Breakage

[JasmineDaisy]

My hair is breaking off like crazy. I currently CO with a cone conditioner and I use John Frieda gel as a leave in. I also use a little bit of coconut oil on my hair when its damp and dry. Is there any supplements/herbs/hair products that can help with my breakage? I feel like I won't ever be able to grow long hair if my hair keeps breaking off like this. I think this breakage is coming from damage that was caused by heat styling. I have been heat style free since December 2007. I have about 3" of damaged/broken hair that needs to be cut off, but I wanted to wait at least a year before I get my next trim. I last trimmed my hair in May. Please help me!

[lora410]

I still have breakage from all the heat an damage I did to my hair. Unfortunately there isn't anything you can do to stop it once that small ball is formed on the hair shaft. All you can do is just treat it gentle and maybe get a small trim.

[Silver & Gold]

If the breakage is due to past damage there is nothing you can take internally that will help with the hairs that are breaking now. Not that healthy diet won't help the hairs at the root to grow in nice and strong.
The best you can do is baby the hair that is already grown and give it light trims when you feel it is necessary. I'm dealing with a bit of the same myself. I'm growing out bangs, layers and past damage from coloring, blow-drying and flat-iron use. Oddly enough none of that caused me all that much trouble, I have pretty strong hair. But then I went to a beautician last winter to have some subtle highlights put in my hair to help blend the demarkation line from the hair color that I was growing out - I though it would be a good way to transition.
She used a product that was much stronger than necessary then took a phone call in the middle of doing my left side. Talked, talked and talked some more. Finished with my head. Then left the solution on my entire head until the right side was finished and she only ever bothered to check the right side. I was nervous about it and should have spoke up but I didn't. I'm an idiot. So I have damage to the left side where she left the solution on too long. I'm constantly having to treat this side differently and special to keep it from being too rough and tangly. I learned one thing, I'm done with highlighting for all time. It's natural hair for me.

[JasmineDaisy]

If the breakage is due to past damage there is nothing you can take internally that will help with the hairs that are breaking now. Not that healthy diet won't help the hairs at the root to grow in nice and strong.
The best you can do is baby the hair that is already grown and give it light trims when you feel it is necessary. I'm dealing with a bit of the same myself. I'm growing out bangs, layers and past damage from coloring, blow-drying and flat-iron use. Oddly enough none of that caused me all that much trouble, I have pretty strong hair. But then I went to a beautician last winter to have some subtle highlights put in my hair to help blend the demarkation line from the hair color that I was growing out - I though it would be a good way to transition.
She used a product that was much stronger than necessary then took a phone call in the middle of doing my left side. Talked, talked and talked some more. Finished with my head. Then left the solution on my entire head until the right side was finished and she only ever bothered to check the right side. I was nervous about it and should have spoke up but I didn't. I'm an idiot. So I have damage to the left side where she left the solution on too long. I'm constantly having to treat this side differently and special to keep it from being too rough and tangly. I learned one thing, I'm done with highlighting for all time. It's natural hair for me.

I am sorry to hear what that stylist did to your hair. That was very rude and unprofessional of her to talk on the phone while she was coloring your hair. I like your natural hair color.

[NurseMama]

Are you clarifying at all? I am wondering if the damaged hair is unable to get moisture because of the coney condish?

[JasmineDaisy]

No matter how much I baby it, it still tends to break off. I am so frustrated. Maybe I am using the wrong products on my hair? Do you think there are any products that I can use to make my hair stronger? I have been taking Biotin, but that doesn't seem to help much. I read somewhere that silica makes your hair stronger. Has anyone taken this stuff and noticed a difference in the strength of their hair?

[girlcat36]

Cones cause my hair to break. I always had little 1/2"-1" pieces of hair scattered on my bathroom counter. My hair would get close to BSL, but then break. I couldn't figure it out, as I did not color, heat style, or brush my hair. Not until I gave up cones did this stop.

[NurseMama]

No matter how much I baby it, it still tends to break off. I am so frustrated. Maybe I am using the wrong products on my hair? Do you think there are any products that I can use to make my hair stronger? I have been taking Biotin, but that doesn't seem to help much. I read somewhere that silica makes your hair stronger. Has anyone taken this stuff and noticed a difference in the strength of their hair?

Supplements only affect your new growth- the hair that is coming out of your head. They do nothing for the ends.

[Ohio Sky]

Ok, start here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=44).

The clarifying alone can do wonders for your hair if you are a cone user. I would recommend doing exactly as that article says and clarify with a good poo to get all the cones out, and see what your hair looks like after that. It may just need moisture, which is kinda what it sounds like to me, and if that's the case, it is better to do an SMT or other deep treatment after you get all the buildup out. It will keep the moisture out.

If that does not help, try a microtrim. You don't need to take off the whole 3 inches of damage to see an improvement. 1/4-1/2 inch will help.

And, as girlcat said, it might be the cones. try doing a treatment without cones, and get a cone free condish to try for a week or so after you clarify and see if that helps.

[JasmineDaisy]

Are you clarifying at all? I am wondering if the damaged hair is unable to get moisture because of the coney condish?

I clarify once a week with a no cone Suave shampoo.

[pariate]

I had a similar problem when I was COing with a cone conditioner. MAJOR breakage. I was advised to clarify, moisturise and try to go a little easier on the cones. It worked a treat! Improved almost overnight :)

I wish you luck. I know it's really disheartening when your hair is playing up.

[JasmineDaisy]

Thanks for the article Ohio Sky. I have never tried an SMT. Maybe it will do wonders on my hair?

I don't think my hair likes no cones that much because I tried that for like a month with one of those cheap Suave conditioners and it made my hair a tangly mess. I could try going cone free again with a different conditioner.

[Darkhorse1]

I have breakage from using/abusing my hair via hair elastics--even the coated ones--I'd yank them out and as a result, I have lots of breakage. It will grow out, so just be patient. Changing your diet, drinking more water/milk, pampering your hair now is a start! :)

[jojo]

Maybe some either catnip or horsetail herb rinses may help, i know my fine hair breaks less and has not one split end (touch wood) since i started doing these.

Also on the subject of going cone free it can take a while for changes to be noticed, mine loved cone free for 12 months and then went funny, nowadays i just use what ever's there cone or cone free but the herbal rinses have been great for my hair.