Broken hairs when combing/brushing

[blackgothicdoll]

I've gotten a bit obsessive about noting how many broken hairs I see when combing or brushing, including just with my fingers. The amount has lessened since I've taken my hair care seriously, but it definitely hasn't dropped to zero.

Is it a given that there will be broken hairs in the process of brushing or combing, or is any sight of broken hair at all a problem?

If answer a.), how many broken hairs are too many?

[Lady Stardust]

Some people seem to be able to brush and comb their hair without splits, but mine tends to split unless I fingercomb. I do brush occasionally but only if I’m going to wear my hair down, and that’s rare now (and that’s a milestone in itself!). My hair just looks a stringy mess if I don’t brush it, but that doesn’t matter when my hair is up.

As for how many is too many - my hair is only collarbone length so I take splits as a sign that I should change something. If I brush my hair once and get a few splits, I can cope with that.

[Cate36]

Only time I brush/comb now is with conditioner on, super gently, when washing.. other than that, I let my hair hang as it likes. It's naturally wavy so it doesn't need to be brushed to look good.. better if I don't.. but yes I am paranoid with checking my hair to see if it has broken or if it is shedding.. Olaplex every time I wash has helped heaps, so now I don't see any breakage.. but the last hair dresser I went to see said to me "don't brush.. even if you can.. because curly hair will just break if you brush" So I've taken that to heart.

[*Wednesday*]

After taking my hair down, I comb at night with a wide tooth comb before setting it for bed. The only hair I see is some shed hair. Lots of broken hairs is not a good sign which is an indicator of damaged/dry hair.
The only time I had broken hair was years ago when I was over coloring my hair and and using a curling iron. But as I trimmed that away (damaged ends) and stopped doing those it resolved itself.

Maybe do deep conditioning or hot oil treatments. Also try micro-trimming it away.

[lapushka]

I've gotten a bit obsessive about noting how many broken hairs I see when combing or brushing, including just with my fingers. The amount has lessened since I've taken my hair care seriously, but it definitely hasn't dropped to zero.

Is it a given that there will be broken hairs in the process of brushing or combing, or is any sight of broken hair at all a problem?

If answer a.), how many broken hairs are too many?

I don't typically get broken hairs, but it happens. I try to brush with care and very carefully.

I don't know, how many of the hairs you get are broken? And are you fully natural? Or are you transitioning still? Is there heat damage there? Anything of the sort? :) I have no idea and thought I'd ask. :flower:

[Ophidian]

I definitely imagine what is normal would vary depending on texture, thickness of individual strands, any history of treatments that could change structural integrity (the usual bleach, chemical straightening... I’ve even read about people experiencing breakage from henna in some cases). The less breakage you have the better of course, but if you happen to have hair that is naturally prone to breaking when you manipulate it seems like you could have hair in peak health and still experience it. May just be one of those “things” that you work around as best you can because it’s just what your hair does.

[MusicalSpoons]

I've kind of just ignored mine but I do get broken hairs. I don't know if I can be bothered to try protein or extra moisture - my lengths *feel* fine with my current routine, so I don't know if I want to risk messing with it :shrug:

[AutobotsAttack]

I definitely imagine what is normal would vary depending on texture, thickness of individual strands, any history of treatments that could change structural integrity (the usual bleach, chemical straightening... I’ve even read about people experiencing breakage from henna in some cases). The less breakage you have the better of course, but if you happen to have hair that is naturally prone to breaking when you manipulate it seems like you could have hair in peak health and still experience it. May just be one of those “things” that you work around as best you can because it’s just what your hair does.

I fully agree with this. Even when I was natural, I would occasionally have broken hairs. Almost always results from how fine my hair is, and some hairs just don’t respond well to any sort of force exerted on them. Same with my hair now. I usually note 1 or 2 broken hairs on wash days, and usually they are hairs that are just sensitive to any force exerted on them, since the individual diameter of hair is very very fine.

[blackgothicdoll]

After taking my hair down, I comb at night with a wide tooth comb before setting it for bed. The only hair I see is some shed hair. Lots of broken hairs is not a good sign which is an indicator of damaged/dry hair.
The only time I had broken hair was years ago when I was over coloring my hair and and using a curling iron. But as I trimmed that away (damaged ends) and stopped doing those it resolved itself.

