Feeling a bit defeated

[Friggin' Licia]

Hey ladies

I don't know what it is I'm doing wrong! Since the beginning of summer I've Dc'ed every weekend, moisturized almost everyday, washed with moisturizing shampoos and conditioners, slept with a scarf, wore my hair up, and stayed away from heat and my hair STILL breaks like crazy! About two weeks ago I decided to try something different and did a protein treatment and did a rollerset... for the first couple of days my hair was fine, no breakage at all. I could run my hand through my hair without having little broken pieces all over my neck/floor. But then day four hits and my hair is breaking badly again. Do I need a trim? Would that even help me? I'm pretty lost and hopeless right now. Was just hoping someone had advice for me :/

 

[wontonfm]

Awww things will get better!

I do two conditioners EVERY time I wash my hair. I use the aPhogee 2 minute conditioner for 2 min in the shower, rinse it out and then deep condition with a moisturizing conditioner.

When you moisturize your hair do you also seal with oil? That has helped me tremendously for sure.

Good luck!

 

[dachsies_rule!]

Is it hair that was damaged before you started taking care of it? If so, it may need to be trimmed off. How long are the pieces that are breaking off?

 

[washize]

Hey ladies

I don't know what it is I'm doing wrong! Since the beginning of summer I've Dc'ed every weekend, moisturized almost everyday, washed with moisturizing shampoos and conditioners, slept with a scarf, wore my hair up, and stayed away from heat and my hair STILL breaks like crazy! About two weeks ago I decided to try something different and did a protein treatment and did a rollerset... for the first couple of days my hair was fine, no breakage at all. I could run my hand through my hair without having little broken pieces all over my neck/floor. But then day four hits and my hair is breaking badly again. Do I need a trim? Would that even help me? I'm pretty lost and hopeless right now. Was just hoping someone had advice for me :/

Your hair may not like some of the products you like and you may be over manipulating your hair. Maybe you should use a less "hands on regie" There is a new challenge that just opened up that is targeted to minimal hair breakage http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=419442

 

[*Muffin*]

It could be your water. I remember back before I got my water filter (I live in a hard water area) no matter what I did my ends would look ratty and rough. I tried baggying, co-washing, DC'ing,--still those ratty, brittle ends. But after discovering the havoc hard water can wreak on some heads I invested in a 20 dollar GE filter (filters out metal, chlorine, and sediments), and my hair felt much better and my cuticle lies flatter.

Another thing that can cause breakage is anemia. I'm anemic and I stopped taking my iron supplements for a time, and my hair was shedding like crazy and super soft and breakable, no matter what superficial treatments I did. It wasn't until I started experiencing other strange symptoms did I finally looked on webMD and discovered that these were all symptoms of iron-deficiency. So I resumed taking my iron supplements, and the breakage and shedding stopped. You may not be iron-deficient, but certain nutritional deficits can cause hair breakage.

 

[Friggin' Licia]

Okay, i'll try responding to everyone in this long post (apologize in advance) Thanks so much for these responses you have no idea the stress i'm feeling.

Awww things will get better!

I do two conditioners EVERY time I wash my hair. I use the aPhogee 2 minute conditioner for 2 min in the shower, rinse it out and then deep condition with a moisturizing conditioner.

When you moisturize your hair do you also seal with oil? That has helped me tremendously for sure.

Good luck!

No I don't seal with oil usually...only because it makes my hair feel and look really greasy when I do :/ maybe I'm using too much?

Is it hair that was damaged before you started taking care of it? If so, it may need to be trimmed off. How long are the pieces that are breaking off?
Well, now that I think about it. I did start taking care of it while it was damaged...but I read that you didn't need to trim your hair for it to grow :/

I think about an inch or a bit smaller when I style my hair in the morning...and it's always a LOT of pieces that break off. When I wash my hair I can expect to have a clump of hair in the drain hole and then more hair after rinsing out the deep conditioner...

