Why is my hair so dry and brittle?

There are many different hair types and textures around, but we’re all united in pursuit of the same goal - strong, luxurious strands.

Unfortunately, dry, brittle hair is a common issue.

Identifying the problem is the first step in finding a solution for your dry hair. Don’t worry – we’re here to help.

Why is my hair so dry?

Dry, brittle hair usually feels that way because of damage. To understand how hair gets damaged, we need to understand the structure of each strand.

Your hair shaft is made up of three main layers:¹

1. The medulla

The core of each hair strand. The medulla is unlikely to get damaged as it’s tucked away in the centre of each strand. Hair that is naturally ultra-light, such as fine blonde hair, may not contain a medulla.

2. The cortex

The cortex surrounds the medulla. It’s where the hair’s moisture and strength lies. The cortex can be damaged by things like hair dye and excessive heat treatment.

3. The cuticle

The outer covering of each hair strand, the cuticle is arranged like overlapping roof tiles over the cortex. The cuticle keeps moisture in and protects the cortex. The cuticle is the most fragile part of the hair strand, which is easily damaged by external factors.

When we experience dry, brittle hair, it’s likely due to a roughed-up cuticle and a damaged cortex. Further, light doesn’t bounce off damaged strands the way it does undamaged ones, which affects shine and gives an overall appearance of dullness to damaged hair.

What is the cause of dry hair?

Dry, brittle hair causes include:

• You use heat

You’ll often hear this advice if you’re looking to cut down on damage – reduce heat on your hair.

When we apply heat from a hairdryer, curling tongs, or straighteners, the cuticle lifts and weakens.

In one study, it was observed that damage to the cuticle started at a heat of 47C, around the level of heat achieved by a hair dryer.² By 95C, which most straighteners easily surpass, the cuticle damage was more pronounced.

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• It gets wind-blown

Loose hair exposed to the wind causes strands to rub against each other and your clothing, exacerbating any split ends.

Also, a tangled mane needs to be brushed out and can cause the brush to snag on knots. This is another sure-fire way to make splits worse.

• You rub it dry

Friction is a major damaging factor to the hair surface. A rubbing motion, such as when we rub our hair dry using a towel, causes the roughening of the hair’s cuticle and the formation of split ends. 

• You don’t condition it

Have you noticed how your hair feels dryer and more difficult to manage if you skip the conditioner?

Conditioner decreases friction on the hair shaft, detangles it and reduces frizz by lubricating the cuticle – so stock up on a good quality conditioner and see the difference in your hair.³

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• Your diet is lacking

Normal, healthy hair starts with your diet. Hair is made up primarily of a type of protein called keratin, so eating lots of protein is crucial for strong strands. ^4,5,6 Find out why healthy hair needs protein here. 

• Hormonal changes

Hormonal changes in the body caused by things like pregnancy, the menopause and birth control can affect the hair.

If your dry hair is caused by hormones, you may also feel fatigued, colder than usual, weaker and your hair may begin to fall out. Speak to your doctor if you’re concerned.

• You dye it

Many of us dye our hair, and love the way it gives us the colour we want. However, the damage hair dye causes is undeniable.

Hair dye actually roughens the cuticle purposefully so it can deposit the colour onto the exposed cortex. This is why dyed hair can look dull. Bleaching is even worse – it lifts the cuticle and strips the melanin (your natural colour pigment) from the cortex.

• The air’s dry

Central heating can suck moisture from the air, leaving your hair (and skin) dehydrated.

Dry, warm air also increases static, flyaways and frizz, causing the hair to rub each other which encourages cuticle damage.

• Genetics

Everyone’s different, and hair types are different. Some people have naturally dryer hair than others.

It’s all to do with how each strand is structured, and curly hair types tend to be drier than straight hair, as the natural oils can’t travel down the hair shaft as easily.

• Your scalp is dry

There are no oil glands on your hair itself – the natural oils which keep hair moisturised come from your scalp.

A dry scalp doesn’t produce enough oil, leaving the hair growing from it parched.

• You smoke

Smoking restricts the oxygen that your cells can carry around the body.

As a result, hair follicles aren’t supplied with enough fresh oxygen and brittle, easily broken hair is a possible result.⁷

• You brush roughly

Rough brushing of tangled locks is a major culprit when it comes to breakage.

Dragging a brush through wet tangled hair is a sure-fire way to cause split ends. This can give the appearance of dry, brittle hair.

Summary

• Hair strands are made up of three parts – the medulla, the cortex and the cuticle
• Heat styling, friction and dye damage roughen the hair’s cuticle, and can even penetrate to the cortex causing significant damage
• Diet and hormonal changes could also be behind dry, brittle hair

Brittle hair treatment

Here are some tips on how to combat dry and brittle hair:

1. Wash your hair less

Over-washing your hair or using harsh shampoos that strip away your hair’s natural oils can damage your hair and make it feel dry.

Try cutting down the amount you wash it week by week so your hair can gradually re-balance its oil. Top tip: Dry shampoo will be your new best friend! Learn how to make your own here.

2. Reduce heat styling

Try letting hair dry on its own and embracing your natural texture. You could try half-and-half, allowing your hair to dry 50% then finishing off with a hairdryer, keeping the nozzle about 15cm from your hair.

3. Review your hair products

Try using mild shampoos made specifically for dry hair, and always follow with a rich conditioner and oil or serum. Conditioners, oils and serums help keep hair cuticles lying flat and allows them to hold onto natural oils and reflect the light better.

4. Silk pillowcase

Invest in a few silk pillowcases and kiss goodbye to bed-head. It might seem like an indulgence, but silk pillowcases are great for keeping the hair’s cuticle flat and preventing friction, frizz and flyaways from building up overnight.

5. Quality hairbrush

Are you still brushing your hair with a plastic brush? It’s time to invest in a decent quality paddle brush.

We suggest one with a wooden handle to reduce static, and an air cushion to allow it to massage your scalp as you brush. This helps stimulate your scalp’s production of moisturising natural oils.

6. Heat defence spray

An absolute must if you do heat style your hair, heat defence spray can help to minimise the damage caused by hot styling tools.

7. Stretch your dye appointments

Try going longer between dye jobs. This will prevent colour or bleach overlapping, which can seriously damage your hair’s condition.

If you’re a bleach fan, perhaps embrace an ombre or a rooted look – and if you dye your hair darker, try natural henna instead, which doesn’t lift and damage the cuticle.

8. Hot oil treatments

The gold standard for repairing really dry hair, hot oil treatments restore moisture and strength to the hair’s cortex and smooth down and seal rough cuticles.

Once a week, apply a gently warmed oil (grapeseed, olive, argan and coconut all work) to your hair, cover with a shower cap and leave for at least 30 minutes. You could also try these DIY hair treatments for dry hair.

9. Brush better

You can just feel that dragging a brush or comb through your hair is causing breakage. Start brushing the ends, and gently brush higher as you tease out the knots. It’s not a race- if it takes a minute or two, consider it an investment of time into the health of your hair.

10 nourishing products for dry and brittle hair

If you're wondering which products you should be using for dry and brittle hair, look no further! We've rounded up 10 of the best nourishing shampoos, conditioners, masks and oils to help you get those soft, shiny locks. 

Last updated: 7 May 2021