4C HAIR BREAKAGE: POSSIBLE CAUSES, TIPS, AND BEST PRODUCTS TO USE
Did you know you could have hair breakage for the tiniest reason like combing your hair with the wrong comb or using a brush on wet hair? Your hair breaking may make your heart ache but all it takes to fix it is a proper hair care regimen and some lifestyle changes.
It should be noted that hair loss and hair breakage are two different things. You might be witnessing hair loss if your hair sheds from its roots. Hair breakage on the other hand is when your hair breaks off anywhere in the length of your strand causing the affected strands to be shorter and your hair length uneven.
Knowing the root cause of your hair breakage can help you better in deciding what changes to make to restore your hair’s health and what you should incorporate in your regimen.
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Possible causes
It is possible your hair breakage is caused by some things you are not doing right or even underlying health conditions. The following are some of the common reasons your hair may be breaking
- Dryness
Dry hair or scalp is often associated with frizz, tangles and hair breakage. Your hair can become dry and brittle and eventually cause breakage due to a number of reasons like humid weather or using hair products that contain toxic ingredients like alcohol, sulfates and parabens.
- Overwashing your hair
Washing your hair too often is a thing and the implication of this is that the natural oils produced by your scalp to keep your hair moisturized keeps getting washed off alongside the dirt in your hair. This will eventually make your hair dry and prone to breakage.
- Diet
You are truly what you eat. Just like your body needs nutrients to stay healthy, your hair needs it too. Being deficient in some certain nutrients can be telling on your hair and body. Some of these nutrients contribute greatly to your hair’s health and growth, lacking in them might have adverse effects on your hair.
- Stress
This condition where stress causes your hair to break or fall is known as telogen effluvium. Severe stress does not only have a negative impact on your body but your hair too. Stress can make your hair follicles go into a resting phase and during that period new strands are not produced. Over time these strands start to fall out especially when combing, washing or simply pulling at them.
- Using the wrong styling tools
Using the right combs and brushes for your hair really matters. Using the wrong type of comb to take out your tangles can cause your hair to break.
Also, while your hair is wet, it is at its weakest and should be handled carefully. Brushing your hair when wet should be avoided.
Note: combing or brushing your hair too much can also cause it to break. Sometimes combing your hair only when you need to style it is enough.
- Frequent heat application
Constantly using heat styling tools like flat irons and curling irons or using blow dryers at high heat can cause damage to your hair. It can strip your hair of its moisture causing it to dry out and break.
- Hyperthyroidism
The thyroid hormones in your body are responsible for converting the food you eat into energy. Sometimes these hormones may fluctuate due to some reasons. When these hormones are produced in high quantities in the body, it is known as hyperthyroidism. This condition often has some negative effects on the body and the hair too. It can make your hair brittle and can lead to hair breakage.
Other causes of hair breakage are towel drying your hair by rubbing your towels aggressively on your hair and also not getting occasional trims. Chemical treatments like relaxers or bleach too can cause your hair to break if done the improper way.
Tips to prevent and control hair breakage
You can surely prevent your hair from breaking and if it already does it can be controlled and gotten rid of. The following are the best ways to get rid of hair breakage.
- Do not wash your hair daily. The days each person may need to wash their hair may differ due to hair texture and concerns but washing it daily is not good for any hair. This is because overwashing strips your hair of its natural oils and leaves it dry and prone to breakage.
- Avoid products with harmful hair ingredients like alcohol, sulfates and parabens. They are known to be drying and to cause scalp irritations. Opt for products free of these instead.
- Ensure you’re eating a balanced diet and are incorporating nutrients like iron, protein, vitamins and zinc in your food to promote your hair’s health and growth.
- If you’re experiencing breakage, moisturizing should be a habit of yours. You should never skip conditioning your hair. Conditioners help to add moisture to your hair amongst other benefits like detangling and making your hair soft and smooth.
- Use natural oils instead of mineral oils. Natural oils compared to mineral pils are more safe and effective. They help to seal in moisture in the hair. Mineral oils on the other hand may cause scalp buildup and irritation.
- Use heat protectant sprays before applying heat styling tools to protect your hair from possible dryness.
- Instead of towel drying your hair, air dry your hair instead or get a microfiber towel to wrap your hair around with. They are more gentle on your hair and they make your hair dey faster.
- You should take breaks to relax if you’re starting to feel too stressed so it doesn’t have effects on your body and hair.
- Use the right styling tools for your hair. You should detangle your hair with wide-tooth combs especially if you have thick or curly hair. When wet, it is preferable to take out tangles with your hands.
