Hair Breakage: The Causes And What Really Helps
You can practically watch your hair break off again and again directly above your forehead, in the top hair, or on the back of your neck? Even when you brush, do you notice that short hairs are constantly stuck in the sink or hanging on the brush? Hair breakage, which you can recognize by white dots in your hair, is extremely annoying.
7 reasons for hair breakage - and what really works against it in the long term
How did this beauty problem come about? And what can you do about it? We'll tell you the seven most common causes and give you tips on what really helps against hair breakage.
7 most common causes of hair breakage and how to get around them
1. You use hot styling equipment a lot
"Bubble Hair" is what professionals call hair that has become brittle from too much heat styling. The air-filled cavities in the hair structure form small bubbles that make it extremely prone to hair breakage. Why? The hair contains keratin proteins and hydrogen bonds. Hot styling devices such as straightening irons or a blow-dryer that is too hot break the hydrogen bonds due to the high temperatures. This removes the natural oils and proteins from the hair, which makes it supple and resilient.
What can you do? A good heat protection spray is a must. Just like the rule to only style untreated hair: Products such as dry shampoos or texturizers usually contain ingredients that are not intended for excessive heat.
In addition, if you don't have time to air-dry your hair, you can use a hairdryer with ion technology. With its negatively charged particles, this ensures that the hair dries faster and you don't have to blow-dry for too long.
2. Frequent hair coloring causes the hair to break off
First of all: not all color treatments leave damaged and brittle hair in the same way. A semi-permanent coloration is much more loving to your lengths than a bleached platinum blonde. Nevertheless, hair coloring is not really healthy in the long run. The cause? The chemical ingredients make the hair shafts porous, the hair bark is exposed, and is inevitably more prone to breakage and split ends.
Anyone who switches to herbal coloring instead of chemical treatment for coloring is already doing a lot of good for the hair. Because that's where the color pigments wrap around the hair instead of breaking it. To do this, you should stretch the time between the dyeing appointments as much as possible: Eight to ten weeks are optimal in order not to excessively strain the hair - and let it become brittle.
3. You always wear the same hairstyle
And does the Top Knot say hello every day? Practical when you have found a hairstyle that goes quickly and that you always feel comfortable with. However, all hairstyles in which the hair is tied up tightly inevitably pulls on your lengths. This weakens the hair structure and promotes split ends. In addition: The lengths are always tied together in the same place. The permanent pressure point and mechanical friction severely fray the structure in this area - it becomes rough and the hair breaks.
Our care tip against hair breakage: Vary your looks, give your hair a breather, leave it open or alternatively tie it in a loose, deep braid. And: towels to tie together, spiral hair ties (e.g. from Invisibobbles), terry hair ties without elastic inside, or the currently very trendy scrunchies - hair ties with a soft fabric cover - are like light foods for affected lengths.
4. The hair breaks off because of a lack of nutrients
Hair breaks off due to external, but also internal causes. Sufficiently important nutrients and a balanced diet are crucial for healthy, strong hair growth and preventing hair loss.
The power players: biotin, zinc, vitamin C, omega-3 fatty acids, and iron. They can be found in nuts, oatmeal, legumes, soy, or broccoli, for example. Dermatologists often bring vitamin D into play, as a deficiency can cause hair to thin out over the long term. As a supplement, collagen from the sea is said to stimulate hair growth and prevent hair loss.
The ultimate nutritional tip for beautiful hair: Kimberly Snyder, nutrition coach for stars like Reese Witherspoon or Drew Barrymore, likes to mix healthy hair juice from cold water, spinach, celery, romaine lettuce, pear, apple, banana, and some fresh lemon juice in the morning. For lunch, she recommends kale salad with lemon dressing, avocado, and pumpkin seeds.
Too expensive? In a pinch, hair food can help in the form of nutritional supplements. Either way, however, a healthy diet is just as important for healthy hair as intensive hair care.
5. You are not caring for your hair properly
Proper care is essential for healthy hair. Because just as your skin suffers from a lack of moisture, it also affects your hair.
The problem: Although the scalp produces oil to keep dry hair supple, coloring and styling permanently deprive it of its natural moisture. So hardly anything of this natural care reaches the lower lengths and the ends of the hair. They dry out, become strawy and brittle.
So it pays to invest in some good hair care products (how many face masks and serums do you have in the bathroom? Well!). Extra treatments with care packs and hair masks are taking too long? Silicone-free multi-cures with ingredients such as biotin and provitamin B5 can be rinsed out quickly or, if there is not enough time, remain in damp hair. They increase the resilience of brittle hair without weighing it down. That makes them the perfect daily leave-in care.
6. Your hair breaks off because you brush it while it is wet
The hair swells when washing. This ensures that the protective cuticle is no longer as close to the hair shaft - the lengths become fragile and susceptible. Going to bed with wet hair and external mechanical influences such as incorrect brushing can now cause a lot of damage.
What helps? The first step is an emollient conditioner that won't make your hair look like that of an 80s rock star after washing.
If you find it too difficult to carefully detangle with the comb, you should definitely get a special wet brush (great for long hair!) With flexible bristles to gently straighten the hair. Additional care tip: Always (!) Brush your hair only in the lower part and not from top to bottom. This is how you prevent broken tips and split ends.
7. You rub too roughly
Scrubbing wet hair dry with tough cotton towels can break the lengths in seconds. Do it like your hairdresser and squeeze out the water as best you can while still in the basin or under the shower. Also, use an extra towel on your hair that isn't wet from drying your body when you wrap it around your head.
If you use a normal cotton towel, don't rub too hard through your hair, just dab gently over the lengths when loosening the turban. By the way, hairstylists often squeeze the hair out with a sheet of kitchen roll after washing. Because: the smoother the surface, the less hair breakage occurs.
Another option is to switch to a soft microfiber towel, as we already know from the curly girl method. It can absorb many times its own weight in water. In addition, it does not attack the hair structure - this avoids frizz, split ends, and brittle hair when wet.
Practical: microfiber towels are available in prefabricated turban shape, so you save yourself the hassle of winding your hair.
You can still do that to avoid broken hair
In addition to the beauty tips mentioned, you can also ensure healthy hair by taking the following to heart:
- Use a mild shampoo: One possible cause of hair breakage is using the wrong shampoo. Use one without sulfates and the like, as they are free of aggressive cleaning substances that can particularly dry out your hair. In addition, shampoos with keratin can help prevent hair breakage.
- Long hair in particular has a tendency to dry out and break. Use a hair oil (for example with argan oil) for the ends of your hair (better not in the entire length, otherwise they will quickly look greasy). This provides an extra portion of moisture and care.
- Get your lengths trimmed regularly: Even if it hurts, hair that is already damaged can best recover by removing broken ends. If your hair is still healthy, you should - to keep it that way - have your tips cut regularly.
- Use UV protection: UV rays cause the proteins to be broken down, especially with blond and thin hair. The result is brittle hair. When sunbathing, make sure that you not only protect your skin with sunscreen but also treat your mane and scalp with special UV protection.
23.03.2021
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