Are some hair types just prone to breakage?

[Ms Lala]

I ask this because I've been stuck at the same length for the longest (about 3 years). Don't get me wrong I'm not losing sleep over it I enjoy my hair. But I take good care of it and can't figure out why it breaks. Over the past few years I've tried low heat use & no heat use. I've tried high moisture routines, high protein, moderate protein. I've done traditional BSS products and now I'm using all natural products. I've tried finger combing and seamless combs. But it seems like no matter what, on wash and detangle day my hair breaks like crazy. There are little pieces of hair everywhere. My hair feels soft and moisturized and has properly elasticity so why is it breaking? At first I thought it was the color. Now I've grown all my color out and it is still breaking. What am I doing wrong? How can I atleast minimize breakage so I can maintain length even if it doesn't get any longer? Are some hair types just prone to breakage?

 

[janaq2003]

I feel your pain. I feel like I will never get to APL and I've been on my journey for 2.5 yrs. started at nl , still at SL.

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

Are you washing your hair loose or are you washing it in sections? You can compromise alot of progress by washing long type 4 tightly coily coarse hair loose. If you're not already...start washing your hair in 8-10 braids, braid your hair prior to washing and keep them in from wash to DC....it will prevent tangles and help you retain length.

As for your question the answer is yes.....tightly coily hair is definitely more prone to breakage then other hair types but there are techniques to prevent that from occurring in the first place like moisturizing and keeping your hair in styles that will keep your hair in a detangled state and wearing satin scarves and bonnets to go to sleep.

Oh and I've seen your fotki....you have some lovely gorgeous hair Ms.Lala

 

[Jazala]

I think this definitely true.

When I was in Japan I met a lot of ladies with super long hair (beyond thigh length) and the one thing they had in common was super super thick (almost like wire) hair strands. In comparison it would probably take about 10 or more of my hairs just to make the thickness of ONE of theirs. I'm not surprised they are able to retain every inch of hair they grow without much effort.

 

[aa9746]

I ask this because I've been stuck at the same length for the longest (about 3 years). Don't get me wrong I'm not losing sleep over it I enjoy my hair. But I take good care of it and can't figure out why it breaks. Over the past few years I've tried low heat use & no heat use. I've tried high moisture routines, high protein, moderate protein. I've done traditional BSS products and now I'm using all natural products. I've tried finger combing and seamless combs. But it seems like no matter what, on wash and detangle day my hair breaks like crazy. There are little pieces of hair everywhere. My hair feels soft and moisturized and has properly elasticity so why is it breaking? At first I thought it was the color. Now I've grown all my color out and it is still breaking. What am I doing wrong? How can I atleast minimize breakage so I can maintain length even if it doesn't get any longer? Are some hair types just prone to breakage?

That's my same dilema. So for now I'm wearing wigs for retention, detangling with my fingers, and washing hair in braids, etc. I still don't have a plan yet as to what I will do once I reach my goal length. hhg

 

[MAMATO]

I guess the answer is yes. Some hair type is more prone to breakage. My sister started her journey 2 years at SL like me, now I am WL and she is still on her way to APL. I know her hair grows just like mine, so breakage is the only explanation for her lack of retention. She is 4b natural and her hair is very coarse, thick and shiny ..her bling is spectacular but on the other hand, I guess her cuticule is so flat, she can't retain moisture, when I touch her hair it is very wiry.

She's been using baking soda lately to lift her cuticule a little bit, that seems to work but at the same she's losing her bling so she's a little bit disappointed. If any of you can help her out, that would be nice. She lurks here sometimes but she is not an official member.

 

[aa9746]

Are you washing your hair loose or are you washing it in sections? You can compromise alot of progress by washing long type 4 tightly coily coarse hair loose. If you're not already...start washing your hair in 8-10 braids, braid your hair prior to washing and keep them in from wash to DC....it will prevent tangles and help you retain length.

As for your question the answer is yes.....tightly coily hair is definitely more prone to breakage then other hair types but there are techniques to prevent that from occurring in the first place like moisturizing and keeping your hair in styles that will keep your hair in a detangled state and wearing satin scarves and bonnets to go to sleep.

Oh and I've seen your fotki....you have some lovely gorgeous hair Ms.Lala

Very true and the only reason I'm able to do my own hair.

