WHEN NONE OF THE HAIR BREAKAGE TREATMENT WORKS... WHAT'S NEXT?

[LadyZ]

For moisture . . . it's Kenra hands down. KeraCare is also a good line, but if your hair is iffy about mineral oil you may not do well with it. Kenra to me is the better bet if moisture is your goal.

===

Even though it has protein in it?

 

[gorgeoushair]

For moisture . . . it's Kenra hands down. KeraCare is also a good line, but if your hair is iffy about mineral oil you may not do well with it. Kenra to me is the better bet if moisture is your goal.

And to think I started to suggest this too

 

[LadyZ]

It could be that you need an moisture based leave in.

My hair will do the same. When I take out the rollers the little hairs are there.

I started using moisture leave ins especially on the end like pink oil or olive oil and no more. I didnt have enough moisture in my life.

====

I use NTM leave-in also... no difference

 

[Sistaslick]

===

Even though it has protein in it?

Oh yes! The protein in Kenra is hydrolized wheat protein. This protein is actually more for elasticity than structure. That's why many folks who use Kenra exclusively (like myself ) end up having to supplement the line with products from a protein-based line like Aphogee or Aveda. You will never get protein overload from Kenra. Ever. Even Kenra's reconstructor is a protein joke. I always recommend Kenra to folks who are trying to recover from protein overload, because it is such a good moisturizing line from the shampoo to the leave in. Even the chelating shampoo is gentle.

 

[LadyZ]

Oh yes! The protein in Kenra is hydrolized wheat protein. This protein is actually more for elasticity than structure. That's why many folks who use Kenra exclusively (like myself ) end up having to supplement the line with products from a protein-based line like Aphogee or Aveda. You will never get protein overload from Kenra. Ever. Even Kenra's reconstructor is a protein joke. I always recommend Kenra to folks who are trying to recover from protein overload, because it is such a good moisturizing line from the shampoo to the leave in. Even the chelating shampoo is gentle.

===
Thanks, I will get some... Where is it sold?... I see some sights on line carry it...

 

[Sistaslick]

====

I use NTM leave-in also... no difference

You mean Neutragena Triple Moisture Silicone-Touch Leave In? Girl, that's water and C-O-N-E-S.

 

[Sistaslick]

===
Thanks, I will get some... Where is it sold?... I see some sights on line carry it...

WalMart's salon carries their Volumizing line, which is just as good as the moisturizing line-- just not as rich/creamy. It's meant for fine hair, so it's light. TradeSecret and ULTA also sell Kenra if I am not mistaken.

I use the thicker, moisturizing line, and I order mine online usually. Where ever I can find it at a good price. Sleekhair.com is pretty good.

 

[LadyZ]

You mean Neutragena Triple Moisture Silicone-Touch Leave In? Girl, that's water and C-O-N-E-S.

===
Yep... That's the one... It did nothing for me...

 

[Sistaslick]

===
Yep... That's the one... It did nothing for me...

Yeah, some people swear by it, but if your hair is sensitive to cones, you won't like it much. It just sits on top of my hair chillin'.

 

[LadyZ]

WalMart's salon carries their Volumizing line, which is just as good as the moisturizing line-- just not as rich/creamy. It's meant for fine hair, so it's light. TradeSecret and ULTA also sell Kenra if I am not mistaken.

I use the thicker, moisturizing line, and I order mine online usually. Where ever I can find it at a good price. Sleekhair.com is pretty good.

===

Thanks Sista,
I appreciate all your good advise...
I was looking on line at salon products.. and I see that a lot of them have protein in them, then of course I got confused.... I will be ordering these products in the morning... the complete line... I need some quality products, that get the job done for real...

Thank you so much...:notworthy Sistaslick is a :superman: :whipgirl:

 

[locabouthair]

LadyZ I love your hair! I am having the same issues and have tried everything you have so I can't add anythign to the thread. I hope your breakage stops soon. let us know how it goes!

