Brittle hair: causes and what to do to strengthen it?

Like our skin, our hair can be victims of overly aggressive routines or a unhealthy lifestyle and lose elasticity. Less resistant, they become rough and brittle. Fortunately, this is not a fatality! Discover the right gestures to preserve your hair and quickly find strong and radiant hair.

We often tend to associate hair loss, split ends and brittle hair. Hair loss is however a natural phenomenon, which should not worry : the hair reaches the end of its growth cycle. We talk about split ends when the end of the hair is damaged and begins to split. Brittle hair, on the other hand, falls out from being abused, sometimes long before it has finished its life cycle. They have lost their strength and elasticity.

To find out if your hair is healthy, or to check the extent of the damage, grab one of your hairs at the scalp or ends between your thumb and forefinger. Pull it slightly. If the hair resists and does not break, it means that it is healthy. On the contrary, if it breaks at any level, it is said to be “brittle”, therefore weakened.

Hair does not become brittle overnight. Their lack of suppleness is generally explained by a lack of sebum, which protects the hair and skin against external aggressions. This lack of sebum can be linked to several external factors:

• excessive or too aggressive brushing;
• hairstyles that are too tight;
• chemical treatments (colouring and straightening);
• the use of hair dryers, curling or straightening irons;
• excessive friction in winter (scarves, hats, etc.);
• too regular exposure to chlorinated or salt water;
• etc

Other factors eventually sensitize the hair, which eventually becomes brittle:

• a lack of keratin;
• menopause ;
• the stress ;
• lack of sleep;
• lack of hydration;
• smoking;
• a poor diet ;
• thyroid problems;
• significant dietary deficiencies;
• etc

Have you decided to restore strength and vigor to your hair? start with reconnect with your hair type and abandon your bad hair habits. Limit:

• the use of a heat source (brushing, straightener, curler, etc.);
• chemical treatments (straightening, coloring, etc.);
• too frequent shampoos, especially when they are based on paraben, sulphate or even alcohol (dry shampoo will be your best ally for spacing out shampoos);
• aggressive brush strokes or hair drying;
• etc

However, if you cannot do without accessories, be sure to keep your distance from your hair dryer (20 – 30 cm minimum) and favor devices with tourmaline plates, avoiding exceeding 150 degrees. If you can’t do without it, also bet on vegetable colorsi.e. natural colorings, made up of plants.

If the damage is done, you can always catch up by providing specific care for your hair. Opt for a shampoo adapted to the nature of your hair, known for its restorative and nourishing properties. Also line up with the conditioner side, essential for detangling the most rebellious hair and minimizing the risk of breakage. The final touch? An intense treatment, once a week, to apply as a mask or in an oil bath. For more efficiency, do not hesitate to leave it on by wrapping your hair in a hot towel, to make the active ingredients penetrate more effectively.

Some natural techniques can treat brittle hair. You can bet, for example, on vegetable oils:

• pure argan oilrich in fatty acids such as omega 3, 6 and 9 and in vitamin E.
• virgin coconut oilvery useful to give shine and nourish your hair.
• Vegetable olive oilrich in vitamin E and known for its regenerative properties.

For best results, do not hesitate to mix these three oils before leaving them at least two hours, once or twice a week. Then wash your hair with your usual shampoo. Other oils and plant products have also proven themselves:

• Wheat germ oil, grape seed oil, baobab oil or even avocado oil;
• Butters such as shea butter, mango butter or murumuru butter;
• Powders such as henna, shikakai or kachur sugandhi;
• Bamboo, rich in silica, which increases the speed of hair growth, reduces sebum production and promotes a good moisture balance in the scalp.

A balanced diet contributes more than anything to healthy hair. Bet on a sunny and colorful cuisine: proteins (meat, fish, eggs, legumes, etc.), red and orange fruits and vegetables (carrots, peppers, melon, apricots, etc.), seafood, vegetable oils, hazelnuts, almonds, etc.

Dietary supplements can also restore strength and shine to your hair. You can bet on keratin dietary supplements, naturally synthesized by the body, which promotes hair growth. In cure of one month.

The vitamin B food supplements are also effective because they participate in the renewal of hair cells. In cure of one month also.

Finally, the food supplements based on yeast are generally advised to treat brittle hair. A course of brewer’s yeast for a month will help you to perfectly care for your hair.