In short
- Breakage: hair snaps mid-shaft. Loss: hair falls out from the follicle with a root.
- Look at your shower drain — bulbs at the end = loss; no bulbs = breakage.
- Breakage is a repair problem (protein + moisture); loss is a follicle problem (medical).
- Confusing the two is the commonest reason for wasted treatment spend in London hair care.
Breakage looks like hair loss but is a completely different problem. Every week London trichologists see patients who have spent months on hair loss treatments for what is actually mechanical breakage — and vice versa.
The one test that separates them
Look at the strands you're losing. If there is a small white bulb at the root — that's a shed hair, from the follicle. If both ends are just broken shaft — that's breakage. The bulb test takes 30 seconds and settles the diagnostic question.
Breakage causes
- Over-processing — bleach, dye, keratin, relaxer.
- Heat damage — cumulative flat-ironing above safe temperatures.
- Mechanical — rough brushing, hair ties with metal joins, cotton pillowcases.
- Protein deficiency in the shaft — usually from over-conditioning without protein rotation.
The London repair routine
Weekly bond repair mask + weekly hydrating mask alternated, silk pillowcase, snag-free hair ties, cut off worst 2–4cm. Combined with a heat break for 4 weeks, most breakage settles noticeably within 6–8 weeks.
Bulb at the root, medical. No bulb, structural. Everything follows from that.
Frequently asked
Common questions
How do I know if I'm losing 100 hairs a day or 500?+
Save shed hair over 3 days and count. Above 150/day average sustained is worth investigating.
Can breakage cause thinning at the temples?+
Yes — traction from tight styles causes both breakage and eventually follicle damage.
Will minoxidil fix breakage?+
No — minoxidil works on the follicle, not the shaft. Bond repair fixes breakage.
Keep reading
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