Your hair may not like some of the products you like and you may be over manipulating your hair. Maybe you should use a less "hands on regie" There is a new challenge that just opened up that is targeted to minimal hair breakage http://www.longhaircareforum.com/for...d.php?t=419442

I thought my hair LIKED the products because after I used them my hair always felt really really good. I used Nexxus humectress or tresemme moisturizing shampoo and conditioner whenever I wash my hair. My hair never looked as moisturized or felt as soft as they did after I started using those products. I use NTM silk touch or Wen as my daily moisturizer, coconut oil for my scalp (or as a deep condish every once in a while) motions CPR or UNA by Roland as my protein treatment, and recently ACV as a rinse after my DC (I've only done this once though and it made my hair a bit greasy after...not sure if I want to try it again in the future)

I don't know how to make my regime simpler though! During the week I only ever touch my hair in the morning to style it before school (I moisturize, wrap my hair in bantu knots, unravel, pin up, and go). Then I leave it alone until wash day. I only have one or two weeks within the last couple of months were I'd cowash my hair in the middle or the week (But then my hair started to feel really mushy and I had to stop). But that challenge looks interesting...I've never done one before. Do I need to post pictures to join it? I don't have a camera until my sis comes home for Christmas. I let her take it with her to school :/

It could be your water. I remember back before I got my water filter (I live in a hard water area) no matter what I did my ends would look ratty and rough. I tried baggying, co-washing, DC'ing,--still those ratty, brittle ends. But after discovering the havoc hard water can wreak on some heads I invested in a 20 dollar GE filter (filters out metal, chlorine, and sediments), and my hair felt much better and my cuticle lies flatter.

Another thing that can cause breakage is anemia. I'm anemic and I stopped taking my iron supplements for a time, and my hair was shedding like crazy and super soft and breakable, no matter what superficial treatments I did. It wasn't until I started experiencing other strange symptoms did I finally looked on webMD and discovered that these were all symptoms of iron-deficiency. So I resumed taking my iron supplements, and the breakage and shedding stopped. You may not be iron-deficient, but certain nutritional deficits can cause hair breakage.

The anemic situation probably doesn't apply to me... but hard water? I never even thought about that. I'm not 100% sure if we have it here, but I wouldn't be surprised if we did lol. I think i'll go shopping for a filter in the morning then. Thanks so much for bringing that to my attention.


Again...thank you guys so much.

 

[shunemite]

Is your hair relaxed or natural? If relaxed, how long since your last relaxer? Just asking to get a better gist of your hair status. As far as styling, what exactly are you using to keep the bantu knots in place? And what size comb are you using?

 

[Arcadian]

I have to wonder if its the bandu knots. as much as I may like how my hair looks when I do them, my hair hates them (I can get massive breakage behind them)

I also agree with checking to see if you have hard water.


If you have a day of some free time, check your ends to see if you see any splits or knots. if so, its time to do a search and destroy or even a small dusting.


-A

 

[Friggin' Licia]

Is your hair relaxed or natural? If relaxed, how long since your last relaxer? Just asking to get a better gist of your hair status. As far as styling, what exactly are you using to keep the bantu knots in place? And what size comb are you using?

I had my last relaxer about three weeks ago.

I use bobby pins that looks like this:

And I use this comb:

I also had another question. In regards to relaxing... how long should I wait before my next one? I've been told every 6 weeks but then I read that people on the board go as much as 12. Which would be safest for my hair to stretch to?


ETA!!

I have to wonder if its the bandu knots. as much as I may like how my hair looks when I do them, my hair hates them (I can get massive breakage behind them)

I also agree with checking to see if you have hard water.


If you have a day of some free time, check your ends to see if you see any splits or knots. if so, its time to do a search and destroy or even a small dusting.


-A

Lol, my mom actually just found a water filter on the top of our kitchen cabinet and I installed it a few minutes ago But if it's the bandu knots I don't know what else I can do to style my hair. I have no idea how to braid. It's about the only technique I have to style my hair at all =/

And I don't really know how to do a dusting either. I know, pathetic *Shakes head*

 

[Chaosbutterfly]

Does your hair feel mushy or a little overly soft at all? Soft is good, but there is a point where the hair will become a little too soft...do you think you've reached this point? Or have you tried to pull apart the hairs in your comb? If you have, then do they stretch easily and then snap with no sound?

