Constant breaking, and hair getting shorter. Please help?

[Pocahonta_s]

Hello ladies... Once again, i am calling for help.
A few months ago, my hair was very dry and breaking badly and I blamed it on my weekly use of a flat iron + a strong strength lye relaxer applied on the entire length of my hair (already relaxed with no-lye) and left on for 30 min instead of 15. I cut it from waist-length to mid-back and started to take better care of it, i.e. I either do roller sets or braidouts, sleep on a satin pillow or with a bonnet over my head, I try not to rest my head on anything, I keep my hair up in a bun as much as possible.
I henna and indigo once in 3-4 weeks. I DC with moisture and do protein treatments (my moisture to protein DC is probably 3:1). I put honey and aloe vera in my conditioner, and make my own leave-in with shea butter, conditioner and coconut oil.
Although the overall condition of my hair seems to have improved and my hair looks fine to other people (the henna and indigo have made is darker and shinier and my ends don’t feel so frizzy), it is breaking like crazy and getting worse.
I stopped using cones because I thought they might be the culprit, but although my hair feels more moisturized now, it seems to be breaking even more. I also have nasty splits appearing half-way across the hair shaft and strands that are so jacked up they are split in 4 or 5 thinner strands. I am trying to grow out my layers and these keep splitting, and breaking too. I do S&D every second day and end up finding heaps of white spots, splits and holes each time.
I am starting to think this may be a lost cause. My hair is growing at my roots but I am not retaining any length, in fact, I feel like it keeps getting shorter. My flatmates and boyfriend think I am crazy as I am constantly “putting food and pot-smelling herbs” in my hair, spending hours on paranoid about it rubbing against anything.
Do you think I am wasting my time trying to save my ends? Maybe the damage is too extensive and I will just have to wait for new healthy growth? (5 years to grow it all back!) Or is it something that I am not doing right and I causing the breakage now?
Sorry about the long post, just feeling a bit low and desperate about the whole thing…

 

[msa]

I think that the overprocessing from your last relaxer may be causing all this. Sadly, there's no way to fix that if it's the case.

What exactly is your regimen? and your products? That will help others help you.

 

[Pocahonta_s]

Thanks msa.

Products:
- for moisture, Keracare Humecto and Henna Wax by Ultraorganics.
- For protein ORS replenishing conditioner or Keracare Intensive Restorative Mask.
- Shampoo: Keracare dry and itchy scalp.
- Cheap conditioners: Hello Hydration by herbal essence and Pure Coconut oil by Inecto.
- Leave-ins: my own leave-in or ORS oil moisturizer, sometimes Keracare Cream conditioning headdress.

Regimen: Prepoo (conditioner + oil, henna or protein treatment depending on the week), shampoo (only if i have used products with cones, otherwise i co-wash), DC (conditioner + aloe vera gel and honey). Apply leave-in, seal ends with oil and roller set or braid out.

 

[newflowers]

You have good products and a good routine. Unfortunately the heavy relaxer damage you've sustained is going to be a problem until that hair grows out and breaks off or is cut off. If you check the stickies, there are threads there about intensive rehabiliation regimes for very damaged hair - which, from the sound of it, you have. I'm sorry. The good news is that some women have managed to bring their very damaged hair back to life with a lot of tlc - maybe you can do the same thing.

 

[silkii_locks]

Hi Sweetie,
I agree with MSA it does sound like the over processing from the relaxers is causing your breakage. However I would suggest using a hardcore protein treatment like Aphogee 2 step or Nexxus Emergnecee before you cut it again. See if this helps at all, then if it doesn't unfortunately you may have to start over fresh. Hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[Pocahonta_s]

Thanks newflowers and silkii locks, i will look at the stickies and hopefully find some ideas in there...
And perhaps order some Aphogee, although i have heard i may be able to find Nexxus products in Australia.

Cheers.

 

[MummysGirl]

It might be over-processing, my ends suffered from that last year and I unfortunately had to cut at least 4 inches of my hair because of this. I think some parts of my hair might still be recovering from this actually.

Good luck and I hope you find out what the real problem is.

 

[lonei]

Thanks msa.

Products:
- for moisture, Keracare Humecto and Henna Wax by Ultraorganics.
- For protein ORS replenishing conditioner or Keracare Intensive Restorative Mask.
- Shampoo: Keracare dry and itchy scalp.
- Cheap conditioners: Hello Hydration by herbal essence and Pure Coconut oil by Inecto.
- Leave-ins: my own leave-in or ORS oil moisturizer, sometimes Keracare Cream conditioning headdress.

Regimen: Prepoo (conditioner + oil, henna or protein treatment depending on the week), shampoo (only if i have used products with cones, otherwise i co-wash), DC (conditioner + aloe vera gel and honey). Apply leave-in, seal ends with oil and roller set or braid out.

Hey P

Hope u r well. Do u still use that Keracare Mask product? What's it like? Is it considered a protein?

 

[bebezazueta]

I hope you recover lady. Your hair in your avi is gawgeous!


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