What should you know about hair is suddenly dry and brittle?

Think back to the weeks before the texture changed. A new bleach, relaxer, dye, heat routine, swimming exposure, or product can roughen the cuticle quickly. Fever, marked stress, restrictive eating, illness, or a new medicine can also alter hair quality or growth. Brittle hair snaps along the shaft, whereas shedding releases hairs from the root; both can occur together. Scalp redness, scale, soreness, or patchy loss suggests that the issue may involve the scalp rather than hair fibre alone.

Stop the newest irritating or chemical process and reduce hot tools. Wash gently with lukewarm water, condition the lengths, and detangle from the ends with minimal pulling. Keep hair loosely secured and avoid brushing while soaking wet. Photograph the affected areas and record recent products, illness, diet changes, and medicines to discuss at an appointment. Avoid self-prescribing high-dose nutrients; Hair Supplement Therapy is best considered after a clinician reviews your history and confirms that it fits your needs.

Arrange a review if the change has no obvious trigger, does not settle after removing the trigger, or is accompanied by scalp pain, inflammation, patchy loss, heavy shedding, or broken hairs close to the scalp. Seek prompt care for rapidly worsening scalp swelling or signs of infection.

Could the breakage be from a product or from the hair root? Which recent health changes matter? Does my scalp need examination? Would testing be useful? What care will protect new growth while damaged sections grow out?