Brittle Hair vs Hair Thinning: Signs, Causes, and Treatment

Many people confuse the terms brittle hair and hair thinning, but they are not the same. While both conditions have similar characteristics such as weak, dull, and fragile hair but their causes, looks, and treatment approaches differ. 

Brittle hair is dry, rough hair that is prone to breakage. On the other hand, thinning hair is a gradual reduction in hair density. Brittle hair is often caused by external damage, whereas thinning hair is typically linked to underlying medical issues.

In this article, we are going to discuss the key differences between brittle hair and thinning hair. You will learn how they look, their causes, treatments, and how to tell if you are experiencing one or both conditions. Let’s break it down. 

What Is Brittle Hair?

Brittle hair is defined as hair that is prone to breakage. It is dry, rough, fragile, and breaks off easily at the ends. While there are also other signs that include frizz, dull, and tangled strands.

What Are The Characteristics Of Brittle Hair?

Brittle hair has many characteristics based on different hair types which are as follows:

• Spongy Hair: Hair looks spongy and tangles easily when wet. This is often observed after bleaching or chemical treatments.
• Colored Hair: The color treatment gradually fades over time. The strands appear lifeless and dull.
• Dry & Damaged Hair: Brittle  hair is usually dry and rough when touched. This indicates that the hair’s cuticle layer is damaged.
• Hair Breakage: Hair lacks elasticity, thus breaks easily. It is often seen during brushing or heat styling.

The brittle hair loses all the natural oils produced by the scalp to keep hair healthy. Due to this, hair becomes dry and more prone to fall out.

What Are The Causes Of Brittle Hair?

Brittle hair can be caused by several factors, that include

• Chemical Hair Therapy: Using brassy chemical treatments can harm the cuticle, and cause hair brittleness.
• Excessive Hair Styling: Continuous use of blow-dryers, straighteners, or curling irons makes the hair shaft weaken and hair dry.
• Nutritional Deficiencies: If the diet doesn’t contain essential nutrients, vitamins, or proteins, it will lead the hair to snap.
• Overstyling Or Tight Hairstyles: Hairstyles like ponytails or braids may cause hair to stretch out and damage the roots.

What Is Hair Thinning?

Hair thinning is defined as a reduction in hair density. It also affects the thickness of hair. The thinning hair lacks volume and appears weak. 

Signs Of Hair Thinning

Some of the common signs of hair thinning include: 

• Loss of Volume: The thinning hair causes the overall hair volume to get reduced. 
• Hair Strands Thinning: With time, the hair strand becomes thinner and finer. Eventually, this causes each strand to lose texture and becomes weak.
• Scalp Visibility: As hair thins, the scalp appears more visible and gives out the appearance of bald spots. 

What Are The Main Causes Of Hair Thinning?

There are various factors that play a role in hair thinning, including:

• Genetics: There are two genetic conditions that include Male pattern baldness and female pattern baldness. They both cause hair follicles to shrink which give rise to hair thinning. 
• Hormonal Changes: Changes in hormone levels are usually observed in pregnancy, menopause, and thyroid issues. They all lead to shorter, thinner hair. 
• Age: As the age increases, the growth phase of hair shortens and hair follicles shrink with time. It causes hair to become thin. 
• Stress; Physical or emotional stress is also involved in the hair thinning process. This will eventually affect the hair growth cycle. 

How Do You Know If Your Hair Is Brittle Or Thinning?

You can easily track the difference by noticing the condition of your hair. Brittle hair breaks halfway along the hair shaft, feeling thicker near the scalp but becoming thin and weak towards the ends. It may snap during brushing, hair styling, or even gentle handling. 

Thinning hair often indicates a disrupted growth cycle, leading to reduced density over time. You may notice a widening part line or increased scalp visibility. If the underlying cause of thinning is not cured, it can lead to noticeable hair loss.

When you carefully examine the hair’s breakage points, texture near the scalp, and scalp visibility, you will get an idea of what you are dealing with. 

Brittle Hair vs Hair Thinning – Key Differences

Understanding the core difference between brittle hair and hair thinning is important. The following comparison table describes different aspects of both conditions, and helps you determine which issue you might be facing. 