Maybe do deep conditioning or hot oil treatments. Also try micro-trimming it away.

I do hot oil treatments and deep conditioning, these things have definitely decreased the breakage but there is still some. Microtrimmed 3 weeks ago, was trying to hold out for a month so it might just be about time.


I don't typically get broken hairs, but it happens. I try to brush with care and very carefully.

I don't know, how many of the hairs you get are broken? And are you fully natural? Or are you transitioning still? Is there heat damage there? Anything of the sort? :) I have no idea and thought I'd ask. :flower:


My hair was previously colored, I'm fully natural but I do have quite a bit of heat damage. I get three or four broken hairs that are perhaps two or three inches in length, then I get perhaps twice that amount of the tiny hairs that are likely from split ends.

I notice these broken hairs even when finger combing, unfortunately.

[blackgothicdoll]

I definitely imagine what is normal would vary depending on texture, thickness of individual strands, any history of treatments that could change structural integrity (the usual bleach, chemical straightening... I’ve even read about people experiencing breakage from henna in some cases). The less breakage you have the better of course, but if you happen to have hair that is naturally prone to breaking when you manipulate it seems like you could have hair in peak health and still experience it. May just be one of those “things” that you work around as best you can because it’s just what your hair does.


I fully agree with this. Even when I was natural, I would occasionally have broken hairs. Almost always results from how fine my hair is, and some hairs just don’t respond well to any sort of force exerted on them. Same with my hair now. I usually note 1 or 2 broken hairs on wash days, and usually they are hairs that are just sensitive to any force exerted on them, since the individual diameter of hair is very very fine.

Yes, I do have a history of dye and heat damage, though I do wonder if maybe my hair just has a propensity to break. I suppose I won't know until I grow out all virgin hair, which will take maybe like 20 years (just kidding lol).

[lapushka]

My hair was previously colored, I'm fully natural but I do have quite a bit of heat damage. I get three or four broken hairs that are perhaps two or three inches in length, then I get perhaps twice that amount of the tiny hairs that are likely from split ends.

I notice these broken hairs even when finger combing, unfortunately.

It could be the heat damage. Have you ever examined your hair for white dots way up a strand (that is heat damage). It forms a sharp angle, usually and will be a breaking point. If you discover them, leave them alone. They won't "break" until they're ready to come out and they can hang on for a long time.

I grew my heat damaged hair out from 2 inches near the root (damage), it was shoulder length to hip. Then my mom did a massive S&D on me which took off half my thickness (that many hairs were involved), and so we had to cut back to BSL, because it was that far up the strand!

But if you discover them, just leave them alone - they're strong suckers!

[blackgothicdoll]

It could be the heat damage. Have you ever examined your hair for white dots way up a strand (that is heat damage). It forms a sharp angle, usually and will be a breaking point. If you discover them, leave them alone. They won't "break" until they're ready to come out and they can hang on for a long time.

I grew my heat damaged hair out from 2 inches near the root (damage), it was shoulder length to hip. Then my mom did a massive S&D on me which took off half my thickness (that many hairs were involved), and so we had to cut back to BSL, because it was that far up the strand!

But if you discover them, just leave them alone - they're strong suckers!

I did not know that was heat damage! I only notice heat damage because it makes my curl pattern loosen. While I haven't seen white dots, I do see hairs that form sharp angles. I didn't really have any clue as to why there were pieces that did that, but now I know! :) So I shouldn't s&d those? Are they anything like splits, where when they break they create a weak point in the end of the strand?

[lapushka]

I did not know that was heat damage! I only notice heat damage because it makes my curl pattern loosen. While I haven't seen white dots, I do see hairs that form sharp angles. I didn't really have any clue as to why there were pieces that did that, but now I know! :) So I shouldn't s&d those? Are they anything like splits, where when they break they create a weak point in the end of the strand?

Yes that's heat damage. If there is a white dot at the sharp angle! I would not S&D them, no, they will come off when they're good and ready. If you are going to S&D them and there are a lot of them, you are going to shape your hair funny. If it's just a few, you could do that, no worries. If they break off they CAN form a split! I just left mine alone from shoulder all the way to hip. And just looked at if I had splits or not (just 2 in all that time). So it won't be that bad, surely!

