Freaking out over that one patch of hair that’s shorter than the rest? Today you’ll learn 25 reasons why you have hair breakage at the crown of your head, and how you can fix it!
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You probably know that hair breakage can happen from things like too much heat styling, or ripping through it with a hair brush. And you’d be right!
But did you know there are a ton of other reasons why you’ve got that one section of hair that’s shorter than the rest?
When you’re experiencing breakage and don’t know why, it’s super frustrating. Especially when you’re trying to grow out your hair.
You get most of your hair to the length that you want, but your crown just doesn’t seem to keep up.
If you want to be able to grow ALL of your hair long and strong, you have to:
- Figure out the reason for your breakage
- Take the right steps to fix it
- Have a little patience
Whether your breakage is caused by hair tools, daily habits, or something else you’ve never thought of before, you’ll find your reason here. Keep reading for 25 causes of crown hair breakage, and your simple solutions.
How to Know If You Have Hair Breakage at the Crown
Firstly, what is your crown? It’s at the very top of your head, towards the back.
To figure out if you’re experiencing breakage or scalp damage in that area, there are some clear signs to look for:
- Shorter pieces of hair at the back of your head
- There is a section of hair that feels noticeably thin, compared to the rest (this will happen right below the area that is broken off)
- Hair strands on your hair brush have blunt ends (instead of with a bulb on the end, which would mean that they are normal, shed hairs)
- You hear snapping when you comb, brush or style your hair
- Irritated, inflamed or painful skin
If you want to take a look, grab a hand mirror and hold it behind you while you look in a larger mirror. You can also take photos of yourself from the side and back.
For those who have curly hair, crown breakage tends to give your hair an awkward shape when looking at it from the side.
Causes of Your Crown Area Breaking Off
As you’ll see, there are a lot of reasons why your hair could be breaking off in that one specific spot on your head.
As you go through these, think about your daily habits and consider which ones apply to you.
Try adding the solutions into your routine, and with time, you should see a huge improvement in the condition of your hair.
1. Parting Your Hair the Same Way Every Day
Always wearing a middle part? Wearing your hair parted in the same spot through your crown area all the time puts stress on that section of your hair.
If you often wear your hair in two braids parted down the middle, or always part your hair in sections from the crown when you wash and detangle, switch it up!
2. Exposure to Harsh Elements
The crown area of your hair is exposed and vulnerable to the elements. Whether it’s the sun beating down on your head, or the wind whipping your hair into tangles, the environment puts a lot of stress on your hair.
Keep your hair protected by wearing a hat, tying a cute scarf around your head, or wearing your hair secured in an updo. If it’s sunny, apply a light spritz of heat protectant on your hair before spending time outdoors.
3. High Ponytails
Wearing tight, high ponytails and buns near the top of your head puts a lot of stress on that area of your hair. Those styles really yank at your hairline and your crown, so consider giving up the tightly pulled ponytail. Try a low ponytail or braid, and avoid pulling your hair tightly.
4. Tight Braids & Cornrows
Braids and cornrows can be protective for your hair, but they also have the potential to do more harm than good. Wearing super tight braids puts stress on the hair and scalp. This can cause hair loss, breakage and damage to the hair strands.
Avoid braids that pull uncomfortably tight, and definitely avoid wearing them for long periods of time to give your crown a break from the tension.
5. Detangling the Wrong Way
Breakage to the crown can happen when you detangle your hair in sections, parted through the crown area. Then, when you comb or brush each portion of hair, your brush catches strands in other sections and snaps them off.
Instead, section off your crown as its own area to detangle. And be gentle! You can also end up with broken strands if you detangle the wrong way for your hair type.
If you have curly hair, always use conditioner or a detangling product to prevent snagging and make detangling easier. If you have very damaged hair that needs extra TLC, try finger detangling.
6. Heat Styling
You’ve definitely heard this one, but it’s important! Frequent heat styling can cause a lot of damage, and weak, brittle hair strands. Exposing your hair to high temperatures on a regular basis is just a recipe for breakage, especially if you already have dry or weak hair.
Always use a heat protectant, use your hot tools on low settings, and try to limit the use of those tools. When you’re using flat irons or curling wands, avoid doing multiple passes with the tools on your crown section.
7. Too Many Protein Hair Treatments
Protein makes hair stronger…right? Well, there is such a thing as too much. If you do a lot of protein treatments on a regular basis, it can backfire and cause your hair to be brittle.
Brittle = breakage. To help stop your hair from breaking off, give the protein a break. Balance it out with moisturizing treatments that will soften and nourish your hair.
8. Not Detangling Before Washing
If you’re washing your hair without detangling, you could be creating a ton of tangles. You’re applying shampoo, then scrubbing your hair around, and can end up with more tangles than you started with.
Hair is fragile when wet, so you want to avoid encouraging knots and tangles while you wash. You’ll then have to detangle the mess that you just created, which can end up snapping off a lot of hair strands.
So, to reduce the amount of manipulation and brushing you do to wet hair, try to gently detangle before you step in the shower.
9. Friction from Car Seats & Couches
Your crown area is exposed to a lot of friction. The head rests in your car, chairs, couch fabrics, or anywhere else you may be sitting or laying down.
These surfaces can be rough, and repeated friction against the back of your head can cause hair breakage.
Try to reduce contact with those surfaces, and protect your hair by:
- Wearing a bonnet or silk scarf when at home
- Covering the surface with silk or satin fabric
- Wearing a silk or satin lined hat
10. A Poor Diet
When you lack nutrients, it shows in your hair, nails and skin. A poor diet can result in weak, dry and brittle hair that breaks easily, leading to uneven sections of hair. This can also happen when you have a very low intake of food.
