Dry, brittle hair in African American patients

Dryness describes how the hair feels, while brittleness describes how easily the shaft breaks. Both can occur together, but persistent fragility can also follow scalp disease, nutritional problems, or changes in general health.

Scalp oils travel less evenly along bends in tightly curled strands. Weathering of the cuticle from brushing, frequent heat, bleaching, relaxing, tight styling, and rubbing against rough surfaces adds weak points where fibres may split or snap.

Breakage produces shorter pieces with frayed or uneven ends, whereas hair shedding releases a whole strand from the root and may show a small bulb. Distinguishing the two helps a clinician focus on shaft care, scalp health, or the hair-growth cycle.

Wash according to scalp needs using a gentle cleanser, concentrate shampoo on the scalp, and apply conditioner along the hair. Detangle damp, conditioned hair in sections with fingers or a wide-tooth comb, beginning at the ends. A leave-in conditioner can reduce friction between strands.

Reduce repeated high heat and allow recovery time between chemical services. Keep braids, cornrows, weaves, wigs, and extensions comfortable rather than tight; pain, stinging, or scalp bumps are signals to loosen or remove the style. Trim severely split ends because they cannot be fused back together.

Arrange a dermatology review if fragility begins suddenly, continues despite gentler care, or accompanies bald patches, scalp scale, sores, pus, marked itch, pain, or loss of eyebrows or body hair. Prompt evaluation is also sensible when fatigue, weight change, restrictive eating, or a new medicine appears alongside the hair change.

Bring a timeline of styling, chemical services, heat use, products, medicines, diet changes, and other symptoms. Ask whether the problem is shaft breakage, shedding from the root, or both, and whether examination or targeted testing is appropriate before trying supplements.