Raechele Cochran Gathers, MD
It’s important to know that there’s a difference between shedding and breakage of your hair. A certain amount of shedding is completely normal. Excessive amounts of shedding are not. And if you’re experiencing hair breakage, it’s important to know what the most common causes are.
How Much Hair Shedding is Normal?
Everyone sheds hair. It’s normal to shed between 50-100 strands per day! If you have longer hair, it might look like you’re losing more hair than you really are, because the long strands can be coiled around one another. Some people are heavier shedders than others. Check out this post on the hair cycle if you want to delve into more of the science!
Shedding Vs. Breakage
The hairs that you naturally shed will be full length and will probably have a hard white bulb on the ends. If your hair is breaking, you’ll notice small short fragments of your hair on your clothes and around your bathroom sink. In my experience, hair breakage is far more common than excessive shedding. There are so many common things that can cause hair breakage: Products, heat, relaxers, Infrequent washing, traction, infections, medical problems and more! That’s not to say that shedding doesn’t occur…it does! Telogen effluvium is a common form of excessive shedding. It can occur from stress, dieting, illnesses and even childbirth. You can read more about it here.
Common Causes of Hair Breakage
1. Lack of Moisture
Excessive dryness can make your hair parched and brittle. Dry hair lacks elasticity and can be prone to breakage, even with very gentle combing. You can combat dry hair by using a good deep moisturizing conditioner like Shea Moisture Manuka Honey &Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Treatment Masque. Try to do this weekly or every other week.
Sometimes hard water, and exposure to chemicals like chlorine and other mineral deposits can lead to dryness. You can get a showerhead filter to make your water softer and get rid of these nasty, drying deposits. Swimming and exposure to chlorine and sea salt can lead to high porosity hair and dry hair too. But don’t avoid the pool. It’s great exercise. Here are some tips to keep your hair healthy if you’re a swimmer.
2. Chemicals
Relaxers, texturizers and hair dye are some of the biggest culprits for hair breakage. They weaken the cuticle of the hair and can make your hair more porous and prone to breakage. Relaxer and coloring services together are a no-no, as they could weaken the hair too much. If you do relax, make sure to do it no more frequently than every 8-12 weeks, and be sure to only have the non-relaxed (virgin) hair treated.
3. Shampoo
Traditional shampoos can be drying to your hair. Instead of using a shampoo every week or every other week, look for lo-poo or co-washes. I like Cantu Conditioning Co-Wash. Also, explore other natural ways of cleansing your hair. Rhassoul clay washes and bentonite clay masks can help cleanse and detoxify your hair, without stripping it.
4. Too Much Heat
You shouldn’t use heat on your hair more than once a week. When you flat iron, use one with protective ceramic plates, and always use a heat protectant like Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Grow Thermal Protectant.
5. Traction
Traction means too much pulling. Tight braids, tight ponytails and too-tight puffs can all lead to breakage. You’ll typically notice shorter hairs around your hairline and nape, but you can see breakage in other areas too. You can read about how to regrow broken edges here.
6. Infrequent Washing
Please don’t go a month without letting water touch your hair. This will probably lead to breakage. Even if you’re not using a shampoo or co-wash, your hair should be wet at least every other week. Remember, oils do not moisturize your hair. Amla oil and baobab oil are awesome for sealing the hair, but they won’t add moisture. Only water can do that. Try night-time hair spritzing and sealing with your favorite oil.
7. Drying Products
Petrolatum and mineral oil are big culprits for causing breakage. They coat the hair and make it difficult for moisture to penetrate. This makes your hair weak and causes breakage. You can read more about ingredient do’s and don’ts.
8. Sleeping on Cotton
Your beauty sleep could cause hair breakage. Cotton sheets and pillowcases can dry, snag and break your hair. Use a satin pillow case or bonnet at night to avoid breakage.
9. Medical Issues
Thyroid disease, low vitamin D and infections like ringworm can all lead to hair breakage. So can stress and low vitamin levels like biotin. If you have breakage that won’t seem to go away, even after making changes in how you care for your hair, you should see a dermatologist.