[MusicalSpoons]

*raises hand* I have white dots and know exactly the sharp angle you're talking about. Mine is most definitely not heat damage though (I think of the maybe 3 times I ever used straighteners the last was ~15 years ago!) so I don't know what it is really :confused: They're more towards the ends of my more fragile, babyfine white blonde hairs, but not always near the end and some of my regular strands have them too. (Sometimes I look at my hair and think it would give some LHCers a real fright :shake:) In fairness I don't see them break off when I comb.

[lapushka]

*raises hand* I have white dots and know exactly the sharp angle you're talking about. Mine is most definitely not heat damage though (I think of the maybe 3 times I ever used straighteners the last was ~15 years ago!) so I don't know what it is really :confused: They're more towards the ends of my more fragile, babyfine white blonde hairs, but not always near the end and some of my regular strands have them too. (Sometimes I look at my hair and think it would give some LHCers a real fright :shake:) In fairness I don't see them break off when I comb.

Yes they're strong! It takes direct force to get them to break off. Brushing might do it, though, but still then they all won't break off at once, which is why I'm a strong believer of "letting it go" until you have more length to the hair for sure.

[Cate36]

Why don't you do a few intensive Olaplex treatments? Leaving on over night before you wash.. my hair has been so damaged, but at the moment, I'm not getting any breakage.. just shedding sigh.. which I think is in the normal range, but obsesses me daily still. (I had those white dots too..well I didn't see them as white dots, but the hairs were at angles.. all of that has resolved now.. and I truly believe it was the olaplex..)

[lapushka]

While Olaplex might be a good idea, I do doubt it can fix broken hair. Angles happen from the hair being in buns or in updos or being in a certain style - it happens. There has to be a white dot at the angle or it's not a broken end.

[MusicalSpoons]

While Olaplex might be a good idea, I do doubt it can fix broken hair. Angles happen from the hair being in buns or in updos or being in a certain style - it happens. There has to be a white dot at the angle or it's not a broken end.

Haha, YES this is so true! I have to confess it does make me chuckle when people occasionally post 'I have bent ends helllllp!!!!' :grin: but yeah, I have both the benign ones sometimes and the white dot ones.

Olaplex is something that's creeping onto my radar, but I think I might try just an occasional DT with a protein-containing conditioner first (nothing I use currently has any protein whatsoever) and keep an eye on things. That will mean breaking my no-buy *and* having to spend slightly more than I usually would in order to find a silicone-free one, but for occasional use, perhaps once a month, I don't mind. Infinitely less expensive than Olaplex :bigeyes:

[blackgothicdoll]

Oh.... no white dots. So they are just bent. LOL.

[MusicalSpoons]

That's good news, blackgothicdoll! :D (Also, apologies for possibly inadvertently slightly hijacking your thread :flower:)

[lapushka]

Oh.... no white dots. So they are just bent. LOL.

Yes! Don't panic! LOL. White dots are the devil, but bent ends on their own, nothing to worry about.

[JennGalt]

This isn’t always due to damage. I found a great source a while back that stated that trichorrhexis nodosa (the medical jargon for white dots on hair) can simply due to the structure of the hair, which can run in families or be caused by nutritional problems. It also can be limited to just a few patches of hair, the entire scalp, or extend to body hair. I tried finding the site again but was unable to do so. All of the sources I found today are either geared toward damage caused TN or link it to some horrible genetic neurological disorders. The original site I stumbled upon a while back stated that it can occur on its own, but I’m done googling for the day lest I convince myself I’m doomed to death or awful health.

By the way, I am prone to this myself—mostly in hair that has never been exposed to high heat or henna. Just keep handling your hair carefully. I don’t keep track of how many hairs break on a daily basis. But I have discovered keeping my hair somewhat coated (with oil or certain leave in conditioners) makes a huge difference, as does avoiding hygral fatigue. If this is genetic for you, you might have a very different hair structure than mine (apparently I have pili torti—twisted hair) even though we have the same issue. YMMV.

Edit: Came back from googling to find a source and just saw the thing about the bent ends. Glad there are no white dots! But I’m leaving this here to state that not all white dots are from heat damage, since the info could help someone else with the same issue in the future.