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Brittle hair broken hair
contents
Hair: definition and construction
causes
Brittle hair after bleaching
Porous hair due to diseases
Hair shaft abnormalities
Broken hair due to lack
Treatment: Rescue brittle hair
Brittle hair home remedies
Brittle hair Schüssler salts
Hair: definition and construction
The hairs are long horn filaments consisting of 90% keratin, a protein that provides strength and resilience to hair, skin and nails. In this sense, hair is only found in mammals and in addition to nails, sweat, scent and sebaceous glands belong to the so-called "skin appendages" (adnexa), which refers to all structures that emerge from the skin. With a few exceptions (palms, inside of the fingers, soles of the feet, nipples, lips), hair is found on the entire outer skin of the human, while the mucous membranes are generally hairless. The visible and touchable part of the hair is called the "hair shaft" (Scapus), which is formed in the hair root (Radix pili). This in turn ends in the hair bulb, which stabilizes the hair and is also embedded in the skin via the so-called "hair follicle" (also called "hair follicle"). In this way, the root can absorb all the nutrients that are necessary for the structure and growth of the hair, in addition, opens into the hair follicles a sebaceous gland, which protects by the production of sebum from dehydration.
The visible hair consists of three layers: In the middle there is the so-called "mark" (medulla), whose diameter varies depending on the hair thickness quite different and which ensures the stability of the hair. The hair park is surrounded by a fiber layer (hair barrier), which consists of keratin and represents the thickest of the three layers. As a result, the flexibility and tear resistance of the hair are determined by this, in addition, here are the pigments that give the hair its natural color. Finally, the dandruff layer forms the outermost layer of hair that surrounds the inside of the hair and, as a result of its dense structure of multi-layered scales, acts as a "protective armor" for the hair and is responsible for the shine and suppleness of the hair.
Hair growth is a dynamic process, so hair usually only lasts for a maximum of six years, during which it passes through different phases until it fails. At the beginning there is the growth phase or anagen phase, which lasts about 2 to 6 years, during which the hair grows about 1 cm per month. The hair growth is followed by the transition phase (1 to 2 weeks) in which the hair is separated from the hair root and successively pushes towards the scalp. Consequently, when the hair is separated from the root, it no longer receives any nutrients, and accordingly, the hair cycle ends with the "telogen phase" (resting phase), in which it may take up to four months for the hair to finally fail, thereby making room for it. About 60 to 100 hairs fall out every day, but if they are significantly more over a longer period, this could be a clear indication of hair loss.
causes
For a damaged hair structure many causes come into consideration. On the one hand, a number of external (exogenous) influences may be responsible, because in everyday life it often comes into contact with various substances that may harm the hair under certain circumstances. For example, side effects of medications (such as antibiotics) may be possible because certain supplements have an effect on vitamin status and can cause deficiency or hormonal fluctuations. Frequently, exogenous damage is also mechanical, for example, due to excessive combing, frequent Auftoupieren or too tightly bound braids. Also, chemical influences by dyeing, tinting, perming, frequent washing with alkaline shampoos or bathing in chlorine or salt water may favor a porous hair structure, as well as constant hot blow-drying or intense sun or UV irradiation.
In addition, physical-hormonal changes play an important role, because the different stages of life affect the body in general, and thus also the structure of the hair in the same way as our everyday lifestyle. In addition to the pregnancy and lactation, for example, women undergo numerous physical changes during the menopause, for example, the skin becomes thinner and the hair loses its density, smoothness and color. In many cases, problems with the hair at this stage can be attributed to congenital hypersensitivity of the hair follicles to a degradation product of the male sex hormone testosterone (dihydrotestosterone, in short: DHT). This is also found in the female body and is able to damage the hair root and to inhibit the growth of hair. When estrogen production returns to menopause, the balance between male and female sex hormones shifts in favor of testosterone. As a result, the hair is often shorter and thinner and increasingly fall out.
Brittle hair after bleaching
Especially women who have bleached hair often suffer from strawy, porous hair that breaks quickly. This chemical process is far more exhausting for the hair than e.g. a coloring, because by an alkaline reaction, the outer cuticle layer is first opened, whereby then the bleaching agent (hydrogen peroxide) penetrate into the fiber layer and can destroy the color pigments. While the healthy outermost layer of hair is characterized by flat, tile-like superimposed cells, the protective layer of the hair is permanently damaged by the breaking up of the cells.