 

[30something]

You asked a very good question..... seems some people just have stronger hair,

 

[BlkOnyx488]

Same here sometimes I wonder if I get to APL then what?? I would not be able to wear it out for fear it would all snap offerplexed

I have just decided to leave my hair alone for a year. and see what happens. Meaning I am keeping it in cornrows for long stretches and keeping my fingers crossed

I feel your pain. I feel like I will never get to APL and I've been on my journey for 2.5 yrs. started at nl , still at SL.

 

[twists]

Yes I feel that some types of hair are more prone to breakage. It seems that a lot of the naturals on this board with thick course hair have a hard time keeping breakage at bay. I am one of them. My hair is so coily and it just loves to tangle and make knots like nobody's buisness. I try to keep it in a stretched state at all times but it still happens. I feel like if we were to compare someone with hair that wasn't as coily or tightly curled to ours they would probably be able to retain length much easier IMO.

 

[babyblue]

There is a condition called trichorrhexis nodosa which is a defect which causes weak spots in the strand. Sometimes it's congenital and other times it's related to mechanical/chemical/heat damage we inflict on ourselves.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichorrhexis_nodosa?wasRedirected=true

 

[CrissieD]

IMO fine hair is most prone to breakage no matter the curl pattern. My cousins thick 4b grows like a weed as long as she leaves it alone a bit and doesnt color it. My fine 3c hair not so much. APL is easy but beyond that takes FOREVER. Same with my moms super fine hair. She basically has a head full of shoulder length baby hair. I don't think my mom has ever had long hair and she always wears it in a bun so one would think all that protective styling would yeild some results.

 

[ms.blue]

It could be from hair texture, strand width, styling or product usage. Curly hair intertwine w/ each other causing knots. Fine hairs are weaker than thick hair & rough usage of combs & heat could cause breakage. Even certain hair products may cause breakage by either not providing enough or too much moisture/protein causing the hair to become weak & break off.

 

[Zaz]

I don't really have much advice to give but I visited your fotki and your hair is lovely. I love how thick it is

 

[MizzBrit]

yes especially 4b hair thats why i keep my hair in a PS style and only detangle 1x a month. also,lala your hair is gorgeous, i know its gonna take me another 2-3 years to get to where u are now!

 

[Ms Lala]

Thanks for all of the responses ladies. I am identifying some things that maybe I need to tweek in how I handle my hair more so than the products i"m using.

Are you washing your hair loose or are you washing it in sections? You can compromise alot of progress by washing long type 4 tightly coily coarse hair loose. If you're not already...start washing your hair in 8-10 braids, braid your hair prior to washing and keep them in from wash to DC....it will prevent tangles and help you retain length.

As for your question the answer is yes.....tightly coily hair is definitely more prone to breakage then other hair types but there are techniques to prevent that from occurring in the first place like moisturizing and keeping your hair in styles that will keep your hair in a detangled state and wearing satin scarves and bonnets to go to sleep.

Oh and I've seen your fotki....you have some lovely gorgeous hair Ms.Lala

Thanks for the lovely compliment. I keep my hair in stretched styles and overall it doesn't tangle real bad. This is why I don't understand the breakage. I get a few tangle here and there. I don't wash in braids. I used to but I stopped maybe I will try it again.

Yes I feel that some types of hair are more prone to breakage. It seems that a lot of the naturals on this board with thick course hair have a hard time keeping breakage at bay. I am one of them. My hair is so coily and it just loves to tangle and make knots like nobody's buisness. I try to keep it in a stretched state at all times but it still happens. I feel like if we were to compare someone with hair that wasn't as coily or tightly curled to ours they would probably be able to retain length much easier IMO.

Me too. This really helps w/detangling. I can detangle in like 15-20 minutes but no matter how gentle I am I get little pieces of hair.

There is a condition called trichorrhexis nodosa which is a defect which causes weak spots in the strand. Sometimes it's congenital and other times it's related to mechanical/chemical/heat damage we inflict on ourselves.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichorrhexis_nodosa?wasRedirected=true

I'm checking out this link. Maybe I am rougher w/my hair than I think I am.

I think this definitely true.

When I was in Japan I met a lot of ladies with super long hair (beyond thigh length) and the one thing they had in common was super super thick (almost like wire) hair strands. In comparison it would probably take about 10 or more of my hairs just to make the thickness of ONE of theirs. I'm not surprised they are able to retain every inch of hair they grow without much effort.

