Heat Free, Dry & Ugly! HELP!!! (long)

[wyldcurlz]

Obviously, I'm a mess right now. I'm a recovering heat junkie - used to get my hair pressed &/or flat-ironed about once every week to once every 2 wks. My stylist used a VERY HOT comb. And he loved scissors, so my hair made no progress for almost 3-4 years.

I found LHCF and fell in love and decided to go HEAT FREE. So far, its been traumatic. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?!?! So many of you have gorgeous albums and heat free (or almost heat free minus an occasional roller set or so) hair. My hair isn't doing too well. Here are a few of my problems:

1. My hair is EXTREMELY DRY! Especially MY ENDS!!!
2. Went on an S&D mission - had more splits that I'd imagine...why?
3. My ends somewhat loc'd up. That's the best way I can describe what happened. It resembles locs. Why is this happening? Is it because my hair has been dry?
4. I look a MESS. The buns do NOT flatter me! (maybe i'm used to wearing my hair down?) I'd like ways I can look CUTE (and sexy wouldn't hurt either) with my natural, (almost) heat free hair.
5. My hair doesn't seem to be retaining length - all the splits. I'm going to have to lose about an inch or so!
6. It LOOKS so dull and dry. When its straight, its a beautiful jet black color. Right now - its murky, hazy, faded black like an old pair of pants that you've kept too long and washed too many times.
7. Its FRIZZY.
8. My scalp feels sensitive (tho, I've always been tenderheaded) and mildly irritated.
9. My hair line is thining...minorly (but I'm paranoid.)

What I'm doing now: CW @ least once a week. Sometimes I'll rinse daily or a few times a week - but I notice LOTS of hair loss/shedding when wet, so I'm thinking about ending that. I deep condition weekly - after my CW. Daily, I wear my hair slicked back into a bun. I slick it back with generic Humectress and a dab of Aloe Vera Gel and some water (for dampness.) I try to add wetness to the ends and put the aloe gel and humectress on the ends too (to give them moisture.) I sleep either in a silk scarf or in a braid.

I need HELP! I wasn't retaining lots of length with my old (lotsa) heat routine, but I thought I'd see HUGE amounts of growth heat free and that hasn't been the case. Its been more hassle than its worth. Looking hideous and hoping for growth. I'm really FRUSTRATED right now!! And thinking of returning to my heat addict days.

Please help - give me ideas, hope, cures...whatever. I'm BSL when straight dusting shoulder length when curly. I want to gain about 4 more inches in the front and about 5-6 more in the back. ASAP. I'm really getting sick of being the same length and having all these new difficulties is not helping.

 

[maryj1584]

Dont be discouraged, you probably just need an evoo pretreatment and a couple of conditioner washes combined with some deep condtioning and your hair would be back on track. For the evoo pretreatment, stick about 2 oz of olive oil in the microwave with some humectress or any moisturizing condtioner and warm it up for about 30 secs, then put in ur hair, sit under the dryer for 30 min and then wash with either a diluted shampoo or just conditioern wash it. Follow with a deep conditioner and roller set. No direct heat. If you keep this up for a while say 2-3 months, u would start to see some results. Also you must moisurize your ends at least 1ce -2ce a day to retain lenght. I hope the post was helpfull. HHG

 

[oglorious1]

For dry ends, here's what worked for me, Kids Organics Detangler, used as a daily moisturizer is great, the Carrot Oil one, can't miss it cause it's orange, if you can get your hands on some Shea Butter, you can melt it down and add some peppermint and/or Rosemary EO to it and apply it to your scalp...I know just like grease, but I'm one of the few that still do...suggested style, you might want to consider a good twist style or twist out...also BBD products are great for twist styles, I use the growth cream as a moisturizer...HTH

 

[morehairplease]

Dont be discouraged, you probably just need an evoo pretreatment and a couple of conditioner washes combined with some deep condtioning and your hair would be back on track. For the evoo pretreatment, stick about 2 oz of olive oil in the microwave with some humectress or any moisturizing condtioner and warm it up for about 30 secs, then put in ur hair, sit under the dryer for 30 min and then wash with either a diluted shampoo or just conditioern wash it. Follow with a deep conditioner and roller set. No direct heat. If you keep this up for a while say 2-3 months, u would start to see some results. Also you must moisurize your ends at least 1ce -2ce a day to retain lenght. I hope the post was helpfull. HHG

this is AWESOME advice!

 

[moda]

Maybe you need to try different products for your hair, I know that generic humectress did nothing for me, so to finish it off I just mix it with other stuff. I like creamy moisturizers. Have you tried Scurl? Scurls worked wonders for my twist and braidouts.