6 weeks post and I'm shedding like hell!

[FemmeFatale]

Hey Ladies! I'm at a loss here. I'm 6 weeks post relaxer (I'm texlaxed) and the journey is getting haaaard. I usually have a weave in and haven't dealt with that in between phase in YEARS! I'll have my weave in 2 weeks after a texlax and keep it in for 12 weeks never having to really deal with the stretching dilemma.

Now I'm weave free with no protective style (I wear a bun to protect my ends) and my wide tooth, seamless comb is turning on me. I'm seeing hair in it, like more than few and if I had to guesstimate maybe a good 20-30 strands (not sure I'll count). I'm so not used to this part of the journey and it's making me nervous. I moisturize and seal daily and I use the LOC or LCO method. I wash and deep condition with Joico Kpak and SM Manuka Honey Masque. My new growth is very course 4b/c and I have .75" right now.

I do use HBCO mixed with rosemary oil in my scalp every few days and my new growth is coming in nicely but the shedding is bothering me! Please help. I have 6 more weeks to go and I don't know what to do. I don't want to slap a weave on it either.

 

[Urban]

Are you sure it's shedding and not breakage?

The 20-30 strands - is that every time you put your comb through it?

 

[FemmeFatale]

Are you sure it's shedding and not breakage? The 20-30 strands - is that every time you put your comb through it?

Yes it's shedding, 16" strands coming out. I comb it twice a day, morning before work, evening when I get home after my scalp massage.

 

[cynd]

I think I would cut back on the twice daily combing for now. Even with a wide tooth comb that can be excessive.

 

[sunnieb]

Are you under an increased amount of stress? This could increase shredding too.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using LHCF

 

[IDareT'sHair]

Isn't the average shed rate somewhere between 100-150 strands per day?

The 20-30 Strands probably isn't anything 'major' to worry about.

If it was coming out in clumps that would be another story.

Did you or have you tried a new product recently?

I notice an increase sometimes when I try or use a new product.

Same Relaxer?

Sometimes changes in the seasons also increase shedding rate(s).

I would make sure it's shedding not breakage. Keep my Protein/Moisture Balance intact, drink more water and keep monitoring it.

 

[Urban]

Yes it's shedding, 16" strands coming out. I comb it twice a day, morning before work, evening when I get home after my scalp massage.

I see. And you've been here a while, so I gather you would definitely know the difference between breakage and shedding (usually has white bulbs at one end). The reason I asked is because it makes no sense that being post relaxer would make you shed. I can understand breakage increasing because as time passes you have more growth which would make it more difficult to comb the two texture together. If it was truly shedding, I don't understand how relaxing/texlaxing again would mitigate it. Maybe someone here can help me to understand how that would work?? Either way, IA with IDareT'sHair. If it's 20-30 hairs per combing session (30 in the morning and 30 in the evening), I don't think that's something to worry about.

However, if you're still concerned and if it's truly hair coming out from the root then I think it can be 1 of 3 things.

1) Too much strain on the strands is pulling the hair out. For this, it would be better to minimize manipulation - combing etc.

2) Something you're applying to your scalp is irritating your follicles and facilitating the shedding. Are you applying anything new to your scalp?

3) Something internal is going on. IA with the post who mentioned stress as a possibility. Other things diet, medications, other illnesses, hormonal changes etc. Anything new on that front?

 

[divachyk]

Maybe this is your norm because you're normally in a weave so you really don't have any baseline to go by. However, I agree with IDareT'sHair w/r/t the number of shed hairs daily.

Alter Ego garlic is the best, most effective and fastest acting product I've used for shedding. It's expensive but it works.

 

[SuchaLady]

Thats just all the hair you see during take down. You get to see it daily now

 

[Rocky91]

A shot of light protein typically does the trick for me. I love the aphogee 2 min.

 

[FemmeFatale]

Thats just all the hair you see during take down. You get to see it daily now

Hmmm I didn't think about that.

This morning it was about 10 hairs

 

[Amarilles]

If it was truly shedding, I don't understand how relaxing/texlaxing again would mitigate it. Maybe someone here can help me to understand how that would work??

I think some of us fall under the impression that shedding increases while transitioning/natural, but in reality it's just that hair doesn't shed out and fall by itself when it's curly. When hair is straight the shed falls out by itself, landing on the floor or the space around us and we don't even realize, whereas curly shed needs to be manually removed and folks assume that there's suddenly more of it. So relaxing doesn't change things but some of us do relax thinking it has actually solved a problem (that was never really there).

A healthy scalp sheds As long as there's a bulb one shouldn't worry, a new strand has started growing where that one shed out.

 

[Foxglove]

Maybe you need to cut down on the detangling. Twice daily combing seems like a lot of manipulation. The hairs that you're seeing- do they have a white bulb at the root?

 

[Urban]

I think some of us fall under the impression that shedding increases while transitioning/natural, but in reality it's just that hair doesn't shed out and fall by itself when it's curly. When hair is straight the shed falls out by itself, landing on the floor or the space around us and we don't even realize, whereas curly shed needs to be manually removed and folks assume that there's suddenly more of it. So relaxing doesn't change things but some of us do relax thinking it has actually solved a problem (that was never really there).

A healthy scalp sheds As long as there's a bulb one shouldn't worry, a new strand has started growing where that one shed out.

Ha! That makes perfect sense . I'd never thought about it like that.