How to Reduce Hair Breakage and Make Your Hair Stronger
Looking down at the bristles of your brush after running it through your hair, you see a lot of loose particles of some broken off hair. Is this situation familiar to you? Well, if yes, then you are in the right place because the article will provide you with useful information regarding hair breakage.
Hair breakage is the most frequent complaint among people and its reasons are rather simple and preventable. Making some simple changes in your hair care routine can significantly decrease the amount of broken hairs and split ends.
Thus, the article will tell you about the causes of hair breakage and give you some useful tips on how to decrease hair breakage and prevent split ends.
Breakage Vs Hair Fall: The Difference You Should Know About
Before you begin taking measures to reduce hair breakage, it is important to know what type of hair problem you are facing.
While hair fall and hair breakage may seem similar, both are largely different issues.
Breakage is when the hair strand snaps, and it usually appears in broken bits on the surface of the scalp. The broken ends appear irregular and round with a tip, which is a white bulb, while a broken piece from fall has a bulb on one end.
Breakage is a surface-level hair problem, while fall is related to the scalp. In this article, you will discover hair breakage causes and the steps you can take to reduce them.
How Hair Breaks Easily: Understanding the Reasoning
The outer surface of the hair fiber is covered by scales like the roof tiles. When they are raised or detached, water in the form of water is released from the strand, which makes it more brittle and easier to break under stress.
The reasons for breakage can be various, but the most common among them are the following:
- Excess heat styling
- Chemical damage
- Aggressive combing and tying
- Lack of moisture in the hair strand
- Exposure to UV rays
- Lack of nutrients in the body
Though each individual experiencing strand breakage has their own set of reasons for it, almost all have at least two of these causes in common.
Everyday Habits That Cause Hair to Break Easily
Many people do these following hair damaging habits unknowingly.
Brushing Your Hair From the Roots
Wet hair is more likely to break due to its high elasticity. Start brushing from the ends and move to the roots, and use a wide-toothed comb.
Tied in the Same Hairstyle Always
Although the hair is strong, it will certainly break if subjected to constant tension. To avoid this, change the place where you tie your hair and do not hold it tightly.
Rough Towel Drying
Drying with a towel may seem perfectly harmless. However, scrubbing the hair strand causes the cuticle layer to lift and makes it prone to snapping. It is better to gently press the excess water out with a cotton t-shirt. This is an important breakage prevention measure.
Rubber Bands With Metal Ends
These hair accessories can dig into the strand of hair, causing it to snap. Opt for fabric bands over metal accessories.
Hot Water During Hair Washing
Scalding hot water strips the natural oils from your hair, making it dry and brittle. It is best to opt for lukewarm water while washing and even cool water when rinsing.
How to Decrease Hair Breakage During Heat Styling
While most people are crazy about styling their hair with heated appliances, it is essential to take precautions to avoid breaking and splitting of the hair shaft.
Limit damage by reducing the temperature to the required range. A lot of people opt for a higher range than required for their hair strand type.
Fine hair and colored strands would suit a lower range, while coarse hair is more accustomed to a higher range.
It is always advisable to apply a good quality heat protection product and ensure that your hair is fully dry before using any hot styling tool.
Limit the use of these tools to once or twice a week and allow your hair to air-dry on the other days.
How to Make a Gentle Wash Routine to Reduce Hair Breakage
The correct approach to washing is essential to decreasing hair breakage and maintaining a healthy scalp.
Here are some helpful pointers in this regard:
- Choose a gentle shampoo.
- Focus on massaging the roots.
- Use a good conditioner every time you wash your hair.
- Get a nourishing mask every week.
Breakage prevention also relies on detangling.
Detangle your hair when the conditioner is still in it using your fingers or a wide-tooth comb. Always wash your hair with a mild and sulfate-free shampoo. The suds from massaging your roots will cleanse the rest of your hair.
The conditioner is applied to the mid-length to the tip of your hair and left on for a couple of minutes. If you have a hard water area, this step becomes more crucial.
If hot water is not suitable for your hair type, make sure to rinse it with cold water.
How to Eat for Strong and Healthy Hair That Does Not Break Easily
Your body utilizes the proteins, iron, healthy fats, vitamin C, and zinc you consume to make hair. A weak, dry or nutrient-deficient diet hinders your ability to grow thick and healthy hair.
