Scientific collaboration between Professor Marco Toscani and Dr. Pasquale Fino, Chair of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Umberto I Health Center – “Sapienza” University of Rome.
Brittle hair is hair that appears opaque and without shininess. It is characterized by glaringly visible damage and deterioration of the shaft.
The causes that lead to the problem of brittle hair may be of endogenous and exogenous origin.
An improper diet, psychological stress, genetic differences and hormonal imbalances are among the endogenous causes. Excessive exposure to the sun, atmospheric pollution and aggressive and frequent cosmetic hair treatments are instead among the exogenous causes of the condition.
Usually fine, thin hair becomes brittle more quickly and easily compared to thick and resistant hair, as its keratin structure is less compact and resistant.
As it is less hydrated due to the absence or reduction of sebum, dry and thin hair suffers damage from external agents more easily and as a result appears brittle. We can also include split ends in the category of brittle hair, i.e. when the shaft shows a breakage at the end.
To understand the hair deterioration and breakage process, it is important to understand its structure.
A cross section of the hair shows three concentric layers called the medulla, cortex and cuticle. The cuticle, which forms the outermost layer, is composed of keratin shingles (65-95%) overlapping on top of each other.
They form a hard, tough shield which has the function of protecting the hair from external chemical and environmental agents.
Under a microscope, brittle hair shows the absence of a cuticle. Without a cuticle, the hair will thin, becoming increasingly weak and fragile.
This leads to the deterioration of the structure of the keratin (compact microfilaments) which makes up the hair cortex. Hair found in these conditions and subject to a trichological or aggressive cosmetic treatment ends up deteriorating and ruining the cohesion and compactness of the cortex, resulting in the hair becoming brittle, easily breakable and more likely to fall out.
In the presence of brittle hair, it is necessary to avoid subjecting hair to vigorous brushing, chemical treatments, hair dyes, styling, bleaching, excessive exposure to the sunrays and other aggressive treatments. These methods cause massive damage to hair, as they destroy the keratin structure and impoverish the hair shaft of the sulphur-containing amino-acids necessary for making hair stronger and more resistant. These precautions are necessary to avoid further hair breakage, but are not a cure for hair that is already ruined. If hair is already ruined, it is important to act by identifying and overcoming the causes.
Excluding situations that require medical expertise, in the majority of cases the care and prevention of brittle hair can be managed by modelling a hair treatment on the specific and personal characteristics of the brittle hair in question, using customized trichological products and paying attention to avoid behavior that endanger the health of the hair.
Seborrheic hair loss is a form of premature hair loss that generally afflicts men in their youth (onset between 20 and 30 years of age), mainly affecting the frontal region and the crown. The cause, as the name of the condition suggests, is related to an excess production of sebum that provokes or accelerates hair loss.
The term Telogen Effluvium was introduced for the first time by Kligman (*) in 1961 to introduce an acute hair loss of benign origin that follows an intense and short period of stress of different types. Subsequently, Rebora (**) introduced the concept of chronic Telogen Effluvium.
Dandruff is a scalp condition that usually arises between the ages of 10 and 25. It may improve between the ages of 45 and 55 or may continue during old age.
Its cause is a result of an accelerated turnover of epidermal cells, which following an increase in migration speed, are unable to reach complete maturity before detaching. Whitish-yellow flakes (masses of corneum cells) form and detach, gathering in patches or often spreading evenly across the scalp.
Trichotillomania is a type of hair loss due to voluntary pulling by the patient which often ends up breaking the hair shaft. In general, the patient twists the hair around a finger.
The gesture is occasional when going to sleep or concentrating on a task, but may become repetitive or obsessive.
The hair on our bodies has a particular structure and is divided into thin and thick hair. Thin hair, also called lanugo or vellus, is located on all skin surfaces except for the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. Thick hair, also called terminal hair, is dark and located only in some areas such as the scalp, the armpits, the pubic area, the beard area in the case of men, etc…
A hair follicle is a formation of epidermal origin, anchored in the dermis and consisting of a hair and its sheath.
The formation of hair follicles occurs early. They begin to appear as early as the second month of gestation. These follicles will continue to form for the entire duration of the pregnancy. At birth, the baby will indeed have the entire supply of follicles with which it was genetically equipped and from this moment on, no others will form.
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