Curl Pattern Damage & My dilemma!

[ItsMeFre]

Hey ladies!!!

My hair has been getting slightly looser each time I straighten. I have tried serums, butters, oils, but it just seems that it is just prone to heat damage, even on low heat!

The thing is, I don't really wear wash and go's often because when I do, I get sooo many knots and splits. Also, I get splits and ssk's when I wear it in braid outs and twist outs, but I get the most when I wear it in wash and go's.

My dilemma is, I'm am thinking about straightening my hair more often because that's when it seems to retain the most length. However, I know that I will get more curl pattern damage, but I feel willing to sacrifice that because I think wearing it straight more often will help me get to my goals quicker....IDK What do you ladies think I should do??? Has anyone faced this problem??? What did you decide to do about it???

I posted a video of me going into more detail about my dilemma here---> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4V7_-TWh2M

 

[MyAngelEyez~C~U]

Posted my opinion in the comments section

 

[westNDNbeauty]

Can you wear your hair in a stretched style which requires less heat? This will help to reduce the knots you are trying to avoid.

With consistent heat use comes increased chances of heat damage.

When you are using heat, what does your deep conditioning routine look like? Highly conditioned hair is your best chance against heat damage.

 

[ItsMeFre]

westNDNbeauty I've tried blow drying once a week but I just didn't like how my braid outs/twist outs turned out. They were just so fluffy.

I deep condition my hair once a week on dry hair, then I wash, then condition and detangle, then rinse, then apply leave in conditioner. I use a moisturize and seal almost every morning and night during the week. Then repeat and the end of the week.

 

[MzSwift]

How about rollersetting?
Maybe you can wash/DC every other week in order to use heat less frequently.
Maybe you can flat iron and leave it for 2 weeks and then find another style that you can rock for two weeks and repeat.

I don't really have any other suggestions b/c I love fluffy twistouts! LoL

GL!

 

[Je Ne Sais Quoi]

Stop straightening your hair unless you can live with heat damage. Do you like braid and twist outs?

 

[BostonMaria]

How about rollersetting?
Maybe you can wash/DC every other week in order to use heat less frequently.
Maybe you can flat iron and leave it for 2 weeks and then find another style that you can rock for two weeks and repeat.

I don't really have any other suggestions b/c I love fluffy twistouts! LoL

GL!

I was about to suggest Rollersetting as well.

When my hair was midback length I would rollerset and air dry. It would take a few hours but my hair would come out nice. I would only bump my edges in the front with the flatiron so it wouldn't look frizzy.

I have natural hair too and wear mostly straight styles in the fall and winter so I know what you're talking about when you say you prefer this style to avoid ssk's. If you choose health over straight styles you might have to eventually cut your hair due to split ends or have to BC again (God forbid).

If you do decide to continue unintentionally heat training your hair, then keep deep conditioning every week and doing protein treatments every 6 weeks.

Good luck!!!

PS congrats on losing 22 lbs!!

 

[BERlin]

If you don't like the ssks and splits from the wash n' gos and the fluffiness of braid/twist outs it seems like you have two main options: protective style 85%+ of the time, or relax.

With protective styles (like twisted updos or wigs) you can protect your ends better and retain well). With relaxing you can avoid ssks all together and the heat won't have a curl pattern to disturb.

I would suggest more protein or henna or new methods of styling hair like bantu knots... but those aren't fixers to the issues you're having. Ultimately SSK's, splits and fluffiness are characteristics of most if not all of kinky curly hair.

 

[Theresamonet]

ItsMeFre

When you straighten your hair often (bi-weekly to monthly), do you experience any negative side effects from the heat besides a looser curl pattern? Split ends, breakage, dryness? If not, then if I were in your position, I would start a monthly straightening regimen. Wash, DC, flat iron once a month and wear your hair straight. If your straight hair starts to get old or the humidity gets to it mid way, You can Braid out, twist out, or bun the rest of the month, on that stretched hair.

