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View Full Version : Not exactly a problem, but...



Hypnotica
March 18th, 2008, 03:43 AM
(You may want to oogle my profil pic to get a clear picture of what I'm rambling about.)

I have more or less stick straight, medium hair. It isn't very damaged. Current routine is BS wash on the scalp about three times a week and on the lenght about one time a week. I use coconu/jojoba oil on lenghts on misted/wet hair whenever it feels dry. I use a very light conditioner, because I'm prone to conditiner buildup. My hair is shiney and feels smooth.

But: It doesen't look nice down. It's always a bit stringy. Not very large strings, more like very many micro-strings (now you want to oogle the pic!). It's not over-oiled and it's not buildup.

I'm thinking about trying a cone-condish to get more "flow" into my hair. Trouble is, cones can also make me a very flat head of hair.

I could need some input here....

Nat242
March 18th, 2008, 03:57 AM
I'm not sure what to suggest. When I get stringy-ness, it's build-up or caused by over-oiling.

What about a boar bristle brush? My hair always sits better after a light brush (though I don't have a proper BBB), maybe this could help?

I'm a bit stumped. Your hair is lovely anyway!

-- Natalie

Liluri
March 18th, 2008, 04:09 AM
What about a low cones conditioner? Or rotating with cones and no cones conditioner? Your hair looks healthy and clean but I see what you mean (only because you mentioned it).

FrannyG
March 18th, 2008, 04:12 AM
I know exactly what you're talking about. My hair is baby fine, but I have a lot of it. All of my life when I've had long hair it goes into hundreds of "pieces" very shortly after brushing. It doesn't matter what I do with my hair, it always goes piecey. It did when I was a kid, using shampoo and no conditioner, and it still does today, with COing. That is the one consistent fact of my life.

I had a wonderful hairdresser in years gone by who told me that my hair was not stringy, it was "piecey" and he told me he loved that textured look. Now, it doesn't matter whether or not he was saying that to make me feel good. The bottom line is that it made me look at my hair a different way, and now I see it as just another way that my hair is unique.

Of course in my signature pics and length pics, my hair looks as smooth as glass, but don't forget, it's always freshly brushed, as are most LHCer's hair in their photos. Don't forget that everyone posts photos of their hair looking its best. :)

The one thing that does help a little, not a lot, is cassia treatments. It gives my fine hair a little bit more heft, and I find that it's a bit less piecey.

Sorry I didn't have better answers, but believe me, you're not alone. :flowers:

jel
March 18th, 2008, 04:46 AM
Everyone's talking about conditioning, but when you described stringy hair, it reminded me of my (unsuccessful) attempts at baking soda washing. Maybe break up your routine with a shampoo wash every few weeks or so?

ETA: I just looked at your profile pic and it *does* look nice down!

Hypnotica
March 18th, 2008, 05:12 AM
I'm not sure what to suggest. When I get stringy-ness, it's build-up or caused by over-oiling.

What about a boar bristle brush? My hair always sits better after a light brush (though I don't have a proper BBB), maybe this could help?

I'm a bit stumped. Your hair is lovely anyway!

-- Natalie

BBB will make my hair better for 5 min only :(

Hypnotica
March 18th, 2008, 05:14 AM
I know exactly what you're talking about. My hair is baby fine, but I have a lot of it. All of my life when I've had long hair it goes into hundreds of "pieces" very shortly after brushing. It doesn't matter what I do with my hair, it always goes piecey. It did when I was a kid, using shampoo and no conditioner, and it still does today, with COing. That is the one consistent fact of my life.

I had a wonderful hairdresser in years gone by who told me that my hair was not stringy, it was "piecey" and he told me he loved that textured look. Now, it doesn't matter whether or not he was saying that to make me feel good. The bottom line is that it made me look at my hair a different way, and now I see it as just another way that my hair is unique.

Of course in my signature pics and length pics, my hair looks as smooth as glass, but don't forget, it's always freshly brushed, as are most LHCer's hair in their photos. Don't forget that everyone posts photos of their hair looking its best. :)

The one thing that does help a little, not a lot, is cassia treatments. It gives my fine hair a little bit more heft, and I find that it's a bit less piecey.

Sorry I didn't have better answers, but believe me, you're not alone. :flowers:

I'm going to do another cassia treatment soon. It's been awhile since I did it. And "piecy" is the word to describe my hair. Anyway, it have started to tangle a bit, so that is also why I think I will try cones.

aisling
March 18th, 2008, 05:59 AM
I think stringy or piece-y looking hair down is something many fine hairs encounter, especially if your hair also is of the straighter variety. I have no good solutions to this, mine gets stringy when down whatever I do. You're not alone, if that's any comfort to you.

jojo
March 18th, 2008, 07:09 AM
mine is stringy at the moment too, im going to try a poo wash with no conditioner and see what it brings. Winter hair sucks for me, its lank, greasy and blah for me, roll on summer!!

lora410
March 18th, 2008, 07:22 AM
I think you hair looks great down. The slight strings you mentioned could be from the BS washes. have your tried a poo bar? I used to get string larger clumps and the poo bar helped give it some omph and helped with the stringers.

