Severe Hair Breakage Causes and Treatment

Losing about 50 to 100 strands of hair every day is normal. Almost everyone loses as many. But suppose you notice rapid hair thinning and a consistent loss of more than 100 strands. Then the condition requires expert medical intervention.

Hair breakage is when the actual strand starts shedding. Often, you wouldn’t notice full hair fall but small pieces of hair on the ground. When individual sheets of hair fibers split from the rest of the lot, the condition is termed hair breakage.

In hair breakage, the hair breaks off from the tip when the ends are split. It can require trimming, or it can break halfway up the strand or even near the root.

Let’s now look at some causes of severe hair breakage and thinning.

• Stress: Telogen effluvium is the type of stress that can cause hair damage and breakage. It makes your hair follicles dormant to let the hair in the middle of the growth cycle break. The key to it is to manage stress.
• Diet: The absence of nutrients like zinc, folic acid, iron, etc., can weaken the hair and cause breakage. Eating food rich in these nutrients can help.
• Dryness: Using boiling water while bathing can lead to dry hair, which becomes vulnerable to damage and breakage. Also, dry, hot, and humid weather can cause the hair to break. Thus, warm water and moisturizing hair can prevent hair breakage.
• Over-Processing: Professional straightening and coloring can make the hair look healthy. But overdoing them can let the cuticle to break down and damage hair. Seek a professional dermatologist’s advice.
• Incorrect Towel Drying: Rubbing the towel vigorously on the scalp weakens the hair and causes it to break from the root or the middle. Instead of rubbing, you must blot an absorbent towel or leave a towel in your hair to absorb the excess water. Additionally, incorrect combing or brushing and frequently changing hair styles can lead to hair breakage.

Some other severe hair breakages and thinning causes include hypothyroidism, eating disorders, lack of hair trims, and elastic hair ties.

You may try a few home-based remedies to treat severe hair breakage and thinning. If they don’t work, consult a dermatologist and get proper treatment. Some of the pretty straightforward remedies include the following.

• Trim your hair to even out uneven edges
• Get a haircut as a quick fix for hair breakage
• Make some dietary changes. Eat hair-healthy foods.

But the best way is to prevent hair breakage and thinning. Some of the prevention measures include the following.

•  Moisturize and nourish your hair
•  Braid your hair up before applying shampoo
•  Focus on fixing split ends early
• Shampoo appropriately 
• Use a conditioner
• Maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle

HairMD is your answer to many hair-related concerns. We’ve treated various hair conditions and thousands of patients to date. Our experience and the various home-based and clinical hair treatment options make us a reliable hair clinic. In addition, accurate diagnosis, personalized approach, and friendly dermatologists that answer all your questions – these factors contribute to our uniqueness and credibility. Click here to connect and book an appointment with us.