My Sister's Hair (PICS) Battling thin strands, low density

[Ediese]

After my sister witnessed the improvements that I was making to my hair back in 2007, she decided to jump on board too. She didn't believe that I would never relax again. When she got the picture after I chopped last April, she decided to stop relaxing too.

Earlier in 2007 before we found the hair boards, she transitioned to natural and had about BSL hair. Back then, neither one of us knew how to take care of natural hair. She had just came back from living in Japan, and was staying braided/weaved up for three months at a time. After her last sew-in (thinking March 07), she asked me to relax her hair.

As I was combing through her hair, I thought it was so gorgeous. It's silkier than mine, and not nearly as coarse/cottony. It was so easy to comb through. I think she's probably a 3c. I remember telling her she probably shouldn't relax, but she hated straightening her hair and having it revert in Houston's humidity. Plus, her hair is pretty fine with low density, so she didn't like how it looked straight. She went to a salon, and had them chop it off. (pics below)

Almost three years later, she's been wearing kinky twists, weaves, etc, and decided she's not going back to relaxers. She's about 9 months post. I think she has about 3 inches of natural hair. I took out her sew-in last night, and we dc'ed, protein treatment, etc. She barely has any splits, and her hair is really healthy. Since she already has thin strands and low density, her relaxed ends with the heavy oil makes her hair look even thinner. Anyone else have this issue? She doesn't want to continue growing because she thinks that even with long hair, she's doomed to have thin, long hair.

What do you do when you have thin strands and low density? Anyone have this issue that currently has APL or longer hair? Could you please post pics or advice! Her ends are really healthy, so I don't know what can be done.









March 2010

 

[glamazon386]

Her hair is coming along nicely. I'm in the same boat as your sister. As a relaxed head, the longer my hair got the thinner it looked. My cousin also had that problem. Once her hair got past a certain length and started looking thin, she'd get it cut. My hair appears to be thicker and fuller as a natural but it still looks thin to me I can't just wear it straight or put it in a ponytail. I'm only SL now so that may change when my hair gets longer, but IDK. The trick for me is to not straighten it 100 percent when flat ironing. If if I leave some puff to the roots, it will make my hair appear fuller. It'll look shorter as a result but I'd rather have the fullness. Layers, curls and feathers also make it appear fuller.

 

[charmtreese]

I have thin strands with low density however Im a 4a/b. What helps my hair to appear thicker are the following:

1. Stretching relaxers....not too long because fine strands might not be able to take the stress of two textures

2. Relaxing the hair straight but not bone straight...texlaxed hair did not work with my texture/density, it caused my hair to tangle and knot up.

3. Rollersetting...rollersets give my hair the appearance of full voluminous hair.

4. Low manipulation styles....fine/thin/fragile strands can not take a lot of styling, daily finger styling and weekly detangling works best for me.

5. Regular trimming/dusting...I trim my ends with every relaxer touch up and my ends are happy and healthier for it.

 

[LunadeMiel]

HOLD UP!!!!!
Is that an install in your siggy? If it's is, it's niiiiiiice.

I think Glamazon gave some good adive.

 

[MRJ1972]

It appears that I have the same problem...

My hair looks thick because my head is large


Im in a weave now, but I co-sign with roller sets and no bone straight flat ironing.... oh, and also minimal product!!!

 

[Ediese]

HOLD UP!!!!!
Is that an install in your siggy? If it's is, it's niiiiiiice.

I think Glamazon gave some good adive.

Yes, it is. Thanks! I've had it for going on 4 months (way too long, I know). I'll be taking it down in a couple of weeks. I did a double take last week when I saw yours. You're growing along nicely! Congrats on your engagement too! Do you know how you're going to wear your hair for the wedding?

 

[Ediese]

Her hair is coming along nicely. I'm in the same boat as your sister. As a relaxed head, the longer my hair got the thinner it looked. My cousin also had that problem. Once her hair got past a certain length and started looking thin, she'd get it cut. My hair appears to be thicker and fuller as a natural but it still looks thin to me I can't just wear it straight or put it in a ponytail. I'm only SL now so that may change when my hair gets longer, but IDK. The trick for me is to not straighten it 100 percent when flat ironing. If if I leave some puff to the roots, it will make my hair appear fuller. It'll look shorter as a result but I'd rather have the fullness. Layers, curls and feathers also make it appear fuller.

I have thin strands with low density however Im a 4a/b. What helps my hair to appear thicker are the following:

1. Stretching relaxers....not too long because fine strands might not be able to take the stress of two textures

2. Relaxing the hair straight but not bone straight...texlaxed hair did not work with my texture/density, it caused my hair to tangle and knot up.

3. Rollersetting...rollersets give my hair the appearance of full voluminous hair.

4. Low manipulation styles....fine/thin/fragile strands can not take a lot of styling, daily finger styling and weekly detangling works best for me.

5. Regular trimming/dusting...I trim my ends with every relaxer touch up and my ends are happy and healthier for it.

It appears that I have the same problem...

