How to Stop Hair Breakage Before It Even Starts

If there’s one thing we can all agree on, regardless of our hair type, it’s that hair breakage is a genuine pain. It looks horrible, it feels bad, and it leads to even more vexing issues, such as frizz and inhibited hair development. In summary, if a curly girl experiences a nightmare in her sleep, it’s most likely related to hair breakage. 

Hair breakage occurs when the shaft of a hair strand breaks, resulting in a shortened strand and, more often than not, a split end. Because you can never put a broken strand of hair back together, the crucial move here is prevention. On the positive side, preventing hair breakage will fix many of your other hair problems. Here are a couple of solutions to this vexing problem.

• Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize

Breakage of hair is a common side effect of dryness. If you have curly hair, you definitely require a lot of moisture, so you know what to do – boost the deep conditioner and leave-in conditioner, and don’t forget to seal with oil to keep your hair from losing moisture during the day. Use a satin or silk pillowcase or wrap your hair at night to keep moisture in for the following several days. Otherwise, you’ll lose a significant amount of moisture to your pillow.

• Consider a protein therapy

Hair breaks in certain circumstances because the shaft of the hair has simply gotten too weak. This is frequently the consequence of chemical processing (such as hair color) or porous hair. Because the hair cuticle is formed of protein, protein treatment can help to strengthen your hair strands. Look for a protein therapy that contains hydrolyzed protein.

• Detangle the right way – and patiently

When your hair is damp, never brush it with a conventional brush. (Or, for that matter, dry!) Only use a brush developed specifically for waves and curls, such as a Denman brush or a Wet brush. Although wet hair is easier to detangle, it is also more fragile and prone to breakage. Before you even touch a comb or hair detangler brush, make sure your curls are coated in a product with plenty of slip. 

Be patient when you come into knots. Sit down, put on some Netflix, and prepare to take your time with each knot so you don’t have to rip it out of your hair. Ripping knots result in immediate breaking.

• Heat should be avoided

Heat styling, as opposed to hair breakage, is a more contentious topic among naturals. Some avoid it totally, while others use the blow-dryer on a weekly basis. If you do use heat on your hair on a frequent basis, apply a heat protectant to keep it from becoming damaged. Allow your hair to air-dry for a few minutes before blow-drying. Use heat on your hair no more than once a week, at most.

• Be delicate with your hairstyles

Your ponytail is perfect, but what about your hair strands?! Updos tug on your strands and the stress can cause breakage (as well as hair loss). If you frequently wear your hair up, give it a break and let it hang loose once in a while. You may also experiment with looser updos by using simply soft hair ties.

• Maintain a regular hairstyle

Regular trims are necessary to eliminate dead and split ends. Otherwise, split ends will move up each hair strand, causing further hair breaking. If the notion of paying for regular haircuts makes you cringe, keep in mind that you can simply dust your own ends at home.