Detective Work: Help Me Figure out What Happened to My Ends

[Supergirl]

I trimmed yesterday, close to 4 inches. I didn't want to, but I like good-looking ends so I did. My ends on the left side of my head were pretty thin and not cute.

I've been around a while so some of you know how me and my hair roll:

no heat
gentle handling
quality products
stretching relaxers

The only thing that came to me was that I haven't been wearing my protective styles much at all in the last few months BUT then why were the ends on the right side just fine? I mean it was almost perfectly symmetrical, the difference in the ends.

So my question is what could've happened to make my ends on one side so thin?

TIA

 

[gymfreak336]

Hey Supergirl!

With your protective styling, how were you doing it? Bun?

Was your hair wet when you would put it up? Would you go to bed or laydown with it bunned up wet?

 

[Angelicus]

Maybe you sleep on the side with the breakage

 

[RavenMaven]

Do you wrap your hair at night? It may be the scarf or the way that you sleep? Just taking an educated guess.

 

[LynnieB]

I trimmed yesterday, close to 4 inches.
The only thing that came to me was that I haven't been wearing my protective styles much at all in the last few months BUT then why were the ends on the right side just fine? I mean it was almost perfectly symmetrical, the difference in the ends.

So my question is what could've happened to make my ends on one side so thin?

TIA

At the risk of sound stupid.....

Are you right handed or left handed?

 

[gymfreak336]

At the risk of sound stupid.....

Are you right handed or left handed?

Thats not stupid at all. Good question!

 

[Ivy Santolina]

^^ I was going to ask the same questions. My hair on the left side of my head is thinner. One reason is I prefer to sleep on my left side.

Another question too: When you apply products to your hair which side do you apply them to first?

I favor my left side and when I apply hair products. I apply on my left first. I noticed that I tend to heavy-handed when I first apply (to the left). By the time I reach the right side I don't always have enough to saturate the hair so I don't get to apply as much. This happens more with my mixtures as opposed to straight from the bottle products.

 

[MummysGirl]

Hi.. I had something similar happen to me last year. I had to cut at least 4 inches off and it was also one side that had breakage (left, in my case).

Result of trim, left pic is after August relaxer, right is after December relaxer, in December I gained even more length than the August pic but had to trim cos the left side was not pretty:



I figured out what caused it:
1. Over processing... how? considering I only get my roots touched up and I was stretching for 19 - 20weeks? I wasn't coating my relaxed ends with oil or conditioner and each time I relaxed, while rinsing, it always touched my ends.... I was okay for a while but I think this last time round was too much for my ends.
2. I moved home and wasn't able to wash my hair for about 3 weeks because my shower was acting up, I work out Mon-Fri, sweat on my scalp and ofcourse my hair gets sweaty too so I usually wash 2ce a week. I couldn't for these few weeks and I noticed serious breakage.

I can't really say what could be the reason for your situation but I hope my info helps.

HTH

 

[Supergirl]

Hey Supergirl!

With your protective styling, how were you doing it? Bun?

Was your hair wet when you would put it up? Would you go to bed or laydown with it bunned up wet?

protective style was usually a bun, not wet though. I did wonder if it had anything to do with me twisting the bun in the same direction (to the right) and that somehow thinned the ends on the left

I didn't sleep in the bun most nights.

 

[Supergirl]

Do you wrap your hair at night? It may be the scarf or the way that you sleep? Just taking an educated guess.

Nah, I roll my hair with satin rollers at night. I do wrap it if I have a fresh retouch, (roller wrap) for about the first week.

At the risk of sound stupid.....

Are you right handed or left handed?

I'm right handed.

Another question too: When you apply products to your hair which side do you apply them to first?

I start on the left.

1. Over processing... how? considering I only get my roots touched up and I was stretching for 19 - 20weeks? I wasn't coating my relaxed ends with oil or conditioner and each time I relaxed, while rinsing, it always touched my ends.... I was okay for a while but I think this last time round was too much for my ends.

I didn't think about the relaxer rinse out. That IS something to think about. :scratchch

Maybe you sleep on the side with the breakage

I thought of that, but didn't see why that would only affect the ends AND it seems that I sleep mostly on the right side.

