Damaged hair, what a feature

Hair damage can occur due to various things, such as sun exposure, hair dye, to the wrong way to treat hair. Some people only realize that their hair is damaged when it is badly damaged. So, what are the characteristics of damaged hair?

The characteristics of damaged hair

Damaged hair can actually be detected through a variety of factors, from color to flexibility to hair strength. Come on, get to know what are the characteristics of damaged hair that need to be watched out for.

1. Hair tangle easily

One of the most easily recognizable signs of damaged hair is that it becomes tangled easily. Hair has a protective layer called a cuticle. If the hair is damaged, the cuticles will fall apart and break, forming sharp ends.

When this happens, the end of the cuticle on one strand of hair will rub against the other cuticle. As a result, the hair is easily tangled.

This condition can be caused by a number of things and one of them is a lack of moisture in the hair. Dry hair causes the strands to bind together, making each strand difficult to organize.

Hence, hair that feels easier to comb and frizz is a sign of healthy, undamaged hair.

2. Dry hair and looks dull

Apart from wrinkling easily, another sign of damaged hair is feeling dry and looking dull. Dry and dull hair is a sign that your hair is losing its natural oils that act as moisturizers.

Not only dry, but the natural shine in the hair also fades, leaving it looking faded. Lack of natural oil production in hair is actually caused by a number of things that you may not realize as follows.

• Living in a dry and hot environment.
• Hair is often exposed to sunlight.
• Washing your hair too often.
• Using shampoo, hair conditioner, or other care products that are not suitable.
• Colouring hair.
• Usage hair dryer, straightener, or curling iron.

3. Split hair and break easily

It is no longer common knowledge that branched hair and break easily are included in the characteristics of damaged hair. Broken hair when combed or combed with three fingers can result from damaged hair cuticle layers.

When this happens, the flexibility of the hair will also decrease and cause it to break easily. Apart from breaking, the lack of flexibility of the hair causes split ends.

You can see it from the ends of the hair. If the ends of the hair are divided into two, there is a chance that you need to pay attention to the health of the hair from now on.

4. Fluffy hair

Fluffy and curly hair (frizzy), especially in damp places, it is also a sign of unhealthy hair. The cause is none other than damage to the hair cuticle layer.

One of the functions of the hair cuticle is to lock in moisture. If damaged, hair will lose moisture and become lighter, dry, and fluffy.

That hair boisterous it is also a characteristic that the entire protective layer has been damaged. As a result, the inner fibers of the hair are exposed to the external environment directly and cause further hair damage.

The hair cuticle layer has many functions, one of which is to lock the moisture in each hair strand. When the cuticle layer is damaged, it is easier for your hair to lose moisture. Hair becomes drier, lighter, and more fluffy.

5. Thinning hair

This unhealthy hair trait will probably show when you realize that some areas of the scalp are more visible from the strands of hair. This condition, also known as thinning hair, is usually caused by hair loss.

The cause of hair loss is not always related to how to maintain hair health. Hair can also be lost and thinned due to stress, irregular eating patterns, and genetic factors.

This condition, which is more common in women, occurs when hair growth begins to slow down. As we get older, the hair follicles will change and result in finer, less strong hair.

Well, there are a number of things that can actually affect the growth and health of hair follicles which later lead to hair loss, namely:

• a history of autoimmune problems, such as lupus,
• lack of nutrition,
• hormonal changes, especially at menopause, as well
• use of products or tools that damage hair, such as hair dryer.

6. Change in hair color

Hair discoloration doesn't just happen with age or if you accidentally dye your hair. This one sign of damaged hair can be caused by sun exposure.

Generally, damaged hair is lighter in color than healthy hair. This is usually seen at the ends of long hair. For example, dark hair turns brownish red or brown hair turns blonde.

In fact, several cases have shown that hair can turn green due to chlorine from water or swimming pools. This green hair is usually experienced by owners of blonde hair and it has been damaged.

Apart from that, changes in hair color can also be experienced after using hair products. For example, using a shampoo with penicillamine content can change the color of the original hair, which can actually affect hair health.

How to test hair health

After recognizing what are the signs of damaged hair, it is time to know how to test hair health. Apart from seeing the characteristics of unhealthy hair, you can also do the steps below.

1. Pulling the hair

One way to test whether your hair is healthy or not is to pull it out. How to?

• Wet 3 strands of hair
• Pinch the ends of your hair with your thumb and forefinger
• Pull hair slowly

If the hair doesn't stretch or it breaks right away, it means the hair may have been damaged.

2. Water absorption test

In addition to pulling hair, you can also see signs of unhealthy hair through the rate at which the hair absorbs water. You can pluck a single strand of hair from the top, sides, and back of the head.

After that, drop the hair onto the surface of the water. If you drown, you may experience hair breakage.

3. Thickness test on long hair

A hair thickness test is usually done to find out if your hair is thinning due to severe hair loss. The trick, with a ponytail hair tie.

If you need 3 or more times to tie your hair, it means that the hair is starting to thin. The reason is, normal hair thickness only requires 1-2 times the ponytail so that the hair is tied.

4. Porosity test

Porosity test is a test that is done to see the condition of the hair cuticle layer. You can check this by pinning a few strands of hair between the middle and index fingers.

Then, trace from base to tip. If the hair feels rough, it means that the cuticle layer of the hair has been damaged.

Damaged hair is the most common problem. Even though it looks trivial, damaged hair turns out to require patience and diligence to restore its health.

If not treated immediately, hair damage can lead to more serious problems, such as baldness and hair loss. Consult your doctor if you have further questions.