Hair Health 101: Dryness, Breakage & Hair Products

Hair talks without words. When your hair is dry, it speaks. When your hair is breaking, it speaks. When your hair fails to retain length, it speaks. Really listening to your hair allows you to understand what it's saying so you can correct it. Dryness, breakage, and disliking a product are three hair issues that require you to listen to your hair so you can fix them.

Dryness

The most common hair issue is dryness. I don't know why my hair is dry, I've tried so many hair products, and I just have dry hair are usual statements from dry-hair sufferers. Many people realize their hair is dry by touching it. The extreme roughness typically indicates dryness. Some points to consider regarding dryness are your diet, your health, your products, and your regular hair maintenance. How does your hair react when you use some products versus others? How does your hair sound when you comb or brush it? Does it sound like you're trying to comb hay or twine? How does your hair react when you eat some foods versus others? Is your diet rich in fruits and vegetables or full of fast foods? Do you drink a lot of water, or just a little? Is your hair drier in some seasons than others? 

Consider these questions while you observe your hair's behavior. If you have a health condition or are on prescribed medication, that may cause dryness as well. Keep a hair journal to record your observations. Make a note of everything, even those factors that seem insignificant. If you listen, you will find the answer--no matter how long it takes.

Breakage

Breakage is the enemy of retention. You will not see your growth if your hair breaks as fast as it grows. On the surface, it's easy enough to know if your hair is breaking. If you see excess amounts of hair on the floor or in the sink after combing or styling, then your hair is breaking. The listening challenge for breaking hair involves discovering why your hair is breaking. How do you handle your hair--roughly or gently? How do you maintain your hair (lots of heat, scarf or no scarf before bed, moisturizing products, healthy or non-healthy diet, etc.)?

Note whether the breakage increases or decreases when you use certain products, eat certain foods, and/or treat your hair in a certain manner. Some illnesses (thyroid disorders, anemia, and polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS) may also contribute to breakage. Hair tends to follow a pattern. Learning your hair's pattern is a firm step toward halting breakage.

Disliking a Hair Product or Technique

Your hair may not always like the products you put on it. There can be several reasons for your hair's unfavorable response. It could be the consistency of the product. It could be the ingredients in the product. It could be the way one ingredient reacts with another ingredient in the product. It could be that the product does not mesh well with another product in your hair regimen. Finding out what's wrong involves a lot of trial and error, so you'll have to be patient and persistent. You can listen to your hair by observing how your hair reacts when you use certain products. If you notice that your hair is dry or continually breaking after you apply a particular product, stop using it.

Dryness and breakage is your hair's way of crying. Wipe away your hair's tears by soothing it with products that make your hair smile.