If you want thick, shiny hair, breakage can be a big problem. When your hair is prone to breakage, it tends to look thinner and duller than it really is, and using lots of styling products to boost your hair's volume and shine just makes the problem worse. If you have hair breakage problems, understanding how they occur and how to treat them can help you get the hair you really want.
Identification
Hair breakage happens when cells in the strand of your hair become damaged, according to KidsHealth, an online health and parenting information resource maintained by the Nemours Foundation. When the damage occurs near your scalp, the breakage shows up as flyaways or thin hair. Breakage at the end of the hair strand shows up as split ends, which can spread upward to rip the entire strand of hair.
Causes
Hair breakage can occur for a number of reasons. Using the wrong brush or combing wet hair can cause strands to break, according to celebrity hair stylist Richard Marin. Overuse of heat styling tools like blow dryers and flat irons can lead to breakage. Hair styles that pull on your hair, such as braids and ponytails, can cause breakage in the long term. If you spend lots of time in the sun or the swimming pool, you also can end up with breakage problems.
Misconceptions
If you think silicone hair products, like shine sprays or anti-frizz serums, protect your hair from breakage from heat styling, think again. These products actually exacerbate heat styling damage since they fuse to your hair when heated, causing your hair to become brittle and breakage-prone, according to Christyn Nawrot, a regional educator for Phyto, in "Marie Claire" magazine.
Prevention/Solution
To protect your hair from breakage, minimize the amount of styling, including brushing and shampooing, that you do on a daily basis. Add a weekly deep-conditioning treatment to protect and heal your hair, according to Caroline Greyl, president of the hair-care company Leonor Greyl, in "Marie Claire" magazine. If your hair is chemically treated with color, perms or relaxers, give your hair time to recover between processes and follow your stylist's advice for hair care. You also can minimize breakage by alternating hair styles if you tend to wear ponytails or hair clips.
Warning
In some cases, hair breakage can be a sign of a serious medical condition. If you don't use styling products or color your hair and you notice significant hair breakage, see your doctor to rule out medical causes for your hair breakage.
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