The Top 10 Causes Of Hair Breakage & How To Stop It

Hair breakage is no fun for anyone! The majority of us have experienced it to some extent before, even if it was just split ends. But in reality, there are some habits that you may be unaware of that are actually causing your breakage to get worse. In this post, I’ll list all of the different types of hair breakage and what you can do to avoid it from happening or getting worse.

***Since I’m sharing the products that I love to use with you guys, this page includes affiliate links to these products. If you take action and purchase a product through clicking one of my links, I’ll make some commission money from it at no extra cost to you. This enables me to be able to continue giving you awesome hair tips, so thanks! ***

What causes hair breakage?

There are 10 main vices that cause breakage in our hair. That being said, there are plenty of other things that can cause hair breakage, these are just the 10 that I personally see the most frequently as a hairstylist.

You can watch my Youtube Video on hair breakage below.

1. Hair breakage from lack of moisture

A lack of moisture is common in coarse hair types because there are more layers in the individual hair strand for the conditioner to penetrate. This means it’s harder for that moisture to reach the center of the strand, causing it to feel dry or brittle.

Fine hair can fully absorb moisture much easier, which is another reason why it gets weighed down much more easily.

Even if you don’t have coarse hair, there are several reasons your hair may be lacking moisture:

Over washing your hair

This is probably what I see most often with my clients! I cringe when someone tells me they wash their hair every day. This is a big no-no!

Washing your hair everyday not only dries your hair out but it also drastically fades the color. When you shampoo you are stripping the natural oils from your hair and scalp, which in turn dries it out. We need those natural oils to keep our hair and scalp moisturized, thats why we product them to begin with.

Stripping away the oil actually causes you to produce excess oil, which is why you feel like you can’t skip days. If you begin to train your hair to skip days, it will get used to this and stop producing as much oil. I recommend using dry shampoo to extend your days between washes, and a shower cap on the days you don’t wash. Here is a cute twisted shower cap, and here is a cheaper pack that gets the job done!

I’ve written an entire blog post on the frequency you should be shampooing your hair, as well as 6 dry shampoo benefits if you’d like to learn more about each topic.

You can find my guide to determining how often you should be washing your hair here, and my post on dry shampoo here. To get straight to the point, this post will explain how I go 2 full weeks without washing my hair.

Not using a leave-in conditioner

You should be using a leave-in conditioner after you get out of the shower and while your hair is still wet. This is like using a moisturizer on your face or body lotion after you shower. Your hair needs a moisturizer that is not rinsed out and stays present in your hair all day.

Leave-in conditioner helps to condition your hair, seal the cuticle (outer layer), protect it from UV rays, detangle, replenish lost moisture, and more. You can find my favorite one here or in my recommended routine at the bottom of this pos.

2. Hair breakage from heat styling

Another common cause of hair breakage is from using hot tools. This can be from a blow dryer, flat iron, curling iron, or thermal brush. Below I’ll describe the 2 most common ways heat tools can damage your hair, but it’s important to understand that no matter what you should ALWAYS be using a thermal protectant.

I recommend using a leave-in conditioner that contains a thermal protectant before you blow dry, and a separate thermal protectant in an aerosol can for before you iron.

It is also better to blow dry your hair than it is to iron it because the heat is in the form of hot hair, which is indirect/diffused heat. When the heat is coming from an iron, the heat is direct metal plates against your hair which puts it at a significantly higher risk of damage.

Using heat tools too frequently

When I do blow dry my hair (which is not every time I shampoo it), I let my hair dry 75-90% of the way on its own before blow drying. This saves time as well as limits the amount of heat you are exposing your hair to.

But in order to do this, I schedule my hair-wash days strategically. If I know I won’t have much time to let my hair air dry, then I pick a different day to wash it.

Instead of using a curling iron all the time, try utilizing heatless waves. You can find my blog post on different heatless options here.

Using heat tools too hot

Even if you aren’t using your heat tools everyday, you need to make sure that they are turned down on the days that you are using them!

