Confused

[shortsincebirth]

I am confused by the hair types, All I know is I have relaxed hair that is fine and soft. It breaks very easily and always seems to be dry. It is in a short cut and never seems to grow past the nape of my neck. When it does grow, it gorws to a certain length and then breaks off. When I go to the salon I ask my stylist not to put holding spray or heavy gels on it, because that just makes my hair dirty and not able to hold a curl. I would like to know if anyone has the same type of hair and what do they use to moisturize the hair and scalp.

 

[Dolce_Dawn]

Re: Confused *DELETED*

Hello and welcome!

What is your regimen/what products do you use? How often do you relax?

 

[Spagirl]

Hi ShorSinceBirth...Welcome to LHCF!

Is your hair relaxed or natural?

Since you stated that your hair is dry and breaks easily this could be due to a number of reason. How are you presently caring for your hair. What products do you use?

 

[UmSumayyah]

MegonW has fine hair. I don't remember off hand who else does. You may want to look at her posts to start or pm her. Go to the "User List" find her username and click on "show all user's posts".
As spagirl said there may be other factors in your breakage. Do you tie it up at night in satin or sleep on a silk or satin pillowcases? How often do you put direct heat on your hair? How often do you get it relaxed? What kind of combs/brushes are you using?

 

[Neroli]

What type is your NATURAL hair? I think you described your relaxed hair which may not be the best way to go about this. If you can get a fair approximation of your natural, unrelaxed hair type, then others with similar hair types may be able to help you. Check out the main page of this website for ideas and also www.naturallycurly.com to help figure out. I know some on this board do not agree with hairtyping, but it's help me tremendously when reading what others with similar types do for their hair -- I invariable get the best results using products & techniques from those that identify their hair as similar to mine (4a/4b). I THINK I am a 4b, with lye relaxer.

 

[SherryLove]

welcome to LHCF...........

 

[jetcitygirl]

Hello shortsincebirth~ Your post caught my eye because I have hair very much like you described, except I no longer relax it. When I did relax, my hair would be super soft and fly away, even a bit wispy at times. Not to be a nappy evangalist or anything but have you considered wearing it natural? Us fine-haired ladies really lose what little volume we have during the relaxing process. Wearing it natural/curly boosts the volume of hair making it look thicker!

If wearing it relaxed I would suggest that you need to trim a little more often than those with thicker strands. Like maybe every 10 weeks trim off .5 inch. Fine hair is more succeptible to weathering and will break easily if not kept trimmed and moisturized on the ends. Please avoid using direct heat to style your hair! Roller sets are a good idea or braid-outs or pin curls. And finally, use products with protein to help strengthen your hair so it can be more resistant to weathering and damage from combing & brushing it. It doesn't take much to cause damage to already fine hair so handle your hair very gently.

 

[shortsincebirth]

Re: Confused *DELETED*

I relax every six weeks. I visit the salon every two weeks for a wash and set. I oil/grease my scalp every three days or when it feels extra dry. If my hair gets extra dirty before I can get to the salon then I wash and set it my self.(Aphogee moisturing shampoo and hummextress conditioner)

 

[shortsincebirth]

I relax

 

[shortsincebirth]

I do tie it up. I try not to put to much heat on it, but the dirtier it gets the more I have to curl it. When it is freshly washed I can go without heat for 3 days

 

[myco]

Have you considered washing and setting it more often, so that your hair will get more moisture treatments? I've read and personally found that using heating appliances on "dirty" hair causes a lot of problems.

 

[simcha]

Welcome to the board! I have 3c/4a (I think) fine hair. It's taken me years to figure it out and I'm still learning. Right now my hair is about armpit length in the back.
1) I use Bantu regular relaxer on my hair. My hairdresser takes about ten minutes (total time) putting it on and getting it off. In the winter I relax my hair about every 7 to 8 weeks and in the summer about every six weeks (it grows faster in the heat). I usually walk out wet in a ponytail, sometimes I 'll let them blow dry it and rarely roller settings, since that takes an hour and half under the dryer. I've been going to a Dominican stylist here in Los Angeles who seems to understand that I have fine hair with semi resistant curl not coarse hair which is what every other hairdresser assumes that I must have.
2) I wash my hair with a gentle shampoo (right now Carol's Daughter's Herbal Shampoo Ylang ylang & Frankincense) at least twice a week. Water is the best form of moisture. And I Condition Wash the other days with Humectress by Nexxus, followed by biosilk serum on towel dried hair and pull back in a ponytail with a little bit of Carol's Daughter's Hair Milk on the ponytail.

3) Once a week, I deep condition with Rene Furterer's Karite (although I'm going to try Carol's Daughter's Shea Butter hair Smoothie 'cuz it costs less) for at least 20 minutes with heat, rinse and then moisturize condition with Humectress for at leat 20 minutes with heat, rinse, biosilk and ponytail, with CD's hair milk on ponytail.

4) If I style it, I airdry it in the ponytail without CD's hair milk (oils and creams weigh down and cause my fine hair to separate). Once it's dry I flat iron it. At night, I'll put a little Humectress on my hair pin it up in a bun with a hair clip and tie a silk scarf around it (not tight).

5) My wet ponytail style at night I spritz the ponytail with a mixture of distilled water and glycerin, slather on Ebene's shea butter cream and pin it up in a bun.

6) If I notice more breakage then usual, after a relaxer I'll do an Aphogee treatment, followed up with a Moisturizing Humectress treatment. Be careful with the Aphogee because it's a really strong protein conditioner and can be a bit much on fine hair. Which is why I only use it after a relaxer (but not after every relaxer, only when I think it's necessary - which could be once a year or even less) because my hair tends to break more when it's time for a touch-up.

6) No hair grease. Petroleum products don't moisturize, they only coat the hair and suffocate the scalp. I moisturize with Humectress, everyday.

7) I've also been Surging lately.

8) Pre shampoo treatments when I have time is Olive oil on dry hair with heat for about 15 minutes or so.

9) and lots of patience...

Good luck.

 

[Neroli]

[ QUOTE ]
shortsincebirth said:
I do tie it up. I try not to put to much heat on it, but the dirtier it gets the more I have to curl it. When it is freshly washed I can go without heat for 3 days

[/ QUOTE ]

I wash my hair every 3 to 4 days precisely becasue that's about how long my hair stays soft, bouncy and moisturized after each wash. By the 3rd or 4th day, I just wash again and my hair stays fresh, clean and touchable all the time. I do mostly "condition washes" and only use shampoos about once a month. My hair is awesome -- healthy, strong, blossoming and growing like weeds . . .

You many want to simply wash every 4 days in order to handle the problem . . .