- If your hair breakage is accompanied with other symptoms like depression and unexplainable weight gain, it could be an underlying health issue and a medical professional should be seen for accurate diagnosis.
- Sleeping with a satin bonnet or pillowcase also helps to retain the moisture in your hair through the night and prevents you from waking up with a frizz, tangles or dry hair.
- Get occasional hair trims like once in every three months to get rid of split ends.
- Lastly, do not overprocess your hair and let your chemical treatments be handled by professionals.
Best products to use for hair breakage
To reduce and prevent hair breakage, you have to go for products that will further help with hydrating and nourishing your hair. Your shampoos should be hydrating and free from toxins, you should get conditioners that are silicone free and that contain natural oils, hair repair masks too are also not left out. This is why I have carefully selected the best products for breakage in line with these and more! The following are products to help regain your healthy strands.
- Briogeo don’t despair, repair super moisture conditioner
One of the top causes of hair breakage is dryness. To combat this, your hair regimen should include products that do a great job at adding moisture to your hair. This brings us to this amazing conditioner. Formulated with algae extract, panthenol and argan oil, it helps to retain moisture in your hair, visibly strengthen your hair, repair breakage and prevent future damage.
- Maui moisture strength & anti-breakage agave conditioner
This silicone free conditioner helps to strengthen your hair, smoothen it and resist breakage. It is also hydrating and color safe.
It also promises to repair your strands and add shine to it. It is best for those whose strands have been damaged due to chemical treatments like bleach and dyes.
- K-18 leave-in molecular repair hair mask
Pricey but what this mask does is reverse the damage in your hair in four minutes! Worth its price? Yes
It uses peptide technology to repair damage from bleach, color, dyes and heat and in turn makes your hair stronger, soft, smooth and bouncy. It is a leave-in mask so do not wash off with a shampoo. Also do not condition before it’s application and a little goes a long way.
- Advanced clinicals biotin anti-breakage hair repair mask
When your hair breaks, your heart breaks alongside . The good thing is you can repair both with this mask. This mask hydrates and conditions your hair, prevents frizz and breakage, reduces split ends and strengthens your hair.
It is great for chemically damaged hair and it is formulated with mushroom stem extract, olive oil and caffeine for healthy hair, soft hair and hair growth respectively.
- Mielle rosemary mint scalp and hair strengthening oil
With 4.6 stars on amazon, you just know this product is it! This hair oil provides hydration, strengthens your hair, prevents dry scalp, stops split ends and improves your hair’s health.
It also helps your hair to grow and nourish it leaving it as healthy as ever. You can now say bye to uneven strands and hello to healthy even hair.
- Olaplex No. 3 hair perfector
This best selling at home treatment helps to visibly strengthen the hair, reduce breakage and improve your hair’s look and texture . It uses Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate- Patented bond building technology to repair damaged, weak and broken bonds.
Formulated without toxins, you should look forward to getting the best out of this treatment.
Note: it is not a conditioner and should be rinsed off with shampoo after use. Also apply a conditioner after.
- Maui moisture strength & anti-breakage agave shampoo
This shampoo is like a tropical smoothie, but for your hair. It contains a perfect blend of agave, hibiscus oil and pineapple extract. This sulfate-free shampoo helps to strengthen your hair, resist breakage, repair damaged strands, moisturize your hair and leave it smooth and shiny. It also effectively cleanses your hair and scalp without stripping your hair of its natural oils.
It is perfect for thick or curly hair.
- Phyto phytokeratine exceptional mask
Remember how the fairy godmother transformed Cinderella into a stunning princess on the ball night? Well, this mask can transform your dull, dry and damaged hair into shiny, strong and healthy hair.
It is particularly designed for damaged hair of all lengths and texture. Not only does it restore your hair’s health, it also prevents it from future damage.
Its key ingredients are sapote butter, botanical keratin and panthenol. Sapote butter provides omega 6 and 9 and also fatty acids that nourishes and repairs your strands from within. Botanical keratin, consists of amino acids that will imitate the natural keratin found in the hair and carry out its purpose where natural keratins are absent. Lastly, panthenol is a form of vitamin B that helps to hydrate, thicken and provide nutrients to the scalp and hair.
- Shea moisture strengthen & restore styling lotion
Good news for you if you apply heat or chemical treatments regularly to your hair or if you have naturally curly or wavy hair. This oil-based lotion helps to strengthen and protect your hair from possible damage. It also hydrates, repairs, nourishes your hair and promotes healthy hair growth and shine. Seems like a must have in your hair care collection!
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