9 Reasons Hair is Breaking

Chopping off all your hair is not the only solution to remedy hair breakage – trust us. Though we’re sure you’d rock that super short pixie, we’re sharing nine reasons hair is breaking that you might want to consider before taking that leap.

So, let’s end the split end cycle, shall we?

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Lack of Moisture
There is reason conditioner is a part of everyone’s hair routines, but it is extremely common to lack moisture in your strands, whether that be from excessive heat, treatments, or a number of other reasons. Using a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner is a great start, but spritzing a bit of leave-in moisturizer does wonders, too. We love It’s a Ten.

Too Much Heat
This one is obvious. If applying heat to your hair is part of your routine, don’t sweat it. But applying it too often is where you find trouble. Excessive heat from a blow dryer, flat iron, or curling iron will cause hair to weaken and split – especially on the ends and in the front where hair is often overworked. A good rule of thumb is to limit heat application to a few times a week (you can rock second-day hair or a pony on the other days) and be sure to use a heat protectant spray to prevent damage. Side note, stay under 400 degrees on your styling tools to be safe.

Not Getting a Trim
Who has avoided getting a haircut in hopes of growing a long, lustrous mane? Us, too! But the rumors are true – skipping your routine haircut will do more harm than good. The split ends and hair breakage isn’t worth it, so make sure to get a trim every four to six weeks.

Lack of Protein
If you are lacking protein in your diet, it will show in your hair. Since protein makes up your strands, it builds strong, healthy hair. When you do not have enough of it, your hair is likely to break. Improving your diet will surely help, but there are protein-rich products to supplement your what you are eating, like CHI Keratin Mist.

Color or Chemical Treatments
There is nothing healthy about treating your hair with dye or other chemical treatments like relaxing or perms. They take a toll on your hair, causing breakage and split ends and can have long-lasting negative effects when precautions are not taken.

If you think about it, going blonde literally strips the pigment from your hair, and chemically straightening your hair may give your strands the fried look. However, there are solutions out there to minimize the breakage. Our best suggestion when treating hair is to not do it often, invest in high-quality product, and schedule regular trims to keep ends from splitting.

Wearing Updos (All the Time)
Going for an updo may be convenient and cute, but styling your hair in a pony, braids, or a tight bun does more harm than good. Pulling the hair back weakens strands and causes breakage, especially near the hairline. If you are going to pull it back, it is best to let your hair down after a few hours.

Summer and Sun
Summertime is when stress melts away – except on your hair. From hours under the sun to soaking in the chlorine-rich pool, your hair becomes dry and weak, making it more likely to experience breakage. Using a leave-in treatment regularly in the summer and the colder the months to follow helps re-moisturize and strengthen dried-out strands.

Mishandling Wet Hair
Wet hair is more susceptible to breakage than dry hair, but it is often when it’s wet that it is yanked at, pulled at, and twisted the most. To avoid damaging hair when it is wet, only use a wide tooth comb, and do it gently. However, if you can wait until hair is mostly dry to run a brush or comb through it, that’s your best bet. Breakage also comes from throwing your hair up in a towel or wringing it out. It’s not as harmful to pat it dry.

Washing too Often
This is an ongoing battle for those of us with oily hair. It feels just wrong to go more than a day without shampooing, but it can actually cause breakage when you wash your hair too often, especially with the qualities of most shampoos. They tend to remove natural oils from your strands, which tells your scalp to produce more of those oils. You do not have worry about looking like a grease-ball in between washes, though. Try using a dry shampoo to soak up oils and volumize flat, oily hair. We swear by Batiste Strength and Shine.

By now, you’re probably convinced to chop off those split ends and get a trim.


This article first appeared on Hairstyle on Point