 

[LynnieB]

Thats not stupid at all. Good question!

Thanks gym, I feel better now. It's something I noticed when dealing with my own head. I'm a leftie but use my right hand for most things and it's the stronger hand. That right hand sometimes tries to power through the hair, the left hand is weaker and probably alot gentler.

Not something one would think about much *but* if there's a big difference between the condition one side of hair and the other and nothing else can explain it, it sorta makes sense.

 

[songbyrd517]

protective style was usually a bun, not wet though. I did wonder if it had anything to do with me twisting the bun in the same direction (to the right) and that somehow thinned the ends on the left

I didn't sleep in the bun most nights.

That could be the culprit. I noticed that my ends were thinning a little bit on the left, and think it is because subconsciously, that is the side of my hair that I handle most and protect the least. Not intentionally, but oftentimes I wrap my loose wet bun to the right, which leaves the left ends exposed, and I have a habit of touching that side of my hair, and running my fingers through it when it is straight. Why I don't know, because I am right handed erplexed

But at any rate, that could definitely be it. Try to consciously monitor what you do to the left side of your hair that is different from the right, and monitor how much you touch it. Then go from there. Hope this helps.

 

[Keen]

This happenned to my back once. Except they weren't thin, they just got crunchy, wiry and broke off over time. I couldn't figure out what happen to them for the life of me. Well on Friday I call myself doing a quick treatment. I shampoo with aveda damage remedy shampoo then went under the dryer for 15 minutes with the reconstructor. When my hair dried most of my ends had that same feeling. I need it didn't feel like that after my last wash. so it had to be the Aveda. I DC a lot with heat so I think it is a combination of the aveda and the heat.

I never used Aveda before but I'm thinking it was the combination heat and another product. My back is usually closer to the heat so I'm thinking about reducing the dryer heat in the future.

But it just took that one time. It's been a year since that happen and I couldn't figure out for the life of me what happen. It's like one day I work up and my back was jacked up while my front was thriving. I hate that it happen again but at least now I know what went wrong. This week I have been keeping my ends very moist. Next week I will make sure I add a lot of moisture. I may have to cut off the ends again though...

 

[Supergirl]

This happenned to my back once. Except they weren't thin, they just got crunchy, wiry and broke off over time. I couldn't figure out what happen to them for the life of me. Well on Friday I call myself doing a quick treatment. I shampoo with aveda damage remedy shampoo then went under the dryer for 15 minutes with the reconstructor. When my hair dried most of my ends had that same feeling. I need it didn't feel like that after my last wash. so it had to be the Aveda. I DC a lot with heat so I think it is a combination of the aveda and the heat.

I never used Aveda before but I'm thinking it was the combination heat and another product. My back is usually closer to the heat so I'm thinking about reducing the dryer heat in the future.

But it just took that one time. It's been a year since that happen and I couldn't figure out for the life of me what happen. It's like one day I work up and my back was jacked up while my front was thriving. I hate that it happen again but at least now I know what went wrong. This week I have been keeping my ends very moist. Next week I will make sure I add a lot of moisture. I may have to cut off the ends again though...

That is very interesting, but cool how you figured it out. This whole hair thing is trial and error I guess. BIG trims hurt at first, but then it feels good because the fresh start is always a positive.

 

[PinkPebbles]

Nah, I roll my hair with satin rollers at night. I do wrap it if I have a fresh retouch, (roller wrap) for about the first week.

How long have you been using the satin rollers?

I've tried the satin rollers from my local BSS and immediately stopped using them. They made my ends frizzy but it could have been the way I was rolling my hair; incorrectly perhaps.

 

[la mosca]

Do you carry a bag on your left shoulder?

 

[Supergirl]

How long have you been using the satin rollers?

I've tried the satin rollers from my local BSS and immediately stopped using them. They made my ends frizzy but it could have been the way I was rolling my hair; incorrectly perhaps.

Maybe the last six months or so. I've had them but only started using them consistently after seeing Aliapj's hair (it is amazing) and inquiring about her regimen. My ends don't come out frizzy when I use them. They come out nice and smooth, especially if I oil them prior to rolling.

Do you carry a bag on your left shoulder?

