Hair breakage is different from hair loss; the former refers to hair snapping off along its strand but the latter refers to hair falling from the roots. Those with brittle, thin hair are more prone to hair breakage than others with coarser hair. Older people are also more prone to hair breakage as their hair as aging naturally reduces moisture and natural oil in hair.
What should you do then, to prevent hair breakage from occurring?
Tip 1: Change Your Shampoo
If your hair constantly breaks whenever you do something as simple as brush your hair, your shampoo may be at fault! If your hair is already brittle, don’t use shampoos that contain sulphate. Sulphates are harsh cleaning agents that will strip away even more of your hair’s natural oils. This increases the tendency for hair breakage. Look for a shampoo that contains replenishing oils like shea butter, argan oil or almond oil. These will help your hair retain moisture, so it stays hydrated and healthy. In addition, look for shampoo labelled “sulphate-free.” If your hair is curly, wavy or coarse, hair breakage may happen more often as it is more difficult for sebum to travel to the tips of these hair textures. Thus your shampoo choice becomes even more important.
Tip 2: Use a Hydrating Conditioner
Not all conditioners are created equal! A conditioner that does not contain silicone would be a better choice for those with brittle hair. This is because conditioners with silicones can only be washed away with harsh sulphate shampoos. Instead, look for conditioners that contain natural oils such as aloe to better hydrate your hair. Consider deep conditioning your hair once a week with a deep conditioner product such as Moroccan hair oil, coconut oil or olive oil. Use as much or as little as you think you need; everyone has different hair and scalp conditions, the only way you will know the correct amount to use is through trial and error.
Tip 3: Get Regular Trims
Why would you cut your hair if you’re trying to keep it long? For a start, this removes split ends, thus preventing further damage on other parts of the same hair shaft where split ends are present. Get your hair trimmed every six weeks to keep it in optimal condition and decrease breakage! Tell your hairstylists that you want to get rid of your split ends, and watch them do the rest.
Tip 4: Only Comb Your Hair When It’s Dry
Hair is in its most fragile state when it’s wet, thus you shouldn’t comb it then. You should wait till your hair is at least partly dry before you start. Try to use a wide-tooth comb to detangle strands instead of a fine-tooth comb. In addition, don’t comb from the roots to the ends! Start from the ends and slowly work your way to the top. An additional tip: de-tangle your hair before you shampoo! This prevents hair from breaking when you shampoo it.
Tip 5: Don’t Towel Dry Your Hair Roughly
As hair is the weakest when wet, it stands to reason that rubbing your hair roughly with a towel can cause hair damage. That’s because this action creates friction that causes split ends and frizziness! This may lead to hair breakage and hair loss, even if you have short hair. Experts recommend patting your hair dry gently with a towel instead of rubbing it vigorously, even if you want to save time!
With these 5 tips, we hope breakable hair becomes a thing of the past. Of course, if your hair continues to break easily even after you implement the necessary changes to your routine, perhaps it’s time to seek help from us. We’ll help you resolve it straight from the root.
