All Hands On Deck: Type 3/4, Highly Dense, but Fine, Super Finicky Hair ...Help!

[kblc06]

You know just when you FINALLY think you've got your hair all figured out....it decides to go and act stupid . For the last couple of weeks I'll admit I've been hair lazy. My regimen consisted entirely of wash n gos with long aid curl activator gel (glycerin & aloe vera are the primary ingredients), washing and DCing 1-2x per week . I straightened last week to evaluate my ends to make sure there weren't any knots or splits. I was impressed-only a few and I did a search and destroy to get rid of those (my hair hadn't been trimmed/dusted since around March/early April. Being lazy was actually working on my behalf so I decide to continue.


Suddenly, my hair is uber-stretchy and since I know that my hair is moisture-sensitive, I did an egg & Joico Reconstrutor treatment. My hair felt balanced afterwards, still a little too soft, but it was manageable. I decided to do a twist and curl (which turned out horribly), and my hair still feels wrong....I try to finger comb and it almost feel as though my strands are stretching and tearing as I pull through. I applied Cantu and shea butter for my twist n curl and that was it. It feels soft to the touch, but looks stretched out, which is to be expected since I combed out the twistout and put it in a bun. My hair reverted perfectly. What is going on ? I've been at this hair game for almost 3 years and my hair still decides to flip the script, messing up a good thing I had going. Doesn't anyone else have these issues. I just felt like venting. *Sigh* These are pretty much my "symptoms":

I'm mostly a type 3 with some 2c & 4a parts. My hair is thick (huge density), thready texture, but mostly fine/some medium strands between APL & BSL , straightens easily with manipulation.

- Without adequate moisture my hair splits VERY EASILY. Since my hair isn't "silky" like most type 3 hair, my cuticles do not lay flat. But my curls are loose and some parts just look like a wavy blowout...naturally erplexed

- When moisturizers are too heavy, my hair gets too soft, weighs down easily, which leads to a lot of breakage and splits when manipulated

- EVERYTHING seems to throw my hair's balance off. I do porosity treatments with diluted ACV (which helps to a small extent)

 

[kblc06]

bump..........

 

[OhmyKimB]

Your hair sounds like mine...although I am relaxed. I try to keep the balance and just recently found that co-washing is way to much moisture so I try to balance it with one co-wash one poo wash....ok anyways off topic.

I balance by using aphogee deep moisture shampoo and then using the 2min keratin protein weekly. And then co wash once a week. That might help you with the too soft issue because your hair will get the moisture it wants and the strength it needs.

Also either every month or every two you can use a protein treatment like mendex on your hair. I have fine hair but a lot of it on my head and it flips the script on me too.

 

[kblc06]

Your hair sounds like mine...although I am relaxed. I try to keep the balance and just recently found that co-washing is way to much moisture so I try to balance it with one co-wash one poo wash....ok anyways off topic.

I balance by using aphogee deep moisture shampoo and then using the 2min keratin protein weekly. And then co wash once a week. That might help you with the too soft issue because your hair will get the moisture it wants and the strength it needs.

Also either every month or every two you can use a protein treatment like mendex on your hair. I have fine hair but a lot of it on my head and it flips the script on me too.

Thanks, I was beginning to thing I was the only one with this problem. I've been attempting to cowash more frequently, but I think you may be right....too much moisture. I just thought of something else, it is much more humid so maybe applying humectants is drawing too much moisture into my hair. But I don't know of any lighter moisturizers that will sufficiently moisturize my hair. I have very thirsty hair

 

[Galadriel]

I'm 3b and my hair is very similar to yours. I've learned to separate co-washes by a couple of days (I got addicted and did them almost daily). It was a good idea to do the protein, and I think it helps not to constantly have one's hair in a "wet" state. It's easy to err on the side of moisture, and I've had to battle this myself.

What has helped (besides incorporating a little bit more protein and spacing out co-washes) is when I moisturize, I tend to use a creamy moisturizer and then seal with castor oil or something thick like Oyin Burnt Sugar Pomade. My hair remains soft throughout the day. I've also re-adjusted the way I do my ponies/buns so that my hair has the opportunity dry a little more throughout the day (so that I won't come home, take down my pony/bun and still have very damp hair).

 

[bbdgirl]

I am texlaxed and when my hair feels like this I use Aphogee 2 min treatment mixed with Suave Humectant conditoner and leave this on for 20 min and my hair feels significantly stronger. The stretchies go away. To be honest this is the only protein, that I can see actual change in my hair's status.

 

[kblc06]

I've heard alot of good things about aphogee....don't know why I haven't tried it before. I'll pick some up this weekend. Thanks for your help guys

 

[BillsBackerz67]

that glycerin can make ur hair feel like mush i no longer use it.

 

[PatTodd]

Your hair sounds like mine. I find that my hair needs the texture that protein provides. I have had great success using light/medium protein EVERY CW or the occasional shampoo wash (Aphogee Intensive Reconstructor). And I have been using protein gel for my wash n'gos with GREAT success (see my blog if you are interested in details)

 

[La Colocha]

Hi Kb how often are you moisturizing? When i find that my hair is too soft and starting to feel mushy, i either do a prepoo with a little mayo and evoo or i let my hair dry out(i don't moisturize again until my hair starts feeling dry). I do my prepoo for about 20-30 minutes on dry hair under a plastic bag. I can't use heavy protein and the mayo and evoo are enough to balance my hair back. Hth