blessed7777
Active Member
Can anyone offer any advice on what to do about a W shape due to breakage? Is the only answer to cut it even or just leave it to catch up? Does hair always catch up? 
erplexed
erplexed
Does anyone have a W shape due to breakage?
- Thread starter blessed7777
- Start date
Dak
Well-Known Member
Have you discovered why you've developed the "W"? I had that problem for a while, it was from wearing my hair in ponytail, sweating, and having that hair get tangled & break.
I slowly cut my away, my stylist is so sweet, she knew I wanted to retain its length so over a period of about a year she slowly evened it up.
I slowly cut my away, my stylist is so sweet, she knew I wanted to retain its length so over a period of about a year she slowly evened it up.
blessed7777
Active Member
Thank you so much for your helpful advice. I will keep protecting and growing with hopes it catches up 
Aspire
New Member
I would agree. Unfortunately I have gotten the W a few times (matter of fact I have it now
AGAIN) because I constantly put my hair in a bun or try to comb the back when it is wet. Since my hair is extremely fine, it breaks and I get a W. But once it happens, I remember to baby my hair and it comes back within months. I will admit, that it does come in quicker if I have my stylist dust those ends and keep them even. It is more difficult for me to do that myself since it is the back of my head, so I have her do it.But Moonpie is right - stay encouraged and baby your hair. It WILL come back. I expect mine to thicken up by January and my hair to be back to normal by April for my annual trim.
jamerichameleon
Member
I've got the dreaded W now, and I had no idea what was causing it. I do wear my hair in a lot of ponytails and buns. I was going to have my stylist even it up next week, but I think I'll try babying the ends instead.
25Nona
Active Member
I also suffered from the dreaded W, what I did to get rid of it was gradual trims and dusting. My reason for developing it was because I would always part my hair down the middle to wrap, now I started alternating where I put the part and I make sure that when I moisturize I cream spread real good in that area, and all has been helpful.
blessed7777
Active Member
I got the W shape from my last relaxer a year ago. My hair came out in the center of my head in clumps. Hence the reason I went natural...
I held on to alot of the damaged hair until last month I just did a blunt cut in the middle of my head to get rid of all of the thin unhealthy ends... now my w shape is so bad I can only wear curly styles until it catches up.
I held on to alot of the damaged hair until last month I just did a blunt cut in the middle of my head to get rid of all of the thin unhealthy ends... now my w shape is so bad I can only wear curly styles until it catches up.
SelfStyled
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately I am part of the Wutang clan. After backing away from buns and ponies as much as I used to wear them. I have figured out that the very back of my head is a completely different texture, I'm talking 4XXXXYYYYZZZZ (you get the picture), and it very dry and breaks. I stay cutting back to even it up.
DeenIsFirst
New Member
I have the same problem. I'm a 4b. But the back, middle of my head is a very fine, fragile 3c. I'm careful with it so that has helped, but it's still almost invisible 
SimJam
Well-Known Member
I got the dubya several times during my relaxed years, and it was only when I went natural that I realized why.
the hair in my crown is like 4z and even as a natural is a tad shorter than the rest of my hair, so being relaxed it wud periodically break off down to abt 2 -3 inches
I just left the hair alone and it caught up back, I hardly wore my hair out straight anyways and it was hardly noticable when dry, but very nociable when wet.
so if it doesnt bother u or isnt noticable when u wear ur hair out, leave it alone and as several posters said before, just baby ur hair.
the hair in my crown is like 4z and even as a natural is a tad shorter than the rest of my hair, so being relaxed it wud periodically break off down to abt 2 -3 inches
I just left the hair alone and it caught up back, I hardly wore my hair out straight anyways and it was hardly noticable when dry, but very nociable when wet.
so if it doesnt bother u or isnt noticable when u wear ur hair out, leave it alone and as several posters said before, just baby ur hair.
AfroKink
Well-Known Member
I have the same problem. I'm a 4b. But the back, middle of my head is a very fine, fragile 3c. I'm careful with it so that has helped, but it's still almost invisible
My hair is like yours. I'm posted about it before. That patch in the back is very fine and tempermental. It's a totally different texture from the rest of my head and its a different color too! I dont know where it came from
It tends to dread up really fast which leads to matting and breakage. Because of this I dont do twists anymore. I've been wearing buns and that seems to have helped. I dont get the tangled madness back there anymore.
paradise79
Well-Known Member
Clan W, here I am. I will suggest if you're in protective styles to leave your w alone and just baby the middle.It depends on how sharp the "w" is but I doubt it will catch up with the rest of the hair (since the other sides will be growing as well). Your ends will recover, for sure but at a time, I'm sorry for you but you may need to even it. you may trim gradually also to avoid a drastic cut.
