And since the infatuation with hot tools, dye jobs, and chemical processing is constantly on the rise, don’t fret; you’re not alone in dealing with your hair breakage. It’s actually more common than we think. “When the scales fall apart, the hairs become dry and separate from one another, which can result in split ends and shortened hair strands,” Fitzsimmons says. He continues that if this type of damage isn’t addressed, it can lead to full-blown hair breakage where strands fall out altogether. And we can guarantee, that’s not on anyone’s hair goals wish list. As far as chemical damage goes, that’s likely caused by treatments and dye jobs that push the hair past its limit. “When the hair is overprocessed, past its breaking point, the hair’s bonds can be easily damaged and become extremely dried out,” Fitzsimmons says. And since those with naturally curly or textured strands tend to experience dryness more than straight, fine-haired folks, these hair types can be more prone to hair breakage. But Fitzsimmons says fine and thinner hair types should keep an eye out for excessive tangling and split ends, which can cause brittleness in texture and lead to further damage all around. Fitzsimmons says other signs of hair breakage are lack of sheen, split ends, and visible texture differences. These can all easily stem from a lack of hydration in the hair, which, as previously noted, is a main factor when it comes to hair breakage. If you’re not sure if you’re dealing with shedding or breakage, Fitzsimmons recommends looking at the hair lost to determine the cause. “When you shed hair, you will often see a small bulb-like attachment on the bottom of your hair strand that you won’t see with hair breakage,” he says. “That little bulb usually indicates that it has come directly from the scalp, having essentially been shed off.” If you want additional tips on hydrating hair, check out the full guide. But Fitzsimmons does note that it is imperative that you combine hydration with any protein treatment for best results. “Hydration is needed to work with protein because too much protein can easily make the hair brittle.”