I followed a similar regimen during parts of my two year transition. I think it could work long term if you really stay on top of your moisture/protein balance, and dustings. I would follow a heat training regimen before ever relaxing my hair again. You can follow the same procedure with roller setting, but using the flat iron is just easier to me.

 

[ms.blue]

You should up your protein treatments especially since you are wearing your hair straight.

 

[ItsMeFre]

Theresamonet I actually experience more damage when it's in its natural state, than when it is straight. This is a really good regimen, thank you! Do you consider it heat training when you're only straightening once a month?

 

[ItsMeFre]

ms.blue right now I use protein once every 6 weeks with the Aphogee 2 step treatment. Do you think I would need more?

 

[Theresamonet]

Theresamonet I actually experience more damage when it's in its natural state, than when it is straight. This is a really good regimen, thank you! Do you consider it heat training when you're only straightening once a month?

I think it depends on the effect that monthly straightening ends up having on your hair. For me monthly straightening with a heat protectant won't have any effect on my hair texture. I also use a reasonable temperature and only a few passes. I don't think using heat automatically = heat training. It depends on how your hair reacts to the heat and technique.

ms.blue right now I use protein once every 6 weeks with the Aphogee 2 step treatment. Do you think I would need more?

I think a hard protein every six weeks, you should be good. DC with a really moisturizing conditioner before you straighten every single time. And dust/ trim every 2-3 months. Also with using heat you need to be on the look out for mid shaft splits.

 

[ms.blue]

ItsMeFre,

Sorry for the late response. You could use a protein spray right before you flatiron your hair such as aphrogee keratin and green tea reconstructor. It will help w/ some of the protein loss from flatironing just make sure you deep condition w/ a moisturizing conditioner beforehand so your moisture/protein is not thrown out of wack.

 

[DarkJoy]

If you have fine hair you might need to do mild proteins in between hard protein esp if you continue to straighten. You might need it anyway since your hair appears to be quit fragile. At least for now.

Also consider changing up or increasing your oils to give it more slip when its in its kinky state. I am finding this out myself because I just had to chop due to ssk and splits.

 

[abioni]

How about BKT and rollersetting?

 

[whiteoleander91]

Have you ever tried Tresemme Heat Tamer Spray? My hair is easily affected by heat as well, and I've used a lot of different serums and grease to prevent this from happening. The last time I straightened I used HT spray before blow drying (with a round brush...I sprayed a lot lol I was nervous) and then sprayed my hair again (lightly) before flat ironing. My hair came out great! Very silky and soft. When I washed my hair a few days later, it all reverted completely (usually I will have a few spots that won't completely perk back up...takes a lot of protein to fix!) and my hair felt great! Normally after using heat my hair will feel very dry. I didn't think a spray would be able to really protect my hair. I think I was deep frying my hair before when I was using the serums and grease lol. HTH! Good luck :3


ETA: It protects up to 450 degrees :3

 

[ItsMeFre]

Stop straightening your hair unless you can live with heat damage. Do you like braid and twist outs?

How about rollersetting?
Maybe you can wash/DC every other week in order to use heat less frequently.
Maybe you can flat iron and leave it for 2 weeks and then find another style that you can rock for two weeks and repeat.

I don't really have any other suggestions b/c I love fluffy twistouts! LoL

GL!

MzSwift I never thought about rollersetting...I have never done that on my natural hair before...I might look up some tutorials on yt and try it, thanks!

 

[ItsMeFre]

Stop straightening your hair unless you can live with heat damage. Do you like braid and twist outs?

@ Je Ne Sais Quoi , I think I can live with some slight heat damage since I don't wear my hair curly often...I like braid outs and twist outs but I still get knots with them, sadly

 

[ItsMeFre]

I was about to suggest Rollersetting as well.

When my hair was midback length I would rollerset and air dry. It would take a few hours but my hair would come out nice. I would only bump my edges in the front with the flatiron so it wouldn't look frizzy.

