Breakage or New Growth?

[missmagoo]

The title basically says it all. How do you know if those pesky hairs that stick striaght up out of the top of your head are breakage or new growth?

I've been paying attention to taking care of my hair again since about July, so I'm hoping that the hairs I'm seeing are new growth and not breakage, but is there any way to tell for sure?

I'm a wurly, so I shed A LOT in the shower, but I think that's kind of normal for my hair type. I'm a little worried though that it might be breakage and not just normal shed.

[RancheroTheBee]

New growth tend to be gently tapered, whereas breakage will have extreme or blocky tapers (from little shreds of hair coming off the shaft from splits) or they will be blunt.

[missmagoo]

That's kind of what I thought. From what I can tell, the ends look pretty tapered. Yay for me!

[Maddy25]

I asked this same question a few months back. I was told to check the ends of the new hairs as well for the little white dots, white dots=breakage.

[clairenewcastle]

Personally I always go for the positive thinking option which entails crossing my fingers and hoping they are new growth.

[missmagoo]

Thanks for the answers ladies. I'm pretty sure it's new growth

[pinchbeck]

Hair grows at different rates. Some of it takes a break while the others are fast and running. So...there will always be different lengths of hair on our heads!

[ericthegreat]

I agree with the other posters. If you don't see any white dots and the hairs look very fresh, then they most likely aren't broken hairs. They are simply your new growth coming in after a recent shed you had a few months back. :)

[InTheCity]

Great post, I had a mean hairstylist say she cant get my hair smooth because of the breakage hairs sticking up.
Excuse me miss, I have been caring for my hair 110% since January with no slips ups... those are new growths.