I used to think my hair was thick but I realized that the individual strands are not thick at all. Acutally some of my hair is pretty fine. I just have alot of it.

 

[carib_n_curly]

i think strand size has alot to do with it
the thinner strands of my hair breaks so easy but the thicker ones, i can do all sorts of madness to it and it will retain with no problem

lower manipulation helps alot. i've retain so much since doing this. i use to be a high manip person but i retained very little but now i'm retaining and i'm very happy

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

I think if you braid your hair in 8-10 braids before you wash (keep them in from shampoo to DC till your hair is conditioned rinsed and ready to be styled) and make sure you do it religiously.....you'll notice a huge difference in retention.

Do you sleep with a satin scarf? Do you comb only on wet hair saturated with slippy conditioner with a wide tooth comb?

 

[laurend]

What about your diet? Do you take flaxseed oil, biotin, or multivits?

 

[Jetblackhair]

My hair is fine and I'm a 4a natural and feel like it's prone to breakage. I feel like I've been stuck at the same length even though I wash & condition in braids and try to keep my moisture/protein balance.

My breakage is usually very short pieces of hair no longer than 1/8 to 1/4 inch long. Right now I'm just keeping it braided underneath a half wig. I'm trying to do absolutely nothing with it except for the front part that I leave out for the half wig.

 

[Evo-ny]

I used to think my hair was thick but I realized that the individual strands are not thick at all. Acutally some of my hair is pretty fine. I just have alot of it.

I went through the same thing. When you have fine strands, but
it's very dense, people seem to be extra rough on it because they think their hair can take it. Coarseness isn't the same as density, you gotta be extra careful with those baby-fine strands!

 

[lucea]

I would look into cassia and henna if you haven't already. With your hair color, cassia won't deposit any color. It's what helped me avoid breakage during my transition. I have 4b hair, with anywhere from 0-4 inches left of relaxed hair. I am 13 months post and some of the natural hair is already APL by itself. I feel I am retaining well. Avoiding direct heat on the ends is a good idea as well. HTH.

 

[abcd09]

I think it definitely has to do with the thickness of the strands. I know a woman with buitt length hair and she never trims it and has some splits--but yet it still grows and looks nice.

My hair on the other hand gets splits the day after I trim. The growth is so slow. Oh well.

 

[Ms Lala]

I think if you braid your hair in 8-10 braids before you wash (keep them in from shampoo to DC till your hair is conditioned rinsed and ready to be styled) and make sure you do it religiously.....you'll notice a huge difference in retention.

Do you sleep with a satin scarf? Do you comb only on wet hair saturated with slippy conditioner with a wide tooth comb?

I sleep w/a satin pillowcase &/or scarf. I even travel w/my pillowcase. I comb my hair when its damp. When I comb it soaking wet I get more breakage.

What about your diet? Do you take flaxseed oil, biotin, or multivits?

I have really been slacking on my diet. I didn't even think about it as a factor. I haven't been eating much at all lately.

My hair is fine and I'm a 4a natural and feel like it's prone to breakage. I feel like I've been stuck at the same length even though I wash & condition in braids and try to keep my moisture/protein balance.

My breakage is usually very short pieces of hair no longer than 1/8 to 1/4 inch long. Right now I'm just keeping it braided underneath a half wig. I'm trying to do absolutely nothing with it except for the front part that I leave out for the half wig.

This is exactly what I"m dealing with. I got the most retention when I hid my hair wearing wigs. That's how I got from APL to BSL. I just don't want to have to wear a wig all the time.

I would look into cassia and henna if you haven't already. With your hair color, cassia won't deposit any color. It's what helped me avoid breakage during my transition. I have 4b hair, with anywhere from 0-4 inches left of relaxed hair. I am 13 months post and some of the natural hair is already APL by itself. I feel I am retaining well. Avoiding direct heat on the ends is a good idea as well. HTH.

I haven't used heat since the summer and I plan on continuing this. This definitely helped w/breakage. I am seriously considering the henna but I am concerned about dryness. Do you find that you have to moisturize more when you henna?

 

[Mimi22]

thanks for this thread ms lala! i'm still stuggling with getting to BSL. I've been wet bunning and co-washing, but i get little bits of breakage. I may try washing in braids like Blackmasterpiece said.

 

[lucea]

I haven't used heat since the summer and I plan on continuing this. This definitely helped w/breakage. I am seriously considering the henna but I am concerned about dryness. Do you find that you have to moisturize more when you henna?

