wash 'n wear hair frequently = breakage?

[mags23]

I've been co-washing my hair every 2-3 days and put it in a pony while wet. My hair is relaxed and colored. I don't use shampoo and I make sure it's well moisturized. I'm trying this method to reduce the amount of heat damage. A friend told me that my hair will start to break if i continue to wear it wet. Please give me some advice.

 

[*Happily Me*]

nope.

this is my main style. i have no breakage, but i do need more protein. my hair is becoming very elastic from moisture overload.

 

[loveable37]

disagree!!!
I stop doin the baggie method becuse it made my ends weak, moisture dont causes breakage.

HOW ARE U HANDLING UR HAIR WHILES WET?

 

[january noir]

I've been co-washing my hair every 2-3 days and put it in a pony while wet. My hair is relaxed and colored. I don't use shampoo and I make sure it's well moisturized. I'm trying this method to reduce the amount of heat damage. A friend told me that my hair will start to break if i continue to wear it wet. Please give me some advice.

Hi mags23!
Relaxed and colored hair should be handled gently anyway and depending on your hair type, should only be manipulated while wet when detangling.

With that being said, continuous pony-tailing your hair while wet could cause breakage no matter how well conditioned or moisturized your hair is.

Try waiting until your hair is almost dry or lightly damp before pony-tailing or any other manipulation to avoid breakage. Do this even when moisturizing and sealing after cowashes and poos. HTH!

 

[mermaid]

I am not relaxed, but do color my hair and I shampoo and condition every day if my hair isn't flat ironed.
No breakage here and my scalp DEMANDS to be shampooed at least 3 times a week.
Tell your friend to try it and stop spreading old wives tales!

 

[FineChyna]

wet hair that is air drying doesn't work well with me either it is in ponytails or not. my hair gets very tangled and hard to manage regardless of what i put in there i tried it a handful of times and was sorry i did it. i guess it depends on your hair, the products you put in it and how you are wearing your hair.

is the band too tight? would putting moisturizer on the elastic band before putting it in your hair work? were you having these problems with dry hair too?

 

[HERicane10]

I CW 3x per week and POO 3x, so my hair is ALWAYS wet. I have not had a problem with breakage at all; just the opposite actually, I now lose maybe 5-10 hairs from total routine. I just detangle my hair in the flow of the water first, then put my conditioner on (hair and scalp) and MAYBE comb through to distribute, with CONDITIONER ON I place a pantyhose hairband (soaked in oil usually) around my ponytail, then i just rinse my hairlightly in cool water(PONYTAIL IN) and I'm done. I let it airdry 20-30 minutes before applying Infusium 23 leave-in spray and oils. Then I baggie.

Henna treatments 2-3x per week keep my med. fine hair from getting to "mushy".

 

[shunta]

Hi mags23!
Relaxed and colored hair should be handled gently anyway and depending on your hair type, should only be manipulated while wet when detangling.

With that being said, continuous pony-tailing your hair while wet could cause breakage no matter how well conditioned or moisturized your hair is.

Try waiting until your hair is almost dry or lightly damp before pony-tailing or any other manipulation to avoid breakage. Do this even when moisturizing and sealing after cowashes and poos. HTH!

Yep I agree.

 

[dona_flor]

Don't worry, Mags23 . I relax and color also (Phytorelaxer Index 2/Bigen Oriental Black) , and this is the way I usually style my hair. If anything, my hair sheds/breaks less by washing more often and avoiding heat styling. A year ago, my hair was broken off to just below my ears (I will never lighten my relaxed hair again ). Now, it's just about to my shoulders. I agree with january noir and lovable37 that it's how you manipulate your hair while wet that is most important. I like to make sure that I detangle while my conditioning rinse is still on my hair. This way I don't have to comb or stretch my hair to get it into pony or bun.

2 questions:

What type of comb do you use?

What type of band do you use for your pony? (I use a satin or silk scunci.)

Good Luck

 

[firecracker]

I'm a wash and go'er with no breakage. I also deep condition at least twice a week. I will say that when I was relaxed it would break if I put my hair in a wet ponytail w/o using Humectress as a leave in.

 

[RubyWoo]

Hi mags23!
Relaxed and colored hair should be handled gently anyway and depending on your hair type, should only be manipulated while wet when detangling.

With that being said, continuous pony-tailing your hair while wet could cause breakage no matter how well conditioned or moisturized your hair is.