It just sounds to me like your hair may really be craving some protein, since when you used it, the breakage eased for a while. And you seem to be moisturizing often, using moisturizing shampoo and conditioners, deep conditioning regularly...all that with no protein to counterbalance it could be causing your hair to break, simply because there isn't enough structure to hold it together.

You did say that you use motions CPR...how often are you using it?

ETA: About sealing your ends...that could help alot too. What kind of oil have you been using so far?

 

[Friggin' Licia]

Does your hair feel mushy or a little overly soft at all? Soft is good, but there is a point where the hair will become a little too soft...do you think you've reached this point? Or have you tried to pull apart the hairs in your comb? If you have, then do they stretch easily and then snap with no sound?

It just sounds to me like your hair may really be craving some protein, since when you used it, the breakage eased for a while. And you seem to be moisturizing often, using moisturizing shampoo and conditioners, deep conditioning regularly...all that with no protein to counterbalance it could be causing your hair to break, simply because there isn't enough structure to hold it together.

You did say that you use motions CPR...how often are you using it?

ETA: About sealing your ends...that could help alot too. What kind of oil have you been using so far?

I figured that it was protein that I needed when my hair felt way too soft without putting moisturizer in it, so I did the first protein treatment/rollerset and my hair came out great for some of that week...

Then well, I tried a protein treatment again this week and airdryed instead of rollersetting but in the morning when I styled my hair tiny hairs were all over the place again. It frustrates me because my hair LOOKS very healthy but it won't stop breaking. I can't get anything right

ETA: I this was the second time I used CPR btw, since it isn't working anymore should I switch to something else?

And for my oil I've been using virgin coconut oil and this shea butter, olive, grape seed oil mix that my mom made from different oils she picked up at the beauty supply store.

 

[Chaosbutterfly]

I figured that it was protein that I needed when my hair felt way too soft without putting moisturizer in it, so I did the first protein treatment/rollerset and my hair came out great for some of that week...

Then well, I tried a protein treatment again this week and airdryed instead of rollersetting but in the morning when I styled my hair tiny hairs were all over the place again. It frustrates me because my hair LOOKS very healthy but it won't stop breaking. I can't get anything right

ETA: I this was the second time I used CPR btw, since it isn't working anymore should I switch to something else?

That's interesting, that the CPR didn't work the second time.
Were you rollersetting before doing the protein treatment and still getting breakage? Or have you been air drying this whole time and then decided to rollerset that one week?
Since you were still seeing breakage with the protein but without the rollerset, it may be something with air drying that is making the breakage. You're definitely not the only one to experience breakage with air drying.

 

[Friggin' Licia]

That's interesting, that the CPR didn't work the second time.
Were you rollersetting before doing the protein treatment and still getting breakage? Or have you been air drying this whole time and then decided to rollerset that one week?

I always airdry my hair because I hate wearing it straight. The way I do my hair when it's curly makes it looks alot thicker/longer than it is in reality. lol...like the other day at work after I did the roller set. When I went in one of my coworkers asked me if I cut my hair because she thought my usual airdryed hair was longer.

Since you were still seeing breakage with the protein but without the rollerset, it may be something with air drying that is making the breakage. You're definitely not the only one to experience breakage with air drying.

Does that mean I have to rollerset my hair every time I wash now?

 

[locabouthair]

That's interesting, that the CPR didn't work the second time.
Were you rollersetting before doing the protein treatment and still getting breakage? Or have you been air drying this whole time and then decided to rollerset that one week?
Since you were still seeing breakage with the protein but without the rollerset, it may be something with air drying that is making the breakage. You're definitely not the only one to experience breakage with air drying.

I was going to say this. EVERYTIME I air dry I get crazy breakage. My hair just feels rough and hard. Some people can do it but I can't.

You dont necessarily have to rollerset but you could sit under a hooded dryer on cool air.

 

[Chaosbutterfly]

Does that mean I have to rollerset my hair every time I wash now?

Not necessarily. It may just be something with how you're airdrying your hair.
Like, maybe your technique isn't right for your hair. Try using the search function to see how other people are airdrying their hair...unfortunately, I have nothing to say about air drying, because no matter what I do, my hair breaks when I try it. But for everyone who can't air dry, there are like three people who do it with much success, so you may not have to give up on it.

