How to Stop Hair Breakage: 15 Natural Remedies, Tips, and Treatments

Specialty: Ayurveda

Dr. Naveen Sharma is a renowned Ayurveda specialist with an experience of 10 years. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Ayurveda, Medicine and Surgery(B. A. M. S) from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, in... more

  • What Is Hair Breakage?
  • Why Is My Hair Breaking?
  • How To Stop Hair Breakage Naturally
  • Preventive Tips
  • Treatment For Hair Breakage

What Is Hair Breakage?

When the shafts of your hair break, resulting in split ends and shorter hair strands, it is known as hair breakage. Hair breakage usually occurs due to a dry scalp and damaged hair.

Wondering what is causing your hair to break? Let us find out.

Why Is My Hair Breaking?

Your hair is breaking due to the following reasons:

  • Lack of moisture
  • Washing your hair with hard water
  • Heat styling and blow-drying your hair
  • Hair coloring
  • Using cotton pillows
  • Tying your hair up in a towel post- shower

Nobody wants their hair to be brittle and damaged. Listed below are some of the best natural home remedies that can help you deal with hair breakage.

1. Vitamins

Vitamins C, D3, and biotin work exceptionally well in enhancing the health of your hair (1). It is important that the hair follicles receive proper blood supply and nutrition for your hair to be in good shape.

Vitamin C plays a significant role in the production of collagen, which is the base for the formation of blood vessels. While vitamin D3 helps in the production of the component that makes up your hair, called keratin, biotin is essential for hair growth, and its deficiency was found to cause immense hair fall (2).

You can include these vitamins in your daily diet by consuming citrus fruits, eggs, cheese, and leafy vegetables. You can also take additional supplements for these vitamins after consulting your doctor.

2. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a natural moisturizer that helps prevent the loss of protein from the hair. The lauric acid in the oil imparts antifungal properties to it, which protects your hair from fungal infections like dandruff (3). These properties help in preventing hair breakage.

You Will Need

  • 1/2-1 tablespoon of coconut oil (depending on the length of your hair)
  • Shower cap

What You Have To Do

  1. Massage the coconut oil gently into your scalp and spread it all over your hair with your fingers.
  2. Cover your hair with a shower cap and leave it on for 2-3 hours or overnight.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this at least once a week.

3. Castor Oil

The ricinoleic acid in castor oil helps in increasing blood circulation to your scalp. This, in turn, nourishes and strengthens your hair and prevents breakage (4).

You Will Need

  • 1 tablespoon of castor oil
  • 1 tablespoon of coconut oil or olive oil

What You Have To Do

  1. Mix equal portions of castor oil and a carrier oil like coconut or olive oil.
  2. Massage this mixture into your scalp and along the length of your hair.
  3. Leave it on for 1 to 2 hours and wash it off with a mild cleanser.

How Often You Should Do This

You can do this 1 to 2 times a week.

a. Sweet Almond Essential Oil

Sweet almond essential oil can help your hair regain its lost luster and thickness. It contains beneficial compounds like oleic acid and linoleic acid that help maintain the lipid metabolism balance, which can nourish the hair and protect it from further damage and breakage (66861/Indian_medicinal_plants_For_hair_care_and_cosmetics' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' >5), (6).

You Will Need

  • 2-3 drops of almond essential oil
  • 1/2-1 tablespoon of any carrier oil (coconut or olive oil)

What You Have To Do

  1. Mix almond essential oil with a carrier oil of your choice.
  2. Massage this mixture gently into your scalp and hair.
  3. Leave it on for 1 to 2 hours and then wash it off with a good shampoo.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this once a week.

b. Chamomile Essential Oil

Chamomile essential oil exhibits moisturizing and 8564614/ ' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' >anti-inflammatory properties (7), (8). These properties can help treat an inflamed scalp and dry and damaged hair. It is also anti fungal and can prevent scalp infections caused by fungi.

You Will Need

  • 3-4 drops of chamomile essential oil
  • 1/2-1 tablespoon of any carrier oil (coconut or olive oil)

What You Have To Do

  1. Mix chamomile essential oil with a carrier oil of your choice.
  2. Apply this mixture to your scalp and hair and leave it on for an hour.
  3. Wash the mixture off with a mild shampoo.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this 1 to 2 times a week.

