Shedding VS Breakage

Finding your hair everywhere, but on your head?
It could be one of two things: Shedding or Breakage.


Shedding
According to biology, shedding is a natural process of the hair growth cycle:

Hair growth begins in the Anagen phase where the hair develops in the follicle and begins to grow.

In the Catagen phase, hair reaches its end of growth and the bulb detaches from the follicle at the end of this phase.

Finally, in the Telogen phase, the hair strand is just hanging out until it is pushed out (shed) by a new hair strand growing in the follicle beneath it.

Facts

• Each strand of hair is at its own stage of development
• Average growth for a human head is roughly 6 inches/year or 1/2 inch/ month
• Genetics determine the span of the growth phase
• 85% of head hairs are currently in the Anagen phase
• Cantagen phase last for about roughly 2 weeks
• Telogen phase last between 1-4 months.

Breakage

Hair breakage, on the other hand is not natural.

Causes:

• Over-processed hair
• Dry Hair
• Chemically damaged hair
• Rough combing/brushing
• Hair snapping on clothing fibers
• Brittle, weak hair
• Heat damaged hair
• Bad diet

Shedding or Breakage

Its easy to mistake shedding with breakage. You can identify whether your hair has shed or broke off by looking for a very small white bulb at the root end of the strand. If you can't identify a small white bulb, it is likely like that hair has broken off instead of naturally shedding from the head.