 

[ChocalateDiva]

Maybe you are pulling your rollers too tight and the hair is shrinking and breaking when it dries, thus resulting in lil broken pieces all week long.

Best of luck.

 

[SelfStyled]

That is where I am at...
I have tried moisture treatments, still breaks...
protein treatments, still breaks...
Some are shedding long hairs, bulbs attached, but most are short hairs from 1/4" to 4".

My wet/dry strand test is mixed... some hairs weak, some strong...
Porosity test good... strands floats...

I have had a physical...good there...
exercise 3 days a week
drink plenty of water
eat very healthy
drink protein shakes
take Vit.
touch-up every 7 to 8 weeks(any longer, my hair can not take it)
I have 4 b hair

Products I mainly use are:

SheaMoisture Shea Butter Shampoo
Motions Moisture Plus Conditioner
Cantu Leave-in
Seal with serum or oil

I have used some protein not a lot... mainly before and after touch-up...
I have increased my protein since this problem started and I always followed by a moisturizing treatment but, I still get the same results, breakage...

I wash once a week
only use heat for deep conditioning and to dry roller sets
I wear protective styles 4 to 5 days a week, usually a bun(not in the same position), or one large french braid in the back...
Dusted my ends, even though they look good...

I only comb about twice a week, wash day and to change my protective style...
I moisturize and seal almost every day...
Wear a satin bonnet or silk scarf at night...

On wash day my hair does good, no excessive breakage/shedding during the rollerset...
After my hair is dry from the hooded dryer and I start removing the rollers, do I see the little hairs falling on the sink... I don't know why this happens

I guess I just have to hope it goes away in it's own time, I have tried and done everything I can...

The oil rinses have helped, my hair can now be combed without hitting tangles and hearing pop, pop, pop with each section I comb... now I hear an occasional pop, and only hit a snag that I detangle with my fingers... but still breakage when I comb...

What kind of hair problems is this?... It seems like it has reach terminal length and will now self destruct

Well, that's when I am at...
I welcome any sympathy and any thing. you care to share or add..
I'm not picky at all...

Thanks Ladies

The exact same thing happens to me! I have stopped roller setting for a while until I can get my breakage under control- which I hate cause I love my roller sets. I can totally relate to your confusion about the moisture protein balance thing. Sista has offered some great advice product wise, it sounds like your doing a great job switching up your PS styles- my only advice would be stop the roller sets for now or maybe don't roll too tight. Good Luck Lady Z! And thanks for starting this thread because you know you are helping countless others w/ breakage problems too.

 

[january noir]

Sistaslick came to the rescue I see! Great advice from her and all the ladies that chimed in.

I would like to add information on 2 products and one technique that has seemed to help my breakage tremendously in the last month and I am so happy.

I have little to no shedding (other than what is normal) or breakage for days after these treatments. They are:

Capilo Avocado Conditioner - increases your hair's elasticity which helps retain length.


Pantene R&N Breakage Defense Mask - great slip and the smell is heavenly.


Oil Rinses/Washes - Incredible! Seals in moisture and helps with detangling; I use EVOO and Amla oil, but any oil will do. Other recs are grapeseed and coconut oil.

At that rate of my "no-breakage," I should be looking good come December 2008!

 

[gorgeoushair]

Yeah, some people swear by it, but if your hair is sensitive to cones, you won't like it much. It just sits on top of my hair chillin'.

Girl you are crazy

 

[gorgeoushair]

===
Thanks, I will get some... Where is it sold?... I see some sights on line carry it...

I would suggest you contact Kenra by email and ask if they can send you some samples- that way you can try before you buy That's how i tried it.

 

[LadyZ]

Thank Ladies,

This thread has some very good advise in it... One thing I love about this forum is how the ladies hear your cries for help and they come running to help you... That touches my heart so deeply and all I can say is *Thanks* and

I ordered the Kenra products this morning and will be using them for a while...