5. Argan Oil

Argan oil is a rich source of vitamins A, C, and E and has antioxidant properties (9), (10), (11). It can help protect your hair from damage and breakage. It also contains linoleic acid and omega-6 fatty acids, the presence of which keeps your hair moisturized and healthy.

You Will Need

4-5 drops of 100% argan oil

What You Have To Do

  1. Take a few drops of argan oil in your palms and rub them together.
  2. Apply it directly to your scalp and hair.
  3. Wash your hair after 1 or 2 hours. You can also leave the oil on overnight.

How Often You Should Do This

Apply argan oil to your hair 1 to 2 times every week.

6. Green Tea

Green tea contains catechins that have antioxidant properties and stimulate hair growth (12), (13). It also possesses antifungal and 14/ ' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' >anti-inflammatory properties (14). Hence, green tea can protect your scalp from infections and prevent thinning of hair.

You Will Need

  • 1/2 tablespoon of powdered green tea
  • 1 tablespoon of coconut oil

What You Have To Do

  1. Mix the powdered green tea with coconut oil.
  2. Apply this paste to your scalp and hair and leave it on for 10 minutes.
  3. Wash your hair with cool water.
  4. You can also consume green tea.

How Often You Should Do This

Use this hair mask at least once a week.

7. Egg Hair Mask

Egg whites are a rich source of proteins (15). They are used to keep the hair healthy, soft, and breakage-free. They exhibit significant antioxidant and anti- inflammatory properties (16). These activities can protect your hair and scalp from inflammation and damage.

You Will Need

  • 2 egg whites
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 cup of milk
  • A few drops of lemon juice

What You Have To Do

  1. Mix the egg whites, olive oil, milk, and lemon juice in a bowl.
  2. Apply this mixture to your scalp and hair and leave it on for 30 minutes.
  3. Wash your hair with a mild cleanser.
  4. Alternatively, you can also use whole whipped eggs.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this 2 to 3 times every month.

8. Aloe Vera

Aloe vera gel is quite popular for its skin and hair benefits. This is mainly due to its moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, photoprotective, and antifungal properties (17), (18), (19). Aloe vera can help in keeping your scalp dandruff- free and prevent hair breakage and also restore the pH of your hair.

You Will Need

  • 1/2 tablespoon of aloe vera gel
  • 1/2 tablespoon of almond oil

What You Have To Do

  1. Mix equal portions of aloe vera gel and almond oil.
  2. Apply this mixture all over your scalp and hair.
  3. Leave it on for 20-30 minutes and wash it off with some water.
  4. You can also apply aloe vera gel directly to condition your hair.

How Often You Should Do This

You can do this 2 times a week.

9. Garlic

Your hair is mainly made up of keratin. Garlic is a rich source of sulfur, which acts as a building block of keratin. It also has antifungal and antioxidant properties (20), (21), (22). Thus, garlic can protect your scalp and hair from breakage and fungal infections.

You Will Need

  • 6-7 garlic cloves
  • 100 mL of coconut or olive oil

What You Have To Do

  1. Mince the garlic cloves and put them into a container containing coconut or olive oil.
  2. Store this in a cool and dry place for about a week.
  3. Apply it to your hair and scalp.
  4. Wash it off after an hour or so.

How Often You Should Do This

Apply this oil at least once a week.

10. Apple Cider Vinegar

A disturbed pH can cause your hair to become dry and damaged. Apple cider vinegar (ACV) helps to balance the pH of your scalp due to the presence of acetic acid in it. Acetic acid also helps in keeping your hair soft, thereby preventing breakage. Also, ACV is antimicrobial and antifungal (23), (24). These properties can help keep scalp infections at bay.

You Will Need

  • 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
  • 2 cups of water

What You Have To Do

  1. Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to two cups of water and mix well.
  2. Use this solution to rinse your hair after shampooing.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this once a week.

