Thin and brittle at the crown

[Candycane044]

I think for me it's a combination of a different hair texture there from the rest of my head, and some type of stress on that area. I'm not sure where the stress is coming from, I'm going to have to brainstorm a little more. Also, I'm going to stop combing that area, I'll just detangle gently with my fingers.

 

[Divine_Order]

I think for me it's a combination of a different hair texture there from the rest of my head, and some type of stress on that area. I'm not sure where the stress is coming from, I'm going to have to brainstorm a little more. Also, I'm going to stop combing that area, I'll just detangle gently with my fingers.

That's my problem as well. Though my crown area is the most coarse...it's also the most delicate. My back and sides are waaaaay more manageable, and I experience less breakage in those sections as well. I

contributed my crown area breakage to my wearing a bun....not the bun itself, but my "smoothing" the bun down with a brush. I wore my buns low, and even though I thought the brush was soft enough...guess I was wrong. So now I comb, not brush, my hair "up" and have since started wearing my buns higher. It's only been about two weeks since I've changed it's location and using a comb instead of a brush. I'm pleased that I have less tension all over my head now (wearing my bun lower made me want to keep my edges flat by brushing, and I would occassionally snatch some "kitchen" hair) And by my wearing them higher I don't really care about how smooth the edges are because it kinda flows with the style. Well, so far so good with the location change.

 

[scarcity21]

bumpingggggggggggggggggggggg

 

[scarcity21]

bumpingggggggggggggggggggggg

 

[GV-NA-GI-TLV-GE-I]

I'm dealing with this too. I am so disappointed and frustrated. It's broken off to about 4-5 inches.

I'm trying to figure it out. When I henna or use emergencee the breakage slows down almost stops but it's so dry......but when I use Aphogee it still breaks. I'm not sure what's going on. I'm trying protein and moisture and I am so incredibly frustrated. My hair is so fine and it's thinner naturally so I'm at a point where I just want to give up, get a cut, and call it a day. I finally hit APL (for the third time in a year) and am on the way to BSL. I have phases.... Around this time every year I have a setback. I'm sick of this.

Me too!!! I never had that prob before and my crown always grew the fastest and was the straightest hair. I'm using ayurveda now and trying to comb from underneath rather than from the crown down. Most of it has come back but it's still shorter and weaker than the rest. Urgh. Well, I use SE as well...and have stopped relaxing that part. I massage it often.

 

[KPH]

i have been using MissMasala5's concoction (molasses, olive oil, garlic juice and castor oil). It is working, THANK YOU JESUS but it stinks to high heaven so I put it on at night but remember THE GARLIC STINKS WOOOO-WEEEEEE.

 

[kandegirl]

This has been my problem for a few years. I remember an old beautician told me while in college that it is due to not rinsing the relaxers out well enough. And my hair never had that problem when she did it and I got it wet wrapped (from the south) every two weeks w/ no problems. So now when I get relaxers I just going to make sure that area gets relaxer last like I do the bottom portion of my hair to make it stronger. And maybe start doing more scalp massages and MTG.

 

[scarcity21]

i have been using MissMasala5's concoction (molasses, olive oil, garlic juice and castor oil). It is working, THANK YOU JESUS but it stinks to high heaven so I put it on at night but remember THE GARLIC STINKS WOOOO-WEEEEEE.

Can u please elaborate on this concotion? do u leave it in @ night and wash/rinse off in the morning? what is it supposed to do? stimulate growth or curb breakage? How soon b4 u started noticing results?
TIA

 

[Bellamystic]

Like OMG I have the same problem and when I didn't use to take care of my hair it was so short like shorter than 1/2 an inch almost like a bald spot. Even when I was natural i had noticed that the crown was much more dry and didnt grow as fast. Now my crown is 4.5 inches the longest it has ever been but the rest of my hair is much longer. My ponytails look much shorter because of my crown. I feaking hate it. i tried scalp massages, extrra moisture, you name it. It still grows slower than slow gets.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

Same Problem Here. When mine would break, it unfortunately snaps all the way down to the NG in that area. May start off the size of a dime and can be as big as a quarter if undetected and because I have dense, thick hair, sometimes it's hard to detect and that area is always itchy & dry.