I have to be very careful about what brand of henna I buy and how I use it. I buy from mehandi.com, which is more expensive than the local Indian shops, but at least I know what I am getting and it's a very high quality grade.

When I apply henna/cassia, I make sure to add a few tablespoons of wheatgerm oil to pre-oiled hair. No dryness problems that way and the rinse out is easier. I am going to try henna-ing under the steamer this week, which should up the moisture as well. HTH

 

[MissRissa]

Ms. Lala,

Ive been contemplating the same exact thing for months now. My hair has been fluctuating between the same 2 inches for the past 18 month or so. WHENEVER i straighten (no matter what heat protectants, how much moisture, or what type of protein treatments i use) i get breakage, so I didn't straighten for like 4 months. still getting those weak parts in my strands that another member mentioned. I have very fine, thin hair. I just bought some henna and cassia from hennasooq. this is my last try at fortifying my strands. at that point, i'll just resign myself to bra strap length. honestly, my hair seems to be more fragile as a natural vs when i had the relaxer.

question though. the only way i can seem to detangle without ripping out all my hair is to detangle AFTER i've deep conditioned with heat, with the condish still in my hair. with regards to the washing in braids, how on earth am i supposed to detangle first to put my hair in braids, then wash, then condition?

 

[Ms Lala]

I didn't realize anyone responded after my last post. Sorry I'm so late.

I have to be very careful about what brand of henna I buy and how I use it. I buy from mehandi.com, which is more expensive than the local Indian shops, but at least I know what I am getting and it's a very high quality grade.

When I apply henna/cassia, I make sure to add a few tablespoons of wheatgerm oil to pre-oiled hair. No dryness problems that way and the rinse out is easier. I am going to try henna-ing under the steamer this week, which should up the moisture as well. HTH

Thanks for the tips. I am nervous about trying henna for some reason. Maybe I'll test it out on part of my hair first.

Ms. Lala,
Ive been contemplating the same exact thing for months now. My hair has been fluctuating between the same 2 inches for the past 18 month or so. WHENEVER i straighten (no matter what heat protectants, how much moisture, or what type of protein treatments i use) i get breakage, so I didn't straighten for like 4 months. still getting those weak parts in my strands that another member mentioned. I have very fine, thin hair. I just bought some henna and cassia from hennasooq. this is my last try at fortifying my strands. at that point, i'll just resign myself to bra strap length. honestly, my hair seems to be more fragile as a natural vs when i had the relaxer.

question though. the only way i can seem to detangle without ripping out all my hair is to detangle AFTER i've deep conditioned with heat, with the condish still in my hair. with regards to the washing in braids, how on earth am i supposed to detangle first to put my hair in braids, then wash, then condition?

My hair is the longest its ever been but I get what you're saying. I think my hair is more fine than I thought it was. I"m being more gentle w/it now.

I'm not sure about washing in braids. I used to do it. I keep my hair stretched 99% of the time so my hair isn't usually real tangled anyway. Maybe Black Masterpiece can answer since she suggested it.

 

[Eritreladiee]

I personally think your retention issue is more one of strand thickness than curl diameter. I have very fine strands (3c) that break very easily. I just wanted to tell you that henna definitely does help thicken your strands, which will help you with retaining especially after a few uses. So, I hope you do decide to give it a try since you have tried many other things without much success.

I definitely agree that washing your hair in braids, bands, sections (whichever is necessary for you) is mandatory as well as using any other methods, styles that keep tangles to a minimum. When you have fine hair you really gotta be careful with tangles, colour, heat, all things that other hair textures have more leeway with. Also, try and use protein treatments, DC's, or any other products for that matter, that are meant for fine hair.

Besides that, just make sure you're eating right, because you don't need for your hair to be more fragile than it already is.

 

[darlingdiva]

Ms Lala, I notice that you said your hair breaks more when you comb it soaking wet. My hair is the same way. I have to wait until it's damp or the breakage will be insane. I comb it when it's damp, but I still get a fair amount of breakage. I attribute it to my fine hair b/c I DC at every wash, I keep up my moisture/protein balance, I use seamless combs & I fingercomb, I always sleep w/ a satin cap, and I airdry.

In the back of my mind, I wonder if not using heat is the culprit. I noticed that when I straighten my hair, I barely get any breakage.