Hypnotica
March 18th, 2008, 08:01 AM
I think you hair looks great down. The slight strings you mentioned could be from the BS washes. have your tried a poo bar? I used to get string larger clumps and the poo bar helped give it some omph and helped with the stringers.

I haven't tried poo bars yet.

eccentricquirks
March 18th, 2008, 11:33 AM
I've had this problem forever......no real solution to present.

If you are up to trying something new, you might want to try Suave Clarifying Conditioner. Not the easiet to find, admittedly, but it is a very light conditioner meant for normal to oily hair, and I use it to CO. It tends to avoid the pieciness better than some others. It can be found at larger Walmarts.

From there, I'd avoid the oils unless you are BBBing them through right off the bat. To apply, you might want to rub a coupla drops across a palm, and then run the BBB across the palm to collect the oil before running through the hair. This would be a light oiling. The oils might be adding to the piecey problem when you want to wear it down. This would only apply when its a 'down' day, though - oil up when you are going to have it up and let those babies work for you.

OhioLisa
March 18th, 2008, 11:43 AM
Like others, my first thought when I saw the pic was "oil". Have you experimented with other oils? Have you tried misting with a water and light conditioner mix? I don't know what products you're currently using, but I think cutting down on the oil and increasing on the condish might help. Just a thought. ;) Of course my other thought is "your hair looks fab... what are ya complainin for?" :silly: Hehe.

Hypnotica
March 18th, 2008, 01:01 PM
Like others, my first thought when I saw the pic was "oil". Have you experimented with other oils? Have you tried misting with a water and light conditioner mix? I don't know what products you're currently using, but I think cutting down on the oil and increasing on the condish might help. Just a thought. ;) Of course my other thought is "your hair looks fab... what are ya complainin for?" :silly: Hehe.

No, I haven't tried other oils....but it could well be the oil. Hm. Misting with condish only creates buildup that is perfect for updos on the other hand.

I just came back from the shower (clean scalp but the lenght was screaming for moisture) and I used Fructis Long & Strong. Wish me luck....

vindo
March 18th, 2008, 01:13 PM
Some peoples hair just tends to be naturally more stringy than others. My hair gets really stringy even when its freshly washed..my ends almost look oily :uhh:

Cone make my hair stringier. My old chemical semi. perm. hairdye contained cones and it made my hair smooth but stringier. The virgin hair tends much less towards the spaghetti look.

Henna also helps me a little bit with the pieceyness.

An even hemline and hair mostly one length too..

Thats what Im doing so far, HTH.

I am much less bothered by it since I reached waist in 2005. Only the ends get really badly stringy ;)

khyricat
March 18th, 2008, 02:01 PM
my hair has ALWAYS looked stringy down.. it doesn't matter if its oiled, not oiled, conditioned (when I used it) or not, has my tea leave in in or not.. the only exception is the day or 2 right after I henna.. and that is the best its been in my LIFE...

So given that knowledge, I am going to ATTEMPT to start using cassia treatments as a wash method, but have decided to wait until after I henna this weekend.. as last night I didn't have time and I had to wash.

Amie

winter
March 18th, 2008, 02:17 PM
Mine is like that too, gets stringy in no-time. I think it's becuase it is straight and fine, and for me the damaged ends don't seem to help.

doodlesmart
March 18th, 2008, 02:47 PM
ACV rinses helped with the stringies for me. I didn't see you mention them anywhere, but if you don't do them you might try one, and if you do, well then I was totally not helpful.

Your hair is pretty though!

Robinlyn
March 18th, 2008, 03:13 PM
My hair is fine and gets stringy as well. I tend to wear it down while at home and I feel like I need to comb it all the time. In your album your hair does not look stringy at all! Try the cassia it helps my hair a lot. I'm actually due for a cassia treatment, time to shop!!

tiny_teesha
March 25th, 2008, 04:43 AM
Maybe you need static? Or a small amout of coconut oil it makes hair slippery and should stop them from bunching? unless you use too much........
Um...use a very fine tooth comb or friendly brush????
sorry i'm not much help!

Kelsey
March 25th, 2008, 07:34 AM
One thing you might try is having a deep conditioning treatment done at a salon; I don't think that they are too expensive, but I have heard that the restore your hair intensely, only within minutes. If you choose, you will want to continue these treatments with the selected condtioner on your own weekly.