Hello everyone,
I'm very very new here but I've been trying to do my homework. My daughter (@
bhndbrwneyes) posted previously about product recommendations for my ultra fine hair. I haven't received those products yet but not knowing she purchased them I went out and bought some myself. I don't have a regimen yet because I am still learning. It seems that whatever I do I continue to experience alarming hair loss. Some of my concerns are...
1.) I wake up with my hair matted so I must detangle. I have been instructed to detangle only while in the shower with conditioner in my hair and only using my fingers. Are there any tips to prevent my hair from tangling at night WITHOUT putting it in twists/braids? I lose hair while doing those activities also. If I can prevent tangling at night then I won't have to wash every day I think. I feel like washing every day would be too much.
2.) I've lost a lot of hair on my edges, can I ever regrow these areas? I used to brush that area to style my hair but I've learned to stop that. Do headbands and gel hurt also?
3.) I tried using S-Curl for my styles but I'm still losing hair while using it (not sure if it is the product of not). I think my hair needs products very very watery in consistency. Does any one know of a good LIGHTWEIGTH daily moisturizer? Would water and a little bit of oil be enough?
Also, can anyone tell what hair type I am? 4-something?
Thank you!
Welcome @
clbowler. @
PJaye has told you most of what I was going to say so I will just touch on what she left out that I believe is important.
First of all, you asked what your hair type is, I believe you have fine 4B hair like I do.
Now I will tell you that my hair NEVER has tangles. And that's because I never let them come to being.
For as long as I have lived, I had never heard of anyone with my type of hair going to bed without braiding it unless it was relaxed until I joined LHCF and I still clutch pearls when I hear of someone doing it--but I have to remind myself that for many natural hair is a new thing. Even my straightened hair gets braided for the night (far right below).
Our hair is so coily and has so much shrinkage that if you leave it to its devices it WILL tangle and knot up and you will either take forever getting the tangles out or get frustrated and yank them out breaking your hair.
Seriously it's so not worth it. It doesn't take that long to put big braids into your hair. It keeps your hair tangle free so you can easily comb it in the morning.
Also, S Curl IMO is one of the best and lightest moisturizers for our hair. I think my posts in the thread below will give you more info on how to handle our hair and how to moisturize with S Curl. I do not believe you need to moisturize your hair daily. If you do it on washday and then sleep with a baggy (that's a plastic cap or even Saran wrap every night--after the braids) you will find your hair is so easy to comb and manage in the morning and you won't need to add any moisturizer. It will be soft and easy to manage.
My mom has very little patience and she was blown away by how simple the regimen I share below is. I don't know if the photos are back (the website hosting them was having issues so my photos went missing) but honestly if you follow that regimen, you will never have to detangle because your hair will never have tangles. And as PJaye told you, hair coming out is normal, but if you do comb it before braiding at night and comb it in the morning, (in
this video I show how I stretch out my strands so the comb can glide through easily) then your hair will be a breeze to deal with. Although my hair has conditioner in that video, I use the same method with S Curl. Also work on narrow sections at a time. And when you moisturize, use the "relaxer method" whereby you part a narrow section and apply to that section, comb and then move on to another. At night when it's time to braid, also take small sections and comb through them a little at a time then when you have combed through a section big enough to form a plait, braid it up before working on another section. This way you are braiding up hair that is completely free of any tangles and through which a comb will glide with ease in the morning)
The reason I recommend baggying is it helps hold onto the moisture on your hair and also I believe encourages sebum production so your scalp is also taken care of. I don't believe in applying products to the scalp. I let sebum take care of that.
This is the thread I mentioned above in which I was giving someone else advice on caring for 4B hair:
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=526649