Mistakes that cause hair breakage and split ends, and how to fix them.

Your hair becomes thin, split ends appear, and it breaks easily. You notice a lot of hair falling out every time you brush it or untie your hair tie; this is due to split ends. Split ends often occur when you don't get a haircut for a long time. Ideally, you should get a trim every 3-6 months.

Hair loss occurs when the hair structure is damaged. The cuticle, the outermost layer of the hair shaft, is like a "roof tile." When hair is healthy, the cuticle lies flat against the hair shaft. When damaged, the cuticle cracks, leading to split ends and breakage.

Hair loss is a common and challenging problem caused by many factors. There are several common mistakes that can lead to split ends and breakage that you should avoid, such as:

1. Brushing your hair incorrectly

Proper hair brushing can offer many benefits, as it distributes the natural moisturizers produced by the scalp, keeping hair strong and healthy. Proper brushing can also help make hair smoother and shinier.

However, brushing your hair too vigorously can damage it and lead to breakage. This is the most common mistake and the easiest to avoid.

Brushing your hair too vigorously can damage it and cause breakage.

Use a soft comb to avoid damaging your hair. The best way to brush your hair is to brush slowly, little by little, starting from the ends.

You should brush the ends of your hair first to loosen tangles, then gradually brush upwards. Finally, brush all your hair from the top of your head. This will reduce hair breakage and loss. Brushing tangled hair from the top of your head will only make it more tangled and cause more hair loss.

2. Brush your hair immediately after washing it.

When wet, hair becomes "sensitive," so after washing your hair, you should let it air dry about 30% before brushing it.

You should use a soft, microfiber towel, or even a cotton t-shirt cloth, to gently pat your hair dry.

"Hair and teeth are the cornerstones of a person's appearance." Shiny, smooth hair will make you more attractive in the eyes of those around you.

Rubbing your hair vigorously with a towel can damage it, so gently wrap your hair in a towel to absorb the water or gently pat it dry.

For those with curly hair, which tends to tangle easily, when shampooing, apply conditioner, especially to the curls and ends, to help detangle hair without causing breakage. You can also use a wide-toothed comb to brush wet hair or soften wet hair after shampooing.

3. Excessive exposure of hair to heat, such as curling, blow-drying, and straightening.

Ideally, we should limit our hair's exposure to heat. However, this is almost impossible because we need to blow-dry our hair in cold weather to avoid getting sick, curl our hair to create styles, etc. If we use heat styling methods, we need to do it correctly.

Before using a heated curling iron, you should dry your hair to about 70% dryness; do not leave it wet.

If using a hair straightener or curling iron, make sure your hair is 100% dry and not wet.

You should use a high-quality hair dryer to avoid damaging or burning your hair. For hair straighteners, use ceramic ones as they cause the least damage to your hair.

4. Pulling your hair too much while styling (tying your hair too tightly, improper hair extensions, etc.)

To avoid breakage, we shouldn't tie our hair back too tightly or use hair clips that are too tight. Ideally, when tying your hair, use a gentle hair tie (one that isn't elastic). You shouldn't tie your hair in the same style every day because it puts pressure on the hair in that area and can easily cause breakage.

If you get a perm or hair extensions, you shouldn't do it too frequently; you need to give your hair time to rest and recover. Therefore, each perm or extension should be spaced at least 2-3 months apart. Hair extensions also require a skilled professional, as improper removal of the extensions can damage the hair.

If you wear hair clips on your hair extensions, remember to remove them before washing your hair.

5. Chlorine and saltwater in swimming pools

Swimming offers many health benefits; however, to have shiny, smooth hair, you need to know how to protect it while swimming.

The first thing to do is wear a swimming cap. While it won't completely prevent saltwater or chlorine from affecting your hair, it will at least protect it from excessive exposure to pool chemicals.

After swimming, you should rinse your hair thoroughly and use a shampoo specifically designed for swimmers, or you can use conditioner to minimize dryness and breakage caused by pool chemicals. It's recommended to use a hair mask at least once a week to nourish your hair, especially for frequent swimmers.

6. Washing your hair too often or incorrectly.

Hair produces oil that helps moisturize it and protect our scalp. Using shampoos that are too harsh or washing too often can damage the cuticle layer on the scalp.

For those with oily hair who need to wash their hair more frequently, you can simply wash the scalp as this is where the oil is produced. Avoid excessive scrubbing of the hair shaft to minimize damage.

7. Not moisturizing your hair.

Dry hair is a cause of breakage and hair loss. Some causes of dry hair include sun damage and weather exposure, heat exposure, and chemical damage.

You can use a hair mask or natural hair treatment weekly to nourish and moisturize your hair, making it shinier and smoother. For example, rinse your hair with beer, or use a beer and banana hair mask.

To make your hair stronger and healthier, you can simply avoid a few daily habits that lead to hair breakage and loss, such as the following:

- Getting a haircut too oftenJust like leaving your hair uncut for too long, cutting it too often can be counterproductive. Hair needs time to grow back and minimize damage. Even cutting your hair incorrectly can ruin it.

- Always tie your hair upThe longer you leave your hair down during the day, the better it is for your hair. Wearing your hair in a bun or ponytail for extended periods can damage it.

- Improper hair careMake sure you use the right products depending on whether your hair is dry or oily, curly or straight, and whether you have dandruff. If you swim or work in jobs that involve frequent exposure to heat and chemicals, you need to take extra care of your hair.