Hair Breakage vs. Shedding: Here’s the Difference

What’s the Difference Between Hair Thinning, Shedding and Breakage? Here’s What to Know

While hair shedding is normal, excess shedding, thinning or breakage can cause concern for a client. To help ease their panic, we’re breaking down the differences and offering solutions to get to the root cause of their hair loss and offer your professional expertise to repair, prevent and slow future loss.

Hair breakage explained:

Hair breakage refers to damage along the hair shaft that results in the strand snapping, splitting or otherwise breaking off. The broken strand will not have a bulb from the root follicle on the end of the strand, which is an indicator that it broke off the strand and not from the scalp. When hair experiences a lot of damage and thus breakage, this typically leads to uneven lengths and densities, split ends and frizziness.

These factors can lead to hair breakage:

• Excess heat damage
• Mechanical damage from brushing too hard
• Excess chemical treatments
• Lack of moisture and elasticity
• Certain illnesses and medications

3 steps to help your client repair hair breakage: 

Once you’ve established your client is experiencing breakage, here’s how to help them:

1. Ask your clients questions pertaining to their hair history, haircare routine and lifestyle. Here are examples of questions to ask:

• Hair history: What are your styling habits? Do you use heat and a heat protectant? Have you had any chemical treatments?
• Haircare routine: What products and tools are you using?
• Lifestyle: Are you on any medication? What is your diet like? Have you been experiencing any stress?

2. Figure out their hair goals and expectations: Do they want growth, improved manageability or healthier hair? Are they open to a haircut or trim to remove damage?

3. Establish a healthy hair routine: Work with your client to come up with a routine that will repair their hair long after they leave your chair. 

BTC Team Member John George (@johnwgeorge) shares an Instagram post about consulting a client experiencing medicine-induced hair breakage to use a new at-home routine to prevent further damage. To repair her hair he cut the damaged sections, then used Joico Innerjoi Strengthening Shampoo and Masque to strengthen the hair, reduce breakage, replenish moisture and prevent further damage. Implementing this duo of products into his client’s at-home hair routine will repair the hair to promote future growth, manageability and hair health.

Here’s what else to know about the Innerjoi Strengthening system:

Innerjoi Strengthening Shampoo | Photo courtesy of Joico

Innerjoi Strengthening Conditioner | Photo courtesy of Joico

Innerjoi Strengthening Masque | Photo courtesy of Joico

Before & After using Innerjoi Strengthening Set | Photo courtesy of Joico

Innerjoi Strengthening Set | Photo courtesy of Joico

The difference between shedding and thinning:

In short, shedding is a natural pattern of temporary hair loss, while excess hair loss or balding is more permanent and can be caused by a number of factors. 

Here’s what to know about hair shedding:

• Shedding is related to the telogen phase (resting phase) of the hair cycle or temporary triggers 
  
  • Temporary triggers can include stress, hormonal changes (like postpartum or menopause), nutritional deficiencies, seasonal changes or illnesses
• The average person sheds 50 to 100 hair strands daily
• The hair will have a white bulb at the root when it falls out
• Hair follicles remain healthy and capable of producing new hair
• Hair density typically recovers once the trigger is addressed or resolves naturally

Here’s what to know about hair balding and thinning:

• Balding or progressive hair thinning refers to permanent hair loss that reduces hair density
  • Triggers can be age, genetic, hormonal or autoimmune
• Gradual thinning can be seen in receding hairlines in men or wider hair parts in women
• Hair follicles shrink, produce finer hair or stop producing hair altogether
• Hair density does not recover without treatment

Here’s what to do if your client is experiencing unexplained hair loss:

When shedding becomes more than shedding but consultation questions don’t get to the root cause of your client’s excess hair loss, here are some suggestions to move forward with diagnosing:

• To avoid further loss, advise they eliminate chemical treatments, heat styling and hairstyles that can cause tension
• If the hair loss is severe, persistent or patchy, suggest they see a dermatologist or trichologist for professional evaluation
• Be sensitive yet emphasize medical professionals can identify underlying causes like alopecia, hormonal imbalances or nutrient deficiencies

Repair your clients’ dry, brittle hair once and for all—click here!