Make an effort to include as many vegetables, fruits and nutrient-dense foods in your daily meals. Consuming enough protein and water will also contribute to stronger, more resilient hair.
Things like candies, cookies, and processed foods aren’t going to do the best job at building healthy hair. Keep the foods that contain fewer nutrients to a minimum by focusing on adding more foods that are high in vitamins and minerals (like zinc, vitamin E, vitamin B12, and vitamin D, and more).
11. Sleeping On Your Back
Sleeping on your back each night puts stress on the same section of your hair. Spending 7-8 hours in the same spot every single night can weaken the strands and cause breakage to the back of your hair.
Try to switch up your sleeping position to give your crown a break from the friction. However you sleep, be sure to use a silk pillowcase, and tie your hair with a silk scrunchie to keep it gently secured.
12. Sleeping With Loose Hair
And while we’re on the topic of sleep…sleeping with your hair out causes tangles and unnecessary friction that leads to breakage.
Sleep with your hair secured in a protective sleep hairstyle so you can wake up with easy-to-style, minimally tangled hair.
13. Chemically Processing Your Hair
Getting chemical treatments like relaxer, bleach and perms can make your hair look great. But, there’s a downside. They can leave your hair extremely damaged, brittle, and weak.
If you’re noticing breakage at your crown and you have chemically processed hair, consider giving it a break.
Regularly deep condition, give your hair the moisture it needs, and let your hair grow naturally. With time, you’ll see healthier hair that grows without breaking off.
14. Having a Health Condition
Experiencing an area of thin and broken hair could be caused by a health condition. Whether it’s a vitamin deficiency, a thyroid issue, or something else, it’s important to look into.
To find out if this is the case for you, check with your doctor, and address any underlying issues that could be causing hair problems.
15. Overbrushing
We’ve all heard the myth of 100 brush strokes a day. However, it’s probably too much for your hair. Brushing your hair detangles your strands and stimulates the scalp. But an excessive amount of brushing can cause damage.
Excessive manipulation, especially on hair that’s already fragile and prone to breakage, can cause major issues.
Keep your brushing to a minimum – only brush as much as you need to, to get the job done.
16. Being Stressed
Stress can cause a ton of problems for your hair. It can contribute to hair loss and thinning hair, seemingly out of nowhere.
If you’re experiencing stress, try to add de-stressing activities into your daily life such as:
- Meditation
- Listening to positive affirmations and calming music
- Exercising (daily walks are fun and low impact)
- Being around positive people you can laugh with
- Getting enough sleep
17. Hair Elastics
Putting your hair up with regular hair ties or rubber bands can put a ton of tension on that one specific spot in your hair.
This means more tangles and breakage at the back of your head. Switch to silk scrunchies, gentle hair clips, or other hair accessories that will be easy on your hair.
18. Not Trimming Split Ends
If you have split ends, cut them off! Split ends don’t heal. They continue to split up the hair shaft, causing more damage and result in your hair breaking off.
Check the ends of the strands of hair on your crown area. If they’re looking split and damaged, time to trim! The longer you wait, the worse they get.
19. Dry Hair
Hair that lacks moisture can easily snap and break off. If you have dry hair:
- Avoid shampooing daily
- Use a sulfate-free shampoo
- Wash your hair with warm, not HOT water
- Deep condition and do moisturizing treatments regularly
- Condition every time you wash your hair
- Oil your ends at night to protect them
- Do pre-shampoo treatments
- Use a humidifier at home
- Always use a leave-in conditioner
20. Towel Drying
Drying your hair with a towel can be too rough, and causes friction and tangles. Since your hair is fragile when wet, it’s important to use a drying method that’s gentle.
Instead of a regular towel, use a microfiber hair towel wrap. Either wrap your hair up in it, or just use it to gently squeeze the excess water from your hair.
21. Wrong Hair Brush
Using the wrong brush or comb for your hair type can cause frizz, breakage and damage to your hair.
Some guidelines for choosing your hair brush:
- Straight or wavy hair: use a brush with flexible bristles and a cushioned paddle
- Curly hair: brush only when wet, using a comb or brush designed for detangling
- For distributing your scalp’s natural oils down your hair shaft: use a boar bristle brush
22. Skin Condition
Hair issues at the crown could be caused by a skin condition or damage to the scalp. If you are noticing irritation, abnormal skin texture or pain in that area of your scalp, seek advice from a dermatologist so you can heal the issue.
You May Also Like: Beach Hair Care Tips (Don’t Ruin Your Hair on Vacation!)
23. Hair Extensions
Wearing extensions causes pulling and tension, and adds weight to hair strands. Over time, this stress can weaken your hair and promote breakage.
Give your strands a break and use hair extensions occasionally, rather than on a daily basis for long periods of time.
24. No Protein & Too Much Moisture
Take a strand of your hair between your fingers and pull on it. If it stretches a lot and doesn’t bounce back, you probably have overly moisturized hair. Hair that’s over-moisturized and feels very soft and mushy is in need of some protein.
Your hair needs a balance between moisture and protein, so skip the deep conditioners for now. Add in protein treatments on a regular basis. Start with weekly use, and adjust the frequency based on how your hair looks and feels.
25. Teasing Your Hair
The most popular area of the hair to tease is the crown. We all want volume in our hair, but teasing causes damage, tangles, and breakage. It’s extra bad if you already have thin, fine or damaged hair.
Try to stay away from the teasing comb, and use other techniques to add volume to your hair. Use volumizing products, blow dry your hair upside down, or spray in a bit of dry shampoo.
Your crown needs special care, especially if your hair is dry, damaged or fragile. Create a healthy hair care routine, stick to it, and you’ll see your hair improve over time.
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