Is there ANYTHING I can do about COURSE HAIR?

ChanelNo5

ChanelNo5

Well-Known Member
Here's the deal:

I'm a 4a/b texlaxed whose been on this hair journey for about 2 1/2 years now. Everything's going fine, great actually, but I have one issue with my hair: it's HARD.

My new growth comes in sooo tight, course and wirey. I can't tell you how many times I've been in the mirror (while on an epic stretch) like "why o why do I want to grow MORE of this!?". And although my hair is not soft or shiny it has grown to a lovely length. This is the very reason I haven't attempted rollersets, after about 5 weeks my roots need a pressing comb to get straight. It just makes stretching so difficult (not that I will stop b/c the benefits are undeniable).

Maybe this is more of a personal acceptance issue than a regimen issue, but if you ladies could share any suggestions on how to get touchably soft and....don't stone me......silkier hair I would really appreciate it cause I'm considering a serious supplement regimen.

TIA xoxoChanel
 
Have you tried moisturizing hair masks or treatments? I use them on my sister's hair and they soften her hair. She is also a 4b texlaxed, and I give her a moisturizing treatment every other wash or every week. I am able to rollerset, blow dry, rod etc her hair. For silkiness and shine, I use shine serums for her hair.
 
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Hey ChanelNo5,

Have you tried conditioner-only (CO) washes? My hair is super coarse JUST like you explain it. But, I have found that in the later post-relexer weeks it's good to do co-washes as a 2nd and/or 3rd wash of the week (wash w/shampoo and DCing being the 1st wash of the week). Doing that, adding some oil like coconut or jojoba and airdrying with the hair pulled back into a bun (or ponytail or something) makes my new growth so soft especially if I use Suave Milk & Honey or that Suave Humectant. I also like V05 Strawberries & Cream conditioner, too. Don't forget to use a silk scarf to tie down those edges while drying. You're hair will be so sleek!:smirk:

It doesn't last forever - about 3 days or so, depending on how long I'm stretching - hence the reason why you may want to do it again 2-3 days later. But, it helps moisturize the hair and makes the new growth soft and looser.

I used to do CO washes all the time but have been busy and lacking a lot of extra time lately. I'm going to get back to them soon. Try it, though. It works!
 
Thanks so much for your replies guys. My regimen is pretty solid, I DC and CW with moisturizing treats on a regular basis and sealing with oil--the whole nine. When it's damp it does feel soft and detangling is easy, but the problem comes when it dries. I'm an airdryer and my newgrowth shrivels up so hard and tight and mattes up. I really am starting to think that I will have to take supplements if I want relief from this...
 
My hair used be like that. After doing amla oil pre-poo treatment which I just soak my hair with and go to bed and then wash my hair as normal. I have noticed my hair is not as coily as it was, its moisturised and soft and not hard at all. You can try and use a deep conditioner afterwards also...maybe your hair is leaning too much on the protein side which and need to balance this out with a deep conditioner after this pre poo.
 
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I am a natural with coarse hair but once I started deep conditioning with a moisturizing conditioner 1-2x per week I saw serious results (especially with the twice a week). I mean my hair got so soft that I was asking for help on another board because I couldn't get some of my hair styles to stay whereas before my hair was coarse and more stiff. I like to add amla oil to my DC's. Sometimes I also condition overnight with a regular conditioner like cholesterol or suave. ALso make sure your shampoo is not too drying, I didn't realize that my shampoos were drying out my hair. Sulfates don't work for my hair.
 
Hi, ChanelNo5!

I also have very coarse hair. I deal with it through deep conditioning and S-Curl. My hair is pretty soft and supple as long as I keep it moist.

And, you're right, there really is a certain level of personal acceptance that must happen otherwise you may end up doing too much to your hair trying to make it something it's not. (Trust me, I took a long hard look at myself and my hair before I could accept the thing I could not change.) I know that my hair will never look and feel a certain way without tons of work, so I concentrate on making it the best it can be.

Besides, it is the best hair texture for amazing curls, braidouts, and va-va-voom BIG, SEXY hair!:gorgeous: :yep: :lol:
 
Try Jane Carter Solution Nourish & Shine. That changed my hair and I even got my roomy on it too. That was the first time I said, "Ahh my newgrowth is soft!"
 
Try oil rinsing. Also, use a heavy leave-in creme. Also, check out Elasta QP H2O spray, when I was relaxed that stuff used to do some amazing things to my hair.
 