11. Avocado

The nourishing properties of avocado are due to the presence of vitamins and minerals. This fruit acts as a natural conditioner and prevents hair breakage and damage. Avocados are also a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids (25). They are quite important for having healthy and lustrous hair.

You Will Need

  • 1/2 avocado (peeled)
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon of butter (optional)

What You Have To Do

  1. Blend the pulp of half an avocado with an egg yolk to form a smooth paste. You can also add some butter.
  2. Apply this paste to damp hair from the roots to the tips.
  3. Massage your scalp gently with this mixture for a few minutes and leave it on for at least 20 minutes.
  4. Rinse your hair and shampoo and condition it as usual.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this at least twice a month.

12. Carrot Oil

Carrot oil is derived from the seeds of the carrot. This oil is a rich source of vitamins A and E and beta-carotene that are essential for healthy hair. It is also antibacterial and antifungal and has healing properties (26). All these factors can help you deal with a dry scalp and breakage-prone hair.

You Will Need

  • 6-7 drops of carrot oil
  • Carrier oil like olive or coconut oil (optional)

What You Have To Do

  1. Take about 6 to 7 drops of carrot oil and apply it directly to your scalp and hair.
  2. Alternatively, you can also mix carrot oil with any carrier oil and apply it to your hair.
  3. Leave it on for 1 to 2 hours before washing it off.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this at least once a week.

13. Grapeseed Oil

Grapeseed oil is one of the best ways to keep your hair moisturized without weighing it down. This is because it is much lighter than most oils out there. It is also rich in antioxidants and vitamin E (27), (28). Thus, it can help in making your hair strong and preventing breakage.

You Will Need

2-3 teaspoons of grapeseed oil

What You Have To Do

  1. Heat grapeseed oil and massage your hair and scalp gently with it.
  2. Cover your head with a shower cap and let the oil work on your hair overnight or for 1 to 2 hours.

How Often You Should Do This

14. Onion Juice

Onions are rich sources of sulfur, which is a building block of keratin. Hence, onions not only help prevent hair fall and breakage but also make your hair stronger and healthier. Onions have antifungal properties and can prevent hair fall (3089' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' >29), (30).

You Will Need

  • 1/2 tablespoon of onion juice
  • 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil

What You Have To Do

  1. Mix the onion juice with coconut oil.
  2. Apply this mixture to your hair, concentrating on your scalp.
  3. Leave it on for 20-30 minutes before washing it off.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this at least once a week.

15. Shea Butter

Shea butter can be used as a natural alternative to your conditioner. Its hydrating and anti-inflammatory properties ensure a healthy scalp and hair (31). The highly moisturizing properties of shea butter protect your hair from breakage and further damage.

You Will Need

1 teaspoon of shea butter

What You Have To Do

  1. Take a teaspoon of shea butter and rub it in between your palms until it melts.
  2. Apply it to your hair using your fingers.

How Often You Should Do This

You can use shea butter whenever your hair feels too dry and messy.

Use these remedies to help stop hair breakage. Here are a few tips you can follow to prevent this problem altogether.

Preventive Tips

Consult your healthcare provider if symptoms do not improve with changes in grooming and other home-care measures. Meanwhile, these simple treatments or changes can help reduce breakage.

Treatment For Hair Breakage

A little care and effort are all you need to prevent hair breakage and keep your hair tangle-free. Following the remedies listed here will save your hair from further damage and also repair the damage that is already done. Get going and get started on your journey towards beautiful and healthy hair.

Frequently Asked Questions

What medical conditions can cause hair breakage?

If you have lupus, the chances of your hair turning brittle and breaking are quite high. Those who have cancer, thyroid problems, and pituitary gland diseases are also more likely to experience hair damage and hair fall.

What is the best hair mask to stop breakage?

Although all the remedies in this article can give you effective results, the egg mask is the best. You can also try the avocado hair mask for stronger and healthier hair.

Are lemons good or not for stopping hair breakage?

Lemons, when used undiluted, are extremely acidic and can strip your hair of its natural oils. This may lead to dry, brittle, and breakage-prone hair. Hence, too much of lemons is not good for your hair.

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