I destroyed my hair!

[Kinkyhairlady]

I was wearing braids for two months and decided to take them out this weekend. Now after I took the braids out my hair was fine, it was shedding but I thought that was normal. So since I knew I was not going to get a touch up until next week I figured I would wash it. BIG MISTake. My hair was so tangled and matted that I had to try to untangle as much as I could but still lost a signicant amount of hair. My hair was touching my shoulders and now it is on my neck I think I must of lost about 3 or 4 inches. I worked so hard for my hair to grow and now I am back I square one. I am getting a touch up on Friday and I am not sure what to do should I just cut it evenly which would be real short or do layers which I hate. I wish I asked advice before I went to wash my own hair, now I am paying the price.

 

[PretteePlease]

were you moisturizing your braids daily
did you just unbraid your hair or did you use braid remover
did you condition and detangle b4 your wash?

tangled hair + harsh drying shampoo = loss and breakage

you might get a trim and a treatment to try and fix the damaged parts

 

[buffalosoldier]

I did that before with crochet braids i took them out and washed it the hair immediately matted up. It was already damaged anyway..so I had my BF cut it all off to the new growth - 2 inches.
Yours doesnt sound that bad though !!! I would leave it alone until u go the hairdressers cos its probably not as bad as you think. let them deep condish it etc and then decide. It will grow back fast dont worry

 

[webby]

Ellis, I don't have any experience with braids, but I wanted to say how sorry I am for your frustation and hair loss /images/graemlins/kiss.gif

 

[Kinkyhairlady]

I oiled my scalp with WGO during the 2 months. and took my braids out with the Take Down braid removal creme. I had very little breakage after taking the braids out, it is after the wash that the drama started. I had knots and huge strands coming out so I know it is bad, my hair is now ten times thinner then before, some parts are like 2 to 3 inches long so I know my hairstylist will suggest a cut. I feel so dumb that I did not conition my hair first or do something, I was crying all day yesterday and for most of the morning. I just wish I knew better.

 

[carletta]

ellis, what did you use on your braids while they were in?
when wearing braids you have to moisturise them everyday. the key to keeping your lenght is moisture. were you using the crown & glory method???? If not you might want to. www.growafrohairlong.com I'm doing it and since I've been braiding my hair using this method I've kept more lenght than ever before. /images/graemlins/clap.gif /images/graemlins/clap.gif /images/graemlins/clap.gif

 

[naughteegirl]

sorry hon, I have been there. Its definitely a mistake to wash your hair before you're 100% sure its detangled cos you will have knots. I know its frustrating but dont worry it will grow back sooner than you think.

 

[Angelicus]

I hope your hair recovers. Please cheer up because we all know you will bounce back from this! I wash and condition my hair in sections (which have already been detangled) to prevent tangles. Buena suerte.

 

[SandySea]

I feel your pain. I have worn braids more times than I can remember, and I only had a problem once (the last time I braided). The problem came when I tried to avoid thoroughly combing through my hair after unbraiding it, my mother usually does this after helping me take down the braids. I learned that it is so important to detangle and comb through your hair well before you do anything else to it. Since my hair was going through a normal shedding process while in the braids, there was a lot of loose hair to remove before shampooing. I didn't do this, and the already shed hair became severely tangled and matted with the hair still on my head. That was an isolated incident for me and I learned my lesson. I am wearing braids again (after a cut), and I plan to moisturize and detangle my hair well after unbraiding. Good luck to you!

P.S.--Sorry for the long-winded reply.

 

[Nice]

Did you wash you hair in sections?

 

[Carlie]

[ QUOTE ]
naughteegirl said:
sorry hon, I have been there. Its definitely a mistake to wash your hair before you're 100% sure its detangled cos you will have knots. I know its frustrating but dont worry it will grow back sooner than you think.