Breakage in people with nutrient deficiency is quite common.
Protein
The fundamental component of all hair strands. Foods rich in protein include eggs, lentils, paneer, fish, chicken, and dried legumes.
Iron
Helps the hair follicles get adequate oxygen supply, promoting healthy growth. Foods rich in iron are spinach, dates, pumpkin seeds, and red meat.
Healthy Fats
Essential to keep your scalp and strands supple and well-moisturized. The best sources of healthy fats are nuts, flaxseeds, avocado, and olive oil.
Vitamin C
It aids in a healthy collagen production and helps the body absorb iron. The best sources of this nutrient are amla, oranges, guava and peppers.
Zinc
It maintains the health of the scalp and hair follicles and helps in sebum production. Foods that are rich in zinc are chickpeas, sesame seeds and cashews.
Hydration is also important for healthy hair as the water carries various minerals and nutrients to the follicles. One can see the lackluster and dry appearance of the hair due to lack of hydration.
One must make sure to drink water in regular intervals during the day rather than taking it in large quantities at certain times.
The Best Way to Keep Hair From Snapping During Sleep
Your hair is subjected to breakage while you are asleep as it rubs against the coarse cotton of the pillow case for about six to eight hours. This poses a higher possibility of split ends on the hair ends.
It is recommended to switch to a silk or satin pillow case that would not tug at the hair fibers over the night. On the contrary, people with long hair can braid their hair at night or tie it up in a bun at the top of their head so that it would not create any friction with their pillow.
A satin bonnet is also a good alternative to the regular nightcap. Ensure not to tie your hair in a tight knot at night as it increases the chances of hair breakage.
Looking down at the bristles of your brush after running it through your hair, you see a lot of loose particles of some broken off hair. Is this situation familiar to you? Well, if yes, then you are in the right place because the article will provide you with useful information regarding hair breakage.
Hair breakage is the most frequent complaint among people and its reasons are rather simple and preventable. Making some simple changes in your hair care routine can significantly decrease the amount of broken hairs and split ends.
Thus, the article will tell you about the causes of hair breakage and give you some useful tips on how to decrease hair breakage and prevent split ends.
Breakage Vs Hair Fall: The Difference You Should Know About
Before you begin taking measures to reduce hair breakage, it is important to know what type of hair problem you are facing.
While hair fall and hair breakage may seem similar, both are largely different issues.
Breakage is when the hair strand snaps, and it usually appears in broken bits on the surface of the scalp. The broken ends appear irregular and round with a tip, which is a white bulb, while a broken piece from fall has a bulb on one end.
Breakage is a surface-level hair problem, while fall is related to the scalp. In this article, you will discover hair breakage causes and the steps you can take to reduce them.
How Hair Breaks Easily: Understanding the Reasoning
The outer surface of the hair fiber is covered by scales like the roof tiles. When they are raised or detached, water in the form of water is released from the strand, which makes it more brittle and easier to break under stress.
The reasons for breakage can be various, but the most common among them are the following:
- Excess heat styling
- Chemical damage
- Aggressive combing and tying
- Lack of moisture in the hair strand
- Exposure to UV rays
- Lack of nutrients in the body
Though each individual experiencing strand breakage has their own set of reasons for it, almost all have at least two of these causes in common.
Everyday Habits That Cause Hair to Break Easily
Many people do these following hair damaging habits unknowingly.
Brushing Your Hair From the Roots
Wet hair is more likely to break due to its high elasticity. Start brushing from the ends and move to the roots, and use a wide-toothed comb.
Tied in the Same Hairstyle Always
Although the hair is strong, it will certainly break if subjected to constant tension. To avoid this, change the place where you tie your hair and do not hold it tightly.
Rough Towel Drying
Drying with a towel may seem perfectly harmless. However, scrubbing the hair strand causes the cuticle layer to lift and makes it prone to snapping. It is better to gently press the excess water out with a cotton t-shirt. This is an important breakage prevention measure.
Rubber Bands With Metal Ends
These hair accessories can dig into the strand of hair, causing it to snap. Opt for fabric bands over metal accessories.
Hot Water During Hair Washing
Scalding hot water strips the natural oils from your hair, making it dry and brittle. It is best to opt for lukewarm water while washing and even cool water when rinsing.
