I finally stopped my hair from breaking
And this is how!
Once upon a time, in my early twenties, I had the kind of hair people spend money trying to achieve: soft, glossy, and incredibly low maintenance. It air dried perfectly and shimmered in the sunlight. And I had no fly aways! Imagine.. Then came adulthood, bleach, and a platinum phase that I knew deep down was the beginning of the end. The shine dulled and the breakage began.
Since then, I’ve started to approached hair care with the same care and thought as I do acne safe skincare: with borderline obsessive attention. Now listen, the goal isn’t necessarily perfection, because I don’t think my hair is never going to revert to its virgin glory, but I’ve spent years figuring out how to restore softness, shine, and actual structural integrity. It’s taken effort, trial-and-error, and the occasional chin length bob and mullet haircut I pretended was intentional.
I asked you all what burning questions you had about hair health, and unsurprisingly, a lot of them mirrored my own. So today, I’m sharing what’s worked and my everyday strategies for keeping my hair healthy and (mostly) happy. I also spoke with Dr. Brianna Diorio, Nutrafol’s Director of Product Education, about how internal support and tweaks to your routine can help strengthen hair from the inside out. Let’s begin.
Today’s post is kindly sponsored by Nutrafol — and as always, are offering 15% off their 3-month subscriptions. One of my biggest goals is to make Fun Little Treat my main focus, so I can spend more time writing about the things I love and care deeply about. Sponsorships like this help bring me one step closer to that dream.
Your hair health questions, answered.
So what are some everyday habits that quietly damage hair over time without us even realizing?
The big ones are stress, poor sleep, nutrient gaps, and generally being out of balance. These things can mess with your hormones, metabolism, and immune system, all of which impact your hair. Chronic stress, for example, raises cortisol, which can push hair out of its growth phase and into shedding mode. Supporting your hair really means supporting your overall health think: managing stress, sleeping well, staying hydrated, eating protein-rich meals, and being consistent with routines.
My hair feels softer when I brush it often, but I feel like so much hair falls out when I brush. Does brushing your hair help it grow or just cause more breakage?
Brushing won’t make your hair grow faster, but how you do it matters. Gentle brushing helps distribute oils, improves shine, and boosts circulation at the scalp. But rough or excessive brushing, especially on already stressed hair, can definitely cause breakage. Think of it as part of scalp care: done mindfully, it can help your hair look and feel better.
I heard that our hair starts to grow slower as we age. Is that true and is there any way can that be reversed?
Yes, aging slows things down. Hormones shift, cellular turnover slows, and oxidative stress builds up. You can’t stop time, but you can support your body with targeted nutrition, good sleep, stress management, and ingredients that support hormone and mitochondrial health. Nutrafol, for example, includes adaptogens like Ashwagandha, saw palmetto, and marine collagen to support these internal systems.
I feel like I always shed hair more when I’m anxious or stressed. Is that normal, and how soon after a stressful event does shedding show up?
Yes. Stress-related shedding, also known as telogen effluvium, usually starts 6 to 12 weeks after a major stressor. You’ll probably notice more hair on your pillow, in your brush, or down the drain. And while it’s alarming, it’s often temporary. Nutrafol includes adaptogens to help regulate the body’s stress response and keep the hair cycle on track.
How do hormonal shifts, like having a baby or coming off birth control for example, affect hair?
During pregnancy, high estrogen keeps hair in growth mode. After birth, estrogen drops and lots of hair enters the shedding phase all at once. The same can happen after stopping hormonal birth control, which can also affect your gut and nutrient absorption. Nutrafol’s Postpartum formula is designed to support recovery with ingredients like DHA, marine collagen, and antioxidants. While you can’t totally avoid postpartum shedding, you can support your body through it.
My flyaways really annoy me, but someone told me it’s actually not hair breakage, it’s new growth. How can we tell what flyaways are breakage or new growth?
Flyaways aren’t always bad because yes, those short hairs around your hairline might actually be new growth. New hairs tend to be soft and tapered, while breakage is blunt and rough. If you’ve recently started a supplement or hair routine, flyaways might be a good sign. Long-term, healthier follicles mean stronger, more resilient hair and fewer broken pieces.
A few of my friends have told me Biotin has made them breakout in the past. So what makes Nutrafol different?
