Breakage with my roller set?

[jgirl3]

So I was thinking "hmm maybe I'll try this whole no direct heat thing and rollerset my hair". I ended up doing a ponytail set today and wrapped my hair. It's pretty straight, about as straight as I'd get with my air dry and flat iron. All good, right?

Wrong. While I didn't get any breakage really once I took the rollers out, detangling and going through each section with a fine toothed comb was a nightmare for me. Even in the beginning, I got so frustrated with trying to part my wet hair (all this with a wide toothed comb) that I just had to unevenly use my fingers to part sections out. My hair just can't seem to take any excessive combing while it is wet No matter how gentle I tried to be I kept losing hair. I lost much more than I normally do. My usual process is I detangle with my wide toothed comb and then air dry with it loose and a bandana tied around my edges. After it air dries I just go through in small sections with a flat iron while using the comb chase method.

Is there something I can do to get less breakage with rollersetting? I hear you ladies constantly rave about it and while I'm happy I didn't use direct heat and I enjoy the results, it just seems like a crap ton of manipulation.....

 

[bydebra]

Is your hair relaxed or natural?

When I was fully relaxed and up to 6 months into a stretch, I roller set my hair with ease by using leave-ins that provided slip. My favorites were Carol's Daughter Macadamia heat-setting foam and serum. I would section my hair in three large sections (middle and two sides), add my leave-ins and detangle each section with a wide-tooth comb.

Then, as I rollerset, I did my small parts for the roller set and used a small-tooth comb to detangle each section before rolling. I never did ponytail roller sets.

Why were you going through and detangling with a small-tooth comb after taking the rollers out? That probably contributed to the breakage.

 

[Blairx0]

You should come into the setting to sugess thread. I don't have issues with breakage, but i dont use a comb. My hair hates combs, but loves setting

 

[jgirl3]

simplydebra I think you misunderstand. I never used the fine toothed comb after the set, only the wide toothed. I detangled all over with the wide toothed, sectioned with my fingers into ponytails, and detangled each section with the smaller comb. That was when I had all the breakage. Once my hair was dry, I didn't have any more hairs come out. I'm relaxed and I usually use HE LTR and Chi Silk infusion after I wash and DC. I sprayed some sections that were drying out with some water in a squirt bottle that had a tiny bit of leave in in it. I used ponytails because parting my hair while wet is just death to my hair and led to more breakage than just me using my fingers. I was able to get my roots tighter that way as well. The ponytail method is supposedly easier *shrug* The end results were about the same as a regular roller set I assume once I silk wrapped it.

Blairx0 how do you rollerset without a comb? I'd love to try. Like I said before, end result was awesome, but combs in my wet hair are awful. I think I'm better when I air dry normally because I barely use the comb, but I'm really trying to do this no-direct heat thing to see if it's helpful.

 

[bydebra]

Okay, if I understand correctly, you were using the fine-tooth comb to detangle ponytail-sized sections. Those sections were probably too large. I only use the fine-tooth comb on very small roller-sized sections and work very slowly from the ends to the roots.

I sometimes use Chi Silk Infusion. I haven't tried the new HE LTR, but a lotion-consistency product usually does not provide good slip for my hair. I stick to foams, watery products, and creamy products that are more "milky" and less like a lotion.

I have a video on how I apply my rollers to small sections on soaking wet hair. I'm sure a similar technique would work for a ponytail roller set.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpPEbifU-kQ (Middle Section)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCBxNWw8hHY (Side Sections)

@jgirl3

 

[jgirl3]

Hmm...I see. My sections were a little bit bigger than that so I guess I'll try again with smaller ones next time. Do you have any leave in suggestions then for me to use that would give more "slip". I didn't have much slip in my hair so that may have been a problem too. That, or I'm just really that bad at detangling lol simplydebra

 

[divachyk]

jgirl3, thanks for clarifying because I too understood it the same way as simplydebra. I also thought you were using a fine tooth comb on dry hair.

I lose way too many strands when smoothing the hair with a smaller comb. I've moved on to flexi rods and my hair loves it better. Less smoothing and manipulation required.

Blairx0, how do you smooth the hair if you don't use a comb?

 

[Blairx0]

simplydebra I think you misunderstand. I never used the fine toothed comb after the set, only the wide toothed. I detangled all over with the wide toothed, sectioned with my fingers into ponytails, and detangled each section with the smaller comb. That was when I had all the breakage. Once my hair was dry, I didn't have any more hairs come out. I'm relaxed and I usually use HE LTR and Chi Silk infusion after I wash and DC. I sprayed some sections that were drying out with some water in a squirt bottle that had a tiny bit of leave in in it. I used ponytails because parting my hair while wet is just death to my hair and led to more breakage than just me using my fingers. I was able to get my roots tighter that way as well. The ponytail method is supposedly easier *shrug* The end results were about the same as a regular roller set I assume once I silk wrapped it.

Blairx0 how do you rollerset without a comb? I'd love to try. Like I said before, end result was awesome, but combs in my wet hair are awful. I think I'm better when I air dry normally because I barely use the comb, but I'm really trying to do this no-direct heat thing to see if it's helpful.

If you check my blog I used to use combs. But I realized i was fighting against my hair. My hair hates combs: wet, dry damp-combs are not for me.

I now finger detangle on wet hair in the shower when I rinse my DC. I step out of the show and I roll

jgirl3, thanks for clarifying because I too understood it the same way as simplydebra. I also thought you were using a fine tooth comb on dry hair.

I lose way too many strands when smoothing the hair with a smaller comb. I've moved on to flexi rods and my hair loves it better. Less smoothing and manipulation required.

Blairx0, how do you smooth the hair if you don't use a comb?

I smooth by applying flax seed gel making sure to get close to the root. I then try to roll with even tension. I am natural so for my tight texture I think my hands get the job done, but I am in no way getting relaxed results as you can see

herampersandhim.com

 

[bydebra]

If you check my blog I used to use combs. But I realized i was fighting against my hair. My hair hates combs: wet, dry damp-combs are not for me.

I now finger detangle on wet hair in the shower when I rinse my DC. I step out of the show and I roll



I smooth by applying flax seed gel making sure to get close to the root. I then try to roll with even tension. I am natural so for my tight texture I think my hands get the job done, but I am in no way getting relaxed results as you can see

herampersandhim.com

Your roller sets look great!

Hmm...I see. My sections were a little bit bigger than that so I guess I'll try again with smaller ones next time. Do you have any leave in suggestions then for me to use that would give more "slip". I didn't have much slip in my hair so that may have been a problem too. That, or I'm just really that bad at detangling lol simplydebra

When I used Chi Silk Infusion, I paired it with Garnier Fructice Anti-Humidity Milk (inexpensive and & easy to find), and then I started using Silicon Mix Leave-In or Lacio Lacio (both are available online).

My favorite pairing the Carol's Daughter Macadamia Heat-Setting Foam and a serum. It is the only foam I have ever used that did not leave my hair crunchy.