Diagnosis: 4b Winter Breakage?

[VerySilkyTresses]

I need diagnosis help!

Hair Type:

4 b, Relaxed, Colored: growing out level 5 color from 2010, Last Trim: Months ago

The Symtyms:

This is my first beginning-of-winter on a HJ. I have breakage every time I touch my hair, whearas last season I had almost none. I have also noticed it helps to do a mild dc daily or at the least, every other day.

The History:

I have recenty round brushed and blown dry my hair about three times in a closer time frame than usual. I used a heat protectant with each blow dry and flat ironing but lessened up on the amount of and intensity of conditioner to achieve super bouncy hair.

The Treatment Attempts:

Deep conitioning and mosiurizing and HEAVY sealing seem to help the most and my hair seems to need a break from protein conditioning.

Diagnosis Hypothesis:

Is this heat damage?!

Is this just a need to readujust and winterize my regimen?!

My hair has never been this long before. Is this how ‘aging’/more fragile ends behave?!

Thank you LHCF!

 

[VerySilkyTresses]

Bumping for help please...

 

[whiteoleander91]

Hmmm *scratches chin* You say you've been DC'ing and heavy sealing...*pulls out clicky pen and pad of paper*...you used heat recently and more frequently than you normally would...*click-click* hmmmm...*jots down a few notes* Well little lady, when is the last time you've used a clarifying shampoo? Perhaps something is blocking the moisture from getting into your strands. You say you used heat protectant which is known for having cones. Have you shampoo'd since then? *Turns back to notepad* I'm writting you a prescription for a good ole fashioned clarifying shampoo, followed by a deep condition *scratch of pen on paper* and a suggestion to deep condition at least twice a week for the next few weeks *tears off paper from notepad and hands it to you* Maybe even give cowashing a try to see if that helps. Hope you hair starts feeling better soon :3

 

[Rocky91]

^^lol, that was so cute and helpful!
anyways, i agree. your hair may need time to recover from having heat put upon it in close succession. i'd say continue with the DC'ing and heavy sealing.

 

[Evolving78]

clarify
no heat for awhile
and dc with moisture

Does your hair feel textured/rough in certain spots even after you have straightened it or while it's wet? if so, that is heat damage.

 

[VerySilkyTresses]

@ whiteoleander91, maybe I DO need to clarify!!!

I haven't clarified in a while and this sounds like a good idea *um hm, I mean diagnosis*!

I think because of my 4b texture I tend to shy away from clarifying even though I know it has to be done.

Does any one associate the need to clarify with a feeling/texture or similar symptoms like the ones I am having?

Thanks again ladies!

 

[whiteoleander91]

VerySilkyTresses when my hair needs clarifying, it feels kind of hard and coated. Even with water running over it, it feels...hmm...icky lol and it takes a long time to fully wet it. It won't act right or take to product well. Conditioner doesn't feel the same when I rinse it out. Clarifying is important! I bet your hair will feel much better once you do

 

[VerySilkyTresses]

Hm, our curl pattern is def different, but my hair feels nothing like this.

However, your theory still fits the bill and clarifying is still worth a try. I'm doing it the next time I wash!

It's kind of terrible because I have I clarifyer already, it's not as if I need to go purchase one... lol

 

[whiteoleander91]

lol girly! get to using it I don't use cones often so that could be the difference. I know when I have cone build-up that my hair feels kind of like straw and breaks easily. I don't know how often you use cones, but the cones from the heat protectant could be the culprit :3 it could be blocking all that moisture filled goodness that you have been trying to give your hair.

 

[VerySilkyTresses]

I clarified! My hair feels light and soft! I cant beleive* this far in I had not been taking clarifying more seriously

What I think happened: after I switched to my sulfate free argan oil poo, I got very used to- and pleased with- my ends feeling super soft and ovelooked that this 'softness' could be a buildup of conditioning agents.


Thanks Whiteoleander

 

[whiteoleander91]

VerySilkyTresses Hoorayyy!!! You are so welcome! I'm soo glad that your hair feels better, I was thinking about your post today :3