Some people say biotin causes breakouts, possibly because it competes with vitamin B5, which helps regulate oil. Nutrafol doesn’t rely on biotin alone. It’s formulated with multiple ingredients to target the actual root causes of thinning—like stress and nutrient gaps. If you’re concerned, the Women’s Vegan formula is a biotin-free option that still supports hair growth holistically.
How long does it take to actually see results with hair supplements and what should you look for first?
Hair takes time. Most people see results from Nutrafol within 3–6 months. Early signs include less shedding in the shower, baby hairs along the hairline, and a fuller-looking scalp. There’s no magic bullet for hair growth, but with consistency, real change is possible. Just steer clear of anything promising overnight results—they’re probably not legit.
Things that have transformed my hair.
Taking a hair supplement to grow back any breakage.
Bleach damage doesn’t just affect the ends, it weakens hair from the root, and that’s why I originally started investigating Nutrafol. It basically supports your scalp health, balances hormones that contribute to shedding, and helps rebuild strength my insanely brittle, over-processed strands. I started seeing new growth and less breakage within a few months. If you’ve hit that “my hair won’t grow” phase after damage, this really helps turn things around.
Applying a deeply moisturizing leave-in conditioner on super wet hair.
The RŌZ Leave-In Conditioner is one of those rare leave-in products that actually feels like it's doing something right away. It softens, detangles, and makes my hair more manageable without weighing it down or making it look greasy. I use it on sopping wet hair after washing, raking it through first and then scrunching it to make sure every hair strand is coated. It gives my hair that clean, healthy slip while adding a bit of bounce and shine. The scent is subtle but really luxurious.
Always sleeping with silk pillowcases.
Cannot stress the importance of this enough. Truly. Silk pillowcases felt like one of those extra, kind of unnecessary beauty purchases until I actually started using them religiously. Unlike cotton, silk doesn’t rough up your hair while you sleep, so you wake up with fewer tangles, less frizz, and way less breakage over time. It’s also great if you’re trying to preserve a blowout (or nicely air dried hair!), or keep your hair smooth between wash days. I feel like this is without a doubt what’s made the biggest difference in my flyaways. I love the ones from Slip because they come in really adorable prints, but you can buy silk pillowcases for much less on Amazon. They do the trick, but aren’t quite as luxurious.
Throwing my hair up with silk hair ties and claw clips.
Same goes for how I wear my hair up!!! Regular hair ties were destroying my hair, and once I switched to claw clips and silk hair ties, my hair, but specifically my ends, are so much happier and healthier. I’m especially obsessed with these cutie patootie floral claw clips for summer.
Brushing with wide-tooth combs only.
I’m a big fan of wide-tooth combs, especially if your hair is prone to breakage or you tend to detangle when it’s wet (which is when it’s most fragile). They’re way gentler than a brush or fine-tooth comb and help ease through knots without all the snagging and snapping. I’ve found they make a huge difference in preventing damage and keeping my ends intact, especially after washing or masking. I love using this in the shower after I’ve washed out my hair mask. Any wide-tooth combs will do (here are some cheap good options), but I got this beautiful green one from Machete for Christmas and I adore it.
Always using microfiber towels.
Unlike traditional terry cloth towels, which can be kinda rough and cause friction, microfiber is made of ultra-fine, smooth fibers that gently absorb water without tugging at your hair, which makes them especially great for damaged hair. I don’t use them as I would normal towels though. Instead, gently squeeze excess water out of my hair with it, I don’t rub. I find they work best when I “blot” at my hair in sections. Like the silk pillowcases, you can buy microfiber towels on Amazon for much less, but I’ve just found they are simply not as good as this one from Crown Affair, which I assume has something to do with the precision of their microfiber stitching.
Skipping hot tools, but using heat protectant when I do reach for them.
Probably the biggest thing for me has been trying to air-dry my hair as much as possible to avoid heat damage. But when I do use hot tools, I always apply a heat protectant first. Heat protectant works by coating your hair with a lightweight layer that essentially acts like a shield. When you use a blow dryer, curling iron, or flat iron, that layer takes the brunt of the heat so your actual hair doesn’t get fried or dried out. My favorite one is this one from Oribe—it’s def pricy but it was recommended to me by my hair stylist Shelby Samaria, who has been styling my hair for so long she understands it’s texture and needs. And much to the chagrin of my wallet, this is my second bottle.