Try waiting until your hair is almost dry or lightly damp before pony-tailing or any other manipulation to avoid breakage. Do this even when moisturizing and sealing after cowashes and poos. HTH!

For the most part I agree. I also think it depends on how tight the ponytail is in addition to the condition/state (healthwise) of your hair. The the tighter the ponytail, the greater the tension being applied to your and consequently that increases your chances of breakage. When I was a teenager I had terrible hair habits and damaged hair to show for it and I used to wet my hair and then pull it into a tight ponytail. It was damaging and weakened my hair and thus my hair never changed in length due to breakage. This was just one of the habits that I've learned that were bad for my hair.

I'm sure there are always exceptions to the rule as evidenced by some of the posts in this thread. However, I believe that it all depends on the state of your hair and the tension from the ponytail that will determine if there will be damage/breakage.

 

[brazenxvirtue]

I think a lot depends on what products you're using. If, for instance, you shampoo and it's stripping or your conditioner isn't sufficiently moisturizing, I think it's possible to do more harm than good.

But for me, now that I've found great things to use, washing my hair then letting it air dry pinned up gives my hair a nice break. I find my ends behave better when I do this.

 

[navsegda]

I've been co-washing my hair every 2-3 days and put it in a pony while wet. My hair is relaxed and colored. I don't use shampoo and I make sure it's well moisturized. I'm trying this method to reduce the amount of heat damage. A friend told me that my hair will start to break if i continue to wear it wet. Please give me some advice.

Wearing your hair wet won't make it break. As other ladies have said, it's all about how you manipulate it. All hair breaks when it is manipulated at a certain angle. The reason why our hair can seem to break more sometimes when wet is because for a lot of us, our hair becomes curly, wavy, or may seem more coiled when wet. Thus, for those of us who have hair that does this, the strands are already bent at different angles when wet, so a comb or brush is going to do 1 of 2 things: 1. help straighten out the strands to avoid reaching the breakage angle or 2. bend the strand even more and then put enough pressure on it so that it surpasses the breakage angle at that point. It is not a reflection of your hair's strength. Even the strongest strands will break when they reach that threshold point at a certain angle (which can happen quickly if you aren't careful with how you comb your hair when wet). But if you aren't manipulating your hair much when wet, you don't really have anything to worry about.

However, you can increase the strength of your strands so that the threshold angle is higher for them. Maybe you need a little more protein (sounds like you're doing great with the moisture already).

 

[toniy]

I'm no expert but, I cw and wear ponytails everyday to work. Its cold here so I dont like my hair to be too wet. I take my towel and lightly press/squeeze (no pulling) it against my hair to soak up most of the water.Then, I am very gentle with it. I have no breakage.

Hericane -That pantyhose hairband in oil sounds like something i need to try. Thanks

 

[Whimsy]

Wash n go girl here. I would only suggest that you don't pony it while wet. let it air dry then you can manipulate it a little bit. I don't think it causes breakage, before my bc i was wearing my hair wash n wear for years without a problem and now i'm back at it again.

 

[JuicesN'Berries]

Now that I have stopped doing the wash N' wear my hair has hardly any breakage or split ends. When I used to wet it I would not manipulate it too much. Just some gel or conditioner and my hair stayed breaking and I always had split ends. All I can say is try both ways for a certain period of time and see. It obviously is different strokes for different fokes. I can say that my hair looks healthier and has alot less split ends since I stopped wetting it. I did see an article stating that wetting hair frequently causes the hair to be weak......I see their point, but this may or may not be true.

 

[sareca]

Hi mags23!
Relaxed and colored hair should be handled gently anyway and depending on your hair type, should only be manipulated while wet when detangling.

With that being said, continuous pony-tailing your hair while wet could cause breakage no matter how well conditioned or moisturized your hair is.

Try waiting until your hair is almost dry or lightly damp before pony-tailing or any other manipulation to avoid breakage. Do this even when moisturizing and sealing after cowashes and poos. HTH!

ITA. Frequency and rough manipulation of wet hair = breakage
My primary style is WNG and my ends are better than I've ever seen them. I don't baggy or bun or anything. I just don't put bands or claws in my hair until it is about 90% dry.

 

[dona_flor]

ITA. Frequency and rough manipulation of wet hair = breakage
My primary style is WNG and my ends are better than I've ever seen them. I don't baggy or bun or anything. I just don't put bands or claws in my hair until it is about 90% dry.

