One of the top concerns is hair that is breaking off or falling out. In most cases you can deduce either to:

1. chemical abuse
2. heat abuse
3.  extreme handling.

Needless to say, if you know for sure that your hair is subjected to either of the three mentioned issues, STOP.

Some of us are not always aware when we have suffered damage to the hair, until it’s too later. Prevention is better than a cure. Before you relax or color at home, be thee aware that that there are risks. Before you entrust a stylist to put a relaxer or color in your hair, try a basic wash-n-set for a few times. It’s easier to bounce back from a bad blowout than it is from a bad relaxer.

If you are afforded the opportunity, watch your potential stylist as she’s doing another client’s head, particularly if she’s getting a color/relaxer treatment. If the stylist is constantly gabbing on the phone, isn’t paying attention to the time, or seems careless with the product…continue to search for a new stylist. And while it may seem cut-throat, there’s nothing wrong with eyeballing a stylist right in the same salon. Hey, it’s your money and ultimately your hair, right?

Heat abuse, well this is some times we ignore heat abuse. There are some stylists who will diligently work that blower, flatiron, curling iron or other blazing tool until every, single curl, kinky or wave relents, laying down without even as much as a bend. While we may initially be impressed with the “training” abilities that our stylist has bestowed upon our misbehaving curls, we will eventually pay the price. Burning, sizzling hair is less forgiving than one would think. There are times when those curls do not come back and the hair becomes a little thinner and limper.

Chances are, if you smell something burning…it is. For instance, I recall with great clarity, a client getting her natural, kinky hair blown out. She told the stylist, “I want my hair blown out, but I don’t expect it to be bone straight, just straight enough for an up-do.” The stylist, in her eagerness to straighten the client’s hair, kept moving the blower up and down, up and down the clients hair. She moved from section to section. All the while, there is smoke coming from the hair, blower and dissipating in the air. Now, my thoughts were…where there is smoke…something is burning, right? But, it’s not my hair and who am I to start a salon brawl? After a few moments the client finally said, “Oye! I smell something burning and it better not be my hair!!”

I felt a sense of great relief, because it’s one thing to want to get the hair straight, but not at the risk of burning it. Me entiendes?!

Keeping that anecdote in mind, regardless to whether your hair is natural or relaxed, natural or color treated, it’s important to remember your lifestyle. If  you spend quite a bit of time in the gym, sweat a bit then you have to ask yourself if it’s worth it to wear your hair blow out often. If you are going to wear your hair straight for a special occasion, great, but do not take that as license to fire up the torch. You still need to be conservative when applying heat.

Now, for you styling divas…there’s nothing wrong with being creative. I find some of the ponies and braids are absolutely charming. However, if you are pulling your hair so taut that it appears that you’ve had an involuntary face-lift…um…it’s too tight. If you are cinching your hair constantly, on top of your head or desperately trying to slick that hair down, when all your hairline wants to do is crinkle up a bit…then…you are overdoing  the do.

Wearing a pony-tail, a fony-tail, some braids is fine, but lighten up and use moderation. Do not pull your hair until it screams, “Uncle!” Do not wear your hair in the same up do constantly and learn to loosen up. When I say loosen up, I mean loosen up on the braid and pony-tail holders. Also, opt for the ouchless type of elastics. Sleek, pulled back styles are great, if you have bone-straight hair. When you have kinks and curls, allow your hair to do what it does. It’s better to contend with some hairline frizz than to late question why your hairline is receding or your hair is thinning, in general.

Remember, there are other causes for breaking or thinning hair, but the top three reasons are almost always avoidable.