NEVER turn your iron up all the way. EVER. You should be using your iron at the lowest heat possible for your hair. More, faster passes are better than slow, very hot ones.

Now, the temperature that your iron is at depends on your hair type. If you don’t know what hair type you have, check out my post here. And if you do know, then read my guide here to determine what temperature YOU should be using based on a number of factors.

No matter what heat your irons are at, you MUST be using a thermal protector! No iron should EVER touch your hair without one. My favorite one can be found here, and you can check the product list below for a full description.

3. Chemical hair breakage

This is a big one. If your hair has been bleached, you probably have some chemical damage. It can be hard to avoid when going significantly blonde, but it is not impossible.

To avoid this, ALWAYS have your hair done professionally in the salon opposed to attempting to color it yourself at home. Trust me when I say that you want to leave it to the professionals when it comes to the chemical composition of your hair.

If you’re curious as to why box dye and coloring your hair at home is so bad, check out my post here (and read some of the comments). And to learn why I don’t recommend bleaching your hair yourself, see my post here.

Even if you do have your hair done in the salon, it’s still very possible to have chemically damaged hair. Sometimes your hair can’t handle what you and your stylist are trying to accomplish, and there is a fine line between getting it the perfect color and maintaining all of the hairs integrity. Often times a little breakage is unavoidable no matter how experienced the stylist is.

4. Hair breakage from towel drying and cotton pillowcases

This one may not be as obvious, but it’s the most common cause of hair breakage at the front hairline and the crown of the head.

Rough towel drying/Large bath towel turbans

When I explain this issue to my clients they are always shocked because as women we were raised doing this. But you shouldn’t ever wrap a large bath towel on your head after the shower. A large bath towel is too big and heavy, and when it’s wet it is even heavier. When a large towel is wrapped around your hair, it puts some serious stress and tension on your hairline.

The hairs around your face are already the most fragile, and this can break them right off. Instead of using a large bath towel, I recommend using a smaller towel, or even better, a hair wrap. These are not as large as bath towels and put much less pressure on those fragile hairline hairs. You can get a hair turban here.

Even if you dont use an actual hair towel/wrap, try to use a smaller towel made from micro-fiber and not cotton. Watch my Youtube short below to learn how to wrap your hair with a small towel.

Cotton pillowcases

What material is the pillowcase you’re using made out of? Cotton is a big no-no. When you sleep, your hair can cling to the cotton and if it’s already fragile, it can break off over time.

I’ve heard of girls finding split ends in their bedding. I recommend always using a silk pillowcase. This allows the hair to slip and glide, and will be much more gentle than cotton. You can find silk pillow cases made specifically for hair and skin here.

5. Hair breakage from hair ties and clips

This topic is another big one because everyone seems to be clueless about it. You need to be extremely careful when wearing your hair in a pony or clip. ESPECIALLY a messy bun. I recommend using a scrunchy over an elastic hair tie. Elastic hair ties put too much tension on your hair that can cause breakage.

Wearing a high pony puts the weight of ALL your hair on the one section around the area the elastic sits. A low pony is better because there is not nearly as much pressure against that hair tie. Use gravity to your advantage here. It can still cause breakage, but it’s typically not as bad as a regularly high pony tail.

And a messy bun is unfortunately the absolute worst option because you are putting tension on all areas of the hair strand causing breakage and frizziness all over.

Clips and headbands can cause breakage too. You wouldn’t believe how often a client sits in my chair and I can tell them exactly where the clip or headband sits on their head by breakage patterns.

If you must have your hair pulled back, I recommend low ponys or braids that are tied off at the bottom because they put the least amount of stress on the hair.

If you are a runner or avid gym goer than you should get used to wearing braids! I also suggest switching up the position of your hair-tie, scrunchy, or clip. This will give that specific area a break.

6. Hair breakage from infrequent haircuts

How often do you cut your hair? If you have split ends or breakage at the bottom of your hair, then I can guess that its probably not enough. I don’t recommend EVER going more than 3 months without a trim, and that is with healthy virgin hair, let alone color-treated flat-ironed hair.