I have natural hair too and wear mostly straight styles in the fall and winter so I know what you're talking about when you say you prefer this style to avoid ssk's. If you choose health over straight styles you might have to eventually cut your hair due to split ends or have to BC again (God forbid).

If you do decide to continue unintentionally heat training your hair, then keep deep conditioning every week and doing protein treatments every 6 weeks.

Good luck!!!

PS congrats on losing 22 lbs!!

BostonMaria you feel me right? Those ssk's and splits are sooo annoying and I feel like I get more damage with those than with heat! Thanks for the congrats on my weight. Your hair is so pretty by the way, I love it!

 

[ItsMeFre]

If you don't like the ssks and splits from the wash n' gos and the fluffiness of braid/twist outs it seems like you have two main options: protective style 85%+ of the time, or relax.

With protective styles (like twisted updos or wigs) you can protect your ends better and retain well). With relaxing you can avoid ssks all together and the heat won't have a curl pattern to disturb.

I would suggest more protein or henna or new methods of styling hair like bantu knots... but those aren't fixers to the issues you're having. Ultimately SSK's, splits and fluffiness are characteristics of most if not all of kinky curly hair.

BERlin that's exactly what I've come to learn this past year My first year and a half I protective styled 85% of the time and it was sooo boring lol. I definitely won't relax because I don't want the chemicals. I've never tried henna, I'll look into that, thanks.

 

[ItsMeFre]

I think it depends on the effect that monthly straightening ends up having on your hair. For me monthly straightening with a heat protectant won't have any effect on my hair texture. I also use a reasonable temperature and only a few passes. I don't think using heat automatically = heat training. It depends on how your hair reacts to the heat and technique.




I think a hard protein every six weeks, you should be good. DC with a really moisturizing conditioner before you straighten every single time. And dust/ trim every 2-3 months. Also with using heat you need to be on the look out for mid shaft splits.

This is great advice, thank you Theresamonet

 

[ItsMeFre]

ItsMeFre,

Sorry for the late response. You could use a protein spray right before you flatiron your hair such as aphrogee keratin and green tea reconstructor. It will help w/ some of the protein loss from flatironing just make sure you deep condition w/ a moisturizing conditioner beforehand so your moisture/protein is not thrown out of wack.

Hmmm... never heard of the protein spray ms.blue, I'll look into it, thanks!

Have you ever tried Tresemme Heat Tamer Spray? My hair is easily affected by heat as well, and I've used a lot of different serums and grease to prevent this from happening. The last time I straightened I used HT spray before blow drying (with a round brush...I sprayed a lot lol I was nervous) and then sprayed my hair again (lightly) before flat ironing. My hair came out great! Very silky and soft. When I washed my hair a few days later, it all reverted completely (usually I will have a few spots that won't completely perk back up...takes a lot of protein to fix!) and my hair felt great! Normally after using heat my hair will feel very dry. I didn't think a spray would be able to really protect my hair. I think I was deep frying my hair before when I was using the serums and grease lol. HTH! Good luck :3


ETA: It protects up to 450 degrees :3

I will definitely go out and get some of this for when I straighten later this month...like you said, a spray just seems so thin but we'll see. Hopefully I'll get the same results as you!

 

[ItsMeFre]

If you have fine hair you might need to do mild proteins in between hard protein esp if you continue to straighten. You might need it anyway since your hair appears to be quit fragile. At least for now.

Also consider changing up or increasing your oils to give it more slip when its in its kinky state. I am finding this out myself because I just had to chop due to ssk and splits.

DarkJoy I bought a light protein but I haven't tried it yet but I will try it to see if it's too much protein. My hair is fragile in a sense that it gets easily heat damaged but it's actually very strong and healthy, so strange IDK why that is.

How about BKT and rollersetting?

abioni I'm actually scared of the BKT because of all the mixed reviews...I've never tried the roller setting on my natural hair but I will make sure I do before I resort to more heat, thank you!