I have been raving about Freeman ultra moisturizing sea kelp conditioner for a while now. I have very dry,tightly coiled hair in most areas of my head.Co-washing with this has helped my hair tremendously.

I think co-washes period have helped my hair sooo much,but this stuff upped the ante for my other products even more.
 
Co-washing with Lustrasilk shea butter cholestorel helped and sealing with castor oil while still very damp. GLYCERIN GLYCERIN GLYCERIN kept my hair moist after it was dry! I added it to my daily moisture spray:yep:
 
For silky hair: clarify, deep condition, rinse hair of all conditioner, acv rinse (or beer), and blowdry/flatiron with very little product. You can also prepoo with a good oil and conditioner.
 
Legend said:
Hi, ChanelNo5!

I also have very coarse hair. I deal with it through deep conditioning and S-Curl. My hair is pretty soft and supple as long as I keep it moist.

And, you're right, there really is a certain level of personal acceptance that must happen otherwise you may end up doing too much to your hair trying to make it something it's not. (Trust me, I took a long hard look at myself and my hair before I could accept the thing I could not change.) I know that my hair will never look and feel a certain way without tons of work, so I concentrate on making it the best it can be.
Besides, it is the best hair texture for amazing curls, braidouts, and va-va-voom BIG, SEXY hair!:gorgeous: :yep: :lol:
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ITA. Once I accepted that my hair is what it is -- not easy at all :nono: -- I don't fight my new growth and that is one of the most important things I've done for myself. I've actually grown to love my "nappy halo" . . .

It was a very personal, highly emotional, sometimes painful journey, but worth it. :yep: And now that I actually LIKE my naps, my hair just been on its best behavior for years. It's like when I was fighting it, it fought back :lachen:. Now, since I can't beat em, I've joined em, it's all good . . .
 
Neroli said:
ITA. Once I accepted that my hair is what it is -- not easy at all :nono: -- I don't fight my new growth and that is one of the most important things I've done for myself. I've actually grown to love my "nappy halo" . . .

It was a very personal, highly emotional, sometimes painful journey, but worth it. :yep: And now that I actually LIKE my naps, my hair just been on its best behavior for years. It's like when I was fighting it, it fought back :lachen:. Now, since I can't beat em, I've joined em, it's all good . . .
Click to expand...

:lachen:at the halo! This is so true! I love my hair now because I can get that Cosmo-hair look no problem (and it looks much better on me than sleeker styles.)

But, yeah, it can be a painful journey. Not relaxing my hair for a year helped tremendously in getting to understand my hair and what it will do and what it won't do. I haven't been this happy with my hair since my college days! :yep:
 
jwhitley6 said:
For silky hair: clarify, deep condition, rinse hair of all conditioner, acv rinse (or beer), and blowdry/flatiron with very little product. You can also prepoo with a good oil and conditioner.
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hi there,

do you mind me asking what clarifying poo you use?

thanks in advance,
tishee
 
tishee said:
hi there,

do you mind me asking what clarifying poo you use?

thanks in advance,
tishee
Click to expand...

I've used several: Kera Care 1st lather, Redken Cleansing Milk, another called "Purity" but I can't think of the brand right now. These are good because they clarify without stripping the hair too much. hth.
 
Research some of the MSM supplement threads. When I was taking MSM it certainly changed my hair texture. It grew in less kinky and the curl pattern was much looser and softer to the point where I could not really see the new growth although I KNEW my hair was growing! It was just growing in so loose.

After I stopped taking it (for no reason except a finished 200 some odd capsule bottle and no real desire to try more as it didn't grow my hair faster...just the texture change) my hair eventually started growing in the way it had prior.

*shrugs* worth researching if concerned about coarse hair... :look:
 
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I have found that the combination of Kenra moisturizing cond. and Fermodyl 619 has helped my hair to be much more moisturized than anything else. I have been washing w/ Aveda Sap Moss shampoo (sometimes following w/ the detangling cond.), use Kenra moisturizing cond. after towel drying my hair, and then using Fermodyl after I wash out the cond. and towel dry my hair again. Lastly, I put in Salerm 21 (leave-in) and set my hair or let it air dry. My hair is so unbelievably soft! It's never been like this. I don't know if it's the Kenra or the Fermodyl, but I don't want to experiment and have less results. Good luck with whatever you choose to do.

