The main cause for brittle hair is because hair turns dry, and this could be a result of anything from a serious health condition to just plain over drying of hair. Moisture is what keeps your hair soft, healthy and shiny. If you strip your hair off this moisture by using too much shampoo containing harsh chemicals, then your hair will turn brittle.
Malnutrition, thyroid problems, environmental factors, and anorexia are also likely causes for brittle hair. The hair gets its nourishment from external factors and through the foods we eat. Brittle hair breaks easily as it is undernourished and vulnerable to everything, even combing.
How Your Hair Can Turn Brittle
- Washing your Hair Too Often: Often we use harsh shampoos that contain nothing but chemicals to keep our hair clean. These chemicals strip away the moisture from the hair shaft and this leaves the hair dry and brittle. Dermatologists opine that washing the hair daily with shampoos can leave it dry and brittle by removing moisture and the natural oils which help protect the hair. The recommended number of hair washes a week is only two or three washes. The use of mild herbal based shampoos are advocated and using a good conditioner after hair wash is a must. The conditioner helps to keep the hair smooth and moisturized.
- Excessive Use of Styling Products: People subject their hair to all types of styling products like blow dryers, flat irons, hair straightners, perms and styling gels that can cause their hair to turn brittle.
- Environmental Factors: The climate in the region where you live plays an important past in causing your hair to be brittle. If the climate is extremely hot, with little humidity, too much harsh sunlight, and dry heat, then your hair will become brittle and dry. If it is too windy, or you swim often in chlorine water then your hair is most likely to become brittle and damaged sooner. Chlorine can strip your hair off its natural oils and moisture and turn it dry and brittle. Wear a cap to keep your hair protected when swimming or you need to be out in the sun for long.
- Lack of Proper Nutrition: We often fail to take all the nutrients required for our healthy growth through intake of proper foods. Foods with iodine content, Copper, Vitamin B should be consumed everyday for healthy brittle free hair. Include Omega-3 essential fatty oils found in foods like salmon and fish oil, flaxseed and walnuts to help retain moisture in hair.
- Health problems: There are a number of health problems that can cause brittle hair. They are Hypothyroidism, Hypoparathyroidism, Trichorrhexis Nododsa and Anorexia Nervosa.
- Hypothyroidism: Here, the body is incapable of producing thyroid hormones which leads to depression, fatigue and weakness that leaves the hair brittle and dry. Treatment for this malady is necessary.
- Anorexia Nervosa: This is an eating disorder, where a person eats very little food for fear of gaining weight. The anorexic body is very thin and looks more skeletal and deprived of essential nutrients. Hair loss and brittle hair are commonly noticed along with other health problems.
- Hypoparathyroididsm: here there is very little secretion of the parathyroid hormone which results in the lack of calcium being produced and absorbed, the increase of phosphorus levels rises leading to this condition. Dry brittle hair, muscle spasms, seizures and rough skin are a result of this condition.
- Trichorrhexis Nododsa: This is a genetic condition, where the hair shafts become thick or weak to become brittle and dry. Along with this health problem, subjecting the hair to excessive blow drying and other hair treatments can cause further damage.
Tips to Prevent Brittle Hair
- Trim your hair regularly.
- Use soft water to rinse hair and avoid hard water.
- Avoid the use of rubber bands to tie hair or use of hair clips as these will cause hair to be stretched and pulled especially when they are being removed.
- Avoid leaving hair dipped in water especially in tubs for long.
- Use wide toothed wooden combs for combing hair.
- Keep hair treatments to minimum.
- Allow a two month gap between hair treatments.
- Massage hair with oil and rinse.
- Use a hair pack to nourish hair.
- Eat nourishing foods that contain all essential nutrients.
- Never starve, always maintain a good diet.
- Drink lots of water daily.
