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Hair Breakage: Causes and How to Reduce It

Updated on May 28, 2022

We all want thick, lustrous, healthy-looking hair – so it’s easy to be a little bummed out by a hairbrush full of your strands. Ditto split ends and those short, snapped-off hairs around your face. But is hair fall and breakage something you just have to put up with? Hell, no!

While some hair shedding is normal, too much can indicate damage from heat styling, an unhealthy diet, or even an over-reliance on your signature high pony. Sound familiar? Then it might be time to start making amends with your mane – and this article will tell you where to start.

To discover 7 steps to reducing hair breakage for lush and bouncy locks, read on!

What Causes Hair Breakage?

Firstly, let’s not panic. A handful of hairs left in your brush is nothing to freak out about. Shedding is a natural part of the hair growth cycle and, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, the average person loses around 50-100 hairs a day.

However, several factors can cause hair breakage¹ and lead to hair loss. Hormonal factors can also play a part and more permanent hair loss can also be triggered by harsh haircare products, tight hairstyles, genetics and medications².

Here are the primary causes of hair breakage that are most often fixable with changes to your routine and the right hair care products:

Heat Styling Damage: High-temperature tools like flat irons and blow dryers strip the hair of internal moisture and degrade the keratin structure, causing the strands to become brittle and snap easily.
Chemical Processing (Coloring & Bleaching): Harsh chemicals compromise the hair's internal bonds and strip away natural lipids, leaving the strands highly porous, weak and unable to resist physical tension.
Lack of Moisture (Severe Dryness): When hair is dehydrated, it loses its essential elasticity, becoming stiff and rigid, which means it breaks instead of bending when manipulated.
Protein Overload or Imbalance: Too much protein without sufficient moisture can make hair overly strong and rigid, leading to stiffness and brittleness that cause strands to snap.
Aggressive Mechanical Stress: Friction from rough towel-drying, over-brushing, or using hard brushes on wet hair physically tears the fragile cuticle layer and creates stress points along the shaft.
Environmental Damage (UV Rays & Chlorine): Sun exposure and pool water degrade the hair's protein structure and strip natural oils, leaving the hair rough, dry and structurally compromised.
Product Buildup & Mineral Deposits: Accumulated residue from styling products, silicones and hard water prevents moisture from penetrating, making the strands stiff and susceptible to damage when combed.

How to Stop Hair Breakage: 7 Steps

If you’re experiencing a hair fall tsunami, it’s a good idea to see a doctor. But if you suspect it’s your own haircare routine that’s to blame, there are some easy steps you can take to learn how to stop hair shedding and breakage.

#1 Show Your Scalp Some Love With a Detox Shampoo

We’ve said it before and we’ll keep saying it: healthy hair starts with a clean, balanced scalp. When product buildup, excess oil and environmental impurities take over, they can cause irritation, flakiness and even slow down hair growth. That’s why a weekly scalp reset is essential—especially if you’re a regular user of styling products or live in a hard water area. A hydrating detox shampoo helps clear away stubborn buildup from hard water, product residue and pollutants, while rebalancing pH—all without compromising moisture.

Try: Our Clarifying Detox Shampoo—powered by chelating technology and packed with antioxidant-rich lemon peel extract and nutrient-dense coconut water. It’s your once-a-week ritual for purified roots and a scalp that feels brand new.

#2 Use an intensive hair mask to repair and strengthen damaged strands! 

If you’re struggling with an increase in hair breakage and falling, a hair mask is the one product you CANNOT live without. Packed with nourishing ingredients, these strand saviors can replenish lost moisture, fight frizz, boost shine and detangle hair. Hydrating and soothing a dry scalp, strengthening heat-stressed or dry strands and making unruly locks much more manageable.

However, not all hair masks are created equal. If you suspect your hair loss is caused by breakage, skip your weekly hydrator and go straight for a repair-focused formula. Such as? Our Sweet Repair Hair Mask.

Bursting with botanical goodness and powerhouse actives, our most advanced mask is clinically proven to repair hair in 5 minutes. How does it work? It’s all down to the very best, hair-loving ingredients.

Biomimetic Ceramides: Mimicking the hair’s natural ceramides, Biomimetic Ceramides reinforce and smooth the hair fiber with lipids. Keep the hair cuticle flat, they help smooth hair and enhance its ability to endure wear and tear over time. They also promote elasticity and moisture retention – making them the nemesis of brittle, breakage-prone strands.

Vegan Keratin Complex: Our plant-based chain of amino acids replicates the performance of keratin to give hair much greater strength and elasticity. Smoothing down the hair cuticle and reducing moisture loss, it helps tired old strands look full and glossy.

