What could be more upsetting than your hair breaking apart constantly? For someone who holds their luscious mane in high esteem, this ranks pretty high up on the list. 

Fortunately, there's no need to be alarmed. Once you've understood why breakages occur in the first place and are equipped with the right knowledge, products, and a can-do attitude, you can finally put a stop to it! No more pesky clumps of hair stuck in the shower drain, and goodbye to the dreaded nightmare of waking up with an entire strand on the floor after brushing.

Here’s everything that you need to know:

• Why Breakages Happen
• How to Prevent and Treat Hair Breakage
• Getting a Trim
• No More Dye
• Get a Micro-Fiber Towel
• Use the Right Products

Why Breakages Happen 

Most commonly, hair breakage is caused by a lack of moisture. You have probably heard that trying to stretch out a hair strand is a good way to test its strength – and that is because you are actually testing how dry your hair is. When hydrated, it will be malleable, coming back to its original form with ease. But if it does not have enough moisture, it will snap, breaking off easily. Unfortunately, this is the greatest indicator of dry hair. 

But dry hair does not happen all by itself and can be the result of multiple causes, such as:

• Chemicals – if your hair has undergone repeated bleaching and dyeing, then it is no surprise that it’s prone to breakage. There is only so much chemical quantity that human hair can endure; bleaching strips off all of the natural oils, while hair dye contains all kinds of chemicals that can burn the bonds that try their hardest to keep your hair healthy. 

• Brushing too much, too often – it may seem self-explanatory, but over-brushing can easily cause breakage by constantly bothering the hair and forcing it out of the root, simultaneously giving it a dull, rigid appearance. 

• Using hot tools – blow-dryers, curls irons, straighteners, and all heat-based products will gradually destroy your hair by, quite literally, frying it. This makes the hair incredibly delicate to the touch, and therefore prone to breakage. 

• Sulfates – not using the right shampoo and conditioner will definitely have long-term consequences. Sulfates are cleaning agents that are often found in non-specialized hair products. While they are not all that damaging to the scalp and hair follicles, they are sometimes too good at their jobs, cleaning even the natural oils produced by your scalp, consequently drying your hair and making it fragile. 

• Rough towels and drying techniques – breakage can easily happen when you use a rough-textured towel to dry your hair after a bath, especially if you’re aggressively rubbing it through. Safe to say, this is a sure-fire way to damage the hair shaft and create unwanted frizz.

• A poor diet – it’s always important to make sure that you are feeding your body what it needs so that it’s allowed to fulfil all of its functions. If you have a deficiency in certain nutrients such as iron, zinc, or Vitamin-D, your hair will suffer and become weak and prone to damage. 

How to Prevent and Treat Hair Breakage 

If you have noticed that you suffer from a lot of breakages, it is time to make a few changes to your routine. Fixing already broken strands and split ends is sadly impossible, but there are multiple ways to prevent further damage.

Getting a Trim

This might be a hard pill to swallow, but if you truly want to save your hair, you might have to give it a cut. But don’t panic! There is no need for any over-the-top changes – your focal point should be the frizzy ends, where breakage starts. Once these are gone, this should help prevent the hair from splitting up all the way up to its roots. 

Unfortunately, a “once in a lifetime trim” is not enough. If you were not doing this before, you should start getting your hair trimmed at least once every three months. 

No More Dye 

We know how difficult it might be to give up on the colorful dyes that give your hair that extra kick you needed for your look. But as we’ve mentioned above, the chemicals that are used to bleach and dye your hair can be very harmful to your hair’s integrity and health, ultimately resulting in breakage. 

So if you’ve been overdoing it with the bleach and hair dye, it is time for your hair to get a well-deserved break … before it breaks apart. 

Get a Micro-Fiber Towel 

A soft, micro-fiber towel is always a good investment. Thanks to its non-abrasive texture, you avoid creating frizz and damaging the hair. You should also remember not to rub your hair, but just gently scrunch or pat it, and then let the towel do the rest. 

A small hair drying life-hack – if you don’t have a micro-fiber towel on hand, just grab a cotton shirt lying idly around the house as a temporary solution. Working in a similar way to the towel, it will soak up the excess water and not cause any breakage.

Use The Right Products  

Once hair breakage starts becoming a serious problem, you should revamp your hair-care routine completely. Every product change can result in that extra boost your hair needs in order to prevent breakage altogether. While it might be initially difficult to decide what the best shampoo or the optimal conditioner would be based on your scalp’s specific needs, here are the main qualities you should look out for: anti-breakage products that promote hydration, nourishment, smoothing, and that are sulfate-free and parabens-free.

Sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners are always a good idea. As we’ve already established, sulfates strip your scalp of its natural oils, making it highly prone to breakage. To combat that, use a mixture of Argan oil-based products in order to keep your hair moisturized at all times. The constant hydration and nourishment that the argan oil provides will greatly facilitate your hair’s healing process. 

Once a week, when you’ve completed your shampooing and conditioning routine, make sure to add a nourishing coconut milk hair mask in the mix. The combination of shea butter and coconut milk extract assists in the post-breakage process by smoothening and strengthening the tense hair strands. As an added benefit, it will also give your hair a long-lasting luscious shine.

“What about that old brush I’ve been using since college?” That’s right, that also has to go. In order to easily detangle your tense hair, make a small investment in a flexible brush that works when your hair is dry, as well as when it’s wet. Not only will brushing become a pain-free, pleasant experience, but you will also enjoy better circulation, even heat dispersal, and greater control! 

At the end of the day, pampering your hair with the best products will, naturally, bring the best results. Do your hair a favor and invest in a high-quality routine, and you will see your wisdom repaid in kind. Soon enough, breakage will be a thing of the past, and your hair will be enjoying a full-on revival!