How to Decrease Hair Breakage During Heat Styling
While most people are crazy about styling their hair with heated appliances, it is essential to take precautions to avoid breaking and splitting of the hair shaft.
Limit damage by reducing the temperature to the required range. A lot of people opt for a higher range than required for their hair strand type.
Fine hair and colored strands would suit a lower range, while coarse hair is more accustomed to a higher range.
It is always advisable to apply a good quality heat protection product and ensure that your hair is fully dry before using any hot styling tool.
Limit the use of these tools to once or twice a week and allow your hair to air-dry on the other days.
How to Make a Gentle Wash Routine to Reduce Hair Breakage
The correct approach to washing is essential to decreasing hair breakage and maintaining a healthy scalp.
Here are some helpful pointers in this regard:
- Choose a gentle shampoo.
- Focus on massaging the roots.
- Use a good conditioner every time you wash your hair.
- Get a nourishing mask every week.
Breakage prevention also relies on detangling.
Detangle your hair when the conditioner is still in it using your fingers or a wide-tooth comb. Always wash your hair with a mild and sulfate-free shampoo. The suds from massaging your roots will cleanse the rest of your hair.
The conditioner is applied to the mid-length to the tip of your hair and left on for a couple of minutes. If you have a hard water area, this step becomes more crucial.
If hot water is not suitable for your hair type, make sure to rinse it with cold water.
How to Eat for Strong and Healthy Hair That Does Not Break Easily
Your body utilizes the proteins, iron, healthy fats, vitamin C, and zinc you consume to make hair. A weak, dry or nutrient-deficient diet hinders your ability to grow thick and healthy hair.
Breakage in people with nutrient deficiency is quite common.
Protein
The fundamental component of all hair strands. Foods rich in protein include eggs, lentils, paneer, fish, chicken, and dried legumes.
Iron
Helps the hair follicles get adequate oxygen supply, promoting healthy growth. Foods rich in iron are spinach, dates, pumpkin seeds, and red meat.
Healthy Fats
Essential to keep your scalp and strands supple and well-moisturized. The best sources of healthy fats are nuts, flaxseeds, avocado, and olive oil.
Vitamin C
It aids in a healthy collagen production and helps the body absorb iron. The best sources of this nutrient are amla, oranges, guava and peppers.
Zinc
It maintains the health of the scalp and hair follicles and helps in sebum production. Foods that are rich in zinc are chickpeas, sesame seeds and cashews.
Hydration is also important for healthy hair as the water carries various minerals and nutrients to the follicles. One can see the lackluster and dry appearance of the hair due to lack of hydration.
One must make sure to drink water in regular intervals during the day rather than taking it in large quantities at certain times.
The Best Way to Keep Hair From Snapping During Sleep
Your hair is subjected to breakage while you are asleep as it rubs against the coarse cotton of the pillow case for about six to eight hours. This poses a higher possibility of split ends on the hair ends.
It is recommended to switch to a silk or satin pillow case that would not tug at the hair fibers over the night. On the contrary, people with long hair can braid their hair at night or tie it up in a bun at the top of their head so that it would not create any friction with their pillow.
A satin bonnet is also a good alternative to the regular nightcap. Ensure not to tie your hair in a tight knot at night as it increases the chances of hair breakage.
Finally
With these helpful pointers in mind, you can discover the important steps to decrease hair breakage and take care of your precious strands.
Frequently asked questions
You will see a visible improvement in shedding of thin and broken strands after about three to four weeks.
Unfortunately, you cannot completely repair broken hair because hair is a non-living tissue. The best you can do is smooth the cuticle and prevent further damage to the strand and let new healthy growth replace the broken part.
It does not speed up the rate of growth but prevents split ends and thin, weak strands from snapping away as the new growth emerges. This helps maintain the thickness of your hair and keep split ends at bay.
It is for many people, as massaging oil on the roots and a bit on their hair before shampooing helps to reduce friction and keep the hair strand from snapping. Use a few drops and be sure to wash it away thoroughly, as too much can weigh the hair strand down.
Yes, they do because they have moisture-boosting ingredients that smooth and moisturize the cuticle layer of the hair strand. Using a mask once every week can help your hair put up with stress better.



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