Aspect	Brittle Hair	Hair Thinning
Hair Shedding Pattern	Breakage appears as short, uneven strands	Hair sheds evenly from the scalp in full-length strands
Length of Shed Hair	Broken pieces, usually shorter than natural hair length	Full-length strands with intact root bulb
Onset Speed	Sudden or after a specific event (e.g., coloring, straightening)	Gradual and progressive over weeks or months
Scalp Condition	Scalp usually appears healthy	May show signs of inflammation, sensitivity, or widening part line
Response to Moisture	Quickly improves with conditioning and oil-based treatments	Limited response; oils may improve shine but not density
Comb-Through Experience	Hair snaps or tangles easily while combing, especially when wet	Hair feels thinner but combs through more easily
Hair Tip Condition	Split ends, dryness, and roughness at the tips are common	Hair tips may be fine but not necessarily dry or split
Psychological Impact	Frustration over breakage, dryness, and hair appearance	Anxiety over visible scalp or potential permanent loss
Hair Styling Outcome	Frizzy, uneven appearance; styles don’t hold well	Styles may lack volume or lift due to reduced density
Need for Medical Evaluation	Often managed with cosmetic or topical care	May require dermatological or hormonal assessment for proper diagnosis

How Do You Treat Brittle Hair Loss?

If you are suffering from brittle hair and breakage, many treatment options are available. 

1. Moisturizing Remedies: To nourish fragile hair and to reinstitute moisture, deep hair therapy or oils like argan oil or coconut oil are recommended. 
2. Nutritional Supplements: If the hair lacks essential vitamins, particularly Biotin, vitamin E, and Omega-3 fatty acids, these can help replenish hair health from the inside.
3. Gentle Styling: It’s important to avoid heat styling products and use gentle hairstyles to avoid hair breakage.
4. Sun Protection: Protect brittle or thin hair from solar radiation. Make sure to cover your head or use products that provide sunlight protection.

Treatment For Hair Thinning

Hair thinning requires a different approach so its treatment options also differ. These include:

1. Minoxidil: This topical drug stimulates hair growth and reduces hair thinning. It is available in the form of liquid, foam, or shampoo. Also, the hair shaft diameter gets improved and thickens hair in balding spots. 
2. Hair Transplant Surgery: In hair transplant surgery, FUE is performed. It is indicated for advanced cases of hair thinning or baldness. 
3. Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy: It is a procedure that separates plasma from the patients’ own blood and injects it into the scalp. This will give rise to new hair growth and slow down the thinning process.

Home Care & Other Treatments.

It’s common to lose 50 to 100 hairs every day. But excessive shedding or drying can become an alarming situation. Here are some tips that help you take care of your hair: 

1. Scalp Massage

This is an affordable and accessible method. To get thicker hair, it doesn’t cost anything nor is it harmful. After you are done washing your hair, gently massage your scalp using your fingertips and apply pressure to encourage blood flow. 

There is also a handheld scalp massager that you can try to remove dead skin cells.

2. Use Essential Oils

These oils are usually derived from certain plants. Moroccan Argan Oil is a popular home remedy for dry hair. Applying a few drops of Argan oil gives the hair a finished look. There are also other essential oils such as peppermint oil and lavender oil that stops hair loss and prevents breakage. 

Also, you can make a spray bottle by mixing peppermint oil, lavender oil, and a carrier oil to make a quick hair perfume. 

3. Avoid Excessive Washing

Shampoo removes dirt and sweat from your hair but also strips away the sebum. Sebum is a natural oil that keeps your hair healthy and shiny.

You don’t need to wash your hair everyday, instead take breaks between washes. If you can’t go a day without washing, use a shampoo specifically designed for your dry hair. You can even try a baby shampoo and both have a cleansing effect without stripping the natural oils from the hair. 

4. At-Home Laser Therapy

At-home laser therapy can be a bit costly and takes several months to work. It helps in hair regrowth while also making the hair thicker. 

5. Corticosteroids

These are prescription treatments that treat underlying inflammation of your hair follicles. They are applied or injected directly into the scalp. This procedure is performed by a dermatologist every 4 to 6 weeks. 

6. Spironolactone

It is associated with aldosterone production. It treats hair thinning and has other side effects such as headaches, dizziness, high blood pressure, or edema.

7. Finasteride

Also called Propecia, Finasteride is a prescription hair loss medication. It is available as a daily pill that males take to treat hair loss.

How to know if hair is damaged or thinning?

Hair getting dry, rough, straw-like, dull, tangled, has split ends, loss of elasticity, frizziness, or reduction in hair density are the signs that the hair is damaged or thinning.

Is my hair thinning if I can see my scalp?

Yes, if the part line is widening or there is a decrease in hair volume, then the scalp appears to show. 

What does thinning hair look like for a female?

In females, thinning hair may be found in the brush, the center part may start to widen, and there is an overall loss of hair density.

What age does hair start thinning?

In women, hair begins to thin in the late 20s to early 30s. It becomes more visible in the menopause phase. 

What does thyroid hair loss look like?

It causes the thin brittle hair to get dry and lead to shedding. It occurs along with weight loss, fatigue, or cold sensitivity. 

Should I cut off brittle hair?

Yes, it’s better to trim the damaged ends. This will prevent breakage from traveling up the whole strand.