I switch up shoulders, but I make sure not to let my hair get caught under the strap.

 

[TexturedTresses]

if the satin rollers are the only thing new to your regimen. i would say that might be the problem.

 

[shtow]

Do you use a water based moisturizer?

 

[Supergirl]

Do you use a water based moisturizer?

Usually no. Should I? (and do you recommend one in particular?)

 

[shtow]

Usually no. Should I? (and do you recommend one in particular?)

Nope. I was just checking. Water based moisturizers jacked my ends up. I remember comparing my hair and regimen to when my ends were perfect and I retained a lot of length. The only difference was I was using serums but no water based moisturizers. I believe the coating of the serum protected my ends from getting jacked. I know for a fact I mushed my ends with water based moisturizers (which is my fault since I am heavy handed and used them too often).

 

[Supergirl]

And in conclusion...

Well, after letting this puzzle me all day I am thinking that my problem is partly the fault of "chemical run" (relaxer being rinsed out and getting on the ends in the process, not to mention that the hair is just lying in the bowl with rinsed out relaxer residue) I had never thought of that at all.

AND

wearing my hair out in the winter weather--lesson learned!

Thanks everyone. I was telling my mom about you guys' thoughts on this and she was like "they know their stuff, don't they"

Even if I am going on my 7th year as an LHCFer, I always know that there is always something that I don't know and I can learn it from you guys.

'ppreciate cha!

 

[Allandra]

I'm glad you figured it out.

 

[shtow]

Yay for you!!! I always ask my stylist to neutralize me a lot. I still end up with hard spots so I usually neutralize asap when I get home.

 

[Supergirl]

Yay for you!!! I always ask my stylist to neutralize me a lot. I still end up with hard spots so I usually neutralize asap when I get home.

Really? So you don't get your hair styled at the salon? And what do you mean by "hard spot?" Is this something we relaxed heads should all be watching out for?

 

[shtow]

Really? So you don't get your hair styled at the salon? And what do you mean by "hard spot?" Is this something we relaxed heads should all be watching out for?

Well so that I don't offend her I usually ask for a wrap or wet set because sets take over 2 hours to dry so she sends me home while I'm set (she knows I have a pibbs) so Ill just rewash it. lol Sometimes I wait a couple of days if I don't have time. Hard spots are spots in the hair that are hard and crunchy, usually the length of it (well with me, anyway) are 1-3 inches in length, starting fromt the scalp. From what I believe, this comes from the relaxer not thorougly being washed out enough. So yes, relaxed heads should watch out for this!

 

[sunshinelady]

If your bun is one where you twist it to a particular side, then try twisting it to the other side.

 

[Stella B.]

Maybe the last six months or so. I've had them but only started using them consistently after seeing Aliapj's hair (it is amazing) and inquiring about her regimen. My ends don't come out frizzy when I use them. They come out nice and smooth, especially if I oil them prior to rolling.



I switch up shoulders, but I make sure not to let my hair get caught under the strap.

Excellent point about the bag on the shoulder. I have also noticed that the seat belt in the car can easily get caught in the hair as well.

 

[shunta]

I'm glad I read this thread. The longer my hair gets, it seems the thinner my ends get. If I keep my hair right at BSL or a little shorter, my ends look nice and healthy. Anything past that, it looks a hot mess. I've trimmed about 3 or 4 times in the last 6 months just to get rid of thinning ends.

Supergirl, I'm glad you were able to figure out the culprit. Maybe this is my problem as well....

 

[songbyrd517]

And in conclusion...

Well, after letting this puzzle me all day I am thinking that my problem is partly the fault of "chemical run" (relaxer being rinsed out and getting on the ends in the process, not to mention that the hair is just lying in the bowl with rinsed out relaxer residue) I had never thought of that at all.

AND

wearing my hair out in the winter weather--lesson learned!

Thanks everyone. I was telling my mom about you guys' thoughts on this and she was like "they know their stuff, don't they"

Even if I am going on my 7th year as an LHCFer, I always know that there is always something that I don't know and I can learn it from you guys.

'ppreciate cha!

Glad you figured it out! We can't have you grieving that beautiful hair of yours , lol. Anytime babe