ChocalateDiva, Selfstlyed
I think you may be on to something with the roller sets, because I do pull and roll so they are some what tight... but I will do the loser and see if that helps and if not I will just use a silk scarf and dry that way... I think that has something to do with it because my hair is OK until I remove the rollers, so it has to a connection between the roller set and leave-in products:scratchch

january noir
I used to use these products a few years back, and my hair thrived and did well with them... I may start back after I get rid of this junk I have...

Thank you ladies for all the great info... And for the ladies who are going through this too... Hang in there and follow Sistaslick's advice... This woman is a hair wizard and knows about products and their ingredients... I have a closet full of junk and none were salon quality like she said... Now I will buy some Wheat protein to add a little to the junk I have and see if I can get them to work or just combine all of them together is a container and use as pre-wash...

I will keep everyone posted..
Thank You So Very Much

 

[azul11]

I am so happy that the ladies here came to give you advise on this. Sistaslick really came through and gave you good tips to use.

As gorgeoushair mentioned you can go to kenra.com and write to them and ask for a sample. I did this a while back when I wrote to them telling them I couldnt find a salon that sold the product near me and they sent me a bunch of samples. God bless you all.

 

[RubyWoo]

This is a great thread! Great advice was provided by all. Good luck with your hair woes LadyZ. Ever since I started using a salon brand moisturizing deep conditioner, my hair has improved significantly. I'm certain that your breakage will cease shortly.

 

[Supergirl]

That is where I am at...
I have tried moisture treatments, still breaks...
protein treatments, still breaks...
Some are shedding long hairs, bulbs attached, but most are short hairs from 1/4" to 4".

My wet/dry strand test is mixed... some hairs weak, some strong...
Porosity test good... strands floats...

I have had a physical...good there...
exercise 3 days a week
drink plenty of water
eat very healthy
drink protein shakes
take Vit.
touch-up every 7 to 8 weeks(any longer, my hair can not take it)
I have 4 b hair

Products I mainly use are:

SheaMoisture Shea Butter Shampoo
Motions Moisture Plus Conditioner
Cantu Leave-in
Seal with serum or oil

I have used some protein not a lot... mainly before and after touch-up...
I have increased my protein since this problem started and I always followed by a moisturizing treatment but, I still get the same results, breakage...

I wash once a week
only use heat for deep conditioning and to dry roller sets
I wear protective styles 4 to 5 days a week, usually a bun(not in the same position), or one large french braid in the back...
Dusted my ends, even though they look good...

I only comb about twice a week, wash day and to change my protective style...
I moisturize and seal almost every day...
Wear a satin bonnet or silk scarf at night...

On wash day my hair does good, no excessive breakage/shedding during the rollerset...
After my hair is dry from the hooded dryer and I start removing the rollers, do I see the little hairs falling on the sink... I don't know why this happens

I guess I just have to hope it goes away in it's own time, I have tried and done everything I can...

The oil rinses have helped, my hair can now be combed without hitting tangles and hearing pop, pop, pop with each section I comb... now I hear an occasional pop, and only hit a snag that I detangle with my fingers... but still breakage when I comb...

What kind of hair problems is this?... It seems like it has reach terminal length and will now self destruct

Well, that's when I am at...
I welcome any sympathy and any thing. you care to share or add..
I'm not picky at all...

Thanks Ladies

Well, first off you did a great job describing everything (and more!) that we need to know to properly "diagnose" you.

Your health and regimen sound great. I also see that you've been a member here since 2004 so you aren't somebody who joined last week and started good hair care last week and are wondering why your hair is breaking.

I haven't read through the entire thread, but I'll bet someone has recommended some type of garlic treatment to you. I've never used it, but many here seem to swear by it to help with shedding. I just figured out why garlic would be a good hair treatment. It's because of the sulfur! We all know that sulfur is great for the hair.

Now the one thing I didn't see is Mizani Rose H20 Nighttime Treatment. I always recommend this for breaking hair. I don't think you can go wrong with this. It works. Get some and stick with it for at least 2-3 weeks.

