Hair breakage - Easy guide to effective remedies

We have all been there: you quickly run your hand through your locks and see a few traitor strands left in your palm. Or you notice that the front pieces became way thinner and shorter. Don't immediately blame it on the hair loss – the root cause (pun intended) could be much easier to handle, you might be dealing with breakage. Let L'ARIN walk you through the lifehacks for preventing breakage and getting your full, strong, and silky hair back!

What is hair breakage?

Breakage happens when the fiber scales, which are normally tightly layered on top of each other to form a healthy hair cuticle, spread apart. This results in porousness, dryness, splitting, and eventual breaking. Broken hairs often don't have a bulb. You can often spot them on the floor, in the hairbrush, and, especially annoyingly, on a favorite black shirt. They are usually shorter than ones shed in hair loss when the whole strands fall out of the follicle. The remaining bits of broken hair often feel dry and split at the breakage point.

How to stop the hair from breaking?

Now we know that the hair can look thin, brittle, and frizzy because it simply snips off. Surely, that can happen due to a lack of proper care. Yet, you can also cause it unknowingly by trying too hard.

Try not to over-brush

Too many vigorous strokes can cause friction, porousness, and breakage. Especially when hair is already fragile from chemical treatments. Start brushing closer to the ends work your way up – you will stretch your hair less, remove tangles easier and faster. Quality is about quantity.

Give your hair the right amount of moisture

As the hair grows longer, it gets harder for the natural oils from the scalp to cover it. That's when hair needs a bit of your help. Make sure to choose the shampoos with nourishing ingredients and to regularly condition your hair.

Note: try not to go overboard, as too much moisture can also lead to breakage by stretching and swelling of the hair shaft beyond its capacity.

Pay attention to the water temperature

Washing hair with very hot water can strip the moisture out of the cuticle, provoke porousness, dryness, and consequently splitting. Use lukewarm water, restore the moisture with a conditioner or a mask , and finally seal the cuticle with a leave-in treatment .

Beware of hard water

Hard water, rich in minerals, can build up on the strands and block the moisture from reaching the hair. If that's the case, you may consider a water-softening shower head. Yet, the more easily accessible solution is sulfate-free shampoos .

Be gentle while shampooing

Wet hair is especially vulnerable to tangling, stretching, and tearing if treated roughly. Start by brushing your hair before washing to prevent knots. Focus on the roots area while lathering shampoo – it will help you remove the excess sebum without disturbing the cuticle. After rinsing, don't twist your hair to soak the water, as it causes unnecessary pressure and stretching. Squeeze it gently instead – same result, less damage.