Why is my hair so breakable

Dry and brittle hair is prone to damage and breakage. A number of factors that can worsen this condition include using harsh products, shampooing your hair too often and washing it with hot water.

Not using a conditioner after you have cleansed your scalp can also contribute to dryness and breakage. Brushing your hair too hard can result in broken strands of hair. It can also pull out your hair from its roots, damaging it. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that you brush your hair gently only when you need to style it while stepping out. Exposing your hair to extreme temperatures can cause your scales to fall apart and break.

Avoid using such tools too often. Let your hair breathe. Investing in a heat protectant can also prevent these tools from damaging your hair.

Chemical treatments like relaxations, coloring, or perming your hair among others can cause it to break. Chemically treating your hair too often means exposing it to harmful chemicals and even heat that can damage it considerably. It is advised that if you have chemically treated your hair, avoid doing so at least for months. Letting your hair dry naturally is important to avoid long-term damage. Rubbing your hair with towels or using heat can actually damage your hair.

Apart from just pulling your hair from your roots, tying your hair up regularly can also cause it to get tangled and break easily. Leaving it loosely tied is the best way to go for your everyday regime. Hypothyroidism is a condition in which your thyroid glands refrain from producing a proper amount of thyroid hormones.

Thyroid hormones are vital for hair growth. A lack of thyroid hormone can result in hair damage and even hair loss. Vitamins C, D3 and biotin can help reduce hair breakage by improving its health 1. But when your hair lacks hydration, it cannot stretch so becomes brittle, often snapping during brushing, blow-drying and styling.

Factors that reduce your hair's moisture content, causing it to break more easily, include:. Chemical processing is probably the worst culprit. It can damage the protein structure of your hair, and the bonds that hold your hair together. While you can never completely close the cuticle again, daily shampooing and conditioning, as well as deep-conditioning masks, can do a good job of smoothing and sealing it. We recommend a targeted treatment that reinforces and reconnects those bonds broken by chemical processing, to help hair become stronger and healthier once more, and able to retain moisture for longer.

Step forward: our Bond Builder Restructuring Treatment. This intensive, pre-shampoo mask works beneath the surface of the hair to rebuild damaged strands from the inside out. Meet the Expert. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at contact byrdie. Obsessed With Hot Tools?

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Melanie Rud. Melanie Rud is a Chicago-based freelance beauty and lifestyle writer and editor. You can find her work in Allure, Pure Wow, Refinery29, and more. Byrdie's Editorial Guidelines. Updated on Oct 26, Our Top Picks. Best Overall:. Incorporate this restorative treatment to your wash routine to strengthen and reduce breakage. Best Drugstore:. These single-use pods are a concentrated formula that deliver hydration to hair. Best Natural:. This coconut oil works great as a pre-shampoo treatment or a sleep mask to nourish and hydrate hair.

Best Mask:. In just 10 minutes, this mask transforms dry, brittle hair into nourished hair. Best Leave-in Treatment:. Repair color-damaged hair by restoring its natural pH.

Best Shampoo:. Get hair repair in the form of a daily-use keratin shampoo. Best for Fine Hair:. This ceramide-laden formula works wonders on dry, color-treated hair by bringing it back to life. Best for Flyaways:. A blend of oils helps to tamp down flyaways and impart moisture and shine. Best for Curly Hair:. Severe nutrient deficiencies may also lead to hair loss. Eggs and fish contain biotin , which is essential for healthy hair growth, and Brazil nuts offer hair-boosting selenium.

Learn about foods for healthy hair growth here. Once people resolve any nutritional deficiencies, they will likely find their hair becomes stronger and healthier again.

If people are tying their hair back frequently in tight hairstyles, or using elastic bands to tie their hair up, this can lead to hair breakage. Tight hairstyles can stretch or break the hair away from the root. If people regularly wear their hair in tight styles such as buns, cornrows, or braids, it may lead to a type of hair loss called traction alopecia. Although this is a temporary hair loss that the hair can recover from, it can become permanent if it keeps happening.

Elastic ties can also pull tightly on the hair and increase the risk of breakage. People can switch to covered hair ties and wear their hair in a variety of loose styles to relieve pressure on the hair. Extreme stress can cause damage to the hair and a condition called telogen effluvium. A severe shock or stress can cause the hair roots to reach the resting stage of their growth cycle before they are meant to and the hair comes loose from the scalp.

Once stress has passed, people will usually find the hair regrows. If people notice unusual amounts of hair shedding, they should see their doctor to check for the underlying cause. Thyroid disorders can cause hair breakage. If people have a thyroid disorder, they may notice very brittle, dry, and dull hair. Hair can also become thinner, or people may notice excessive shedding or bald patches.

People with a thyroid disorder may also notice changes to their skin and nails, including the following:. If people notice any of these symptoms, along with fatigue , they should see their doctor to check if they have a thyroid disorder.

The malnutrition and health issues that come from eating disorders can disrupt the natural cycle of hair growth. This disruption can cause hair to break off during the growth phase of the hair cycle, which is called the anagen.