The amount of time between cuts does vary from person to person, and I’ve written a blog post here that will help you determine your sweet spot timing between cuts and mini trims. On average its every 4-8 weeks.

This is crucial because if you don’t trim the split ends off, the hair will not stop breaking. You need to remove ALL of the split ends in order for your hair to stop splitting and breakage traveling up the hair strand.

7. Hair breakage from poor diet or lack of water consumption

Ever hear the saying you are what you eat? Eating healthy foods gives your body the nutrients you need to have healthy luxurious hair. Your hair is made up of protein, so if you aren’t getting enough protein in your diet, than it is definitely affecting your hair quality.

I also recommend making sure you are drinking enough water. It makes sense that if you don’t drink enough water, your hair and scalp will lack moisture. This is a big one for me, and I will admit it took me 28 years to figure out how to drink the right amount of water. The key is to drink half your body weight in ounces of WATER a day.

8. Summer hair breakage

This section is another one that isn’t talked about as much, but is extremely important. Summertime comes with a number of different factors that can cause some serious hair breakage.

I typically recommend coming in sooner than other seasons to get a haircut in the summer months, because it is much more susceptible to breakage with the added elements it gets put through. I’ve written an entire blog post on summer hair care here.

UV rays

UV rays from the sun or tanning beds will fade your color and dry out your hair. Believe it or not, your hair can get sun burned just as your skin can, except once it’s damaged it doesn’t go back to normal with some aloe. This is especially common in lighter hair colors, just like paler skin.

I recommend keeping your hair covered from the sun as much as possible and using a UV protectant for your hair when it’s not under a hat or shade.

Pools and the ocean

As I’m sure you already know, chlorine is terrible for your hair and skin. It dries it out and fades the color immediately. Do your best to avoid getting your hair wet with chlorine. This will save you in the long run!

If you do plan on going in the pool and getting your hair wet, douse it in conditioner before-hand and don’t rinse it out. Your hair will absorb the conditioner and not as much of the chlorine.

Keep in mind that salt-water pools and the ocean aren’t much better. Salt will also dry your hair out and fade the color.

9. Hair breakage from vigorous brushing

Nothing hurts my heart more than seeing someone take a paddle brush and quickly rip through their hair making those horrendous ripping sounds! Those sounds mean your hair is literally breaking off.

If you look at your lap and see a bunch of broken pieces of hair, then that’s a sign you are brushing your hair wrong, too hard, and probably with the wrong type of brush. Those pieces in your lap mean that your hair is literally getting shorter, let that sink in.

When brushing dry hair, I recommend using a 100% boar bristle brush with dry conditioner. This is the most gentle on your hair and also distributes the natural oils from your scalp throughout your hair strand to add shine.

When your hair is wet, use a detangler brush with leave-in conditioner. Start at the ends and GENTLY and SLOWLY brush your hair.

Wet hair is twice as fragile as dry hair and can break much more easily. Rather than split ends on your lap, you can break off actual chunks of hair.

To see my full guide on my favorite brushes and proper ways to brushing, check out my post here.

10. Hair breakage from cheap products

Let’s talk products! You need to make sure you are using professional products to protect and condition your hair in order to avoid breakage.

Cheap product brands that are bought at the drugstore or Sallys are low quality and not great for your hair. In order to make them less expensive they are watered down, contain alcohol, sulfates, and silicones that will coat your hair as well as dry it out.

When these silicones coat your hair with build-up, they’re blocking moisture from entering your hair strand which we already discovered that lack of moisture can cause breakage. So they’re definitely doing more harm than good.

Best hair product routine to stop hair breakage

Below are my favorite products and most of them I’ve mentioned earlier. These are crucial to maintaining healthy hair.

I’ve organized and listed the in the order that you should be using them to make it easier to be sure you’ve got everything covered!

1. Shampoos and conditioners for breakage

I recommend alternating between a bond building shampoo and conditioner with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. The bond building will strengthen the hair and the moisturizing will replenish lost moisture.