[/ QUOTE ]
That's exactly why I gotta get me some Kenra MC or some Humecto before I attempt to shampoo my hair. This 18+ wks of new growth ain't no joke! /images/graemlins/spinning.gif

I'm sorry you had to experience this but just take it as a learning experience. You may have to trim a little but your hair will be back before you know it! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Kinkyhairlady]

No I did not wash my hair in sections which was my mistake. If I did I would of saved my hair. The whole back is basically gone just long very thin strands there. And my nape was alreaddy very short so it looks even worse cause the hair that used to cover it is now too thin. I know I will definately have to cut it. The funny thing is, that I never had long hair and for the first time in my whole life my hair was considered long and this pleasure only lasted for a couple of months and now I am back to my short hair.

 

[greenidlady1]

Although I haven't had braids, I feel your pain (I had a bad episode with breakage a few weeks ago). It will get better before you know it!!
Take care,
G

 

[lthomas1]

I am really sorry about your hair situation. I would recommend that you use a reconstructor immediately to stop the breakage. You will probably have to trim off the left over damaged hair. Don't worry you hair will recover, just keep it moisturized. These ladies also gave good advice too.

 

[loverofnaps71]

I am so sorry to hear about your ordeal. I think there are some people who's hair cannot handle braids or any kind of synthetic or added hair. I wore two-strand twists with added kinky hair for about 1 month then took them out. I tell you: my hair has never been so matted and weak in all my life. I am disappointed. However, you can nurse your hair back to health. I really like doing reconstructive treatments with mayonaise or cholesterol. You could do a deep conditioning treatment, then make sure your ends are nice and clipped. Try also clarifying and using a good moisturizing conditioner without using additional shampoo. This helps me to detangle as well.

Good luck to you. Your hair will grow back, trust me.

 

[LB_Williams]

I didn't know anything about oiling or moisturizing so my one and only time I had braids ended in the same disaster as yours. Between combing the mats out, the breakage and finally getting the damage trimmed, I lost about 4". Never again. The good news is you have this forum and can get your hair back stronger and better than before in no time. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Kinkyhairlady]

Thank You so much Ladies for all the support. I am getting my hair touch up on Saturday and will cut the damage ends off and start over but this time I will give my hair much more TLC. As far as braids are concerned I will never ever go down that road again, I just can not afford to.

 

[nfynit_812]

My experience: Back in '01 I washed my hair after taking my braids out...now normally, my hair would get matted and I would be able to take it out with little damage to my hair. This particular June afternoon, when I lathered the shampoo in my hair, I felt my hair clumping in the back and top of my head /images/graemlins/shocked.gif . I rinsed out the shampoo, and tried to separate the clumps, but to no avail. I tried everything-slapped conditioner and tried to detangle, but it didn't budge /images/graemlins/tongue.giferplexed: . Finally, I threw a shower cap and scarf on my head, raced to my best friend's house and begged her to help take out the clumps....she couldn't either, so she had to cut it out of my hair /images/graemlins/frown.gif she cut my hair down to 3 inches, a lil short 'fro, which I wasn't used to. My hair did grow back nicely, it took a year of braiding my hair and deep conditioning... /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Sorry to hear about your hair! It will grow back!

 

[gn1g]

Ellis, I've done that before. I had to cut out balls of matted hair. I tried every thing, it was as if my hair just locked up. After the ordeal was over I was back at square one also.

Lessons learn:

Always comb your hair out after braids apply a conditioner and then wash.

If it gets too tangled used a fabric softner.

 

[BAILEYSCREAM]

Well, I've learned to always comb out my hair thoroughly when taking down the braids. One time I got dreadlocks and had to cut my hair in that section because it just would not untangle...grrrrrrr /images/graemlins/mad.gif....so I know how it feels.

What I want to know is how can I get rid of that lint stuff that you get at the roots of your hair when you take off the braids....you know....that big clump that you get once you've taken off the braids. I don't usually keep my braids in for more than a month. Mine have been in for nearly 2 months now.