So, is there a cure for stringy hair? What are some of the causes of stringy hair? Has anyone here had stringy hair and found a cure for it?
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So, is there a cure for stringy hair? What are some of the causes of stringy hair? Has anyone here had stringy hair and found a cure for it?
Do you mean limp looking strands, as in a little dirty looking? Or are you referring to thinness? I've noticed that recently my hair is looking really stringy and I think it's from over oiling. If you use oil, try limiting the amount...
I've also noticed my hair became stringy ever since I switched to non-sls shampoo, hopefully it'll adjust and get bouncier. I think build-up could be another cause for 'stringiness' so one solution is clarifying once in a while.
I'm not really sure how to describe it, but the hair looks dirty and limp and thin (like you mentioned) but also instead of flowing altogether it separates into little strands.
When my hair is stringy it usually needs a good washing. Overconditioning can cause it on me too.
I have very stringy hair :S I agree with the above that oils make it worse but sometimes even without oils whenever i take down my bun its all stringy,and after 2-3 days from washing day it looks HORRIBLE.At first i thought it was "normal" since my hair is wavy but this is so not normal.My only cure so far is to keep brushing every one of these strings till it gets all separated and straight again =/
I'm wondering about this, too. My hair doesn't look dirty or limp, but it does separate into strings. I was afraid I would have to cut it back to make the stringy-ness go away. My husband's is the same way, except that his separates into 3 or 4 clumps of curls, which can look pretty odd if he doesn't constantly comb it out. My stringy-ness actually looks worse the more my hair curls and nicer when I gently blow dry it and it goes straighter. When it's straighter I just keep combing it out like the poster above said to keep the stringy-ness at a decent level. :shrug: It's a nightmare to keep it looking nice when it's curly and stringy. :(
One thing that might affect the "stringiness" might be the fabrics you wear; if your hair is long enough to rub against your shirt/sweater/etc, a silkier fabric might help? I notice a big difference with how much my hair tangles depending on what I wear.
I just happened to glance over the "Mane Forum" topics before cruising over to Makeup Alley to read reviews of a treatment I have in my hair this very minute: Ion Crystal Clarifying Treatment. One of the reviews mentioned that it got rid of "chronic greasiness". I don't want to imply that you are greasy :p but I know that look/feel can contribute to stringiness.
My hair separates into clumps or locks, too. It's thick enough that I don't think it looks lank or trashy, but my mom & other lovely people in my family used to give me a lot of crap about my "witch's hair" b/c it would get that unbrushed look about 30 minutes after I brushed it!!! Personally I like the "piece-y" look rather than an overly fluffy look, but yes there are times when I just want my hair to FLOW rather than get clumpy.
I only noticed this once--lately I wear my hair up all the time b/c I cook at work--but after experimenting with fabric softener as a conditioner, my hair didn't clump together. http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/blog.php?b=60054
however, i had also done a yogurt mask on my hair around that time, so that might have been the cause.
Pondering your actual original question, I wonder if rough cuticles have something to do with stringiness? This might cause the hairs to cling to each other while smooth cuticles would not (kinda makes sense with my rough fabric theory, as that affects cuticles too). So, vinegar or citric acid rinses, or something along those lines, might help.
Good luck!
I had some bad stringiness about nine years ago, and decided to buy a brush, since all I had been using was a comb. The brush changed everything. It was just a wooden paddle brush with wooden bristles, but it worked wonders. Maybe it helped to distribute oils.
I still have that brush.
Something that has always worked for me is clarifying. It does wonders. A clarifying shampoo works the best, but I use baking soda rinse (1tbs baking soda in 2 cups of water), pour it over my hair, let sit for a couple of minutes. Then I rise this very well and follow with an Apple Cider vinegar rinse (1 tbs ACV in 2 cups water) to seal the cuticle and condition the hair.
Yes this. A washing with regular old shampoo will often take care of hair ills. Some people's hair can't handle as much conditioner as others. I would suggest using a sulfate shampoo or a clarifying shampoo. Start with a clean slate. If you are using a lot of conditioner you could cut back on that or concentrate it on the lower length. My hair is usually stringy and lank when I go 3 days without washing it. Some people can go a week or more without washing and others can't. I would love to be able to go a week but I can't. So I wash more often and use a sulfate or clarifying shampoo as needed. I've learned to figure out what my hair needs and do it.