And You're right, it requires special, special treatment & care. And it's extremely frustrating because the care, the texture, hair type etc... is totally different from the rest of your hair. Relaxing that area last and conditioning it more etc....erplexed

I am having better experience growing & retaining that area by using MT and taking Biotin, and other supplements and Definitely Upping My Water Intake, and frequently massaging that area with Coconut, Avacado, and EVOO (oils that penetrate the Cortex). It is getting better every day. It is really thriving. Hopefully we all can Find a Cure.

 

[Ganjababy]

I had this problem (still do to a certain extent). Mine was due to anemia. I only became aware after going to my doc in desperation after my hair became unusually thin on the top with some short rough looking hair visible and I had to start doing comb-overs! It can be caused by several reasons- see below and most are internal. For all who are experincing this I would go to the doctor and have your bloods checked including ferritin levels because you can have a regular hb level but still be anemic because your body is taking hb from non essential areas like you scalp and trnasferring them to your blood so your levels may be normal but you could still be anemic- so ferritin level is a more accurate indicator of what is going on if you suspect anemia. My hair improved when I started taking prescribed iron but I am still anemic and I check my levels regularly and the last hb was low so I have to increase my iron now and I can tell by how my crown feel that it is affecting it again but I will cut it in the bud before it gets any worse:gunner7:

http://www.hair-styles-secrets-revealed.com/thinning-hair-information.html
Hair thinning is also called androgenetic alopecia.

A lot of people do not distinguish the expressions fine hair, thin hair and thinning hair. However, these conditions are completely different. Fine hair is about the size of the individual hair strand. It has very small diameter.

Thin hair refers to the number of hairs on your head. If you have small number of hairs (less than 90,000) you have thin hair. Thinning hair means that your hair is becoming sparser. Or in other words, your head is losing hair.

Causes of Thinning Hair
First of all, there is no single cause of thinning hair. Because of this fact, there are many treatments available. However, like in many health related cases, prevention should be your first option. For example, you can prevent hair thinning if you reduce stress in your life.

Nevertheless, all causes have one thing in common – effects created by this hair problem can be very serious for both men and women. When thinning hair takes place to women it destroys their femininity.

But, before you begin searching for good treatments or thinking about prevention methods (such as reducing stress), you must learn about causes of thinning hair.Only then you will be able to eliminate the effects of hair thinning.

As stated before, there is no one cause of thinning hair. Any number of causes or combination of causes can be responsible for hair thinning. The best way to find out why your hair is thinning is by a thorough medical examination by a doctor.

Thinning hair causes are numerous including genetics, diseases, poor nutrition, stress and medications. However, the most usual cause of thinning hair in men and women is hereditary male and female pattern baldness, also called androgenic alopecia. It is responsible for 99 percent of all thinning hair. We will cover these causes in more detail.

However, you should know what does not cause this hair problem. Scientists have found out that androgenic alopecia is not caused by the following reasons:

- poor scalp circulation

- 'clogged' hair follicles

- tiny scalp mites

- wrong shampoo

- wearing hats or helmets.

Also, various hair care products cannot have effect on the hair thinning process.

What Causes Thinning Hair in Women?
In general, women’s hair thin out over the area between the bangs and the crown of the head. Thinning hair in women can be caused by many reasons - ranging from temporary conditions to medical disorders.

However, psychological effects of hair loss are more severe in women than in men. There is one thing that all women should keep in mind - thinning hair is a natural part of aging. Even the healthiest women suffer from this condition.

Causes of hair thinning in women:

1. Hypothyroidism - a condition in which the thyroid gland fails to produce enough thyroid hormone;

2. Anemia - it happens when the number of healthy red blood cells decreases;

3. Poor diet – Lack of vitamins and minerals (for instance, iron deficiency);

4. Side effects of medicines;

5. Stress;

6. Pregnancy – hormonal changes;

7. Perimenopause - hormonal shifts; levels of estrogen and progesterone are changed.

Thinning hair caused by the above factors is typically reversible, once the cause is discovered and treated.The biggest cause of thinning hair in women is androgenetic alopecia, also called hereditary hair thinning. Other causes include alopecia areata, telogen effluvium and traumatic alopecia.

