Consumers’ Dead Hair Concerns are Rearing Their Head

Dead hair? The horror!

Brittle hair is plaguing beauty enthusiasts who are also increasingly worried about hair shedding leading to balding.

The phenomenon, called “dead hair,” is a fast-growing hair concern in the US along with high porosity hair, per New York City-based beauty trend tracker Spate’s Popularity Index.

Dead Hair

Dead hair is a trend that has grown +239.2% year over year, with TikTok owning 83.5% of the popularity share. On TikTok alone, searches for dead hair have risen +346.1%, while Google Search has seen a +53.0% increase. Typically, dead hair refers to strands that are severely damaged, brittle and dry. While not a clinical term, consumers are using it to describe real concerns—and brands that align with this language can stay relevant.

When brands try too hard to adopt viral jargon outside their usual tone, it can feel inauthentic. However, Spate analysts encourage them to embrace the way consumers naturally describe their hair struggles to create a bona fide opportunity. On TikTok, this trend’s related hashtags include #damagedhair (398.1K average weekly views) and #crispyhair (303.6K average weekly views). Analysts say incorporating language like “targets damaged and dead hair” or “crispy hair” on packaging and marketing materials can also help brands tap into this hairy conversation.

High Porosity Hair

High porosity hair is another fast-growing concern, up +173.7% year over year, with Google Search owning 57.4% of the popularity share. Spate says consumers are actively looking for explanations of high versus low porosity hair and what is high porosity hair, signaling a need for education. This trend has grown +171.7% on search and +176.4% on TikTok, showing that audiences are eager to understand how porosity affects their hair health.

Alongside education, analysts say brands have an opportunity to offer targeted solutions. The search query product alongside high porosity hair receives 9.3K average monthly searches, indicating demand for porosity-specific haircare. On TikTok, related hashtags like #naturalhair (1.3M average weekly views) and #curlyhair (691.7K average weekly views) reflect particularly strong interest from those with textured and curly hair.

Brands that adapt their messaging and product offerings to align with these conversations, without imposing trends, can position themselves at the forefront of what’s next in haircare.