How to Fix Hair Breakage — Plus 5 Products That Help
I never feel more confident than when I’m having a good hair day. And as I’ve learned over the years, that all begins with having healthy hair. However, that’s sometimes easier said than done. It’s certainly not uncommon to experience hair breakage at some point in your life. After all, our hair is a living organism that goes through different phases. If you’ve noticed that your strands are more brittle than you’d like them to be, check out our guide on how to fix hair breakage effectively.
To be sure, you can experience hair breakage regardless of your age or hair type. That said, there are a handful of things that might lead to your hair breaking more often than not. For instance, color treated hair is slightly damaged and may be more prone to breakage. Another example? Long hair, which makes it key to get regular trims to avoid broken hair.
Below, we delve into other causes of hair breakage as well as how to fix brittle hair. As an added bonus, we rounded up a couple of our favorite products to address this hair concern.
How to Fix Hair Breakage
In order to address hair breakage, you first need to be sure that’s what you’re dealing with. To that end, we need to discuss what hair breakage looks like.
What Does Hair Breakage Look Like?
You’ll know you’re experiencing hair breakage if you have uncontrollable frizz, tons of split ends, or see white spots on your strands. If you have curly hair, you might notice that there’s less vibrancy and bounce.
What Causes Hair Breakage?
- Stress
- Poor diet
- Heat styling
- Rough brushing
- Chemically treating your hair
- Wearing tight ponytails or braids
- Not getting frequent enough trims or cuts
- Spending too much time in the pool (but this can be prevented if you learn how to protect hair from chlorine damage)
How to Fix Breakage in Hair
Make lifestyle changes
Our hair is made of proteins, which means that it’s heavily impacted by what we eat and other things we put in our bodies. For that reason, you’ll want to make sure you’re eating tons of protein. Additionally, you might try to boost your iron intake because the element helps produce the protein hemoglobin, which is necessary to provide oxygen to cells and help hair grow.
Do regular hair treatments
There are tons of options for a good hair treatment—and we’ll share a few of them further down. For now, though, just know you should be doing this about once a week and following it up with wash day to prevent build-up. One of my favorite things to do is put on a hair mask before I go for a run. I find it makes my hair so smooth post-jog.
Use heat protectants
Even though I know that using heat styling tools wreaks havoc on your hair, I still thought heat protection spray was a scam. Ever since I started using it, though, I’ve realized that it’s actually a holy grail product. My ends are less dry post-styling and my curls are bouncier, too.
Establish a proper hair care routine
Don’t let the word “routine” put you off. You don’t need to have a 10-step regimen to repair hair breakage. You can actually keep it relatively simple by using a shampoo, conditioner, hair serum, and hair mask each time you wash. If you’re prone to breakage, it’s especially important to have a proper hair care regimen. When it comes to fixing hair, we’re big fans of Verb hair products.
Get regular trims
Again, your hair is similar to your skin in that it grows and needs to be taken care of properly. When your skin is looking dull or feeling stuffy, you might reach for a sugar scrub or chemical exfoliant. Similarly, when you’re dealing with damaged hair, your best bet is to remove the dead ends.
You should be cutting your hair regularly—once every two months, to be exact. It’s worth noting, though, that this timeframe and frequency is meant to keep the length of your hair. If you’re looking to grow it out in between trims, you should visit the salon every 12 to 15 weeks.
What Products Help With Hair Breakage
Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Shampoo and Conditioner
I tested the Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! products in summer 2023 and was enamored with how they left my hair feeling. Though these are great picks for curly hair in particular, they also work well with other hair types. As you might’ve gleaned by the name, these hair products are great to repair hair breakage. It doesn’t hurt that they have a great scent, too. That said, if you’re sensitive to smells, you’ll probably want to go with something a bit more muted.
Available on Sephora | Also available on Briogeo
Mielle Organics Mongongo Oil Thermal & Heat Protectant Spray
As a curly-haired queen, I’m always looking for the greatest products to use on my locks. To that end, I composed a list of the best heat protectant for natural hair. Mielle Organics Mongongo Oil is atop that list because it’s especially great for curly hair. It contains almond and grapeseed oils, which are similar to the natural oils in your hair and help prevent breakage.
Available on Amazon | Also available on Mielle
Vegamour GRO Hair Serum
This is another product that I swear by because it’s helped repair my split ends like nothing else. It’s worth noting that the intended use of this serum is to make hair thicker and address hair loss, but it’s also good to address signs of hair breakage. What I love most about it is that it feels like water and leaves your hair bouncier than when you first started. According to the instructions, you’re meant to apply this directly on your scalp. I find, though, that it also works well to revive your split or frayed ends.
Available on Sephora | Also available on Amazon
Oribe Moisture & Control Deep Treatment Hair Mask
Though I don’t have tons of Oribe products because of their high price tag, I have to admit that they’re among the best on the market. This moisture mask has good-for-hair ingredients including coconut oil, shea, cupuacu, murumuru, and mango seed butters, as well as sweet almond oil. This is best for hydrating curly and coily hair as it enhances the bounce. Trust—you’ll notice this once you go to style your hair.
Available on Sephora | Also available on Amazon
Verb Ghost Oil
I told you we were huge fans of Verb hair! The ghost oil is their flagship product, largely responsible for getting the brand to GOAT status. This formula contains moringa oil, which helps to nourish the hair. It also reduces frizz and adds a decent amount of shine. If you end up adding this to your cart, keep in mind that a little goes a long way.
Available at Verb Haircare | Also available on Amazon
