Hair breakage moments for me are equal to killjoy moments. Losing that length you have tried so long and so hard to achieve could really be a pain, and yep, I have been there. The struggle is very real! I’m sure you can relate, and that is why I’m sharing with you factors that cause my hair to break, and what I do to avoid them:
- Dryness: To avoid dryness, keep your hair moisturized. Hot oil treatments help in avoiding dryness (check out my previous post on how to do hot oil treatment).
- Not consuming enough proper nutrients: Zinc for instance plays an important role in cell growth. Proteins make the hair shaft strong. Eat meals packed with vitamins. As the saying goes, when you eat well you look well and besides, you are what you eat.
- Over-processing your hair with chemicals: I noticed my hair strands get thinner and break off easily when I used relaxing creams twice a month. However, when I reduced usage to once in three months, my hair thrived better and breakage was minimal.
- Using a lot of heat: What do you think would happen to a shirt you iron everyday? Exactly! The same thing could happen to your hair, when heat is applied regularly and without care. Heat, when not used with caution, could be disastrous to our hair. It is advisable to apply heat protectant before putting any heating appliance(s) to the hair. Secondly, on days when you are not in a hurry, you could dry your hair naturally (using sunlight or natural air).
- Using cotton pillow cases: Here is an experiment you should try out: put water on a cotton material and then put some on a silk material, and check which absorbs water faster. No wonder towels are made of cotton, because they absorb liquids fast. In like manner, a cotton pillow case will sap all that moisture from your hair leaving it dry, and girl you know what dryness can lead to – breakage! Cotton material can also cause friction to the hair, which increases wear and tear. Use silk pillow cases or silk bonnets to protect your hair’s moisture levels.
- Improper combing of the hair: How do you comb your hair: from the tips to the root, or from the root to the tips? If the latter is your style, you need to change your style. Care and gentleness always wins. When you comb your hair from the tips, you save yourself from a lot of breakage, as there is less tension and pressure on the hair. You can also finger comb your hair first, to avoid losing your precious strands.
- Leaving your split ends: Once you notice split ends on your hair strands, let those frail ends go because split ends means the ends of the hair are dried and will get easily tangled up, thus leading to the hair breaking. Try to trim your hair at least twice a year to get rid of any split ends.
- Not using protective styling effectively: Protective styling is good, but only if it is done right. Protective styling like braids and plaits are a means to save our hair from constant manipulation and allow length to be retained. However, if they are done too tight, they can tug on your hair shaft and eventually pull it out. Most times this starts from the edges of the hair and continues through the rest of the hair. Ensure braids and plaits are kept as loose as possible so this does not happen to you.
- Over manipulation: With the excitement of having a new style everyday, or trying on a new conditioner or hair treatment today, tomorrow and every day, comes the risk of hair breakage. It’s good to switch up your look and try new things, but do not over do it – allow your hair enough breathing time in between each change to recover and strengthen.
- Low water intake: this is important for not just your hair, but your total well being. Your hair benefits from your drinking water, it rises and shines. When your water intake level is low, you could start to experience weakening hair shaft and subsequently hair breakage. You could set up an alarm to remind yourself to drink water regularly during the day, especially if you are like me 😉
Have you ever committed any of these hair breakage-causing crimes? Share in the comments below!
The Chics Domain 