ETA: if you do a search, there are numerous threads discussing Fermodyl and Kenra. You can find Fermodyl at Sally's but Kenra you must buy from a salon or some place like Ulta.
 
ChanelNo5 said:
Thanks so much for your replies guys. My regimen is pretty solid, I DC and CW with moisturizing treats on a regular basis and sealing with oil--the whole nine. When it's damp it does feel soft and detangling is easy, but the problem comes when it dries. I'm an airdryer and my newgrowth shrivels up so hard and tight and mattes up. I really am starting to think that I will have to take supplements if I want relief from this...
Click to expand...

That's my hair!!! Well it was my hair until I started using Afro Detangler (growafrohairlong.com). This is the best stuff for keeping my new growth soft after it dries. Sometimes I mix some of it with Chi Silk Infusion but it does fine all by itself.
 
LiLi said:
That's my hair!!! Well it was my hair until I started using Afro Detangler (growafrohairlong.com). This is the best stuff for keeping my new growth soft after it dries. Sometimes I mix some of it with Chi Silk Infusion but it does fine all by itself.
Click to expand...



hi there sweetie,

would u be willing to sell me a sample of this? let me know either way sweetie.

tia,
tishee
 
ChanelNo5 said:
Here's the deal:

I'm a 4a/b texlaxed whose been on this hair journey for about 2 1/2 years now. Everything's going fine, great actually, but I have one issue with my hair: it's HARD.

My new growth comes in sooo tight, course and wirey. I can't tell you how many times I've been in the mirror (while on an epic stretch) like "why o why do I want to grow MORE of this!?". And although my hair is not soft or shiny it has grown to a lovely length. This is the very reason I haven't attempted rollersets, after about 5 weeks my roots need a pressing comb to get straight. It just makes stretching so difficult (not that I will stop b/c the benefits are undeniable).

Maybe this is more of a personal acceptance issue than a regimen issue, but if you ladies could share any suggestions on how to get touchably soft and....don't stone me......silkier hair I would really appreciate it cause I'm considering a serious supplement regimen.

TIA xoxoChanel
Click to expand...

This might be a personal acceptance issue. No matter how much you moisturize your hair, if you don't, then it will still be course. The moisturizing doesn't change what's coming out the scalp, just how it looks when it's out.

So I would say, you might have to do some acceptance that this is the way your hair is. And maybe perhaps if you want to try the MSM or maybe even Flaxseed Oil (which some have said loosen their curl pattern), then you can. Just remember that again, once you stop, it's like an earlier poster said, her hair went right back to her original texture. And who know the long-term effects of taking MSM for hair growth.

So I don't know. I say moisturize your hair and accept it's texture. Work on length retention and growth and see how that works out for ya :user:
 
I've been hearing a lot about the coconut cream relaxer it looks like it'd be perfect for those who want to tame new growth. And henna loosens your ahir texture as well :yep: my hair can get very "tough" when I neglect it and henna always saves me.
 
I have VERY coarse hair and sometimes I touch it and can't believe my strands can feel like wire even with a relaxer. Idk even know what to do about it anymore...
 
I have fine hair, but I recommend the KBB Luscious Locks Hair Mask. I put it on my hair on low heat for 20 minutes & my hair was overmoisturized. If it overmoisturized my hair that easily, I'm thinking that it would work wonders on thick hair.
 
I have the texture you describe only fine strands. Baggying has been a godsend to me. So much so that I can get away with just CWing. My hair is really soft. It might feel dry to those used to having products on their hair, or who might feel how cold/moist it feels with S Curl in it, but it is fine by me since it's in twists and therefore not being manipulated in ways that might call for slip. I am especially please with my hair because I have memories of it feeling like a brush. It'd glisten with product but be only just slightly softer than steel wool. My secret has been simplicity. I DC once a week, CW maybe twice a week. Baggy every night and every time I wear a wrap. I also keep it from tangling by keeping it twisted or braided. Now if I were to comb it daily, S Curl would be on it. But I only ever need to apply it on wash day. I plait it every night before baggying and in the AM I have easy-to-comb, pretty, coily hair that is soft as can be. Keeping my hair detangled and "safe" in plaits when I sleep ensures that combing is a breeze.

BTW oils made my hair very hard. I tried EVOO way back when I first learned of it being a good product to use on hair. My hair hated it. Maybe yours hates oils too.
 
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