What should you know about hair falling out and breaking off?

A shed hair usually comes from the follicle and may have a small bulb at one end. A broken hair is shorter, may have a blunt or frayed end, and leaves uneven lengths. Heat, bleaching, straightening, vigorous brushing, friction and tight hairstyles can weaken the shaft. Loss from the root can occur with Telogen Effluvium, Male Pattern Hair Loss, Female Pattern Hair Loss or Alopecia Areata. Scalp Ringworm can cause scaling, broken hairs and inflamed patches, while Traction Alopecia can follow repeated pulling.

Pause bleaching, relaxing and high-heat styling while you work out the cause. Use conditioner, a wide-toothed comb and gentle towel drying; avoid pulling wet hair and vary tight hairstyles. Check whether hairs are short fragments or full-length strands, and note any scale, itch, tenderness or smooth patches. Arrange a scalp examination if the change continues. Hair Loss provides a broader symptom overview; treatment such as Finasteride Treatment is diagnosis-dependent and should be discussed with a clinician.

Seek prompt medical advice for sudden patchy loss, a painful or inflamed scalp, thick scale, pus, swollen glands, or a smooth expanding bald area. Arrange assessment when eyebrows or eyelashes are affected, when the scalp looks shiny or scarred, or when loss follows a new medicine or major illness. Urgent help is appropriate for severe swelling, fever or rapidly worsening infection signs.

Are the hairs shedding from the root, breaking along the shaft, or showing both patterns? Could styling, traction, infection or inflammation be involved? Do I need scalp microscopy, a fungal test or blood tests? Which treatments are suitable for my health history?