Other causes:

- Androgenetic Alopecia is particularly common disorder - in excess of 30 million American women suffer from it. About 13 percent of premenopausal women have it; however, androgenetic alopecia may affect 75 percent of women older than 65 years. The hair becomes thinner all over the scalp, and the hairline does not recede. Androgenetic alopecia in women hardly ever leads to total baldness. This is genetically determined disorder; because of this fact, there is no prevention. Effects are mostly psychological. Treatments include minoxidil, which is found in Women’s Rogaine.

- Alopecia areata often happens suddenly and tends to be patchy. In most cases, it is not a hereditary disorder. The main cause is an immune system disorder. It affects approximately 2 percent of American population. Alopecia can cause psychological stress. Because significant appearance changes take place, effects of the disorder include social phobia, anxiety, and depression. When it comes to treatments, doctors can try a few methods, such as minoxidil.

- Telogen Effluvium is a temporary condition and occurs suddenly; the main cause is an interruption in the normal hair growth cycle. It is often the result of trauma, such as chemotherapy, childbirth, major surgery, severe stress, and severe chronic illness. The hair thinning takes place throughout the scalp. This condition is quite common. A large number of people have experienced an episode of telogen effluvium at some point in their lives. Generally, there is no need for treatments, recovery is spontaneous and happens within six months.

- Traumatic alopecia is caused by an injury or trauma to the scalp. It is an especially common form of hair loss in African-American women, due to the techniques used in some hairstyles, such as braids. Causes of traumatic alopecia include: the persistent pulling of the hair (tight rollers), commercial relaxer products, and excessive use of pomades with a hot comb or iron. Prevention and treatments are the same - stop the styling practices immediately and see a doctor.

Medical Causes of Thinning Hair


Thinning hair causes can be simple and complex. A simple health cause can include recovery from a major surgery. Such medical treatment can cause trauma to the hair follicles.Your doctor will tell you that this is normal and your hair growth will return to normal, but it could take three or four months.

Other medical causes include the side effects of some antibiotics and the effects of chemotherapy.

Your physician will tell you that these drugs can cause hair thinning and once you are done with antibiotics treatment, and your health is improved, your hair will begin to grow back. A big medical cause is an underactive or overactive thyroid gland. In case of bad health, hormones can become unbalanced and this can also lead to thinning hair.

You should contact your doctor to find out the reason for your condition. Your physician will advise you to start a regular hormone treatment. Other medical causes of thinning hair:

- Having a baby;
- Infections;
- Diabetes;
- Lupus.

You should keep in mind that because thinning hair is often a warning sign of a bad health, it is crucial to consult your doctor to find out the reason. Here are certain medicines that have been identified as thinning hair causes:

- Blood thinners for heart disease;
- Medication for gout;
- Too much Vitamin A;
- Anti-depressants;
- Birth control pills.

Medical Reasons for Hair Thinning in Women
- thyroid disease
- substantial weight loss or gain
- stress
- anemia
- dietary imbalance or nutritional deficiency
- infection of the scalp
- hormonal changes during pregnancy and menopause
- major surgery
- chronic illness
- medications, such as chemotherapy drugs
- blood pressure medications
- birth control pills
- childbirth

Your physician should tell you if any of these medical conditions is reason for hair thinning.

Thinning Hair and Menopause
Almost half of all women experience noticeable hair thinning during their menopausal years. Two-thirds of post-menopausal women suffer from thinning hair. Thinning of hair occurs all over the head without a receding front hairline.
During the menopause, changes in woman’s estrogen levels are taking place, which is possible cause of thinning hair. To be more precise, after menopause, there is a dramatic drop of the female hormone estrogen in comparison to testosterone.
As a result, the excess of testosterone contributes to thinning of your hair. Some women try to solve the problem with hormone replacement therapy. However, recent studies show that this type of treatment has bad side effects.
Your best option for fighting thinning hair during menopause is using Rogaine (Minoxidil). It produces improvement in about 50 percent of women with thinning hair. Keep in mind that only the 2 percent strength is suitable for women.
Or you can try nutritional approach to encourage hair re-growth. Make sure you are taking enough omega-3 fatty acids by eating salmon, sardines, herring or mackerel 2 or 3 times a week. You can also sprinkle 2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds per day on cereal or salads. Additionally, supplement your diet with black currant oil or evening primrose oil, available at health food stores.