As for the sealing oil, you may just be using too much.
It's so easy to get heavy handed with oils, and you really don't need much to seal in moisture. Try lightening your hand, and see what happens. Also, the oils that she got from the beauty supply store, do you know if they are pure oils? Many beauty supply store oils will say that they are shea or olive or whatever, but really, they're mainly mineral oil.

 

[Friggin' Licia]

I was going to say this. EVERYTIME I air dry I get crazy breakage. My hair just feels rough and hard. Some people can do it but I can't.

You dont necessarily have to rollerset but you could sit under a hooded dryer on cool air.

But my hair never feels brittle or anything from airdrying. It always feels really healthy :/ And wont sitting under the dryer without roller / a cap cause heat damage? Is that only when you flat iron or blow dry?

Not necessarily. It may just be something with how you're airdrying your hair.
Like, maybe your technique isn't right for your hair. Try using the search function to see how other people are airdrying their hair...unfortunately, I have nothing to say about air drying, because no matter what I do, my hair breaks when I try it. But for everyone who can't air dry, there are like three people who do it with much success, so you may not have to give up on it.

As for the sealing oil, you may just be using too much.
It's so easy to get heavy handed with oils, and you really don't need much to seal in moisture. Try lightening your hand, and see what happens. Also, the oils that she got from the beauty supply store, do you know if they are pure oils? Many beauty supply store oils will say that they are shea or olive or whatever, but really, they're mainly mineral oil.

Okay, i'm gonna try searching next. Thanks for the tip

And as for the oil. Well, the ingredients to the one I'm looking at right now say
Pure Shea butter
Vitamin E
Canola Oil
Sunflower oil
cottonseed oil
Methylparaben
BHA
Fragrance
FD&C
Violet #2

Since it never said mineral oil or petroleum I assumed they were okay...

 

[changedname]

I think the oil sounds fine, nothing there that suggests it may be the cause of any problems.

My hair was breaking before I got my last relaxer. I tried everything and no one could work out what was wrong. So I did an Aphogee treatment and that stopped the breakage straight away. The Mizani night time h20 treatment is good for stopping breakage as well. With the Aphogee just make sure that you DC with a moisturising conditioner for a long time afterwards.

Apart from that try to really reduce your manipulation. My hair gets dry and breaks if I manipulate it too often by co washing and combing. Also what moisturiser are you using on your hair daily?

 

[shunemite]

I had my last relaxer about three weeks ago.

I use bobby pins that looks like this:

And I use this comb:


I also had another question. In regards to relaxing... how long should I wait before my next one? I've been told every 6 weeks but then I read that people on the board go as much as 12. Which would be safest for my hair to stretch to?


ETA!!



Lol, my mom actually just found a water filter on the top of our kitchen cabinet and I installed it a few minutes ago But if it's the bandu knots I don't know what else I can do to style my hair. I have no idea how to braid. It's about the only technique I have to style my hair at all =/

And I don't really know how to do a dusting either. I know, pathetic *Shakes head*

Your problem may be the WAY you bantu set, maybe you're too rough, or when you sleep at night you toss and turn. I really like your comb it's a good one. I have 4b hair. And fine thin 4b hair at that, so it needs gentle handling. For me, tight bobby pins like that in my hair over night actually caused breakage. Also, for some reason, maybe I was twisting too tight at the ends, but my hair didn't like that either. The next morning, I had soooo many broken pieces of hair everywhere. I would try, if I were you, not bantu setting for a week and compare the breakage.

Also, I can't go past 8 weeks for stretching a relaxer at this stage, I haven't yet learned how.

As far as styling, I have a bob so I put a satin bonnet over night and I use my caruso roller machine with satin rollers (not the sponge ones that came with the set coz I got tired of using end papers). I steam each jumbo roller for 4 seconds, put on a shower cap, take a shower, and the bump lasts all day.

 

[shunemite]

About air drying..........

this video with her method really works. The key is tension for the ends (frizz free) and a scarf for the roots.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2pj4tm5GG0&feature=related