Causes of Brittle Hair

Brittle hair is usually dull, dry and lacking in the essential oils that give healthy hair a soft sheen. Brittle hair breaks easily along the whole length of the shaft, leaving hair looking frizzy and unkempt. If only part of the hair shaft is damaged, most of the breakage occurs along the damaged sections and not at the top of the head, where the growth is newest. When hair breaks as it is coming out of the hair follicle at the head, the problem is likely happening within the body.

Men and women in the West tend to abuse their hair with a variety of chemicals, leading to much of the brittle hair problems people experience. Excessive shampooing strips moisture from the hair, particularly if the shampoo used contains harsh detergents. Excessive styling, too, can contribute to dryness. Heat from curling irons, blow-dryers and flat irons can dry out and sometimes burn hair. Chemical treatments are one of the biggest causes of brittle hair, as they strip hair of all nutrients. Perms, relaxers, peroxide and dye are extremely unhealthy for hair, and overdoing these treatments can cause plenty of damage.

Other factors in the environment can also contribute to hair problems. Dry air creates brittle hair, especially in winter when electric heating systems are turned on all day. Arid climates with little humidity have the same effect. Chlorine in pool water and salt from the ocean can damage and dry out hair, particularly when combined with heat from the sun and wind. Overall health problems, such as poor nutrition, also result in brittle hair, as the body cannot afford to send its few nutrients and water to the hair. Some medication ingredients, too, cause dry hair. These include Elofibrate, Atromid-S, Cloripex, Novo-Fibrate and Abitrate.

Brittle hair can indicate serious health concerns. Barring external damage and nutritional problems, brittle hair may be a result of conditions such as hypothyroidism, in which the body does not produce enough thyroid hormone. Brittle hair is an early indicator of this condition, along with the similar hypoparathyroidism, in which too little parathyroid hormone is produced. Both conditions can have serious effects on the body if left untreated. Other medical conditions that cause brittle hair include BIDS syndrome, Graves disease, selenium poisoning, ectodermal dysplasia, Sabinas syndrome and Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

To treat brittle hair, one must eliminate all relevant medical and nutritional problems in addition to addressing environmental concerns. Damaged hair should be shampooed only 2 or 3 times per week, using a low-detergent natural shampoo, and conditioned with a high-quality product that replaces moisture and proteins. People living in dry, arid climates should employ the use of humidifiers in the house. All chemical treatments and heat styling should be avoided or limited to occasional use. Any color treatments should be low in ammonia.