Our hair is constantly under a lot of stress from both external and internal factors. From subjecting it to extreme heat, pollution, chemicals, hair straighteners and dryers, to regularly bleaching and coloring.
Add to that, exposing it to harsh sunlight and not following proper basic hair care techniques can all contribute to developing hair that is thin, lackluster, and brittle.
The hallmark of brittle hair is dryness, frizz, split ends, and dullness.
We might think that only women suffer from brittleness, given the length of their hair, but men can also have brittle hair.
Since so many factors contribute to hair becoming brittle, pinpointing what’s causing it can solve the issue once and for all.
What causes brittle hair?
Just like the skin, your hair is also naturally protected by the oil or sebum produced by the sebaceous glands in the dermis layer of the skin. But when the natural oils are stripped, the hair loses its ability to bend and suffers extreme dryness, leading to brittleness.
1. Chemicals
Subjecting hair to regular chemical treatments such as hair coloring, bleaching, and perming can cause extreme damage to the hair, thereby turning it brittle. Besides brittle hair, regular chemical treatments can also damage hair follicles, causing baldness.
2. Heat damage
Apart from chemical treatments, regular use of styling tools such as straighteners, dryers, and curlers can also cause damage and dryness to the hair shaft. Dryness is one of the main factors that eventually causes the hair to become brittle.
3. Wrong hair care techniques
Hair is more vulnerable to dryness and becomes brittle when it is wet. Brushing or furiously towel drying your hair when wet leads to breakage and damages the hair strands.
4. Medical issues
Another factor that leads to brittle hair is certain medical conditions such as hypothyroidism and hypoparathyroidism. In addition, eating disorders such as Anorexia are also known to cause brittle hair issues.
5. Diet deficiencies
A diet lacking certain vitamins and minerals such as B-7, Omega 3s, protein, and zinc can cause the hair to lose its overall vitality and turn it dry and brittle.
Ways to treat brittle hair
Having hair that is brittle and severely damaged might be a big inconvenience, but treating it should not have to be. There are various ways you can treat and even reverse brittle hair without much difficulty.
1. Avoid styling tools
Styling tools no doubt makes your hair look shiny and smooth, but they are highly notorious for damaging your hair. If you use such tools regularly, cutting back on them can help with damage control. Try a lower heat setting and heat protectant serums if you must use them.
2. Avoid overwashing
Just like styling tools, washing your hair every day unnecessarily also strips its protective and moisturizing oils. In addition, hair that is overwashed is prone to turning brittle, so avoiding that can be one of the ways to treat it.
3. Regular trims
Getting regular trims when trying to grow your hair might seem counterproductive, but trimming might help it look fuller and healthier when you have brittle hair. This is because trimming gets rid of the damaged and split ends which can otherwise contribute to developing brittle hair.
4. Hair care treatments
Brittle hair needs a lot of care, which can mean visiting the salon regularly. However, several hair care treatments, such as deep-conditioning masks and smoothing treatments, help counter the damage.
However, if you are someone who doesn’t like visiting the salon regularly because it can be expensive, you can try at-home treatments that deliver the same, if not better, results. And they can also be easy on the pockets. Natural honey-infused hair products, rice water, etc., are known to be the big game changer for treating brittle hair, given the impressive line of ingredients with benefits of honey for your hair, an age-old rice water remedy from Asia.
Takeaway
Hair can turn brittle for various reasons, like diet deficiencies, harsh chemicals, styling tools, and so on. However, brittle hair can be treated by addressing the core issues that are causing it in the first place.
For instance, if your hair is brittle due to styling tools, taking a break from them for some time can help with the brittleness. This way, your hair will be able to feel better and thus, it will look better as well.
Fraquoh and Franchomme
P.S. We want to hear from you! Did you ever have brittle hair? What was the cause? How did you treat it? Share your feedback, questions or thoughts in the comments below! For more articles on style, fashion tips and cultural insights, you can subscribe to Attire Club via email or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram!