When it comes to our faces and the way our hair looks, we become self-conscious. It’s only natural.

 After all, no matter how we hate it, people judge us by our appearance first. And when we’re talking about losing hair in an area that’s mostly exposed, we, women, become embarrassed and even frightened. 

But there are ways to stop hair breakage at the crown! 

Table of contents:

• How can you tell your hair is breaking at the crown?
• Is it hair breakage or normal hair shedding?
• What are the causes of hair breakage at the crown?
• Sectioning your hair
• Lack of moisture
• Always having tight hairstyles
• Using heated tools too often
• Over-brushing 
• Over-washing
• Vigorous towel drying 
• Lack of regular trimmings
• A poor diet
• It’s in the water!
• Stress
• Health problems
• Does hair breakage grow back?
• How do you fix broken hair on a crown?
• What habits should you adopt?
• What products help you grow your crown back?

How can you tell your hair is breaking at the crown?

It’s a challenge to be dealing with hair breakage at the crown. Everybody can see it. 

You yourself are struggling with what you see. We get frustrated. 

But, before jumping to the worst-case scenario, let’s see if you’re actually losing your hair. 

• Shorter hair on top and middle of the head noticed more on the area where you tend to part your hair can signal hair breakage here. Does it seem like hair in this area never grows? It can be a sign of breakage at the crown. 
• Observing balding spots or thinning of hair at the crown lets you know there’s damage. Damaged hair becomes so weak it can thin out and even fall. Hence the bald spots. 
• Scalp soreness lets you know there’s too much tension and stress on the follicles. When the follicles are tugged and pulled, they can weaken, and hair can break or fall. 

Is it hair breakage or normal hair shedding?

Natural hair breakage and shedding are different from hair breakage at the crown. You can expect to shed about 50-100 hair strands a day. Anything more than that needs some investigation. 

What are the causes of hair breakage at the crown?

Let’s explore the common causes that lead to hair breaking on top of your head:

Sectioning your hair

The way you frequently part your hair can cause tension and repeated stress to the same areas of the hair and scalp. Try switching your hair parting from time to time!

Lack of moisture

Heat - from heated tools, hot water, sun exposure, saunas, blow-dryers can leave the hair cuticle open. 

That’s how you can suffer from breakage from insufficient moisture in the hair and scalp. 

Always having tight hairstyles

Pulling your hair back in tight hairstyles can lead to breakage because the hair is being pulled away from the root. 

Traction alopecia can develop from such habits. 

Using heated tools too often

Eliminate any source of extreme heat on your crown. Be it sun exposure, blow-drying, hot showers, or using a curling iron or flattening iron, your hair needs less of it.

Over-brushing

Mechanical stress is to be avoided since it can lead to breakage as well. 

If you don’t need it, don’t do it!

Over-washing

Over-washing can cause your hair to become flakey and brittle. Strands become fragile, and they lose moisture and their natural protective oils, becoming more susceptible to breaking. 

Vigorous towel drying

Wet hair is more vulnerable to breaking. Rubbing it with your towel increases frizz and leads to the sectioning of the hair shaft. 

Lack of regular trimmings

Regular haircuts prevent split ends that can make the hair more prone to breaking higher up on the shaft.

A poor diet

If your diet is poor in nutrients that boost hair health, you can deal with chronic breakage. Make sure to add biotin, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D and E, iron, zinc, selenium, and plenty of protein to your diet. 

It’s in the water!

Not just the water you drink, though hydration is vital. 

Not in hot water you use when showering, though you could use less of it. 

But, in the hard water! 

Chlorine, heavy metals, and mineral deposits can weaken the hair cuticle, causing hair to become porous and eventually break. 

Stress

Mental stress and physical stress can cause telogen effluvium: the roots reach the resting stage before they should, and hair falls. 

Health problems

Many health issues can cause hair breakage. Thyroid disorders, eating disorders, scalp infections of inflammation can cause hair to break and fall.  

Does hair breakage grow back?

There is no magic potion to heal hair breakage. It’s all about patience, some TLC, and good products. And yes, the good news is that hair breakage at the crown is usually reversible. 

Your hair and scalp can recover if you invest in your routine. 

How do you fix broken hair on a crown?

If you have ruled out any medical issue - physical, mental stress, and a poor diet are included - here are some habits that can help you:

What habits should you adopt?

Some habits from your day-to-day life can trigger hair breakage. We’re pretty sure some will seem intuitive, but you wouldn’t imagine the degree of damage they can cause. 

Here is what we’re talking about:

Give your hair a rest!

Stop tugging and pulling! Your scalp will thank you. So will your follicles!

High temperatures are not your hair’s friends!

Heat damage is the culprit when it comes to breakage. Heated styling tools can dry the scalp and the hair. Your strands will become fray and can break easily. 

Use the cool setting on your blow-dryer, or maybe don’t blow-dry at all. Forget about heated tools. 

Use lukewarm water and avoid sun exposure. 

Also, and we can’t stress this enough, invest in a heat protectant spray!

Change your hairdo!

If you always part your hair the same way, some areas of the scalp and hair will get tense. 

Mix up the way you section your hair!

Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate!

On the outside and on the inside. Moisture is key for a healthy set of hair and a balanced scalp. And it shows!

Sleep on silk or satin!

Cotton can be rough, causing your hair to tangle, break and dry out. Tossing and turning on a cotton pillowcase can absorb all the natural oils in your hair and scalp and can cause friction. 

Smooth, gentle fabrics such as silk or satin do not put stress on your locks. 

Forget about blow-drying, Queen!

If you’re going to blow-dry, at least let your tresses air dry a bit. Wet hair is prone to breakage. 

And frankly, you could forget about that dryer altogether! Or maybe use it on the cool air setting!

Forget about harsh chemicals on your hair and scalp!

Bleached hair and any type of chemical processing done to your tresses can affect its structure. Improper coloring can also cause dry hair and an irritated scalp. 

In time, the follicles can suffer, causing loss or a lack of nutrients to the shaft. Also, the hair becomes brittle and can break easily since the cuticle is affected. 

Be gentle when detangling your tresses!

The detangling process is vital for maintaining the health of your hair. 

Be patient. Do not pull! Forget about tugging!

Your hair doesn’t like it rough, but quite gentle!

Trim those locks, Rapunzel!

When you’re dealing with breakage in the top area of the head, the last thing you need is split ends that climb up the shaft and threaten your hair health. Removing split ends encourages hair growth.

Have you tried scalp massages?

Scalp massages can be soothing. They can relax you, and letting go of stress can help. They can also stimulate the blood flow to the follicles. 

This is especially true when you add a couple of essential oils that nurture and strengthen your hair into the mix!

What products help you grow your crown back?

Changing your hair care routine will benefit your scalp and strands. Harsh chemicals are to be avoided when your notice hair breakage and damage. 

It’s time to focus on what’s best for you!

Choose a shampoo for hair breakage!

Yes, there is one such thing! According to one study, the pH levels of shampoos can trigger hair breakage. Alkaline or basic shampoos cause a negative charge on the hair, modifying its pH levels. 

This leads to static and friction, and the strands are more susceptible to breakage. That is why a balanced, gentle, and fortifying shampoo is what your hair needs! 

Do not skimp on your hair conditioner!

You might think you can skip conditioning your hair! But not using this product after shampooing can cause damage. 

Conditioners are meant to neutralize the charge in your hair, preventing friction and tangling. Make sure to include a leave-in conditioner in your hair care regimen as well. 

Go for a protein deep conditioning treatment!

Lack of moisture in the hair and scalp can trigger breakage and loss of hair at the crown. It’s not unusual since the top of the head is more susceptible to dryness and moisture loss. 

Hair tends to be coarser and drier in this region. That is why a deep conditioner treatment every once in a while can be what you need. 

Protein deep conditioning fills the damaged spots in the keratin coating of the hair and deeply nourishes the shaft, making it stronger. Hence it prevents breakage.

Use hair oils!

Using natural oils to replenish your tresses is key when dealing with breakage. Dry hair lacks the oil it needs to thrive. 

Some oils can be used to stimulate hair growth and to protect the cuticle from damage. 

Olive, avocado, coconut, castor, jojoba, and argan oil are some of the best choices to replenish hair and stop breakage. 

While hair breakage at the crown can be scary, as you can see, we’ve got plenty of remedies. 

Just be patient enough to add them to your routine! A routine for a queen who wants her luscious crown back!

Of course, feel free to browse the WOW Skin Science website, and find the natural hair care products that suit you best.