Experts reveal hair care mistakes that lead to thinning and breakage

Each one of us wants healthy shiny strong hair. But what happens often is that we knowingly or unknowingly choose wrong instead of right and do certain things that damage our hair resulting in poor hair health. The two most common signs being them thinning and breaking. 

Two leading dermatologists tell us what it is that you’re doing wrong and its adverse effects. 

Hair breakage happens because one tends to use a lot of styling gels and heating tools such as curlers, and hair straighteners. Furthermore, a lot of chemicals that people use like different kinds of hair colours can also cause breakage.

Tying up your ponytail tightly can lead to breakage. This is called traction alopecia. 

Not good food intake: It's not just about having a balanced diet it's about taking certain nutrients. If your hair is not getting nourished internally breakage is bound to happen. Not taking a regular healthy diet and taking care of deficiencies of protein, iron, vitamin D, and vitamin B12. This leads to defective and thin hair formation, which due to lack of strength breaks away easily. Micronutrients should also be replenished through diet like copper, selenium, and zinc.

Wrong shampoos and conditioners, which have very high chemical content leave a residue on your scalp which can lead to breakage.

Some underlined hormonal issues which are not addressed can also lead to the issue. The first stage of this hair loss is miniaturization of hair i.e. the hair becomes very fine and weak so much so that when a person loses this hair they don't even see visible hair fall. They only notice receding hairline or widening of parting and that is why a lot of time is lost before seeking medical help for this problem.

Improperly treated thyroid disorder is again a very important cause of not just hair loss but also of defective weak, lusterless hair that is prone to breakage.

Rebonding: In this process, the disulphide bond of hair is first broken and then reattached making your hair structurally weak. These hairs are not just prone to breakage but are also a common cause of split ends.

Heat treatment: Repeated heat appliances to your hair shaft especially at high temperatures cause bubbles to form in hair. This makes hair brittle and they easily break. That is why one should avoid Keratin Treatment and heat styling. Rough combing and not applying conditioner and hair serums leaves your hair shaft unprotected and exposed and friction caused by combing damages the external structure of the hair shaft.

Inputs by Dr Meghna Gupta, Dermatologist and Founder, Delhi Skin Centre and Dr Anupama Bisaria, Dermatologist, Noida.