Also, the sheamoisture shampoo has a sulfate ingredient in it, one of the more drying ones. You may want to find another shampoo. The Kenra, Elasta, and Elucence line all have sulfate free shampoos.

Good luck

 

[sareca]

I agree with Supergirl. Your reggie sounds "experienced" to me too.
I was a PJ for years and finding the "right" products was extremely
important but nothing helped me as much as learning to handle
my hair gently and learning to manipulate my hair less. Since
your reggie is so good I'm thinking it's how you are handling your
hair (either wet, dry, or both).

So instead of recommending a product I'm gonna say:

• use less product (i.e., dilute your poo or skip it altogether)
• minimize use of the comb/brush and try Robin's method for detangling when you do comb/brush your hair.

 

[gymfreak336]

Yeah, some people swear by it, but if your hair is sensitive to cones, you won't like it much. It just sits on top of my hair chillin'.

Maybe that is why it worked well for me for like a month and that was it...even after clarifying.

 

[ryanshope]

Well, I think you still have too much protein going on in your regimen and not nearly enough moisture. Looking over your products, I see protein (Cantu) (egg/mayo), silicones (Motions conditioner), and other sealants (oil, serum). Not really seeing where you are getting any moisture in girl! You said you moisturize regularly . . . what are you using for that?

Alot of times, when folks say "Well, I've tried moisture and I've tried protein" the moisture trial wasn't given the proper chance. You can't really think of protein and moisture as a 1 to 1 sort of deal. A protein treatment or product totally overrules a moisturizing deep conditioning most of the time. It usually takes several deep conditionings with moisture on a protein-less regimen to get moisture levels right again-- then you have to maintain that level. Protein treatments can last for weeks on the hair b/c they are able to form strong bonds on the shaft, but moisture evaporates very easily since the bonds it forms are generally weak. That's why a regimen should be more moisture heavy than protein heavy-- I'd say almost 80-90% moisture, 10-20% protein.

I really think that you should invest in a really good moisturizing shampoo and deep conditioner combo. Not Dove. Not Motions. Not ElastaQP. Not Pantene-- I mean a good salon quality moisturizing shampoo and deep conditioner. To me, I think you can skimp on the other products in your regimen, but a good deep conditioner can make up for alot slack. Like Gym said, the "cones" in the Motions make it an "aight" moisturizing conditioner. I wouldn't expect it to deliver you from a moisture deficiency.

You did right to clarify, but I think you should go cold turkey on the protein until further notice. Focus on replenishing the moisture levels in your hair. That means, you may need to clarify again to get rid of the silicone product buildup on your hair from your conditioner, oil, and serum. The Cantu will need to be put on hold b/c that's more protein.

Big ups and good advice, Sistaslick..I was just going to suggest a "salon" quality conditioner(Joico, Nexxus, Paul Mitchell, Kenra). I agree that unless you are cowashing daily, a salon quality conditioner is a necessity for complete haircare. Breakage hasn't been a problem for me since I don't use heat daily, but my hair is so soft, supple and free flowing since I switched to Nexxus Humectress. I have never have breakage problems any more. Trims help too, but to stop breakage, the hair requires a good balance between moisture and strength.

MOISTURE= a HUMECTANT(not silicones)
STRENGTH= a PROTEIN.

Some good moisturizing conditioners I have tried and recieved good results with are:

Mizani Moisturefuse and Hydrafuse
Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner
Nexxus Humectress

Three of these four state that they are "humectants". Once the moisture balance is restored; protein can be reintroduce. HTH and good luck.

 

[EMJazzy]

Quite a few of those products listed and mentioned have mineral oil in them....perhaps you hair doesn't like mineral oil? (I know my hair hates it with a passion) The same breakage was happening with me til I stopped using anything with mineral oil in it.