I'm going to try this the next time I wash. Thanks for the tip .

Does anyone use anything to "seal" the ends of your hair as it airdrys? I usually use Nubian Heritage Hair Souffle or Dabur Amla or Dabur Special Hair Oil to keep my hair smooth.

Does sealing the ends (after using a leave-in conditioner) help to prevent breakage?

 

[rdm]

Frequent co washes work well for me when it is 1-2 weeks before it is time for a touch up. It helps for me to detangle and moisturize in the shower. When I get out, I put in leave in conditioner and oil. Then, I gently twist and pin into a bun.

 

[ravenmerlita]

Frequent wash and goes have really helped my hair. However, I have to avoid handling my hair once it has air-dried or else it can break. I try not to comb or brush air-dried hair.

 

[CAPlush]

I tried something new last night after being inspired by a pic of one of Kinikake's protective styles ,the pinned up braid, and I just thought it might help you.

I washed, deep conditioned, and rinsed and detangled under the shower head. While still in the shower, I very gently twisted my hair into one big two-strand twist, and pinned it up with a duck bill clip, straight up like Kinikakes braid. I let it dry for a bit, added some oils to seal, then pinned it back up. The hair dried VERY quickly this way, there was no tension from pulling it back into a pony, and it was super easy. I did not see a single broken hair with this routine.

 

[dona_flor]

Frequent co washes work well for me when it is 1-2 weeks before it is time for a touch up. It helps for me to detangle and moisturize in the shower. When I get out, I put in leave in conditioner and oil. Then, I gently twist and pin into a bun.

rdm,

Your hair is gorgeous (I peeked at your fokti) and your ends look very smooth and healthy. What oil (or oils) do you use?

 

[rdm]

rdm,

Your hair is gorgeous (I peeked at your fokti) and your ends look very smooth and healthy. What oil (or oils) do you use?

Thank you dona flor
I hate to admit it but I use good old fashioned Ultra Sheen Hair Grease, KeraCare Glossifier or NTM Healing Serum,

 

[Sistaslick]

I've been co-washing my hair every 2-3 days and put it in a pony while wet. My hair is relaxed and colored. I don't use shampoo and I make sure it's well moisturized. I'm trying this method to reduce the amount of heat damage. A friend told me that my hair will start to break if i continue to wear it wet. Please give me some advice.

I agree with everything January noir said.

I'm a frequent washer too, and I've had nothing but great experiences with it. One thing I'll say though, with relaxed and color treated hair you really have to make sure that you give your hair adequate amounts of protein conditioning regularly. I like cheapie light protein conditioners like Garnier Fructis Long N Strong or toss in an ORS replenishing pac for a little more. Like Dsylla said, regularly co-washing can lean you a little too far on the over-moisturized side giving you soft, gummy hair. Products are important. So make sure you rotate between moisturizing conditioners and protein rich conditioners and moisturizers to keep yourself balanced. You can successfully wash your hair often and come out unscathed, but if you notice the super elasticity creeping, a suffering nape, or any other types of wet ponytailing issues-- take action!

I definitely agree that you should give your hair a chance to dry some between washes. I bun regularly, but before I pull my hair back, I give it a chance to dry a bit first. That is really for two reasons: 1.) I get maximum fullness for my buns and 2.) I don't put pulling tension or stress on already fragile, wet hair. If you aren't careful, that constant pulling tension can weaken the hair in the areas near the holder/nape/behind ears/ etc. Wet hair is already stretched out beyond its normal dimensions and it will try to contract into its normal orientation as it dries, pulling it super taut in this state can weaken already chemically compromised hair leading to breakage. So be careful with that.

I also fully agree with the suggestion of using hair friendly hoisery holders soaked in oil-- these won't cut into or rub your hair.

 

[dona_flor]

Thank you dona flor
I hate to admit it but I use good old fashioned Ultra Sheen Hair Grease, KeraCare Glossifier or NTM Healing Serum,

There nothing wrong with that..grease is the word, right Thanks!

