5 Reasons Your Hair Keeps Breaking

Many of you are using this time away from your regular hair appointments to let your locks grow. But whether your hair is long or short, broken strands can make your hairdo look less polished than you’d like. So why does it keep breaking? 

Blow Dry and Heat Styling Errors

Your hair is at it’s weakest when it’s wet. When you start to blow dry the minute you get out of the shower that wet hair is at it’s most susceptible to breakage. Make sure to use a microfiber cloth or turban to gently blot and press the water out. If you can, let your hair air dry a bit before bringing the hairdryer to it. Make sure to keep the hairdryer at least two inches from your scalp so as not to overheat the wet hair. While drying wet hair, use a Wet Brush or a synthetic brush with flexible plastic bristles. Once the hair is 85 percent dry, you can switch to your styling brush. Try not to use heat stylers every day, if possible. Giving your hair a break in between will help keep it stronger. If you have to use heat stylers, be sure to use a heat protectant first.  

Your Hair is Too Dry

In your effort to keep from weighing your hair down, you aren’t giving your hair the moisture it needs. Dry hair is brittle hair. If you don’t want to use a rich conditioner for fear of droopy locks, make sure to use a deep conditioner at least once a week. Try sleeping in it overnight or leaving it on all day while you’re at home. Making sure your hair is hydrated is a major defense against split ends.  

You’re Sleeping on Cotton

That cotton pillowcase of yours looks great on the bed with its matching sheet set, but it is not your friend at night. Silk pillowcases aren’t a luxury; they’re a necessity, in my opinion. You spend money on your hair at the hairdresser, you spend money on your skincare, but you might as well just burn the money instead if you’re sleeping on cotton. Sound over the top? It’s not. That cotton pillowcase is wicking the moisture and skincare products from your face and hair all night. The friction caused on the pillow between your hair and the pillowcase is another main reason your hair is breaking. By contrast, silk allows the hair to slide on the pillowcase. 

Washing Too Often

You should only wash your hair three times a week at a maximum. Over washing strips the hair of the natural oils it needs to keep the hair strong and prevent breakage. But what if you have an oily scalp? If you have to wash your hair every day, make sure you really wet the hair and use just enough shampoo to clean your scalp. Use warm water to open the cuticle and apply conditioner to the lower part of your hair. If you can stand it, rinse your hair well with cold water, which will smooth and close the cuticle.  

Too Much or Too Little Protein

Protein keeps your hair strong, but too much can cause the hair to be brittle and break easily. Be careful with protein shampoos and conditioners. These products are great in the short term to repair weak and damaged hair, but consistent use can actually backfire. In this instance, you can get too much of a good thing. For stronger hair without adding too much protein, opt for a biotin supplement.