Brittle hair can be a huge frustration: No matter how much you want to grow it out, it just keeps breaking. That breakage can be caused by dryness, chemical processing or prolonged mistreatment of your once-lovely locks. The good news is that, by following some basic guidelines, you can have beautiful, long and shiny hair again--without excessive breakage.
Why Hair Breaks
Each strand of your hair is composed of three layers. The outer layer, called the cuticle, is like a sheath of armor protecting the delicate inner strand. TeensHealth from Nemours explains that shiny hair is a sign of health because it means the cuticle is undamaged, reflecting light and any other hair hazards. When that cuticle becomes damaged, your hair will lose its shine, becoming brittle and even fraying into split ends. This makes it much more likely to break.
Cleansing and Conditioning
Your hair can actually be damaged by harsh, chemical-filled shampoos, claims the beauty blog Daily Glow. They can strip your hair's natural oils and make it drier. If you have brittle hair, use an all-natural product and consider reducing your shampooing frequency to once or twice a week. Then "condition, condition, condition": Apply a rich, moisturizing conditioner liberally and often. Try adding leave-in conditioners to moisturize your hair all day long, and using regular deep conditioning or hot oil treatments.
Dyes and Chemical Treatments
Coloring, perms, straightening and bleach can seriously dry and damage your hair. Daily Glow recommends that, if your hair is dry and damaged, you stop using chemicals on it until it regains its health. TeensHealth from Nemours adds that, if you do want to have a chemical treatment done or to dye your hair, you see a professional. A trained stylist will know what treatment will be safest for your brittle hair.
Split Ends
Split ends can travel up the hair strand as your cuticle separates and the inner strands fray. The Beauty Brains, a cosmetic science blog, recommends that you see a stylist to have your split ends trimmed off, so they don't cause more breakage. You may also want to add a small amount of silicone, olive oil or coconut oil to your ends, which will lock in some of the moisture.
Handling
"All that combing, blow-drying, and straightening can take their toll on your hair," Daily Glow writes. Try to handle your hair as little as possible when it's fragile. Surprisingly, TeensHealth from Nemours claims, this means you should never comb brittle hair while it's wet. Wet hair can stretch, making it much more vulnerable to breakage. Likewise, using a blow dryer or other heat styling product on wet hair can damage it.
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