Relaxed Ladies: How Do You Beat Breakage?

[wyldcurlz]

I need help...again. What's the best way to beat breakage? Is it at-home protein treatments like Aphogee or Emergency? My Mom's hair breaks daily. And "its not growing." (in other words, she's not retaining length.) The problems that I know she's not going to give up: that damned curling iron!!! She's of the old school and likes her hair styled. She's doesn't use the curling iron daily, but at least 3 times a week! I got her using my Sedu recently, which is maybe a little better - but she complained that she couldn't get a curl, so she sedu'd then used a curling iron briefly to bend the ends. She says she doesn't keep the curling iron in her hair for a long time. I don't know. All I know is that she's constantly got lots of little broken off hairs on her shoulders.

What else might work to stop or slow down her breakage? She says its breaking because its time for a retouch (which doesn't make sense to me, but...)

 

[Poohbear]

When I had relaxed hair, I prevented breakage by stopping the use of curling irons. Tell your mom to start rollersetting for curls. Oiling the ends of her hair with jojoba oil or coconut oil will help keep her ends protected from breakage. Btw, my mom says the same thing about any problem going on with her hair... "I need a relaxer." But my sister and I are trying to slowly ween her off from those dreaded curling irons. HTH!

 

[Miss*Tress]

Until your mom cuts down on using the curling iron, she may just have to live with the breakage. See if you or the stylist can convince her to try roller setting instead.

 

[Tene]

I didn't use heat very often and I used heavy protein treatments.

 

[WomanlyCharm]

It sounds like the curling iron is contributing to your mom's breakage.
As another poster pointed out, roller setting is a good option. Or she could try the caruso hair setter, it makes great curls for me.
I also started using light protein every other wash about a month ago...it's made a difference in my hair, it seems stronger.

 

[sunnyjohn]

Hell is hot for a reason. When I was relaxed the heat from curling irons and blow dryers did me in. I stopped cold turkey and so did the breakage.

If she uses a good heat protectant, heat every once in a while is okay.

 

[Lovelylocs]

She doesn't know how to wrap her hair at night? She needs someone who can give her a good dominican blowout. This way her hair can remain healthy and she can have a style. How long is her hair? She definately needs to do her protein treatments too.

 

[HoneyDew]

If she insists on using the curling iron, then she needs baby steps to get away from it.

She may want to try the Remington CareSetter instead. They are velvet lined ionic hot rollers and are far gentler to hair.

She could then tie her hair nightly so she can keep her curls for the most part. I like the Lucy wrap from Maverick Designs. It keeps my style better than wrapping because I don’t like flat hair.

Over time she should try to break away from heat a little bit at a time.

I could never stop cold turkey.

Also, dusting my ends and weekly deep conditions help stop breakage.

I don’t really do intensive protein treatments that often, but I do use KerapHix or GPB once a week or so.

 

[Lady_Lioness]

I agree with the ladies...the curling iron is most definitely the culprit...she needs to step away from that curling iron...I know it's hard...but her breakage will not stop if she doesn't do it...a few of you suggested rollersetting...that is a very good idea if she want to add some curls to her hair...also alternating between protein and moisturizing conditioners could also help.

 

[Sistaslick]

I need help...again. What's the best way to beat breakage? Is it at-home protein treatments like Aphogee or Emergency? My Mom's hair breaks daily. And "its not growing." (in other words, she's not retaining length.) The problems that I know she's not going to give up: that damned curling iron!!! She's of the old school and likes her hair styled. She's doesn't use the curling iron daily, but at least 3 times a week! I got her using my Sedu recently, which is maybe a little better - but she complained that she couldn't get a curl, so she sedu'd then used a curling iron briefly to bend the ends. She says she doesn't keep the curling iron in her hair for a long time. I don't know. All I know is that she's constantly got lots of little broken off hairs on her shoulders.

What else might work to stop or slow down her breakage? She says its breaking because its time for a retouch (which doesn't make sense to me, but...)

