Breakage or Shedding? How to Tell the Difference
Finding hair in your brush is not always shedding. Learn the 30-second test that tells breakage from shedding, and what to do about each.
You clean out your brush and there's more hair than you'd like. Your first thought is probably "I'm losing my hair." But a lot of the time, what you're seeing isn't hair falling out from the root at all. It's hair breaking. They look similar in the brush and they need completely different fixes.
The 30-second test
Pick up a few of the hairs and look at both ends.
- Shedding: the hair is full length and has a tiny white or light bulb at one end. That's the root. It came out from the scalp.
- Breakage: the hair is short, often uneven lengths, with no bulb at either end. It snapped somewhere along the strand.
Most of us see a mix. But if you're finding lots of short pieces, breakage is a big part of the story.
About shedding
Shedding is normal. Most people lose somewhere around 50 to 100 hairs a day as part of the natural growth cycle, and you'll notice more on wash days because loose hairs come out all at once. Shedding can increase for a few months after stress, illness or hormonal changes, and usually settles down.
When shedding is sudden, heavy, or leaves patches, that's a reason to see a doctor or dermatologist.
About breakage
Breakage is where your routine makes the biggest difference. Strands get weaker with age, color and heat, and then snap from everyday friction. The fix is protecting the hair you already have:
- Detangle from the bottom up with a wide-tooth comb, especially when hair is wet.
- Condition the lengths every wash, from mid-length to ends, where hair is oldest and driest.
- Lower the heat on your dryer and tools, and use them less often.
- Swap tight elastics for soft scrunchies or clips.
- Choose a shampoo that strengthens, not just cleans.
Why it matters
Hair grows about half an inch a month. If it breaks faster than it grows, you'll never see that length. Cut down the breakage, and over a few months the same growth starts to show up as fuller-looking ends.
Your growth was never the problem. Keeping it was.
That's exactly why the RevitaRoot routine has two jobs: rosemary shampoo for the scalp, and a keratin conditioner to protect the lengths.
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. RevitaRoot products are cosmetics and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you notice sudden or patchy hair loss, talk to a doctor or dermatologist.
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