Need your advice before I cut

[gymfreak336]

Hi ladies. I need some advice.

Since the beginning of my hair journey, I have struggled with the back of my head. When you look at the sides and then look at the back, sometimes it doesn't even look like the same head. What always seems to happen, regardless of my methods, is that the back, mostly in the middle and the lower right side, looks thinner than the rest. I trim it off and even it up and it comes back looking the same way.

Right now, this is what I have going on. It looks better than the last time I cut it but still much thinner than the rest of my hair. I have gone down the list of the usual suspects in terms of the usual causes of things like this and I don't do any of those things. erplexed

Now, I have about 2 inches or so left of BONE straight hair that I am gradually trimming off. The rest of my kinda varies in degree of straightness but lets say it it around 85-90% straight.

So my question to you is why do you think it keeps doing this in this section?
Any ideas for possible solutions?
What should I do now? Trim it or leave it alone?

Part of me is thinking that once the bone straight ends are gone, it won't grow in as thin anymore but then again I don't really know. All I know is that when my hair is straight you can see that it doesn't look as good as the rest of my hair. I don't want to hide and keep covering up the problem.

 

[LaManda]

Gym, I think you are my hair twin!! Same problem here; I can't wait for people to chim in...I am all ears!!!

 

[gymfreak336]

Gym, I think you are my hair twin!! Same problem here; I can't wait for people to chim in...I am all ears!!!

I hate it girl! Someone tell me Why, just tell me Why!

 

[Dposh167]

I have gone down the list of the usual suspects in terms of the usual causes of things like this and I don't do any of those things. erplexed

what have u ruled out so far?..just so we can narrow it down

 

[tapioca_pudding]

Do you think that hair is a different texture than the rest?

 

[gymfreak336]

what have u ruled out so far?..just so we can narrow it down

I ruled out tight ponytails, damage from bad hair clips and pins, damage from scarves, like if you tie the knot in the back too much it can cause breakage, not protecting my hair at night, heat damage from flat irons and the like .......

 

[gymfreak336]

Do you think that hair is a different texture than the rest?

I don't think so. Since taking care of my hair, that hair is growing in better. It still grows a little slower than the rest of my head though.

 

[gymfreak336]

Bump Bump

 

[charmtreese]

I got the same thing going on. My answer is to just baby that area and keep it going. I have completely stopped wearing any type of style that causes tension. My hair is in a loose bun 99% of the time. When I went to the stylist last week she made a comment about the area. I asked her how long did she think it would take for me to grow out the remainder of my layers and she said "well they are almost grown out, your hair looks pretty good other then this breakage back here in the middle" I was like . This one little area, always does this.

 

[gymfreak336]

I got the same thing going on. My answer is to just baby that area and keep it going. I have completely stopped wearing any type of style that causes tension. My hair is in a loose bun 99% of the time. When I went to the stylist last week she made a comment about the area. I asked her how long did she think it would take for me to grow out the remainder of my layers and she said "well they are almost grown out, your hair looks pretty good other then this breakage back here in the middle" I was like . This one little area, always does this.

Thanks for your input! Why are we getting plagued by the same thing?
So, just lightly trim it and keep it moving?

 

[SelfStyled]

Hey Lady,

Not much advice, I have the same problem though. It's the R lower quadrant. For me I think the problem is that I was starting my relaxers there first, when this area was already the most fragile area anyway. I don't apply relaxers there 1st anymore last 2 cycles- but still can't say I see a ton of progress.I could shave this area off and it would grob back the same. One idea that might work to help things catch up, is just apply growth aid of your choice to that section only and see if it would work. HTH.

 

[gymfreak336]

Hey Lady,

Not much advice, I have the same problem though. It's the R lower quadrant. For me I think the problem is that I was starting my relaxers there first, when this area was already the most fragile area anyway. I don't apply relaxers there 1st anymore last 2 cycles- but still can't say I see a ton of progress.I could shave this area off and it would grob back the same. One idea that might work to help things catch up, is just apply growth aid of your choice to that section only and see if it would work. HTH.

Now your idea would help explain why this seems to be a widespread problem for so many of us. I didn't think about that but you make a good point. The growth aid idea is a good one and I have some I can use. I have to go tutor someone now but I think I am going to swing by supercuts and go ahead and trim some off. I don't do thin, looking like a cat licked it ends

 

[ItsyBitsy]

Now your idea would help explain why this seems to be a widespread problem for so many of us. I didn't think about that but you make a good point. The growth aid idea is a good one and I have some I can use. I have to go tutor someone now but I think I am going to swing by supercuts and go ahead and trim some off. I don't do thin, looking like a cat licked it ends

Sis, I think Selfstyled may be on to something with the relaxer application issue
I would suggest trimming the bad ends off & starting fresh. You know I hate raggedy ends & as your sis I can only tell you what i'd do.

