A Long & Pitiful Story

[Starr]

Ok ladies… after lurking forever I'm ready to "ask for help" regarding my hair. I'm currently living in Japan (I've been here for 7 months and will be here for 5-8 years) and am unable to obtain many products. The water here is awful (fill a glass with tap water & let it sit over night and there is all types of sedentary material at the bottom of the glass) and has chlorine.

ON TO MY PITIFUL STORY

10/30/02 my hair was thin, but shoulder length (15 1/2 inches – bangs, sides & top) and breaking off terribly in the back because I love myself a weave ponytail. Unfortunately, went to a scissor happy stylist in the states… after informing her that I wanted a trim she cut the right side of my hair to my jaw line (10 inches). Yes, I cut a fool, but that's another story. Needless to say my husband finished the cut for me and I took it in stride figuring it would grow back in eight months.

Well ladies it has been 7 months and my hair is currently 6 inches long and still thin. This is driving me crazy! I just don't know what to do! The irritating part is my husband keeps saying, "I thought you were going to grow your hair back". As if I'm not trying. So once again ladies you are my last resort. I normally achieve a decent length by weaving my hair. I'm in luck because I know how to had extensions and cornrow my own hair and I know how to cornrow and sew my own tracks. April 2003 I officially stopped using my curly irons and I've been rotating between flat twist & weave ponytail (wear for about 6 weeks, re-doing once a week) and cornrows (wear for 2 weeks, re-do once a week). I relax every eight weeks, unable to go longer because my scalp becomes agitated (its begging for a fix). Also, I would like to wear my cornrows longer, but am unable to because my scalp becomes dry, tight, itchy & flaky. I purchased Dudley's Hair & Scalp Conditioner and Organic's Olive Oil all to no avail; they cause my head to itch more.

Any solutions! Especially to thicken my hair (it looks extremely thick after removing cornrows, but after relaxer its still thin), stop unnecessary shedding, stop ends from breaking, short healthy hairstyles, etc…

 

[msprettyeyes]

there are so many threads relating to your post. Just read through the pages. I know it is alot but all of your questions will be answered

 

[nita4]

Hi Starr, welcome to the board. I'm no expert but, here are some suggestions.

First, is your husband in the service? I ask because you can either get your products on base or order on-line.

I heard the water was really bad in Japan and I would either boil, buy or get a shower filter if possible.

For your hair, it sounds like has been overprocessed. I'm not sure, just going by what you've written. It's time to condition, condition, condition. Get a good moisturizing shampoo, a good protein conditioner, a good moisturizing conditioner, a leave in - somethings your conditioner can double for both conditioner and leave in and you need to keep your ends moisturized - S-curl or some type of spray moisturizer is good for this, especially with the styles you mentioned. Eliminate your heat useage with the exception of conditioning your hair. Stop the weave ponytail if its breaking your hair off. Find another style that isn't stressing your hair. Who does your relaxers and what type are you using? It may be the wrong strength for you.

I think your hair just needs some tender loving care and a consistent shampooing and conditionng program.

Ladies, any other recommendations/suggestions???

 

[dontspeakdefeat]

Very well said Nita!

 

[sweetcocoa]

I think you're overprocessed too...and if the water is really bad I think it's making your nuetralizing shampoo not work the way it should. Hard water leaves a coating of minerals on your hair and your skin...look at what it leaves behind in the shower! I think a shower filter is needed. Can you get a hold of distilled water? I'd at least rinse with that. I have hard water and I use bottle distilled water ALL the time.
I also agree with cutting out the heat and the ponytail until you hair is stronger and then do both in moderation.
Can you get someone, a family member to buy you the products you need here in the states and then send them to you? Kinda like a <font color="blue">hair</font>care package. Good luck and keeping posting for ideas.

 

[CaramelKiss]

Hello Starr and welcome to the board

Don't depair, many online shops in the States will ship packages to APO addresses. www.texasbeautysupply.com and www.drugstore.com is another.

Try and locate some distilled water over there. They have to have it!!!

Also, Nexxus Headress is a very good volumizing leave-in. My hair is already thick and so it makes it too thick!! I think it will work great for your hair.

Also, do some protein/reconstructing treatments. There are many threads on this. Keraphix is a good reconstructor and it is light, Aphogee is a popular one but it's heavy. And of course keep your hair moisturized, do deep conditioners with every shampoo and moisturize your hair at night.

Hope that helped!!

 

[nita4]

Wow Sweetcocoa, I never thought about the neutralizing shampoo not working because of hard water. Dang that could create a serious problem!! I am going to have to invest in a shower filter.

 

[Nonie]

OK, this is gonna sound really gross. But it's true. I went to school with a girl who never washed her hair while we were in school (boarding school). I'm not suggesting you follow suit but maybe her method could help you delay having to wash your hair twice a week or however many times you wash it, if you choose to do so.

As far as the scalp is concerned... I think those who choose not to wash their braids as often as I do can make suggestions. But this is what my classmate did for her hair. She would put a grease (DAX) on her hair then she'd take cotton wool or Kleenex and put a comb (the pick with metal teeth) through it. She'd fold it over a few times pushing the teeth through each time and finally resting the tissue at the bottom of the teeth by the handle. Then she'd comb her hair several times. The tissue/cotton'd get real filthy. She'd then take the tissue/cotton out and turning over inserting the comb through the same holes and repeat the procedure. The idea was as she combed her hair, the tissue/cotton wiped through it (the folded tissue was about 2" wide). The grease/oil stops the tissue/cotton from leaving lint in your hair and helped the comb just glide through. She did this over and over, changing the tissue/cotton and adding more oil to her hair if needed until the tissue/cotton came out clean. She did a section of her hair at a time and only moved onto the next when the tissue no longer looked dirty. And I would imagine she'd also try to remove any excess grease the same way. Her hair was natural Andre's 3b/c category. And it was thick and long. I didn't know much about hair then so cannot tell you if she had split ends. All I do know is that while sporting my cute TWA, I used to envy her long hair big time. And if she wasn't so selfish with her hair, I'd have made a dreat doll out of her.

If you're used to washing often, of course that's out of question. I personally think washing regularly thickens my hair...but water here isn't as bad as in Japan so I know that doesn't help. I so hope you can find a solution. Definitely try the distilled water. I imagine even just any bottled water would work (if it's cheaper) since it's bound to be better than the tap water. I'm glad you posted. You couldn't be in better hands than here.

About your scalp getting itchy and dry.... I don't use any oils on my scalp but I do sleep in a plastic cap once in a while, and definitely the day before I wash my hair after I apply an oil on my hair. Even on days that I don't apply oil on my hair at night, my hair always feels better in the morning after being "steamed" in a cap. I wonder if by doing the same, the warmth would help open up your pores so that more sebum is produce to stop your scalp from drying when you have cornrows?

Sending best wishes across the miles...

 

[sweetcocoa]

[ QUOTE ]
Wow Sweetcocoa, I never thought about the neutralizing shampoo not working because of hard water. Dang that could create a serious problem!! I am going to have to invest in a shower filter.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nita I didn't think about that either until my cousin warned me. It made sense since until I moved to where I live now I didn't have any problems relaxing. I figured my hair was frizzy and thin because I was using too much heat...but no more than I did before(I still believe in not using a lot of heat.) Once I corrected the water problem alot of other things improved with my hair...I had no idea water would make that much of a difference.

 

[douglala]

I sent you a PM......

 

[phynestone]

I also sent you a pm.