 

[honeybadgirl]

Wearing your hair wet won't make it break. As other ladies have said, it's all about how you manipulate it. All hair breaks when it is manipulated at a certain angle. The reason why our hair can seem to break more sometimes when wet is because for a lot of us, our hair becomes curly, wavy, or may seem more coiled when wet. Thus, for those of us who have hair that does this, the strands are already bent at different angles when wet, so a comb or brush is going to do 1 of 2 things: 1. help straighten out the strands to avoid reaching the breakage angle or 2. bend the strand even more and then put enough pressure on it so that it surpasses the breakage angle at that point. It is not a reflection of your hair's strength. Even the strongest strands will break when they reach that threshold point at a certain angle (which can happen quickly if you aren't careful with how you comb your hair when wet). But if you aren't manipulating your hair much when wet, you don't really have anything to worry about.

However, you can increase the strength of your strands so that the threshold angle is higher for them. Maybe you need a little more protein (sounds like you're doing great with the moisture already).

well, you made me feel better! i was getting very paranoid while reading this thread. i'm a newbie and i also started the baggie method wearing my hair in a bun. i was fearing that my hair could be breaking after reading all the comments. i really wouldnt know since i havent seen my hair dry in about 2 weeks now. i have natural 3b hair.
i hope all is well on my head. i'll keep what you said in mind.

 

[mags23]

Hi mags23!
Relaxed and colored hair should be handled gently anyway and depending on your hair type, should only be manipulated while wet when detangling.

With that being said, continuous pony-tailing your hair while wet could cause breakage no matter how well conditioned or moisturized your hair is.

Try waiting until your hair is almost dry or lightly damp before pony-tailing or any other manipulation to avoid breakage. Do this even when moisturizing and sealing after cowashes and poos. HTH!

Thank you all. I try not to manipulate my hair while wet. I do co-wash and moisturized/detangled in the shower. I normally use leave-in conditioner and almond oil, then pull it back. I will try to let it air-dry for awhile before pulling it back.

 

[Sistaslick]

Thank you all. I try not to manipulate my hair while wet. I do co-wash and moisturized/detangled in the shower. I normally use leave-in conditioner and almond oil, then pull it back. I will try to let it air-dry for awhile before pulling it back.

Yeah, this will really help you here. I remember when I first started trying to grow my hair out I was a faithful, faithful wet bunner. I was fine for awhile, but it can sneak up on ya if you aren't careful. While that wet, wet bunning worked and I gained length, I found that it was stressing out certain areas of my hair. Some parts under the holder would never dry before the next wash and I ran into problems with matting and some other drama doing that. I think relaxed and colored hair is just the most sensitive when wet. Letting it dry some before slicking back really helped me.

 

[Qetesh]

I've been co-washing my hair every 2-3 days and put it in a pony while wet. My hair is relaxed and colored. I don't use shampoo and I make sure it's well moisturized. I'm trying this method to reduce the amount of heat damage. A friend told me that my hair will start to break if i continue to wear it wet. Please give me some advice.

while i am not relaxed and colored, I do co-wash every 3-4 days and i found that my hair has been thriving on this. i dont however put my hair in a pony often i braid it up at night and generally wear it out and down (big) during the day. I found my breakage is alot less than it was when i hotcombed or got regular blow outs. i make sure to moisturize my hair daily and i keep my scalp clean i think these 2 things are why my breakage is less. I would suggest to try braid outs from time to time and also try sitting under the dryer on low, some people have said that letting thier hair airdry is damaging for them so maybe it just depends on your hair. I have never had that problem espcailly when my hair is in braids while drying.

 

[fancypants007]

Wearing your hair wet won't make it break. As other ladies have said, it's all about how you manipulate it. All hair breaks when it is manipulated at a certain angle. The reason why our hair can seem to break more sometimes when wet is because for a lot of us, our hair becomes curly, wavy, or may seem more coiled when wet. Thus, for those of us who have hair that does this, the strands are already bent at different angles when wet, so a comb or brush is going to do 1 of 2 things: 1. help straighten out the strands to avoid reaching the breakage angle or 2. bend the strand even more and then put enough pressure on it so that it surpasses the breakage angle at that point. It is not a reflection of your hair's strength. Even the strongest strands will break when they reach that threshold point at a certain angle (which can happen quickly if you aren't careful with how you comb your hair when wet). But if you aren't manipulating your hair much when wet, you don't really have anything to worry about.

However, you can increase the strength of your strands so that the threshold angle is higher for them. Maybe you need a little more protein (sounds like you're doing great with the moisture already).

I tend to agree. I have been wearing my hair in a bun (foam donut covered with satin) since March 06 and I moisturise my hair every AM before putting it in the bun and I have had no problems. I put my hair in bun when it is wet and my hair is thriving in fact and it is growing.