breakage and shedding!!

Hey ladies I'm going to talk about shedding and breakage today!!
The difference between breakage and shedding is an important part of any healthy hair regimen. Many people use these terms interchangeably to refer to any hair that falls from their head.

Shed hair is hair that has reached the end of its growing cycle and naturally falls from the scalp with the root attached. The root is a tiny white bulb on the scalp, If a hair does not possess this white bulb, then it is not a naturally shed hair rather it's a broken one. Shed hair tends to be longer in length than broken hairs which are generally short pieces of varying lengths.

If you have stretched your relaxer for a great number of weeks, your shed hair will have the curly new growth present on the area next to the scalp, and you will be able to see where the relaxed hair begins. Some find that garlic shampoos or products with garlic extracts help curb shedding. But remember, shedding is a natural, internal process and may not respond to topical or external treatments. So don't be alarmed if nothing works for you. Changes in diet, hormone imbalances, birth control pills, and pregnancy can also affect the rate at which hair is shed.

Breakage on the other hand is not natural, and is an indication of an imbalance of important forces within the hair strand. Broken hairs do not fall naturally from the head, but are typically a sign of mishandling or abuse like using too much heat, not drinking enough water,
not moisturizing your hair, not using a protein treatments as need yes these are all abuses lol and if you are guiltyof this you hair will let you know, by shedding and breaking constantly
so get to know your hair,this way you will know what works best for your hair!!

when a hair completes its life cycle, which generally lasts 4-6 years, it's final act is shedding
This cannot be prevented, this is just a natural part of life! just like how our skin sheds our hair sheds too! A healthy head of hair may shed as many as 50-100 hairs per day so ladies if you go days or weeks with out combing your hair, then you are more likely to see more shedding there is no reason to be alarmed unless it is a lot of shedding or breakage.

the best comb to use is a shower comb it works great on any hair grade but it is excellent for hair types 4a and 4b!! you can use it in the shower, but i don't.
i use it as a regular comb!

make sure all of your combs and brushes have the protective coating on there, also make sure to use only wide thooth combs and brushes this will allow the hair to flow through easily and it will also prevent alot of snagging and breakage...another thing that helps is having equal amounts of moisture and protein!

here is a description of the shower comb found on sally's website:
Evenly distributes conditioner through wet hair
Nylon ball tips are extra gentle on scalp
12 wide-spaced teeth easily detangles curls and snarls
Convenient arched handle for easy hanging
Available in assorted pastel colors: pink, blue, green and purple Ideal for use when hair is wet. Nylon ball tips help comb glide easily through hair without damaging scalp. Jilbere de Paris has offered superior, top quality products for over 30 years and continues to set the benchmark for professional styling products.