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How to Stop Hair Breakage

Chandramita Bora
Hair breakage can occur due to the excessive use of certain hair styling products and equipment. However, the damage caused can be reversed with proper hair care and a balanced diet. This information dwells on how to prevent hair breakage for growing healthy and lustrous tresses.
Nothing can be more frustrating than to see broken hair strands on your comb, and realize that your hair is gradually losing its volume and former appeal.
By now, you must have put all efforts to get beautiful and healthy hair, and to your utter disappointment, none of them has been successful in preventing hair breakage. So, it is important to find out the root causes of this problem so that you can choose the right products for hair care.

What Causes Hair Breakage?

Hair breakage is the first sign that the hair follicles are becoming weaker, which can be caused by a number of factors. Sometimes, it can be a result of the aging process. It can also be caused by some skin diseases like scleroderma.
More commonly, it is caused by frequent blow drying and shampooing, chemical hair treatments (including perms and relaxers), overuse of flat irons or hair straighteners, wearing tight ponytails and other hairdos, excessive exposure to sunlight, as well as rough combing and brushing hair when it is wet.
The excessive use of hair dyes that contain harsh chemicals can also make your hair dry and brittle, and more prone to breakage. Therefore, one should be careful while choosing a hair dye. Hair dyes, which are free of ammonia, but contain natural proteins and vitamins would be less harsh on your hair.
However, a little bit of dryness is unavoidable, no matter how good the hair dye is. Sometimes, hair breakage can be caused by hormonal imbalance and a low level of the hormone testosterone.
It is a well-known fact that diet can also play an important role in promoting hair growth. A diet that does not contain foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and proteins, can make your hair weak and dull.

Hair Breakage Prevention

As dry hair is more likely to break easily, it is important to keep your hair well-moisturized. This is particularly true for African-American hair. This type of hair is dry and curly, which makes it more prone to breakage.
To make your hair smooth and soft, you need to replenish the lost moisture by applying a good hair conditioner.
Hot oil treatment needs special mention, as it can provide not only the much-needed oil and moisture to your hair, but some important vitamins like vitamin E as well.
Natural oils like coconut, olive, and almond oil are best for giving your hair a hot oil treatment. You just need to warm any of these oils and massage your scalp with it. Leave the oil on your scalp for a few hours, and then wash it off with a mild shampoo.
You should also apply a good conditioner, especially after shampooing your hair. Always use a moisturizing conditioner that can penetrate the hair shafts to make them stronger. Along with conditioning, regular cleaning is equally important. But do not use harsh shampoos for this purpose, as they can make your hair and the scalp dry.
If you have dry hair, then avoid daily shampooing. Herbal shampoos with natural ingredients are best for dry and curly hair. Do not brush your hair vigorously, and always remove the tangles by using a wide-toothed comb.
While combing your hair, start from the end to remove the knots and tangles, and then gradually work your way up.
Regular trimming is very important to protect your hair from breakage. When you do not trim your hair for a long time, the ends of the hair strands become thinner, which eventually results in split ends.
It has been found that vitamins and minerals can play a crucial role in promoting the growth of healthy hair. Vitamin E and vitamin C, as well as zinc and silicon, are some essential vitamins and minerals required for growing healthy hair. Apart from this, your diet should include protein and calcium-rich foods, like eggs, milk, green vegetables, and fruits.
Protect your hair from dryness and the resulting breakage by using the right type of hair care products, restricting the use of harsh chemicals, choosing a hairstyle that do not put much stress on your hair, and by following a healthy diet. These measures can help you tackle this problem, and grow long and lustrous hair, free of breakage and split ends.