My hair looks thick because my head is large


Im in a weave now, but I co-sign with roller sets and no bone straight flat ironing.... oh, and also minimal product!!!

Thanks so much for responding ladies! You've all given really good advice. I just know that most times on the board when we see thin ends, we automatically think it's damaged and needs to be cut. She's been doing the same thing herself. I'll definitely pass on the great advice here!

 

[charmtreese]

Thanks so much for responding ladies! You've all given really good advice. I just know that most times on the board when we see thin ends, we automatically thin it's damaged and needs to be cut. She's been doing the same thing herself. I'll definitely pass on the great advice here!

This way of thinking really gets on my nerves...just because someone has thin hair does not mean it's unhealthy and damaged. However, because my strands are fine I have less cuticle layers then someone with thicker strands therefore my ends are more likely to get messed up...that's why it's uber important for someone with fine/thin hair to use preventative techniques when it comes to retaining length.

 

[LuvLiLocks]

My stands are supper fine and I have low density 4a/b relaxed hair (I was recently natural for two years and still had fine hair). I have a tail that grows way faster than everywhere else, so it appears that I have thin/damaged ends more often than not

What I have found to work for me is:

* I stretch a minimum of 3 months
* I use a caramel treatment that does wonders for fullness and body
* Putting a moisturizer on my wet hair helps me have shine and gloss without
looking like a wet rat with thin stringy hair (ORS hair lotion is the truth for this)
* Cowahing....Often with a light protien con then always moisturize
* Oh yeah, and I also cheat by using a black rinse

 

[Sade']

I have wispy fly away ends as well. My hair looks great when it's cut short and blunt. As it grows out it appears weak and fragile. My ponytails are never as full as they were when I was in high school and college. So I just baby my ends and deal with it. Sorry I don't have any suggestions. I just sympathize.

 

[Sade']

My stands are supper fine and I have low density 4a/b relaxed hair (I was recently natural for two years and still had fine hair). I have a tail that grows way faster than everywhere else, so it appears that I have thin/damaged ends more often than not

What I have found to work for me is:

* I stretch a minimum of 3 months
* I use a caramel treatment that does wonders for fullness and body
* Putting a moisturizer on my wet hair helps me have shine and gloss without
looking like a wet rat with thin stringy hair (ORS hair lotion is the truth for this)
* Cowahing....Often with a light protien con then always moisturize
* Oh yeah, and I also cheat by using a black rinse

Same here. I just new that going natural would thicken my hair up. Cut oof all my relaxed ends still growing out thin. Oh well at least its growing.

 

[MiWay]

I have the same problem. I am going natural in an attempt to "fix" it. I have been flatironing my hair every 7-12 days and by day 5 it starts getting really thin and stringy. My ponytails look straight anorexic, so I don't even bother anymore unless I have a weave.

Some other things I've tried, but I'm still playing with are:

• lightly flatironing most of my hair and putting a heavier hand on my edges and/or the areas that will be more visible, and then wrapping or pincurling it. Instead of it looking stringy and straight it looks thick and straight.
• blowdrying my hair and then using Caruso rollers for curls

 

[mysoon2behair]

Thanks for posting OP I have the same issue. Subscribing...

 

[Rocky91]

Ediese, your bob is flyyy
anyhow, i have the same kind of hair as your sister. here's what kind of helps:
-Aphogee 2 min or some other light protein every two weeks
-massaging castor oil into my scalp at night. maybe it's all in my head, but it seems the hair grows out thicker
-not ever getting my hair completely bone straight with the flatiron-it looks too flat, so i only get the roots bone straight
-being really lighthanded with my moisturizers
-rinsing out DC's thoroughly
-buns and other protective styles that encourage daily manipulation don't really help-braids and weaves are better for retention
-low manipulation styles, like twistouts done once a week, are great, twists make me feel bald

and most importantly, like charmtresse (sp?) mentioned, regular trimming is very, very necessary. i can't afford to be afraid of the scissors with my fine strands...it doesn't look cute.

 

[NaturalEnigma]

I have the same problem. I have 4a hair and every time my hair grows past shoulder length it starts to thin out. Sealing with JBCO has really helped thicken my strands. What I also noticed too is my back has less hair than my sides, and front. I noticed that while applying conditioner, moisturizing and sealing, and applying oil to my scalp, I don't really focus as much attention in the back as I do the front. I'll apply products to my sides and front meticulously but when I reach the back (which for me is the hardest to do) I'll get lazy and do 1 or 2 big sections. I started giving the back of my hair some extra TLC (applying product in small sections) and my hair now looks and feels thicker. I think the back of the hair is what makes a person's hair appear full

 

[pookaloo83]

I thought I was looking at the back of my head! Me and your sis are hair twins! I just do alot of curls like flexirods and I rollerset. I also don't flat iron bone straight. I'm transitioning now, and I want to see if this helps wit the thin look. When I was natural the first time, I never straightened so we'll see.

