Help with Thinning Hair

[chelliwatson4574]

Hi all!

I just rejoined the forum. I was in China for about 3 months and wore braids. I was also under intense stress during this time and after I came back to the States, I noticed that my hair was extremely thin and frail. I would do egg and mayo conditioner for awhile but then I had to put the majority of my hair in a weave because I decided to interview for new positions to decrease my stress level --life is way too short. In any event, I have been babying my hair for 6 months but it is still very frail and thin. I go to a stylist once of week to shampoo and condition it. He also presses it and uses a minimum amount of heat. I think he leaves the hot comb on top of the oven instead of in the iron (it takes longer to press my hair so I am assuming this is less heat but please correct me if I am wrong). I don't use heat in between appointments. Because I am interviewing, I need my hair in a weave. I had twist but became convinced that a weave will yield better results in a tight job market. I need to hear from users who've overcome this problem in the past. I need a new regimen (Vitamins, conditions, even new salons or weavologist etc.) and things I can do with the hair underneath the sewn in weave. Also, how long should I keep it in or leave it down between weaves? It's all natural because I realized awhile back that I would be bald if I relaxed my hair. If someone can point me to the "hair type" website, I can probably figure it out but my hair type now I would characterise as "a mess". I am desperate and have been recently looking into minoxidil products. I think alot of it has to do with stress but I want to make sure I am doing everything I can to take care of the hair while I am going through this transition.

 

[Nonie]

Personally, I think the heat, braids, weaves and stress could all be contributing to your hair thinning. It's good you stopped braiding and tried something different after you saw the thinning, but if after 6 months your hair hasn't improved, then it means you are still doing something that is hurting you.

If I were you, I'd stopped everything I was doing. There are stories of people that have bad experiences with heat, others have bad experience with braids, others have bad experiences with weaves. But very rarely do people have bad experience braiding just their own hair or twisting it. So how about going back basics and just cornrow your hair or single plait it w/o extensions. You mentioned going for interviews and it seems you aren't comfortable wearing your hair natural, so how about getting a wig. If your cornrows are done in a cute style then when you're not wearing your wig you can sport them, and you can baggy when you wear your wigs so that your hair doesn't dry out. The little manipulation will do your hair good too.

That's what *I* would do if I were you.

 

[chelliwatson4574]

Thanks. I might have to try wigs sooner rather than later. Is there some place I could purchase wigs that don't look like wigs (if you know what I mean)? I don't have a problem wearing wigs but I would at least like them to be fashionable.

 

[Nonie]

There was a thread the other day where people were looking for curly natural-looking wigs and a few recommendations were made, so maybe some of those sites have what you are looking for? Here is the link to the thread:

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=238921

 

[chelliwatson4574]

Thanks a bunch