Preventing Hair Breakage: Tips To A Healthy Hair

Stress, heat, underlying illnesses, and other factors can all lead to hair breakage.

There are several reasons why hair might break. An inner cuticle with overlapping scales that holds your hair strands together is essential for healthy hair. Our hair may become damaged if these scales detach and become dry over time. Frizz and dryness are other symptoms in addition to breaking.

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Let us find out more about some of the most simple reasons for hair loss and steps we can take to prevent it.

1. Stress

Numerous studies have linked stress to hair loss, but it is also well known that stress may cause hair breakage. A prevalent form of alopecia called telogen effluvium is most likely related to hair destruction and brought on by stress. When under this kind of stress, our follicles become inactive, which can cause hair that is in the middle of a growth cycle to fall out. Old hair may start to come out as well.

Stress management may lead to better hair.

2. Diet

Some nutrients aid in hair growth and prevent breaking due to injury. Make sure our regular diet has adequate folic acid, iron, and zinc. Protein in sufficient amounts and antioxidants can also prevent hair damage. Additionally, several vitamins might promote hair growth.

3. Dryness 

Hair that is very dry may be a prelude to damage and breaking. A number of other elements, such as hot temperatures, dry conditions, and low humidity, may also contribute to its occurrence. When washing our hair, be sure to use warm water rather than hot because the latter might cause more dryness.

Consider focusing shampoo on only our scalp if our ends are dry. Not using conditioner is also unacceptable. Try applying a hair mask to the middle and ends of our hair. Before combing damp hair in a hurry, spray it with a leave-in conditioner.

4. Heat

We need high heat to obtain the finest results from our hair drier, flat iron, or curling iron. However, we run the danger of harming the cuticle from high temperatures if we use these instruments improperly or excessively.

Giving our strands a rest from all styling products at least once a week is one strategy to stop general heat damage. Choose ceramic styling products to lessen real heat damage; they heat up more evenly, allowing us to stop using them on the same portions of hair again and over. Taking precautions to preserve our hair before applying heat is also vital. To reduce damage, use heat-protecting spray.

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5. Excessive washing and Inefficient towel drying

We are more prone to produce too much sebum in our scalp if we have oily skin. The impulse to wash our hair more frequently than necessary may result from this. If we have oily hair, daily washes are OK, but we shouldn't wash our hair more than once a day. However, very dry hair may just require a weekly shampooing. A gentle shampoo at the scalp and a smooth conditioner application from the ends to the roots are also essential.

The next natural reaction is to rub a towel over our skin and hair as soon as we get out of the shower. But when our hair is most vulnerable—after being wet—this rubbing action actually harms it.

Blot an absorbent towel over our hair in place of rubbing water out of it. Additionally, as a temporary solution to absorb extra moisture, we might place a towel in our hair.

6. Use of elastic hair tie with improper brushing, combing, or styling

AAD recommended that we merely brush and comb our hair when styling it. In an older research experiment from 2009, it was shown that women who brushed less regularly saw decreased hair loss.

Wide-tooth combs should be used to avoid breakage. Additionally, we have to refrain from using plastic bristles and only use brushes on dry hair. Replace it with a brush that has natural bristles.

For keeping our hair out of our face while working out, elastic hair ties are a necessity. Furthermore, they might be useful when we are in a rush or have horrible hair days. The issue with hair ties is that they tug on the cuticle and scalp of our hair. When we undo our ponytail, we could even notice that some hair slips out. This may be resolved by sometimes wearing our hair down or by adjusting our hairstyle a little looser so it doesn't strain on our hair as much. A real hair tie should be worn rather than rubber bands, which might harm our hair.

Hair Care Suggestions

🌺You should gently wash and condition your hair every day.

🌺After swimming in a pool, use a package of shampoo and conditioner for swimmers.

🌺When feasible, try to let your hair air dry.

🌺To prevent scalp pulling, make sure that all weaves and extensions are lightweight.

🌺Think about switching to a less damaging care hairdo.

🌺Make sure your food is nutrient-rich to provide your hair the nutrition it need.

🌺Save tight hats for sun protection exclusively; don't wear them for fashion.

It can be annoying when our hair breaks. Though majority of root problems can usually be fixed. But always remember that once after altering our food and hair care regimen and we still notice hair loss, it may be necessary to consult a doctor to rule out any underlying medical conditions.

Resources: 

Tips for healthy hair. (n.d.).: aad.org/public/everyday-care/hair-scalp-care/hair/healthy-hair-tips
Draelos ZD. (2022). A clinical evaluation of a permanent hair dye designed to reduce allergic contact dermatitis and hair damage.: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jocd.15212