As a result, the hair becomes porous and feel rough and straw, and they lose their luster because a rough surface can no longer reflect incident light. Since bleaching removes a lot of moisture in the hair, it is considered the most stressful procedure for the chemical change of the hair color. Accordingly, it is particularly important to pay attention to an intensive and proper care, so that the hair can cope well with these heavy demands and still remain healthy and shiny. For this purpose, bleached hair should be washed only every other day if possible, to avoid additional moisture loss, and it is also advisable to avoid frequent smoothing or hot blow-drying in general. Damaged, dry hair also needs after a mild cleansing also always a nourishing conditioner, it is also recommended to apply once or twice a week, an intensive hair conditioner, so that severe damage can be repaired in depth. Last but not least, care should be taken to have the tips cut approximately every eight weeks in order to eliminate existing damage and to enable regrowth of healthy hair.
Porous hair due to diseases
If the hair problems persist longer and / or occur in an increased form, but may also be a disease. Accordingly, in this case as a precaution always a doctor should be consulted to clarify the exact cause and initiate further treatment steps if necessary. It is possible for lackluster and brittle hair and increased hair loss, for example, a hyperthyroidism (hyperthyroidism). In this there is an excess of thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) in the blood, which play a central role in various metabolic processes of the body and act here in principle as a kind of "impulse". As a result of the overproduction, the metabolism works at full speed, which can lead to a variety of symptoms such as high blood pressure, palpitations, hair loss, muscle pain and diarrhea, but also internal restlessness, excessive sweating, weight loss (with increased appetite), mood swings and sleep disorders are typical hallmarks Hyperthyroidism.
Thyroid hypofunction (hypothyroidism) may also be the cause of porous hair. In this case, the thyroid gland produces too little thyroid hormone, and the disorder can be both innate and acquired. As a result, the metabolism works slower than normal, which manifests itself, for example, in symptoms such as fatigue, decreasing efficiency, difficulty concentrating, susceptibility to infection, weight gain or constipation. In addition to porous hair, brittle nails and dry, flaky, pale skin as well as increased hypersensitivity often occur. If an underactive thyroid already in childhood, this can even untreated lead to both the physical and the mental development (dwarfism, speech disorders, hearing loss, etc.) is delayed. Accordingly, all babies in this country are tested for hypothyroidism a few days after birth as part of the so-called "newborn screening".
Hair shaft abnormalities
In addition to a congenital (congenital) Haarschaftanomalie lead to increased hair brittleness. These include, among others, the so-called "spindle hairs", which are referred to medically as "Monilethrix" or "Aplasia pilorum intermittens". It is an autosomal (sexless) dominant inherited disease, which leads to an irregular, porous hair structure. The changes usually begin early in infancy in the form of pearlescent thickening and constrictions that occur alternately at regular intervals along the hair shaft. The thin regions between the nodes break very easily, sometimes there are also nail changes and tooth anomalies.
The so-called "pili torti" (also called "torsion hairs") is a rare anomaly of the hair shaft. Characteristic here are flat and turned around the longitudinal axis of hair, of which up to ten hair together. In children this peculiarity can exist from birth, but often the structure of the hair changes over time, as they become increasingly brittle and stop growing. In addition, pili torti may be isolated or associated with various syndromes, such as Menkes syndrome, an inherited defect in copper metabolism that occurs almost exclusively in boys and in most cases leads to death in the early years of life.
Broken hair due to lack
An iron deficiency can also make your hair thinner, drier and feel like "straw", especially if they are more pronounced. This form of deficiency is quite common in a mild form, as a large part of the population in this country absorbs too little iron with the daily food. However, a morbid deficiency only occurs when more iron is lost than absorbed, which often results from malnutrition or increased blood loss (e.g., from accident, surgery, childbirth, menstruation), but also e.g. caused by blisters or kidney stones.
If the body therefore requires more iron than usual, the intake from the food is usually increased. If this is not enough, the body's own reserves are opened, which ultimately leads to a lack of compensation. Accordingly, in such a situation, the iron supply must be increased, which are mainly meat, offal, cereals, vegetables and legumes, since these foods are particularly rich in iron. However, since humans can utilize the vital trace element of animal foods much better, vegetarians and vegans, or persons who eat unhealthy and one-sidedly for long periods of time, are also potential risk groups. The same applies to competitive athletes, children and adolescents in the growth phase as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women, as there is an increased need in these cases, which should be compensated accordingly. Elderly people also often need extra iron, as they often suffer from gastrointestinal problems, and moreover a feeling of satiety occurs more quickly as they age, often resulting in less food than usual. In addition, a number of other causes may be considered, for example, chronic inflammatory bowel disease or certain drugs (e.g., acetylsalicylic acid, cholesterol lowering agents) that affect iron uptake.