 

[glamazon386]

This way of thinking really gets on my nerves...just because someone has thin hair does not mean it's unhealthy and damaged. However, because my strands are fine I have less cuticle layers then someone with thicker strands therefore my ends are more likely to get messed up...that's why it's uber important for someone with fine/thin hair to use preventative techniques when it comes to retaining length.

ITA... I know this sounds wrong but I retain more hair when I trim regularly. I have to be extra careful with handling my hair because fine hair breaks easily. If I'm not careful with combing and styling - it will break. And the more I manipulate broken off hair - the worse it gets. Trimming regularly reduces the possibility of that happening. It also makes it look thicker/fuller too. Thin ends on thin hair is a double nono.

 

[Ms. Alainious]

Great to hear I'm not alone...after reading some of the comments on Wendy Williams' real hair, I thought I'd have to turn in my LHCF card.

I don't have any tips for looking thicker, but I think I'm going to stop relaxing bone straight. I think my last few relaxers have been less than bone straight, but that wasn't on purpose.

Also considering doing self relaxers...oh decisions, decisions!

 

[glamazon386]

Same here. I just new that going natural would thicken my hair up. Cut oof all my relaxed ends still growing out thin. Oh well at least its growing.

I thought the same thing

 

[ZkittyKurls]

hello! aww it was you that got me on the weave bandwagon, now im hooked! and my hair has been flourishing anywho, i had a suggestion, what about trying henna treatments? i was told that it is 100% natural and it coats the strands making them look and appear to be thicker. HTH

 

[caramelma]

My hair was looking like that when I was wearing sew-ins so I stopped and it look so much better now IDK but I just feel like sew ins were too much for my fine hair

 

[MrsIQ]

I'm so glad I came into this thread. My hair is fine/low density 4A. I thought about going natural, thinking that would solve the problem. My mom told me "you've always had fine hair even as a little girl." I'm not a slow grower, but the longer it gets, the thinner it looks. I've been wondering if a lye relaxer (not bone straight of course) would help at all.

 

[Solitude]

Great to hear I'm not alone...after reading some of the comments on Wendy Williams' real hair, I thought I'd have to turn in my LHCF card.

I don't have any tips for looking thicker, but I think I'm going to stop relaxing bone straight. I think my last few relaxers have been less than bone straight, but that wasn't on purpose.

Also considering doing self relaxers...oh decisions, decisions!

What was said about Wendy Williams' real hair? I haven't seen it.

 

[glamazon386]

I'm so glad I came into this thread. My hair is fine/low density 4A. I thought about going natural, thinking that would solve the problem. My mom told me "you've always had fine hair even as a little girl." I'm not a slow grower, but the longer it gets, the thinner it looks. I've been wondering if a lye relaxer (not bone straight of course) would help at all.

I've found that my hair does much better without the relaxer. It's still fine but it's stronger without the chemicals. When I was relaxed I had too many issues with overprocessing which lead to breakage and unwanted hair cuts.

 

[charmtreese]

here are some progress pics of my fine/low density hair.

1st pic blowdried & flat ironed , 2nd pic is rollerset and flatiron and the last pic is blowdried.

 

[virtuenow]

That looks like the standard weak relaxer hair; is she she going all natural?? In order to have more body, she will need to avoid going bone straight and always leave some body (or kink/natural texture). She can do this by doing blow outs or light flat irons, etc.

 

[Nameless]

OT but glamazon, your hair is beautiful. How did you get the waves in your siggy?

 

[biancaelyse]

Ediese,

I have very fine hair but med to high density. I would suggest trying Amla and Brahmi powders on her hair. These both add a lushness to the hair and it feels fuller and thicker.

I preoil my hair and scalp with whatever oil I have around - usually Amla Oil. I mix my powders with rosewater /aloe vera juice in a ratio of 8 oz liquid to 100g powder. I add molasses for more moisture and shine. It works wonders for me along with low manipulation.

 

[Vintageglam]

Ediese I has your sister considered BKT?

The reason I say this is that I am using it to transition. When I first got it done my hair was bone straight and thin, however after the first wash my hair has a little volume but is soft and manageable. My plan is to progress my BKT to the point where I can wash DC and then style with roller-sets, curl-formers, bantu knots, braid outs and twist outs, all of which can be a little tricky on wet natural hair due to shrinkage. I still get shrinkage but it just feels more manageable.

Also your sister can try out the treatment on small sections of her hair at the nape, crown and front and see how it goes. The first treatment will not have such a huge effect that it would be glaring obvious and stick out.

One word of warning though is that as your sister has superfine hair like me I would advise her NOT to put the BKT on her relaxed ends or just lightly apply and do 1 or 2 passes and instead really focus the BKT on her roots.

HTH's

 

[chelleypie810]

OT but glamazon, your hair is beautiful. How did you get the waves in your siggy?

Everytime I scroll pass I wonder how did she get those beautiful waves.