• Olaplex Bond Building Shampoo and Conditioner
• Pravana Intense Therapy Moisturizing shampoo and conditioner

2. Conditioning treatments for breakage

I also recommend alternating between a moisture masque and a bond builder. If your hair is significantly damaged then use one of these every single time you wash. These will penetrate your hair deeper than your traditional conditioner will. The bond builder treatment should be done before you shampoo and condition as it is not a conditioner.

• Pravana Moisture Treatment – Intense Therapy Treat Masque
• Olaplex Bonding Treatment – No. 3 

3. Leave-in products for hair breakage

For damaged hair I recommend using both a leave-in conditioner and a serum. The conditioner will moisturize the inner layers and detangle, while the serum will smooth and protect the inner layers. While they are both great on their own, they work wonders in conjunction with each-other on dry, damaged hair. I use both every time I get out of the shower whether I blow dry or not

• Pravana – Intense Therapy leave-in 
• Olaplex – Hair Serum

4. Thermal protectants

No iron should ever touch your hair without this. You can spray it section by section for best results, or spray all over your head before ironing.

• Aquage – Beyond Shine

5. UV protectants

This can come in the form of a thermal protectant and UV protectant, or even in the form of a light hold hair spray. It will say on the can UV protectant, and you should always use this if you plan on being outside all day.

• Pravana – Intense Therapy leave-in 

6. Dry shampoo and conditioner

Dry shampoo will help you to skip days between washes which will stop you from drying it out with regular shampoo.

And dry conditioner is an anti-static, smoothing spray that can reduce fly-aways without weighing your hair down or making you greasy. I like to use it before I brush out my dry hair with a boar brush.

• Olaplex – Dry Shampoo
• Kenra – Dry Oil Conditioning Mist 

Hair Breakage FAQ

Below I’m going to cover some common FAQ about hair breakage that may have not been covered above in the post.

Is hair breakage permanent?

Yes and no. Yes it is permanent in the sense that you can’t magically replace the hair that has broken off. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t stop the hair from breaking further and becoming healthy again in the future.

This is why it is so crucial to take the best care of your hair at home in-between appointments. Otherwise you’ll have to wait until it grows back and/or invest in some extensions.

Can I have bleached hair without hair breakage?

Yes! I personally have healthy bleached hair. But this is because I take excellent care of my hair as well as use the proper products.

Make sure that you have a good stylist that knows what they are doing when it comes to blonding services, and avoid doing ANY coloring at home. You should be using ALL of the recommended products, do conditioning treatments weekly, and be sure to get regular haircuts.

Blonde is a high-maintenance color. So be sure you’re prepared to take care of it before you dive in. Check out my blog post here to learn more about keeping up with blonde and bleached hair and here to learn some harsh truths about being a blonde.

Can I have hair breakage when I don’t color my hair or use heat tools?

Yes! Taking care of your hair doesn’t mean not doing anything to it at all. Avoiding color and heat tools will definitely help your case, but there are many other types of hair breakage.

Depending on your hair type, you can have sun damage, tension damage from hair ties or from brushing too hard, and even damage from a towel or pillowcase.

Conclusion

The top 10 causes for hair breakage are:

1. Lack of moisture
2. Heat damage
3. Chemical damage
4. Towel drying & cotton pillow cases
5. Hair ties & clips
6. Infrequent haircuts
7. Poor diet & inadequate water intake
8. The summertime
9. Rough brushing
10. Cheap products

To stop your hair from breaking further;

1. Alternate between a bond building and moisturizing shampoo and conditioner
2. Alternate between a bond building and moisturizing conditioning treatment
3. Use a leave-in conditioner as well as a hair serum
4. Use a thermal protectant before you iron
5. Use a UV protectant before going into the sun
6. Utilize dry shampoo and dry conditioner

I hope this post was helpful for you! If you have any further questions feel free to leave them in the comments. And be sure to subscribe below if you want to make everyday a good hair day!

Last Updated 03/12/2024