IS YOUR HAIR SHEDDING OR DO YOU HAVE BREAKAGE?

Hey guys!!

How are you all?? I hope you’ve had an amazing week. Do you have anything interesting planned for the weekend?? I’m probably just gonna be sleeping throughout the weekend – as usual. For those of you still dealing with exams, GOOD LUCK!! I wish you all the best. Work hard now so you can chill later!

I really can’t believe I’ve never done a post on this but being able to distinguish between shedding and breakage is so important. One is a normal process and the other is not so good. Shedding is normal and everyone experiences it. It is estimated that we shed about 100+ hairs per day. It’s just biology. Breakage is when our hair breaks off (duhh) as a result of being dry or otherwise damaged. This is what you want to avoid.

How do you tell the difference between shedding and breakage?

• Generally speaking, shed hairs will be longer strands (typically the length of your hair) whereas broken hairs will be tiny little broken strands (although long strands can break off)
• If you look closely, shed hairs will have a tiny white bulb on one end of the strand where it has fallen out of your scalp whilst the broken hairs won’t

A picture I found on Pinterest that displays the clear difference!

In order to prevent breakage:

• Keeping your hair moisturised is essential – deep conditioning and moisturising on a consistent schedule is important. I always recommend deep conditioning once a week if you wear your hair out but you can do it more or less depending on your hair needs.
• Maintain hair elasticity my maintaining a moisture-protein balance (see my earlier post about this)
• If you relax or dye your hair, make sure you are deep conditioning and caring for your hair properly
• Refrain from using too much heat on your hair – if you must use heat, ensure your hair is moisturised and use a heat protectant (my fave is the Tresemme one)
• Don’t be rough with your hair in order to prevent physical damage

CAUTION: even though shedding is normal, you should still keep an eye on it. My hair tends to shed excessively when I’m really stressed or worried. You can combat excessive shedding by doing a tea rinse. I have an old post on tea rinses to prevent shedding here. Excessive shedding can also be a sign of a bigger problem. If you are concerned about significant shedding, you should make an appointment to see your doctor.

That’s it, guys!! Learning the distinction between the two is so so key to healthy hair care! Don’t ignore it!

Love,

Tara xXx