Why is my hair so bloody broken?

[Sera1989]

I just don't understand. I'm not premenopausal, it doesn't look or feel dry and I don't use heat (although I've started warm blow drying again in case it's getting broken from drying slowly)

My hair is long and the breakage is all down the length and starts from an inch or so above the scalp. It's all over the head but particularly bad where I put my hair behind my ears and at the back of the neck. It's at the point where clumps will break off if I run my hands through my dry hair and there is so much when I'm washing my hair. But the hair is shiny, not dry or coarse, in fact I have quite an oily scalp.

I was thinking it could be stress but surely that would cause the hair to fall out not break off all down the length? I have just bought a mask with hyaluronic acid and a moisturising shampoo to use twice a week as the problem is just getting worse with my current products. Any words of wisdom about causes or product suggestions?

Hi,
Have you checked your thyroid ?
If no,please do it.
And add some good collagen to your diet +some biotin 😉

Olaplex?

I've got an aveda treatment thing that works. Or redken extreme anti-snap immediately after washing before you comb/ dry.

You may need to cut your hair shorter, mine did this pre kids if I let it grow out

I haven't, I don't think I have any other symptoms other than very low libido but maybe it could be that. I will also get some collagen as I started only eating fish in the last couple of years

I've heard mixed reviews about Olaplex but might have to give it a go. I've been using an anti-breakage conditioner which doesn't seem to be doing anything although I don't put it on the roots. Is the Aveda treatment the botanical repair one?

This sounds like a nutritional or medical issues. Celiac can cause hair loss for example due to preventing the body absorbing nutrients in the gut. I would see a dermatologist (MD specialist in skin and hair). Definitely get your thyroid checked and screened for Celiac. This isn't to worry you, Noone can diagnose on the internet! But just be aware that external treatments may make no difference because the issue is internal.

Hair does split all the way up

How often do you get it trimmed ?

My advice is avoid Olaplex! It is expensive , made no difference to my hair at all . What’s your diet like OP? Might be that you are not feeding and moisturising your hair properly from the inside?

This is my worry that it might be an internal problem because I've used the same products for years and the breakage is worse from the ears up. The hairs breaking off are very long. I don't get trims very often but I never have 🙈

My diet is pretty good, lots of fruit and veg, meals cooked from scratch, I'm pescatarian except for 4 or 5 meals a month. I think it's probably a bit high in sugar and potentially a bit low in fat, although I probably eat more oily fish than I should (3 or 4 times a week)

This.

Think of hair like a rope. Once the end starts to fray, if you don't cut it, the rope will unravel all the way up.

Olaplex, leave in overnight. Biotin. Satin pillow. Rosemary oil overnight the day before you wash it. Eat loads of protein.
These steps in unison have grown my lifelong shoulder length hair down to the bottom of my bra strap and still growing.

Do you tie it up? I have fine long hair and had some substantial breakage on one side at the level I used the scrunchie. My hairdresser noticed and advised me to stop using invisibobble type elastics and claw clips, and to use fabric ones with plain elastic inside. The breakage is growing out now.

Worth getting medical checks as well for sure.

My long hair was breaking from where my bag was pulling at it on my shoulder

Worth getting checked for anemia and low b12, these are more likely if, like me, you don't eat meat.

I have very long hair (past boobs which are less than pert). In the past two years I’ve been doing loads to try to improve the condition but I haven’t had it cut much because I’ve been trying to preserve the length.
this week I had it cut in a posh salon and the stylist persuaded me to leave it with her.
I’ve come out with hair a good five inches shorter, cut in a very blunt way and a tint on it. The number of compliments I’ve received has been amazing. It suddenly looks so much healthier and lots of the breakage has obviously been cut out.

id get a good chop and a tint and then use olaplex 2 (if you can get it - more concentrated) or 3 (easily available) on it once a month. Decent shampoo helps too as long as you alternate it every few months.

Do you use any strengthening products? It sounds like you are adding moisture, but not protein. Some hair types need more moisture, some need more protein. If your hair feels very stretchy and soft when you pull the strands, it means that you have more moisture than protein.

Cut off at least 15 cm (5 inches?). And then have it trimmed more often. It helps a lot.

Good luck!

Yes, and I agree with a previous poster about how you tie it up.
If one is always tying the hair up the exact same way, it can cause breakage.
Try to have different hair styles, for example high ponytail, low ponytail, braid/plait, or two braids/plaits, french braid.