Hair Breakage

Hair shedding is a natural part of life; you lose anywhere from 50 to 100 hairs a day. When hair breaks however, it has become so weak from damaging techniques and poor care that it splits off before its life cycle is complete. The causes are as follows:

1. Lack of Moisture and Oils2. Over Processing3. Poor Diet4. Stress5. Illness

1. LACK OF MOISTURE AND OILS
Dry, frayed ends are, to say the least, embarrassing. If your hair is very dry, you might hear that popping/crackling noise when you go over your ends with a comb. Your scalp produces natural oils that keep a certain level of moisture in your hair. The speed that these oils travel down you hair shaft will vary depending on your hair type. The curlier and thicker your hair is, the slower the process. However, even if your scalp produces plenty of oil, you may be canceling it out by washing it every day, not conditioning, and continuously straightening. The weather and your daily activities also have an important effect on the level of moisture your hair has. For example, if you’re a swimmer, the chlorine and winter weather will dry your hair out tremendously.

2. OVER PROCESSINGA common result of over processing is heat damage. Heat damage from excessive heat styling is a major cause of breakage, and comes from over-employing your straightener, hair dryer, and other tools. It causes the ends to “fry” and change texture. Over processing can mean more than just using your flat iron too frequently, however. Over processing can also be the result of overlapping different chemical processes. Damaging chemicals that are found in hair color, perms, relaxers, texturizers, and other treatments are stripping, breaking, and changing the bonds that make your hair the texture it is. If you used all of these combined, imagine how broken and fragile your hair would be.

3. POOR DIETWe all have a weakness for sweet treats, but you have to remember: what you put in is what you’re going to get out! If you haven’t been eating as well as you should be, there are bound to be other consequences besides unhealthy hair, but this certainly adds to it. Foods that are high in sodium, like most snack foods, can cause hair to shed. Sugary foods,  “can interfere with the absorption of protein… protein is very important for the structure of bones, teeth and hair.“

4. STRESSWhether you’re struggling to get a project done, have trouble at home, or are just going through some tough times, the situation will start to represent itself in your hair. Stress can cause you to act roughly towards your hair and do rash things that may provoke an over-processing situation. It can also drive you to neglect your hair. The stress is not good for your hair or your body.

5. ILLNESSBreakage and excessive hair shedding can sometimes be a sign of something that is potentially more serious. This external loss may be an early warning that something is not functioning correctly internally, and you may need to see your doctor.