 

[locabouthair]

Big ups and good advice, Sistaslick..I was just going to suggest a "salon" quality conditioner(Joico, Nexxus, Paul Mitchell, Kenra). I agree that unless you are cowashing daily, a salon quality conditioner is a necessity for complete haircare. Breakage hasn't been a problem for me since I don't use heat daily, but my hair is so soft, supple and free flowing since I switched to Nexxus Humectress. I have never have breakage problems any more. Trims help too, but to stop breakage, the hair requires a good balance between moisture and strength.

MOISTURE= a HUMECTANT(not silicones)
STRENGTH= a PROTEIN.

Some good moisturizing conditioners I have tried and recieved good results with are:

Mizani Moisturefuse and Hydrafuse
Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner
Nexxus Humectress

Three of these four state that they are "humectants". Once the moisture balance is restored; protein can be reintroduce. HTH and good luck.

Do you use these with heat and for how long?

 

[gymfreak336]

Do you use these with heat and for how long?

I usually use heat with just about any conditioner for 15 minutes.

 

[ryanshope]

Sometimes--I always use a conditioning cap, regular shower cap. I keep the conditioner in for at least 15 minutes...I haven't deep condition with heat in about two weeks. Still having great results with Nexxus, havent used any other conditioners.

 

[KiniKakes]

Im curious to know exactly how much breakage you are experiencing...? I mean, is it a significant amount? And is it each and every single time you comb or manipulate your hair? If its just a few broken pieces here and there, maybe it's not really a problem....?

In my case, with my hair being so fragile/fine/soft, i have come to terms with the fact that some breakage is just going to be inevitable. Mind you, this is after experimenting similarly with different things. Knowing this now, im okay with it and dont freak out anymore over it. Maybe there are some women on the board who can get 0 strands of breakage daily, but i realize that will never be me or my hair.

Anyway, good luck, and i hope you figure it out!

 

[Gemini350z]

Thank you for starting this thread. I am having the same issues, and have been trying to overcome them but was failing miserably. I figured out that I was using too much protein and the conditioners that I used were not moisturizing my hair like they should.

I will be going to Ulta tomorrow to pick up Kenra and Nexxus.

Thank you for the tips.

Has anyone tried Matrix Biolage Ultra Hydrating Balm? I wanted to know if this would be a good one to add to the lineup?

The ingredients are as follows:


Water/Aqua, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride Glycerin, Amodimethicone, Cetyl Esters, Lanolin, Fragrance, Methylparaben, Cetrimonium Chloride, Tricontanyl PVP, Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride, Propylene Glycol, Polysorbate-20, Shea Butter (Butyrospermum Parkii) Fruit, Algae Extract/Algae, Safe Leaf Extract/Salvia Officinalis, Pollen Extract, Saponaria Officinalis Extract/Saponaria Officinalis, Silk Amino Acids, Wheat Germ Oil/Triticum Vulgare, Lemongrass Extract/Cymbopogon Schoenanthus

 

[HoneyDew]

Im curious to know exactly how much breakage you are experiencing...? I mean, is it a significant amount? And is it each and every single time you comb or manipulate your hair? If its just a few broken pieces here and there, maybe it's not really a problem....?

In my case, with my hair being so fragile/fine/soft, i have come to terms with the fact that some breakage is just going to be inevitable. Mind you, this is after experimenting similarly with different things. Knowing this now, im okay with it and dont freak out anymore over it. Maybe there are some women on the board who can get 0 strands of breakage daily, but i realize that will never be me or my hair.

Anyway, good luck, and i hope you figure it out!

I agree Kini. I had to really let it sink in that I DO have fine fragile hair and that it is prone to break. It did not really know that until I came to LHCF. My hair just cannot handle certain appliances (maxiglide plates with the teeth, blowdryer comb attachments, etc) and that I will get breakage regardless. And you know what? I still retain my hair because I can tell after each relaxer that my hair is getting longer and longer. I don't worry about it that much anymore. For me, a little breakage is not all that big of a deal.