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Medical Causes of Brittle Hair

Brittle hair is caused by a lack of moisture and oils needed to maintain soft hair and sheen. This can be a sign that you need to change your hair treatment such as less blow drying, changing shampoos or less swimming in chlorinated swimming pools. It could also be a sign of a more serious medical condition. If your hair is always brittle, as a precaution, you should consult your doctor.

  1. Kwashiorkor

    • Also known as malignant malnutrition, protein malnutrition or protein calorie malnutrition, Kwashiorkor is a condition that is caused by a severe protein deficiency. Places most effected by this are Third World Countries, especially after having been hit by a natural disaster when food supplies are scarce. It also happens to individuals who do not eat enough protein because they don't know how much protein is needed in their diet. If the proper amount of protein is consumed, the brittle hair should go away.

    Anorexia

    • Another cause of brittle hair can be anorexia. Anorexia is a physical disorder, but more importantly, a mental disorder. It is often a result of low self-esteem and peer pressure where being thin is considered beautiful. Poor dieting by individuals with anorexia leaves the body lacking the nutrients needed for strong hair.

    Hypothyroidism

    • Hypothyroidism is a condition where the thyroid gland is not producing enough thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormones are essential for every cell in the body and they help regulate your metabolism. Hypothyroidism can cause brittle and thinning hair.

    Trichorrhexis Nodosa­

    • Trichorrhexis Nodosa­ is a hair shaft defect that can come from either physical or chemical trauma. It is generally sparked by excessive brushing, certain hair dyes, blow drying, swimming in chlorinated pools or repeated exposure to ultraviolet rays. This causes the hair to lose the necessary oils and moisture it needs, which in turn makes the hair dry and brittle.

    Chemotherapy

    • Chemotherapy is a treatment for cancer. Cancer cells tend to grow quickly, so chemotherapy drugs are used to kill the cancer cells. These drugs also kill other fast-growing healthy cells, one of them being hair follicle cells, thus causing brittle hair or hair loss. The drugs used in chemotherapy can have various effects on a person's hair, ranging from mildly dry brittle hair, to complete hair loss. If a patient has brittle or thinning hair, these symptoms should clear up a few weeks after the chemotherapy medication has been discontinued.

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