For me, I thought it was mainly because of being underprocessed but as I was moving into my journey, I realized that this is how my hair grows. My sides grow faster than the middle...There is an interesting thread about leading hair and I think that's how my hair grows; But I don't like the "w" shape, in my signature, I gathered my hair and it gives me a "v". I got rid of it and will opt for a blunt cut next relaxer (kind of starting back).
For me, I thought it was mainly because of being underprocessed but as I was moving into my journey, I realized that this is how my hair grows. My sides grow faster than the middle...There is an interesting thread about leading hair and I think that's how my hair grows; But I don't like the "w" shape, in my signature, I gathered my hair and it gives me a "v". I got rid of it and will opt for a blunt cut next relaxer (kind of starting back).
blessed7777
Active Member
What was the reggie that you started using to get your progress after 3 mths?
Kiki82
New Member
Here is the regime:
Sundays
Light Protein Regime- Twice a month
Prepoo with LeKair Cholesterol mixed with EVOO for 30 minutes
Shampoo with Aphogee Shampoo for Damage Hair
Deep Condition with Motions CPR for 15-30 minutes
Deep Condition with Keracare Humecto 30-45 minutes
OR
Hard Protein Regime- Twice a month
Shampoo with Nexxus Therape
Deep Condition with Nexxus Emergencee (1 or 2 minutes)
Shampoo again with Nexxus Therape
Deep Condition with Keracare Humecto 30-45 minutes
Wednesdays
Protein Moisture Balance Regime- Once a week
Prepoo with LeKair Cholesterol mixed with EVOO for 30 minutes
Shampoo with CON green label
Deep Condition with Aphogee 2 minute & ORS Replenshing Pak 30-45 minutes
OR
Deep Condition with Keracare Humecto only 30-45 minutes
Fridays
Cowash either once or twice a week
For everyone who experienced breakage from ponytails and buns, how did you correct this and what other PS do you do?
I have it from a bad protein mishap over the summer. It was horrible. My hair matted like a komodore dog everytime I tried to do anything. Little mats, big mats. Everywhere. It took me 10 hours to detangle in two days, and then 3-4 hours for two weeks (every other day) after that. I lost soooo much hair. I took a picture and I had bad, bad W shapes. Now I still have some see through ends, but its catching up. Dusting and moisturizing (no protein for 6 months) helped to get rid of the shape and the protein damage.
I have it from a bad protein mishap over the summer. It was horrible. My hair matted like a komodore dog everytime I tried to do anything. Little mats, big mats. Everywhere. It took me 10 hours to detangle in two days, and then 3-4 hours for two weeks (every other day) after that. I lost soooo much hair. I took a picture and I had bad, bad W shapes. Now I still have some see through ends, but its catching up. Dusting and moisturizing (no protein for 6 months) helped to get rid of the shape and the protein damage.
My hair has ALWAYS grown in the dreaded W shape. For years I'd just trim the sides even, but that resulted in me losing a lot of length just to maintain my favorite blunt cut ends. My hair is currently in a W shape again due to slight breakage of the texlaxed ends from the natural hair in the back middle, but I'm not cutting my hair to get it even or to get rid of the texlaxed ends.
I'd rather get to my goals then trim gradually to maintain. I don't wear my hair down (its braided beneath wigs 80% of the year), so it doesn't matter anyway. I sleep on my sides so I guess thats why my hair always grows in that shape.
I find that if I baby that area, it does catch up...I made a consistent effort to do that and my hair grew evenly after a few months...since I keep it braided, it should recover in the same manner again. Also, when I was relaxed, I wrapped my hair every night, which eventually caused the W shape, and a thinning nape and edges. Haven't wrapped in years and hair is thicker than it's ever been.
I'd rather get to my goals then trim gradually to maintain. I don't wear my hair down (its braided beneath wigs 80% of the year), so it doesn't matter anyway. I sleep on my sides so I guess thats why my hair always grows in that shape.