Hyaluronic Acid: Dry hair is more susceptible to damage and breakage, so hyaluronic acid is a no-brainer. Providing hydration, moisture and softness, it helps tighten the cells of the hair cuticle. Resulting in volume and shine, while avoiding any frizz.

Vitamin Rich Tropical Fruit Complex: Rich in fatty acids and ultra-penetrative, Coco & Eve’s signature ingredient, raw virgin coconut oil, has been shown to reduce protein loss — which helps in reducing hair breakage and hair fall. Banana’s another anti-shedding hero of the formula and the mask also contains avocado, guava and rambutan. All loaded with lock-loving minerals, nutrients, amino acids and antioxidants.

Oily hair? Avoid applying the mask to your scalp and concentrate on the mid-lengths and ends only.

#3 Wear a hair mask overnight

More is not necessarily more when it comes to masking. Instead of masking every day (which is NOT advisable), try sleeping in your mask overnight for an ultra-intensive hit of reparative goodness. Wrap your masked-up hair in a silk scarf or microfiber wrap to increase absorption of the hydrating and strengthening ingredients that help prevent hair breakage.

But if you prefer not to sleep in a mask, don’t stress. Clinically proven to reduce hair damage by 65%, breakage by 71% and split ends by 56%, our Sweet Repair mask delivers plenty of anti-hair-fall benefits in just 5 minutes!

#4 Look at your diet and lifestyle

It’s not just your addiction to the bleach bottle that could be causing hair damage and breakage. Your diet is also super important for strong, healthy strands – and certain nutrient deficiencies are known to cause hair loss3.

To give your hair a head start, make sure you’re eating a well-balanced and nutritious diet. This should include protein, omega-3s, iron and zinc – with eggs, fatty fish, spinach, nuts and dairy appearing on your plate.

Stress can also trigger hair loss4, so commit to stress management practices. And ensure you’re getting plenty of good quality sleep.

#5 Switch to a Reparative Shampoo and Conditioner

If your strands feel weak, brittle, or prone to breakage, your current haircare could be doing more harm than good. Harsh formulas and over-washing can strip away moisture and weaken hair over time—especially if you color, heat style, or chemically treat your hair.

Instead, reach for a sulfate-free, reparative duo that helps restore strength, reduce split ends and smooth the cuticle. This is your first line of defense for visibly healthier, more resilient hair.

Try: Our Repair & Restore Shampoo & Conditioner. Powered by biomimetic ceramides, amino acids and vitamin B5, this ultra-reparative pair revives damaged strands while improving texture and boosting strength by up to 71%. It’s the TLC your hair’s been waiting for.

#6 Limit heat styling

Look, we’ll never try and get between a gal and her straightening iron. But there’s definitely something to be said for limiting your heat styling. Our tip? Cut down on blow dry time with our Microfiber Hair Towel Wrap – and air dry whenever you can to give hair a break.

When you do want to rock some tousled waves or poker-straight strands, make sure you always use a heat protectant. Like our Miracle Hair Elixir, which protects strands against heat up to 220°c to minimize heat stress and breakage.

#7 Avoid the same tight hairstyle every day

Wearing the same hairstyle each day isn’t just super boring. It can also contribute to hair breakage and legitimate hair loss. How? If you constantly tie your hair up super-tight or tug on it, you could end up with a type of hair loss known as traction alopecia. Hair elastics can also cause damage to the hair shaft. So make sure you loosen things up from time to time by using snag-free hair accessories!

A final word on hair breaking and shedding

A little hair fall is nothing to worry about. But that doesn’t mean you have to put up with it! If you’re experiencing an increase in shedding and breakage, give these tips a go. And make sure you address any heat-styling damage or dryness with our Sweet Repair Hair Mask.

And if things don’t improve in a few weeks? Something more serious could be causing your hair loss. We recommend seeing your doctor or hairdresser to explore what’s going on.

Hair Breakage FAQs

How do you fix hair breakage?

Fixing hair breakage starts with a little change to your hair routine! Skip the intense heat and chemical treatments for a while and treat your hair to moisture-rich deep-conditioning masks and strengthening formulas that help rebuild your strands from the inside out.

What deficiency causes hair breakage?

While external damage to your hair is the main culprit, sometimes internal issues are at play; severe deficiencies in key players like Iron or Zinc can weaken hair, making it brittle. See your doctor if you suspect it's more than just external damage!

Can hair grow back from breakage?

Yes! The good news is that hair breakage happens along the strand, not at the root, so it will keep growing. You'll just need to trim the damaged ends and focus on protecting your new growth with heat protectants and gentle styling.

References

Written By: Pip Jarvis

Edited by: Iris

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