You may have thought about how to avoid hair breakage but what is “hair breakage” and the cause of it?

As a hair stylist I always make sure my clients understand that hair goes through a few stages before it actually gets to the point of breakage. I am going to go through 3 signs your hair is on the way to breakage plus how to avoid hair breakage.

1. Dry hair is the most common sign you’re on the way to hair breakage

Washing your hair too often can cause breakage, using the wrong hair products, environmental damage, and cotton pillowcases can all contribute to dull dry hair.

Cotton pulls moisture out by absorbing the natural oils we have in hair and skin.

One way to avoid hair breakage is to choose a pillowcase that doesn’t absorb natural oils such as silk or satin.

Is your hair already feeling dry? Treat those dehydrated locks effectively with a deep moisturizing hair mask treatment once or twice a week.

I like the Bb Full Potential Conditioner or if you’ve got wavy to curly hair and like the Bumble and Bumble products I highly recommend the Bb Curl Butter Mask. 

Also, consider using a hair oil in between your washes to keep moisture in, tame any frizz, and even alleviate tangles which can help you avoid hair breakage.

When I notice dry hair on a client, I also always ask what shampoo and conditioner they’re using. Products can make an enormous difference to hair health and it’s possible that a shampoo and conditioner are not suitable for their natural hair texture.

For example, if you have thick or coarse hair, and are currently using a shampoo and conditioner for volume, you may not be treating your hair texture with enough moisture which can lead to dry, and frizzy hair.  Be sure to ask your stylist about the proper shampoo and conditioner that is designed for your specific texture and needs.

Different types of hair texture react differently to dryness; for example finer hair texture can become prone to static.

There are many causes for dry hair, but it is still only the first sign that your hair is on the path to breakage, and an easy fix.

2.The next sign that your hair is on the way to breakage is split ends.

What are split ends? I like how healthline.com explains

Split ends happen when the ends of your hair become dry, brittle, and frayed. They may resemble the end of an unraveled rope.

Split ends are caused by many things, such as long exposure to UV rays, heat damage without heat protection, dryness over time, over washing especially with hot water, or chemical damage.

The best way to avoid split ends is to get regular trims as directed by your stylist alongside moisturizing mask treatments and bond building treatments.

Bond building treatments have been a game-changer for the hair industry as they prevent breakage by reconnecting all the natural disulfide bonds that are deep within the structure of the hair. The result of this is youthful, strong and shiny reconstructed hair.

I also recommend giving your hair a break from heat styling during the recovery time to get your hair into a healthier state.

To prevent split ends altogether, assess your beauty regime and products and ask if the products are up to date and current with your hair needs?

Ask your hairstylist if you are unsure about how your haircare regime is working for your hair.

Always use heat protection when using hot tools; constant heat dries out the hair immensely, and is the fast lane to breakage.

Be conscious of the amount of direct sunshine exposed to your hair, wear hats if possible.

As a hairstylist I am more than happy to answer any questions my clients have, so don’t be afraid to ask your stylist for help! Ilove to educate my clients about how to face their hair struggles, and how home care will work for them.

3. Breakage, a hairstylist’s worst nightmare! Why? Because the health of the hair is compromised so significantly that the hair literally breaks off.

Have you noticed breakage after brushing your hair?

Have you ever thought “Why isn’t the length of my hair growing?”

Your hair is actually growing but it doesn’t seem like it because the length stays the same and/or simply loses density at the ends due to breakage.

In other words, the hair grows at the root, but breaks off at the ends in the process of growing.

If breakage is not addressed early on, your hair stylist will be limited with what they can do when you come in to the salon for chemical services.

If hair breakage is so bad that doing chemical services (like hair color, perms etc.) may affect the integrity of your hair those services may be out of the picture for a while.

So what now? Bond builder treatments!

Your hair will need to be under construction and brought back to life as best as possible.

Let’s recap, the first sign your hair is on the way to breakage is experiencing dryness, secondly, split ends, and the last sign is breakage.

If you make it to the “breakage” point your hair has experienced a lot of damage. Hair can only take so much, and we never realize how fragile our hair really is until it’s at it’s breaking point( no pun intended).

Hair can appear dull, lifeless and it ages our appearance, it will feel brittle, lack elasticity, shine and movement. In this condition, bad hair days are most likely ahead, and styling becomes a nightmare.

There is hope! You can turn this situation around with an investment in your hair regime and with a commitment to make a few changes to your beauty routine.

Within time your hair will improve in so many ways and will become less maintenance and so much easier to style your hair!

The good news is that Breakage can be slowed down and you can improve the health of your hair with a combination of bond building treatments, moisturizing or hydrating mask treatments, avoiding heat damage as much as possible and an updated hair care regime as directed by your stylist.

With all this information my goal is to help you feel confident and that you can start a hair journey towards healthier, and more youthful looking hair.