apply conditioner to your roots, you can see severe hair fall. The wrong method of using conditioner on hair causes hair breakage.
Focus on what causes hair breakage first, rather than trying out products. Every person’s hair type varies from each other. Some products that might work for you might not work for your friends. So, try to find products that value your hair and stop the symptoms of what causes hair breakage.
To have fine hair, you have to take care of your hair. Fine hair not only means having perfect hair but the healthy hair. So, I hope you are clear with the equation of what causes hair breakage. The details mentioned above will help you know and manage your hair.
- Coplen, Tyler B., and Haiping Qi. “USGS42 and USGS43: Human-hair stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopic reference materials and analytical methods for forensic science and implications for published measurement results.” Forensic Science International 214.1-3 (2012): 135-141. ↩︎
- McMichael, Amy J. “Hair breakage in normal and weathered hair: focus on the Black patient.” Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings. Vol. 12. No. 2. Elsevier, 2007. ↩︎
- Leedy, Jason E., Jeffrey E. Janis, and Rod J. Rohrich. “Reconstruction of acquired scalp defects: an algorithmic approach.” Plastic and reconstructive surgery 116.4 (2005): 54e-72e. ↩︎
- Alessandrini, A., et al. “Common causes of hair loss–clinical manifestations, trichoscopy and therapy.” Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology 35.3 (2021): 629-640. ↩︎
- Kaye, Walter H., et al. “Anorexia and bulimia nervosa.” Annual Review of Medicine 51.1 (2000): 299-313. ↩︎
Last Updated on by ayeshayusuf
Author
