Any type of hair loss, thinning or increased shedding can be worrying, concerning and frustrating. No one wants to struggle with thin, spiny, limp or unhealthy hair, and no one wants to experience hair loss. But often, it can be easy to confuse hair loss and thinning with hair breakage. Although loss and breakage can both leave you with thin and unhealthy hair, they are two completely different hair health issues, which means they need to be addressed in unique and specific ways. Unless you identify what it is that you’re experiencing and then address this exact hair health concern, you won’t be able to achieve your healthiest hair results long term. So, let’s explore everything you need to know to help you understand your hair and how you can watch it transform.
How to know the difference between hair loss and hair breakage
Unless you take the time to look closely at your shedding, it’s easy to assume that you’re losing hair from your scalp; however, you may actually be experiencing hair breakage. There’s a long list of causes for thinning hair and, generally, hair loss in women, which we will discuss. But there is one simple test you need to do to help you determine if you’re facing hair loss or breakage.
Most commonly, when we lose hair from our scalp, you will be able to see a small bulb on the end of the hair strand, which is the hair root. This usually indicates that it has been lost during the telogen phase, either as part of your normal hair growth cycle or due to increased/abnormal shedding, and that your hair will most likely grow back. This is great news and an important fact to remember, especially when you feel like there’s nothing you can do, in the moment, to stop the hair loss.
Whereas hair thinning caused by hair breakage and damage will not have this small bulb because the hair has broken off prior to the root. If you can look at the hair in your hairbrush or any strands you lose while styling, you should be able to quickly identify if it appears that your thinning hair is a result of loss or breakage. It is only when you can identify your exact hair concerns that you can take the right steps to address these issues and experience improvements in your hair health.
Of course, it is always important to remember that hair loss is a very complicated issue and that there are many unique types of hair thinning. So, if you are unable to determine if you’re seeing hair loss or breakage, but you are concerned about the amount of hair you’re shedding, you should always seek professional medical advice to determine your specific hair issues.
How to stop hair loss and experience hair growth
There is an endless number of different types and causes of hair loss, which is why it can so often be confusing and frustrating. One very common type of hair loss that many of us can experience at any stage in our lives is telogen effluvium. This type of hair loss involves increased shedding which is the result of a triggering event that has caused a large percentage of your hair follicles to prematurely enter the resting and shedding phases, which means your normal hair growth cycle is interrupted. Some of the factors that can cause telogen effluvium or other types of hair loss is a dramatic change or concern with your physical health, stress, trauma, medication, hormones and even diet.
Although it can feel overwhelming trying to determine why you’re losing hair, it is vitally important you take the time to identify and address the cause of the hair loss as best as you can. Even if you are using the right haircare products, you can still experience hair loss concerns if there is a more significant issue or internal factor relating to your health that is interfering with your hair growth cycle. This means the very first step to seeing new hair growth is addressing the cause of the hair loss. Often the cause can be out of our control, but we must still identify and learn about the specific type of hair loss, as well as prioritise our physical health, manage stress and illnesses, and focus on a well-balanced diet to support hair growth. With telogen effluvium specifically, because it is often temporary, your hair will grow back with time when your hair growth cycle normalises, but only after months of shedding. This is why it’s essential to identify and address the cause as quickly as possible.
After identifying and addressing the cause and type of your hair loss, the most important step you can take, that is within your control, is prioritising your scalp health to encourage and support healthy hair growth. Haircare products alone cannot change what we may be experiencing in our bodies that has resulted in hair loss. But for our best results, we must focus on enhancing our scalp health. One of the most effective ways to target your scalp directly is by committing to regular prewash oiling treatments. With a natural product like our Sozo Scalp & Hair Health Serum that contains ingredients proven to reduce inflammation, soothe, condition, nourish and encourage hair growth by increasing circulation to the hair follicles, you can achieve a healthier scalp to support hair growth long term with prewash oiling treatments. Maintaining a healthy scalp also involves being aware of what you do and do not put on your scalp. Try to avoid consistent use of products like dry shampoo or anything similar that can create a build up on your scalp. Maintaining a consistent hair washing routine is also vital to achieving a clean, healthy scalp for healthy hair.
How to reduce hair breakage and support strong hair
While hair loss is commonly caused by internal factors, hair breakage is caused by external factors, specifically everything we do to our hair on a daily basis. Yes, poor physical health and not receiving the proper nutrients in your diet can lead to unhealthy, brittle hair and, potentially, breakage. However, hair breakage most commonly occurs when our hair becomes damaged from heated styling tools, brushing our hair aggressively or when it’s wet, choosing styles that put tension on the hair and regular colouring or bleaching. This means that the very first step to achieving thicker hair is to limit as much breakage as possible in your haircare routine. It’s important to be intentional with all hair habits and choices, because unless we eliminate the damage, hair breakage will continue.
Strengthening and repairing your hair is also an essential part of addressing hair breakage. This can be done with the right haircare products. Implementing a weekly hair mask treatment is an easy and effective way to hydrate, nourish, condition, repair and strengthen to ultimately reduce hair breakage. Our Sozo Hair Health Mask is a rich treatment that you can apply not only to your hair, but also to your scalp to soothe and condition irritations. To experience your best results with our all-natural, silicone free hair mask, simply shampoo your scalp, then apply it in place of conditioner. Allow it to absorb for a couple of minutes when in the shower or for up to 30 minutes as a longer treatment for more enhanced results. By doing this at least once a week or as often as your hair requires, you can deeply nourish, repair and strengthen to prevent further breakage and, ultimately, support thicker hair.
Experiencing new growth and thick, strong, healthy hair is a long term journey. Whether you’re struggling with hair loss or hair breakage, you must take the time to address your specific concerns, follow a consistent, natural haircare routine and practice good daily hair habits in order to encourage and support your best hair growth results. Any type of hair thinning can be worrying and can often feel like an ongoing and relentless issue. But with small changes, intentional choices in your hair haircare routine and by prioritising your physical health, you can support a healthy hair growth cycle.
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