 

[morehairplease]

^^thanks for the great info!

 

[heyfranz]

I had this problem with my crown before LHCF. When my hair would break, it was always crown first, and it would always break at the line of demarcation. My crown is a totally different texture. Rough, dry, feels stronger, but oddly enough it breaks more easily. Since coming to LHCF, i now relax last (along with hairline), moisturize more, and when i DC, i swear i put like half a tub of DPR-11 on just my crown. I also henna. My crown is now the same length as the rest of my hair and i never get any breakage. Of course it usually doesn't start breaking until I'm full SL (right before the rest of my hair). I'll check back in when i'm full SL again. I'm hoping since i'm here now, I won't get the breakage and i'll be able to make it past that point. If i do, it'll be the first time in my life...

 

[beans4reezy]

I realized I had this problem when I was thirteen years old. I was playing with my hair and noticed the crown had severe breakage. I was so scared that I had it braided for a few months. It eventually grew back, but that area is MUCH drier than any other area and is much more prone to breakage, especially since I stretch relaxers (texturizer now). I give it extra moisture and am starting to add more conditoner to that area during my DC's. It hasn't broken off that badly since I was thirteen, but it still continues to be an area of concern for me.

 

[MizzCoco]

I immediately thought the same thing! I don't wet set often because the top of my hair dries in no time and the sides and back take forever. So, I found that I was sitting under the dryer for over an hour when the top of my hair had already dried. It was straight torture for the hair on the crown of my head.

I started putting a little strip of cloth on top of my crown rollers before sitting under the dryer...it has really helped slow down the drying time on that section of hair, and my crown is finally retaining length

 

[Patricia]

good advice ladies

 

[Honey01]

I have a similar problem. The hair in my crown, but particularly in the bang area is very coarse. As a matter of fact, it is my area that is somewhat resistant to relaxer. My bangs when wet always looked textaxed.

I have been transitioning since January and this area has me ready to give up! I literally can't a comb through it until it is pressed out. Also, it seems like I can put a whoe cup of conditioner on the new growth of this area and it does not seem to "soak it up" like the rest of my head.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

Also, it seems like I can put a whoe cup of conditioner on the new growth of this area and it does not seem to "soak it up" like the rest of my head.

You really might want to Add Porosity Control into your Regimen. Oftentimes Your Hair's Inability to retain Moisture can be a Porosity Problem. The area in your crown is probably very porous. i.e. dry, lacking moisture or the ability to retain moisture.

I was/am battling Overly Porous Hair myself due to overprocessing of both Relaxer/Color.

By adding Porosity Control as a Final Rinse after DC has helped tremendously and has helped me retain moisture.

 

[vkb247]

I also have really coarse hair at the crown of my head. I started getting my hair pressed years ago (I had a wave nouveau) and all of that area broke completely off which started me on the hair journey I am currently on. The hair there is a completely different texture, its harder to moisturize, and its much more delicate. I used to think that it was still shorter than the rest of my hair but it just has major shrinkage compared to the rest of my hair and it is thinner. I am extra careful when I detangle it and I put extra moisture and conditioner there.

The hair is getting thicker since I started using better hair practices but it still feels so coarse compared to the rest of my hair.I don't know what I can do to makeit feel soft like the rest of my hair. I want to be natural but I have visions of wearing my hair out and it looking like a big donut because of that coarser hair shrinking up so much. I honestly don't like that area of my hair very much.

 

[HeChangedMyName]

Bumping so I can sit down, read, and take note.


I realize that the reason my APL hair just doesn't look like APL to me is because the crown is so much thinner and shorter.

 

[lila_baby]

this constant crown breakage, is part of the reason i'm trying to transition again. the hair there is so odd- coarser, the actual strands are thicker and seriously brittle.

 

[brittle_hair]

I have that crown issue too - hoping MTG will sort it out.

 

[HeChangedMyName]

I'm gonna start combing that section in an upward motion and super moisterizing it, paying CLOSE attention to when it needs protein. I have to get this part caught up, which means, in my classic remedy, I may end up trimming the rest as the crown grows, just because I dislike the look of choppy uneven hair. we'll see. looks like 2010 will be my babying the crown year.

 

[hair4romheaven]

I have been told the temples and the crown are stress points so when your stressed or you mentally stressing that area takes a hard hit. I massage that area

 

[C.I.M.S.]

I have this problem and I think I have found what helps. My hair would get so thin up there and at its worst point the skin was usually extremely sensitive. For one thing, I switched to a better relaxer. I also treat that section of my head differently than the rest. I use Alter Ego Cren scalp drops in that area to clean, stimulate and tighten the follicles. My new growth is stronger and thicker because of the Cren. I use the Aphogee 2 minute a couple of times a month but I put it on the crown first, leave on for 3-4 minutes then apply to the rest my hair. Also, I learned here on the board about the benefits of collagen and added that to the regiment. Collagen is great for elasticity so I take a silica supplement and use Nairobi Humecta-Sil Conditioner. I hope this helps a little.

 

[HeChangedMyName]

I have been told the temples and the crown are stress points so when your stressed or you mentally stressing that area takes a hard hit. I massage that area

I know that is definitely true for me. I've lost my crown in the past to the point that I HAD to go halle berry short. I should start massaging as well. Can't hurt. How often do you massage?


I just realized that when I am close to time to relax, that area hurts and becomes tender also. wonder what the correlation is to the tenderness and the condition of the hair.

 

[HeChangedMyName]

I have this problem and I think I have found what helps. My hair would get so thin up there and at its worst point the skin was usually extremely sensitive. For one thing, I switched to a better relaxer. I also treat that section of my head differently than the rest. I use Alter Ego Cren scalp drops in that area to clean, stimulate and tighten the follicles. My new growth is stronger and thicker because of the Cren. I use the Aphogee 2 minute a couple of times a month but I put it on the crown first, leave on for 3-4 minutes then apply to the rest my hair. Also, I learned here on the board about the benefits of collagen and added that to the regiment. Collagen is great for elasticity so I take a silica supplement and use Nairobi Humecta-Sil Conditioner. I hope this helps a little.

Where can I get the alter ego cren drops from? I think I bought something by alter ego a while back, but got it online.

This is my first time hearing about adding a silica supplement. Are there any other benefits?


I'm looking at a description of the alter ego cren now. . . .
Cren means horseradish.

Hey, I have a whole fresh piece of that in the fridge now. . .let me find out I can mush that baby up and spread it on my scalp. lol Ok, I'm off to goodle "horseradish, hair" Be back with any interesting findings.

 

[hair4romheaven]

I know that is definitely true for me. I've lost my crown in the past to the point that I HAD to go halle berry short. I should start massaging as well. Can't hurt. How often do you massage?


I just realized that when I am close to time to relax, that area hurts and becomes tender also. wonder what the correlation is to the tenderness and the condition of the hair.

I massage that area daily and ensure its clean no product build up. I also do scalp scrubs by ORS. That area doesnt like thick oils like JBCO. I had to stop weave & braids as well

 

[HeChangedMyName]

Freshly grated raphanus prevents falling out of hair because it improves blood circulation in the scalp. Horse-radish also prevents hair loss and, in addition, it improves the regeneration of hair roots. Extract from raphanus is often used to produce various drugs for growing hair. After using the poultice on your hair you should rinse your hair until the unpleasant smell is gone. After that, you may use one of the herbal lotions.

found here. There is some great stuff listed here I'm bookmarking it ASAP

Horseradish Stimulant
[SIZE=-1]Horseradish oil is not recommended for use by pregnant women. It is a wonderful stimulant and if used when hair begins to be lost, it is an excellent remedy.[/SIZE] 2 tspns Soy Oil
1 1/2 oz Grapeseed Oil
2 drops Wheatgerm Oil
30 drops Horseradish Oil

Apply to the scalp and massage in with your fingertips. Leave on for a few hours. Wash off with a mild shampoo.

found this one Here. Another great deal of info for bookmarking

Adding horseradish oil to my pj list.

 

[C.I.M.S.]

I got the Cren from Amazon.com. Sleekhair.com just started carrying Alter Ego too. I really like the Cren, I put it on when I wash and every other day or so. It helps when the crown gets itchy. It definitely works. I won't say that it makes my hair grow faster, it just gives it a lot more density and integrity.