 

[PinkPeony]

My advice.... don't cut it.

I think your hair just grows uneven,mine does too and I have the same issue.
Sure once I reached APL I've been maintaining there for the last 3 months but I waited till I reached APL before I allowed myself to cut my hair again.
Someone told me that cutting during your growing out stage is nonsense b/c our hair grows uneven and you're just hindering your own process.
it's better to maintain and cut once you reached your goal or like me on a certain length.
I won't cut my hair again till I reached BSL(maybe dusting) and after that MBL.
And even then I won't take length off but maintain the same length for a few months

 

[trini_rican]

I had this problem and so did Jennifermd - take a look at her fotki. Mine is much better now from following her reggie. She combs and moisturizes that area separately from the rest of her hair.

 

[ShiShiPooPoo]

I say cut it...you'll feel better knowing those bone straight ends are gone...but I'm an extremist to the nth power...

 

[glamazon386]

Don't cut it. Trim it for now. And just keep an eye on it and try to baby it. I had a patch like that maybe 3 or 4 years ago when I was relaxed. At one point it was the whole back of my head near the nape. On the left it had spread all the way up to my ear. It broke off down to the new growth. Every time I would go to get my hair done (especially if it was to a new stylist for the first time) they would go WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR HAIR?!?!?! It was horrible. If I wore my hair down, you couldn't tell because the middle and sides of my hair were a lot longer than the front and back. Once it was combed down you couldn't see it so I didn't bother evening it out. If I did, I wouldn't have had any hair left.

Once I left it alone, the spot slowly got smaller. Once I went natural, I realized that that spot is a different texture. Most of my hair in the back (especially the nape) is a looser texture. It's also even more fine than the rest of my hair so it's more susceptible to getting caught in things and breaking.

 

[gymfreak336]

Thanks for your input ladies


Ella and Glamazon386, I see your point. Ella, our hair is alot alike. Same kind of textures going on, same growth pattern Glamazon, I don't think its a different texture but again IDK because my texture has been changing over the past two months. I do notice that it grows slower than the rest of my hair.

trini_rican- thanks for mentioning that. I will check out her fotki

ShiShi and Itsy.....That is what I was thinking too. Part of me was so ready to get my boyfriends clippers and shave my whole nape.



I ended up going to Supercuts around 6oclock. The one I went too only had one person working today and I was hoping it was the guy that hooked me up last time but he wasn't there. I was going to just leave and come back later but the lady who was working was doing a amazing precision cut on this chick so I waited. I told her my problem and how I have cut that section many times before and it keeps coming back like that. She asked about my regime and whatever and mentioned something about relaxer run off problems too so SelfStyled..I think you might be right. I asked her for her opinion and she said she wouldn't chop it all off yet. She suggested letting her trim a little more than a 1/4th of an inch all over and a little less than 1/2 inch in the back. She said she could help me disguise the area and cut just enough to make it blend better. I told her that I don't want to leave with a chin cut and she just laughed and said, I know the difference between a trim and a cut. I let her do her thing and I do feel better about it . She didn't cut off much and it does look and flow much better. She suggested I do more protein treatments and target that area. She also said I should do more scalp massages in the back as well.

 

[MonaLisa]

I ended up going to Supercuts around 6oclock. The one I went too only had one person working today and I was hoping it was the guy that hooked me up last time but he wasn't there. I was going to just leave and come back later but the lady who was working was doing a amazing precision cut on this chick so I waited. I told her my problem and how I have cut that section many times before and it keeps coming back like that. She asked about my regime and whatever and mentioned something about relaxer run off problems too so SelfStyled..I think you might be right. I asked her for her opinion and she said she wouldn't chop it all off yet. She suggested letting her trim a little more than a 1/4th of an inch all over and a little less than 1/2 inch in the back. She said she could help me disguise the area and cut just enough to make it blend better. I told her that I don't want to leave with a chin cut and she just laughed and said, I know the difference between a trim and a cut. I let her do her thing and I do feel better about it . She didn't cut off much and it does look and flow much better. She suggested I do more protein treatments and target that area. She also said I should do more scalp massages in the back as well.

*I let the air out of my chest...I was coming back and forth to the board between my conditioning checking for updates, was getting ready to pm...

okay, I'm happy that you didn't come back home with a faux hawk and that you're happy *

 

[gymfreak336]

*I let the air out of my chest...I was coming back and forth to the board between my conditioning checking for updates, was getting ready to pm...

okay, I'm happy that you didn't come back home with a faux hawk and that you're happy *

All is well Mona, All is well She did a great job. I got her business card. She only charges 15 bucks for a wash, deep condition, and set.

 

[tiffers]

She only charges 15 bucks for a wash, deep condition, and set.

DANG! That's a great price! I'm glad she didn't shave your head bald! You know how paranoid we are about stylists

Do you wrap your hair? Maybe that's the culprit......