Her heat use is wreaking havoc on the moisture levels within her hair strands. If mom is going to be using heat, she is definitely going to need to increase the moisture component of her regimen through regular weekly deep conditioning with a good moisturizing conditioner and some daily moisturizing products. Protein treatments should come later, but for now, she should concentrate on building up the moisturizing aspect of her regimen. The short broken strands do seem like the kind of breakage that would come from a low moisture/moderate protein regimen. Adding protein now will only make her hair drier because it will not effectively address the lack of moisture her hair is experiencing. What types of products is she using to address the moisture component of her regimen?

You say that its time for a retouch-- her hair probably is going through that relaxer stretch dryness that tends to creep in from time to time, too. She really needs to increase the moisture as she goes further and further post relaxer. She should not do a retouch until she gets that breakage under control though.

Also, using that iron at least 3 times a week--how often is she washing her hair? If she is using lots of product, using heat on top of that, and washing infrequently-- "hair dehydration" most likely is the cause of this. Using heat on hair thats not too clean will really dry it too- since she's essentially refrying old product in to her hair each time. If she increases the moisture in her regimen, she'll see her breakage decrease dramatically.

 

[alonshaw]

Great advice Sista Moisture, Moisture, Moisture.

 

[wyldcurlz]

If she insists on using the curling iron, then she needs baby steps to get away from it.

She may want to try the Remington CareSetter instead. They are velvet lined ionic hot rollers and are far gentler to hair.

She could then tie her hair nightly so she can keep her curls for the most part. I like the Lucy wrap from Maverick Designs. It keeps my style better than wrapping because I don’t like flat hair.

Over time she should try to break away from heat a little bit at a time.

I could never stop cold turkey.

Also, dusting my ends and weekly deep conditions help stop breakage.

I don’t really do intensive protein treatments that often, but I do use KerapHix or GPB once a week or so.

THANK YOU!!! that's what i needed...some tips other than stopping the curling iron. i know, like all of you, that the curling iron is the root of her problem, but she's hell-bent on using it. OLD SCHOOL/old fashioned when it comes to that thing & having to go out (and even just sitting around the house) with her hair "done." she's the one who gives me a hard time about leaving the house with buns all the time. as you can see from our friendly battle...she's not willing to sacrifice style for length/health. i'll just have to try to convince her to cut back on the curling iron and i bought some aphogee protein treatments for her to try. hopefully i can sell her on the idea that, if she's sick of breakage and wants more length - she's going to have to ease up on the curling iron!! (she only curls 3x a week.)

More tips?!?!?! please!!!

 

[wyldcurlz]

Her heat use is wreaking havoc on the moisture levels within her hair strands. If mom is going to be using heat, she is definitely going to need to increase the moisture component of her regimen through regular weekly deep conditioning with a good moisturizing conditioner and some daily moisturizing products. Protein treatments should come later, but for now, she should concentrate on building up the moisturizing aspect of her regimen. The short broken strands do seem like the kind of breakage that would come from a low moisture/moderate protein regimen. Adding protein now will only make her hair drier because it will not effectively address the lack of moisture her hair is experiencing. What types of products is she using to address the moisture component of her regimen?

You say that its time for a retouch-- her hair probably is going through that relaxer stretch dryness that tends to creep in from time to time, too. She really needs to increase the moisture as she goes further and further post relaxer. She should not do a retouch until she gets that breakage under control though.

Also, using that iron at least 3 times a week--how often is she washing her hair? If she is using lots of product, using heat on top of that, and washing infrequently-- "hair dehydration" most likely is the cause of this. Using heat on hair thats not too clean will really dry it too- since she's essentially refrying old product in to her hair each time. If she increases the moisture in her regimen, she'll see her breakage decrease dramatically.

Thank you, Sistaslick! You have beautiful hair, so when I see you reply, I take notes! I'm trying to get her to use leave-in or Jojoba oil more often. She's high maintenance and likes to fuss (i DO love this woman & she's very sweet, just very opinionated with what she's going to do with her hair.) Okay, so I'll try to do some deep conditioning treatments on her hair before I do the protein. Obiviously its dry...that makes sense now. When my hair was dry, it too was breaking. She washes her hair once a week and she does a deep condition it her way. (She'll comb some Elucence thru it and tie on a plastic cap for about 30 minutes to an hour.) I don't know if that's enough conditioning. She thinks all that I do is "too much" and she's too busy and isn't going to do all that. Its like she wants the results but she's not going to go down without a fight. I'll try all of this and let you all know how it comes out.