SSKs, Scraggly or Dry Ends, & Sticky Rollerset....I'm a mess!

[Incognitus]

The other day, I used honey for the first time, as a 30min DC. Then I attempted to rollerset my hair using Jane Carter's Wrap and roll. It came out so-so (at best), partly due to me not knowing how to rollerset (it was my first time ever). My hair came out sticky (i think i used too much JC setting lotion). I also sat under a dryer for about an hour. I'm trying to limit heat, so this was the first time I applied any kind of heat since October. Before October, my hair was fried by when I went to a salon. He dried it under the hood, used a hot comb and a flat iron. My hair was left thin, limb, and smelling a little burnt.

Anyhow, now I realized that I'm plagued with SSKs...I mean PLAGUED. They have taken over my hair. I've also noticed that my ends are in bad need of TLC. In my relaxer days, I never got SSKs. I love the look with the rollerset, ut am afraid of all the manipulation if I set my hair 1x a week.

Current hair health: ends seem to be dry and a little scraggly (if that's even a word), with tons of SSKs and some split ends. Roots and upper half of shaft seem much better conditioned.

What protective hair style can I do that will give my hair a break, but also allow me to cowash frequently (1-2x wk), DC, apply MT, apply leave-in conditioner (especially to my ends). Are all these even possible?

In the past, I've done: sm. & very lg kinky twists (w/synthetic hair), cornrows under a wig (regular and lace wigs). Now I need something where I can just get up and go and just focus on conditioning. Any ideas?


SN: Will my hair come out the same if I let the roolerset air dry instead of sitting under a dryer? Or will it not be as straight?

 

[corpFROcentric]

When was the last time you had a trim?

 

[mzteaze]

It might be time for a dusting of your ends to help with the SSKs. The last time I had them badly, I had about 1.5" removed (yes it was painful). However, after that point, I made a point of taking care of my ends.

At night, I protected my ends by twisting my hair with JBCO and Vatika oil. This also kept the ends from tangling up into a mess. I also applied my homemade MTG to my scalp along with my MT mix. During the day I wore my hair in a twist out which looks cute.

I would suggest you consider the sources of friction on your hair for the SSKs. Are you tying it up at night? Does your hair rub against your clothing if long enough? If you can pinpoint the cause, you can fix the issue. For me, I was sitting on my sofa with my bare head against a cotton pillow = tons of SSKs.

 

[Incognitus]

My last trim was roughly 6 months ago....it was really more like a dusting/light trim. I'm afraid I might need to trim again.

I always wear a satin cap in bed, basically whenever I'm home. I never wear my hair down. Lately, I either wear a wig or wrap my hair with a stylish scarf (not really a scaf, but I can't think of the correct name for it. I think the SSKs might be from lack of moisture to ends and also because after I wash my hair, i just put it up in 4-5 big braids. Could these be the culprit?

mzteaze: you apply Mt on your ends? Is that not too much protein?

 

[mzteaze]

Yes I apply MT to the entire length of my hair when I do a full protein/moisture DC. I always use it for 10 minutes with heat then follow with a moisturizing DC. I don't find it to be too much protein for my hair but I also use it every other week.

ETA: I also use a MT mix (MT with oils and aloe vera) on my scalp as a growth aid. I apply and leave it on til my next co-wash or weekly DC.

 

[Incognitus]

Yes I apply MT to the entire length of my hair when I do a full protein/moisture DC. I always use it for 10 minutes with heat then follow with a moisturizing DC. I don't find it to be too much protein for my hair but I also use it every other week.

ETA: I also use a MT mix (MT with oils and aloe vera) on my scalp as a growth aid. I apply and leave it on til my next co-wash or weekly DC.

Hmm, maybe I'll try using an MT mix...

 

[lettieg27]

You should also try oil rinses when you wash your hair, for me I have a problem with knotting as I wash and this makes a huge difference.

 

[Incognitus]

^^ How exactly do you do an oil rinse (I mean literally)?

 

[ElegantElephant]

what is SSK?

 

[mzteaze]

what is SSK?

Single Strand Knot

 

[Jetblackhair]

SSK have been plaguing my ends for some time now. I gave myself a trim about 3 weeks ago and after moisturizing my ends I sealed with Sally's One & Only Argon Oil. This is working really well for me as I'm not experiencing the SSK like I was. I'm going to keep this up for the next month to see what happens as my hair grows.

So yes, trim your ends and then protect those ends like crazy!

I tried rollersetting a few times, but it was too much manipulation for my hair and I encountered breakage.

 

[Incognitus]

^^ Not a bad idea... I really need to better condition my ends. I think I'm going to being baggying a few times a week.

 

[Curlykale]

Hmmm what comes into my mind is that the sticky and dry result from your deep conditioning can depend on the amount of humectants you used. humectants are substances that bring moisture from the air into your hair if there is the right amount of humidity (moisturizing your hair), but they can be drying or sticky if your hair doesn't like them and if the weather is too dry or too humid. so they are tricky. honey is a humectant, and so is glycerin (JC is mainly glycerin).

3 things that have solved my problem:

oil rinses (check out a thread called "don't sleep on oil rinses")

ceramides (=sealing with sunflower or wheat germ or hemp oil instead of the ones you are used to, or adding them into your deep conditioner, for more info search the word and there is an amazing thread about it)

using thick, creamy conditioners to moisturize and leaving them in (I see that cetyl alcohol as an ingredient never fails and it is in conditioners such as tresemme, aussie moist, giovanni and many more)

I would trim and protective style.
When hair is too prcessed or damaged, deep conditioning with a protein deep conditioner for a while and a moisturizing deep conditioner right after can help as well...

 

[Incognitus]

Thanks for all the great ideas... I think I'm going to research the other oils to seal with. I' currently using Jojoba oil. Also, I never tried using a moisturizing DC right after a protein DC....hmm

 

[darlingdiva]

My last trim was roughly 6 months ago....it was really more like a dusting/light trim. I'm afraid I might need to trim again.

I always wear a satin cap in bed, basically whenever I'm home. I never wear my hair down. Lately, I either wear a wig or wrap my hair with a stylish scarf (not really a scaf, but I can't think of the correct name for it. I think the SSKs might be from lack of moisture to ends and also because after I wash my hair, i just put it up in 4-5 big braids. Could these be the culprit?

mzteaze: you apply Mt on your ends? Is that not too much protein?

Regarding the bolded, a lack of moisture to your ends could be the culprit.

Also, what products do you use on a regular basis?

 

[Incognitus]

^^ I use the following:

Cowash: Gio 50:50 or Suave
DC: Gio Smooth as Silk (just started using honey mix)
Gio Direct Leave-in mixed with water, jojoba oil
Jane Carter's Nourish n Shine
Carol's Daughter Hair Butter (rarely)
MT or OCT (rarely)

 

[darlingdiva]

It may be possible that you need to clarify. Also, I noticed that you use MT and OCT rarely. Those are proteins, right? Maybe you need to use protein more regularly.