I find that if I baby that area, it does catch up...I made a consistent effort to do that and my hair grew evenly after a few months...since I keep it braided, it should recover in the same manner again. Also, when I was relaxed, I wrapped my hair every night, which eventually caused the W shape, and a thinning nape and edges. Haven't wrapped in years and hair is thicker than it's ever been.
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lea86111
Active Member
i do, but it's a crooked W you can kinda see in my siggy, i feel like it's gotten better. I got it cause i was taking down a cornrow and got impatient and kinda ripped through the knot at the end 
i was debating whether to get my hair evened out but 1) i'm scared of stylists and their bad trims 2) don't nobody get to see my hair anyways cause i plan on ps for a while with wigs/weaves/braids so we'll see then (even though i need a trim, it's overdue)
i was debating whether to get my hair evened out but 1) i'm scared of stylists and their bad trims 2) don't nobody get to see my hair anyways cause i plan on ps for a while with wigs/weaves/braids so we'll see then (even though i need a trim, it's overdue)
virtuenow
Well-Known Member
@blessed7777 , i found this thread that showed a couple of success stories, by the OP @your hair is your glory and @Qualitee on page 2 of that thread (with pics): http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=498690
I am dealing with a similar issue of breakage in the crown that lead to longer hairs overlapping shorter hairs, kindof a "W" type pattern. I will also post this in the "W" support thread. Maybe those w/success stories can provide some more tips or answer questions. I am even thinking of a "W" grow out challenge, I'm so passionate about this!
I am dealing with a similar issue of breakage in the crown that lead to longer hairs overlapping shorter hairs, kindof a "W" type pattern. I will also post this in the "W" support thread. Maybe those w/success stories can provide some more tips or answer questions. I am even thinking of a "W" grow out challenge, I'm so passionate about this!
Chrissmiss
New Member
I do not have a W shape but instead the left side of my hair has been breaking off badly for over a year and from a very specific point which I strongly believe is due to a bad relaxer that i must have had at the point were the breakage is. It is not horribly noticeable... it really just looks like my hair is positioned in a way that makes the left look thin (or maybe im being to optimistic?). I had to cut my past MBL hair back to BSL but I am happy with this length and will maitain it till december as to thicken up an make my hair more even. I am being extra gentle when combing/detangling my hair and doing my best to keep my hair moisture/protien balanced. Anyway ladies here is a pic leave a comment if you can. You can see the point just below SL were the breakage begins.
http://naturallina.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=118058805
http://naturallina.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=118058805
virtuenow
Well-Known Member
Chrissmiss, I think Qualitees breakage was mainly on the left side too. Here is another thread on the comeback: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=372043
Your hair still looks good in the pics, just needs some "fill in". Sounds like the relaxer definitely ate it away...
And a link to the blog story (definitely looks like a "W"): http://www.longhaircareforum.com/blog.php?b=9528
Your hair still looks good in the pics, just needs some "fill in". Sounds like the relaxer definitely ate it away...
And a link to the blog story (definitely looks like a "W"): http://www.longhaircareforum.com/blog.php?b=9528
blessed7777
Active Member
Thanks for bumping this thread.. I got a 2.5 inch cut to even up my W shape and I could not be happier. My hair is all one length now and healthy looking
hola_lo2002
New Member
I had that too back in the days when I didn't really know how to take care of my hair... I stopped brushing my hair too hard with a hard brush + I upped my moisture level + some protein treatments here and there. Also,I stopped strangling my hair with my elastics when I was bunning..
Chrissmiss
New Member
Yea, boo to relaxers!!! lol I can't really think of any other reason for the breakage because I treated both sides the same and this has never happened to me before.
This pic shows the extremity (w?) of the breakage from last Oct:
http://naturallina.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=119335204
Thank you for the links but what is the difference between cutting away and filling in?
virtuenow
Well-Known Member
Yeah, relaxers really did a number on my hair-- and it was almost always the back left side that I would lose. However, now I don't have a relaxer at all...so there is something more going on.
I think its like @hola_lo2002 said, I was too harsh w/my hair -rough detangling/manipulating, tight hair clips/holders always near that spot at the crown, lack of moisture. Im working on a moiisture routine to conquer this. Hola_lo2002, what is your moissture regimen like, and thanks for sharing your story shows there is hope! Are u relaxed or natural?
Chrissmiss As for your question, the difference is - with filling in, you just don't cut the hair at all. With the other options, you can chop to the length where your thickness is --all one blunt length; or you can slowly trim the longer hair as short spot grows in.
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