Breakage and loss of elasticity????

[SelfStyled]

Hey everryone,

Ladies, I am in need of encouragement/advice. I feel so sad and frustrated. After my last touchup and corrective, my hair has been breaking, breaking, breaking. At first I thought it was cause the stylist did the corrective with a no lye relaxer. But now I realize that my hair is breaking pretty much where the corrective was applied. The corrected hair seems overprocessed. My end look even thinner now because I am having so much mid shaft breakage. It also seems like I am doing having a loss of elasticity.

Any suggestions for breakage? How can I increase elasticity?

Right now I wash 1-2x a week. I alternate between Con Poo and Trader Joe's nourish spa. I have been DCing with Nexxus Humectress, and using the scarf method to air dry. I moisturize 1-2x a day with profective BreakFree or NTM and seal with Hot Six Oil or castor oil.

I just see all my length dreams going out the window...... I see a lot of trims in my future. Of course the underprocessed parts would have to be in the middle of my strands....

I have been upping the moisture because my hair feels as dry as the Sahara desert. When I do a strand test,my hair has very little stretch. It seemed over proteinated (if that's even a word), that's why I have been using the moisture. I did a henna treatment a month ago (before I realized my hair was breaking mid shaft)and my hair has been really dry ever since.

Would a light protein help or make matters worse?

The corrective was 8 weeks ago.

Thanks so much for any tips suggestion, you have.

 

[silverlotus]

if the problem is overprocessing - i would try a med-heavy protein, just make sure to follow it with a deep moisturizing conditioner. when your hair is lacking too much protein, it can't hold on to moisture. that might be your problem.

 

[SelfStyled]

Thanks Silverlotus. Any one else willing to share, I can't be the only one out there.

 

[RubyWoo]

if the problem is overprocessing - i would try a med-heavy protein, just make sure to follow it with a deep moisturizing conditioner. when your hair is lacking too much protein, it can't hold on to moisture. that might be your problem.

c/s............

 

[sareca]

When my hair's breaking more often a lack of moisture than a lack of protein. Try putting conditioner on your hair when it dry (don't wash first) then either cover it with a hot wet towel or put a plastic cap on, and sit under the dryer for 30 minutes then rinse. I follow with an oil rinse. That pretty much ends any moisture problems for me, but when that doesn't work a couple sprays of biolage fortifying leave-in does.

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=154073
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=150965

 

[neonbright]

First try Aphogee Keratin 2 Minute Reconstructor and follow up with a moisturizer conditioner. If that doesn't work then Revlon Duo Tex and follow with up with a moisturizer conditioner. Not just a moisturizer conditioner only, you gotta do this, I know you will get good results.

 

[Chromia]

I used to use Profectiv BreakFree once or twice a day. I had a lot of breakage during that time. I realized that using all that protein every day was too much for my hair, so maybe that's the case with your hair.

 

[Empress Yahudah]

When my hair's breaking more often a lack of moisture than a lack of protein. Try putting conditioner on your hair when it dry (don't wash first) then either cover it with a hot wet towel or put a plastic cap on, and sit under the dryer for 30 minutes then rinse. I follow with an oil rinse. That pretty much ends any moisture problems for me, but when that doesn't work a couple sprays of biolage fortifying leave-in does.

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=154073
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=150965

I agree it sounds like a moisture issue and over processed.. u can also try this:

clarify,rinse,then use a moisturizing poo, rinse ,use Porosity Control leave on about 5 min then rinse, DC with a moisturizing deep conditioner that doesnt have any protien for 30 min covered with plastic cap under dryer/ or wet hot towel if u dont have a hooded dryer rinse, then follow with a creamy leave-in that doesnt have alot of protein and moisturize daily... I use Giovanni Direct as a daily moisturizer..I seal with grapeseed oil it makes my hair real soft...
the following week do the same except dont clarify but do a pre-poo w/ a moisture conditioner and EVOO for an hour or a 1/2 hr w/ heat followed by poo and the rest of the stuff

I would do that till the dryness issue feels over with... after thats in controll then alternate w/ moisture and light-med protein conditioner for stability.. skip the henna till of course ur hair is back on track

Hopefully that will work...HTH

 

[SelfStyled]

When my hair's breaking more often a lack of moisture than a lack of protein. Try putting conditioner on your hair when it dry (don't wash first) then either cover it with a hot wet towel or put a plastic cap on, and sit under the dryer for 30 minutes then rinse. I follow with an oil rinse. That pretty much ends any moisture problems for me, but when that doesn't work a couple sprays of biolage fortifying leave-in does.

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=154073
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=150965

Thanks for thr tip- I have been wanting to try an oil rinse.

 

[SelfStyled]

First try Aphogee Keratin 2 Minute Reconstructor and follow up with a moisturizer conditioner. If that doesn't work then Revlon Duo Tex and follow with up with a moisturizer conditioner. Not just a moisturizer conditioner only, you gotta do this, I know you will get good results.

Can you feel my fear about the protein....... I will give it a try.

 

[SelfStyled]

I used to use Profectiv BreakFree once or twice a day. I had a lot of breakage during that time. I realized that using all that protein every day was too much for my hair, so maybe that's the case with your hair.

You know I have heard people say that about the Breakfree before, but I checked the ingredients and there are 19 other ingredients before the protein is listed? Do you think that could be the source? What moisurizer have you had success with? TIA!!

 

[silverlotus]

if you're scared, do a lighter one first. you should be fine if you d/c well afterwards. the reason it seems like it's a protein issue is b/c you're doing a lot of moisturizing & it's not helping at all, plus you are overprocessed on top of that.

it could be the profectiv like someone else said, that crossed my mind too. i guess you could stop using it for a week or 2 to see if it helps the situation & then do the protein if that doesn't work.

ETA: this thread might help you: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=93610

 

[SelfStyled]

I agree it sounds like a moisture issue and over processed.. u can also try this:

clarify,rinse,then use a moisturizing poo, rinse ,use Porosity Control leave on about 5 min then rinse, DC with a moisturizing deep conditioner that doesnt have any protien for 30 min covered with plastic cap under dryer/ or wet hot towel if u dont have a hooded dryer rinse, then follow with a creamy leave-in that doesnt have alot of protein and moisturize daily... I use Giovanni Direct as a daily moisturizer..I seal with grapeseed oil it makes my hair real soft...
the following week do the same except dont clarify but do a pre-poo w/ a moisture conditioner and EVOO for an hour or a 1/2 hr w/ heat followed by poo and the rest of the stuff

I would do that till the dryness issue feels over with... after thats in controll then alternate w/ moisture and light-med protein conditioner for stability.. skip the henna till of course ur hair is back on track

Hopefully that will work...HTH

Thanks so much for the suggestions. I did this EXACT same thing on Tue night(my last wash)- I DC'd w/ humctress that does have protein in it though. I loved the results of the henna, but I can't even consider it until I get this dryness issue under control

 

[neonbright]

Can you feel my fear about the protein....... I will give it a try.

The 2 Minute Reconstuctor is light and will not be an overload.