If there is an iron deficiency, a variety of symptoms can occur, because the body needs the essential trace element, especially for the promotion of metabolism and ensuring the transport of oxygen into the body cells. If the body is not sufficiently supplied, it often leads to typical "fatigue symptoms" such as tiredness, fatigue, dizziness, headache, difficulty concentrating or facial blanching. Also often occur brittle hair and nails, shortness of breath, increased susceptibility to infections, skin problems or gastrointestinal complaints. In case of severe iron loss, it can also lead to anemia, which in turn can lead to symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain or palpitations in severe cases.
In addition, with brittle hair, there may be other forms of deficiency, most of which can be attributed to an unfavorable or unbalanced diet. Here, for example, an insufficient supply of important nutrients such as vitamin H, protein or vitamin B is possible, through which the growth and structure of the hair can be significantly reduced. A calcium deficiency can also be the cause of brittle hair, which can also manifest itself through muscle cramps, feeling disorders, diarrhea, abdominal pain and frequent urination.
Treatment: Rescue brittle hair
For beautiful and healthy hair especially the hair roots must be sufficiently supplied, because on its way to the surface of the hair structure is already largely predetermined. Accordingly, care products for brittle hair can often help only to a limited extent, instead the focus should always be on the treatment of the cause and the use of appropriate protective measures. If the hair break is based on a disease, therefore, a corresponding therapy is initially in the foreground, for example, by treating a thyroid disorder, as appropriate, by taking medication, surgery or radioiodine treatment. If external influences are responsible for the damage to the hair, special attention should be paid to a gentle hair care with mild products and in this context, even temporarily without hot blow-drying, strong sunlight, smoothing, dyeing, bleaching and tinting. Likewise, the hair should be combed carefully and not too often, with the hair using a natural hair brush are treated very gently. In addition, should be used on brittle, brittle hair no tight clips and thin hair ties. Instead, experts recommend again and again to resort to broader hair tufts from terrycloth, as they can not strain the hair so much and thereby contribute to healthy and beautiful hair.
If the cause is a lack of nutrients, a change in diet should be made as quickly as possible in order to provide the body with healthy, balanced and nutrient-rich and energy-rich diets. For people who are currently on a diet or are affected by eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia, it is particularly important to take care to prevent deficiencies, if necessary, by supplements. If this is not enough, it should be clarified by the doctor exactly what nutrients the body lacks, so that they can be targeted in the next step if necessary.
Brittle hair home remedies
With brittle hair, a mild hair care is especially important, so as not to strain the damaged hair and instead strengthen the structure and resilience. In many cases, the surface can be smoothened in this way, at least temporarily, but the damage is already strong, usually only helps the cutting. In general, dry, prone to hair breakage hair should therefore be washed only with a mild, moisturizing shampoo and maintained once or twice a week with an additional intensive hair treatment. A quick "first aid" on porous hair can also provide a purging with beer, because the active ingredients contained in it support the hair, by repairing this strong and small damage. For this purpose, after shampooing, just pour a little beer over your hair, gently massage it in and, after a few minutes, wash it out thoroughly.
In addition to a number of other valuable home remedies for dry hair are considered, which can provide natural support effective support. Here, for example, a honey cure has proven useful, for which first a tablespoon of liquid honey is mixed with an egg yolk and thoroughly massaged into the hair. Afterwards, the honey-egg mixture should act for 15 minutes, after which it is rinsed thoroughly. In another variant of this mixture may also be supplementally added warm olive oil, whereby the hair additionally receives additional moisture. Since brittle hair is often associated with a lack of certain nutrients, various home remedies for iron deficiency may also help to get the problem under control. The main focus is on the consumption of high-iron foods, including beetroot, carrots, red berries, fennel, nuts and seeds. As a supplement to offer particularly good medicinal herbs, which can help pure or as a tea (enriched with a little lemon) in an iron deficiency. Here are particularly well nettles and dandelion, but also thyme and spearmint, also it makes sense to refine dishes with herbs (parsley, cress, etc.), because these also have a positive effect on the iron budget.
Brittle hair Schüssler salts
In natural healing, in addition, Schüssler salts are often used in porous hair, which are natural remedies of mineral salts in homeopathic dosage, which are administered in most cases in the form of tablets. Here, among other things, the salt no. 2 (Calcium Phosphoricum) in question, which represents an important building-up agent for the entire body and, accordingly, can also effectively support the strengthening of the hair. Silicea (salt no. 11), the "salt of the skin, hair and connective tissue", has also been found to work well on dry, brittle hair, as well as salts no. 3 (Ferrum phosphoricum) and no. 8 (sodium chloratum ). Which salts are used in each case in which potency, should always be discussed in the case of brittle hair in advance with a naturopath or a naturopathic doctor. (No)