Hair Chop!!!!! Severe Damage and Hair Science

[diamond_storm]

I have also been having a lot of issues with my hair since I started using a dry sauna. Sorry that you felt the need to cut back so far, but glad that you are happy with your cute new cut! I think it is just the dry heat. I don't think your hair was over-moisturized.

Since my sauna is at the gym, I think it would be really more hassle than it's worth to protect my hair properly... so I'm just going to find another way to relax after working out.

Very true! Saunas always seemed so healthy! They need to put a disclaimer on those things, haha I still do love saunas, though.... They are soo relaxing! Just be careful with them

Sorry you're having trouble too I hope yours will be more salvageable than mine was! The more I think about it, the fact that my hair is so fine probably played a factor in how damaged it got. One thing I don't understand, though, is that I use heat on my bangs every day, and they never feel damaged like this! You'd think daily use of a super hot curling iron would be more damaging than a sauna. But who knows! Maybe it's because I cut them frequently.

[spidermom]

I can relate to what you said about having an undercurrent of regret that you thought you would never get to experience shorter styles because you were so attached to your long hair. I thought I was too attached to my hair to ever go much shorter, but I had months of stress around the time of my father's death, then a major shed, plus I was noticing thousands of split ends. I got my hair cut from tailbone to between waist and hip in an attempt to get control of the split ends, but I still had thousands even after I got it cut to just below BSL. At that point I kind of short circuited and got my hair cut to collarbone, which I had been thinking about and rejecting for years, and now I am happy with my hair again. It's too short to easily examine the ends for splits (thank god!), all the regrow blends in better now that there isn't such a huge length difference, and I find this length much more versatile. In my opinion, there were truly only 2 ways I could wear my long hair - down, hot, and in my way (but pretty cool looking), or put up to protect it and keep it out of my way. True, there were various ways I could put it up, but it all looked pretty much the same from the front, and that is what counted most to me. I can still put it up if I want to. I can also curl it, straighten it, let it dry it's natural wild wavy/curly self, do all kinds of vintage styles, but most importantly I can leave it down every day if I want. I was so sick of those stinking buns and braids.

[diamond_storm]

I can relate to what you said about having an undercurrent of regret that you thought you would never get to experience shorter styles because you were so attached to your long hair. I thought I was too attached to my hair to ever go much shorter, but I had months of stress around the time of my father's death, then a major shed, plus I was noticing thousands of split ends. I got my hair cut from tailbone to between waist and hip in an attempt to get control of the split ends, but I still had thousands even after I got it cut to just below BSL. At that point I kind of short circuited and got my hair cut to collarbone, which I had been thinking about and rejecting for years, and now I am happy with my hair again. It's too short to easily examine the ends for splits (thank god!), all the regrow blends in better now that there isn't such a huge length difference, and I find this length much more versatile. In my opinion, there were truly only 2 ways I could wear my long hair - down, hot, and in my way (but pretty cool looking), or put up to protect it and keep it out of my way. True, there were various ways I could put it up, but it all looked pretty much the same from the front, and that is what counted most to me. I can still put it up if I want to. I can also curl it, straighten it, let it dry it's natural wild wavy/curly self, do all kinds of vintage styles, but most importantly I can leave it down every day if I want. I was so sick of those stinking buns and braids.

Yes! I relate to this so much. I loved my long hair. It was cool looking and pretty, but it did get boring! My hair is (well, used to be. Not anymore... at least not yet, haha!) very slick and fine, so a lot of the pretty updos just simply didn't work on my hair. That, and I have a sensitive scalp and couldn't handle any type of pulling feeling from styles. I also don't use heat on my hair EVER (apart from my bangs), so there wasn't much variety. And with my sensitive scalp, I really couldn't sleep in curlers. So my hair was either in a cinnabun or a braid most of the time, because when I left it down it just got tangly and in the way. I always felt like it was a shame I couldn't really even show it off, with it being so nice. So now I'm all about having fun with my new short cut! It's adorable and easy to manipulate. I just love it so far!!

I think at some point I'll probably grow it back out. But instead of suffering at every stage of growth, I'm gonna switch it up and have a lot of fun this time

I am dreading telling my mom about my haircut, though... I know she won't understand and will make me feel like crap for cutting it. She has very fine and wispy hair that just will not grow. We have very different hair types, and I feel like she always tries to live vicariously through me since I can grow long and thick hair. I know she will think it was a bad decision and that it wasn't really necessary. When in my mind, the goal has always been to have HEALTHY long hair. If it can't be healthy, it's not worth it to me. But yeah, she won't understand. I'm an adult and I shouldn't care, but I'm seriously dreading being shamed for what I do to my own hair and being made to feel like I'm not as pretty like this, or whatever.

Also, I'm sorry to hear about your father's passing. I can't imagine. I hope you have healed a lot since then.

[spidermom]

Thank you diamond_storm, it was a difficult time, to be sure, but I'm definitely moving on and not lingering in the grief any longer. I may grow my hair out again later, who knows. When you mother jumps your case, maybe you can tell her it was traumatic and you don't want to talk about it.

[MsPharaohMoan]

spidermom's theory is what I was thinking too.

So are saunas considered damaging then? I wonder if this will happen if a person has oil on their hair, or a deep treatment?

[likelikepenny]

Protein treatment was actually the one thing I never really got around to trying. I've never heard of over-moisturizing! How does that happen? Would you recommend a protein treatment or is that something that will make it worse if my hair was over-moisturized?

Hair has a delicate protein-moisture balance. When one is out of wack, you use the other one to bring it back into balance. Heat cooks protein and over moisturizing also means you need to add protein to get your balance back. A lot of people who have over moisturized describe almost what you're describing, "Mushy" hair and loss of elasticity.

[MoonRabbit]

Huii it's like a hair horror story, yaiks! I think your new haircut is SUPER cute and oh my god I can't believe my eyes how beautiful you are.

100% Agree. I'm in love with the haircut. You look absolutely wonderful, have fun with the new style

[spidermom]

spidermom's theory is what I was thinking too.

So are saunas considered damaging then? I wonder if this will happen if a person has oil on their hair, or a deep treatment?

My research revealed that if you apply a deep treatment and wrap your hair, you can keep moisture in.

[diamond_storm]

Thank you diamond_storm, it was a difficult time, to be sure, but I'm definitely moving on and not lingering in the grief any longer. I may grow my hair out again later, who knows. When you mother jumps your case, maybe you can tell her it was traumatic and you don't want to talk about it.

I'm glad you're doing better!
And that is a good idea! I'm sure I'll still get an earful, but maybe that will help!

[diamond_storm]

Hair has a delicate protein-moisture balance. When one is out of wack, you use the other one to bring it back into balance. Heat cooks protein and over moisturizing also means you need to add protein to get your balance back. A lot of people who have over moisturized describe almost what you're describing, "Mushy" hair and loss of elasticity.

So, after reading your comment, I did an egg protein treatment, and I have to say... I think you were right! My hair feels a lot softer and it didn't have that weird awful texture while it was wet. Cool! I'll have to add this to my arsenal of things to do if I have any further hair issues

Thanks for that info!! That probably saved me several months of grief as this growing out damage begins... Haha!