Hair has had lots of damage and breakage since teen years

[AngelAlly]

Hi! This is my first time posting. I've been lurking on here for months and finally joined! My last trim was in January 2013. Anyway ever since I was around 13 or 14 my hair started getting lots of breakage. As a teenager I never used heat except for occasions like prom or the homecoming. I just washed and would brush it out when dry. I had a little past waist length hair until I was 18 and cut it to my shoulders a couple of months before my big chop I had used sun in. I started growing it out again but I started going for a trim every 3-4 months but that made no difference with my breakage. I quit using hair elastic daily and that didn't help either. In 2012 I had it cut to my shoulders again and kept it maintained there. My last trim was about 9 months ago. After the trim I decided to go nopoo. I would wash with baking soda and condition with apple cider vinegar. I started oiling ends with olive oil coconut oil and almond oil. I continued nopoo until June and started using suave again. I wash around twice a week. I'm thinking about going nopoo again. I thought I would ask y'all what I should do to prevent split ends. My hair is not colored and I don't use heat. I'm hoping for some of your long haired wisdom with what to with this crazy breakage. When I've asked stylists they would tell me to use X product or that I just have bad hair.

[sarahthegemini]

Baking soda is really harsh, possibly harsher than regular sulfate shampoos (depending on your dilution) And ACV isn't an actual conditioner. You could try Cassia which I believe strengthens hair.

[Panth]

Some people's hair just splits lots, particularly at longer lengths. If you're not getting serious tangles and your ends aren't thin enough to bother you and your growth rate is ok, then there's not really any point worrying about them. That said, you could always try to improve your haircare to reduce the splitting.

IMO, "no poo" is a really terrible idea for just about all hair types. Baking soda is VERY harsh - much worse than sulphate-containing shampoos. It's very likely that your hair is one of the many hair types that does not like that method and finds it too drying. Some other cleaning options are:
- diluting your shampoo
- using sulphate-free shampoo and 'cone-free conditioners (though if you cannot do sulphate-free while using non-water-soluble cones or you will get massive build-up)
- conditioner only
- conditioner-wash-conditioner (CWC - where you apply conditioner over your length as a protectant before shampooing, then rinse thoroughly and do your proper conditioning step)
- water only (WO)
- sebum only (SO - where gentle manual cleaning is used).

All of those methods have threads with massive amounts of information and lots of proponents.

Another thing - how do you detangle and style your hair? You say you don't use hair elastics, but don't say much else. Do you brush your hair? Try a wide-toothed comb. Do you brush from the top down? Try combing from the bottom up, bit by bit, slowly and gently. Do you wear your hair loose daily? Try protective styles, such as plaits or (even better) updos that keep your hair off your neck. Do you use bobby pins? Try spin pins, Amish pins, hair sticks, hair forks, ficcares and other hair-friendly means of keeping it up.

One thing I do suggest is that you get your hair typed - basically, find some time when you'll not need to go anywhere, then wash your hair with shampoo only (no conditioner) and air dry it with the absolute minimum of manipulation (do not brush or comb it, try not to touch it). Once thoroughly dry, take a photo or two and post it up here (then jump back in the shower, wet hair and apply conditioner or whatever to get your hair back into a normal state). You may find your hair is actually a lot curlier than you think it is, and if that is so then you may get a lot fewer splits and damage by stopping treating it as straight hair.

EDIT: Another thing - you said you trimmed every 3-4 months. Instead of doing that, you may find you get better ends if you trim more often, but smaller amounts. Microtrimming (1/4" or less) every month may be better than trimming 1-2" every 3-4 months. However, often stylists won't trim that little off (and it would get expensive if you had to visit so often). You could try self-trimming methods, e.g. Feye's self trim method or a Crea clip. Just be sure to use very sharp scissors that have only ever been used on hair.

[Panth]

Sorry - double post.

[ravenreed]

If you are eating properly and not damaging your hair with heat or dyes, I would suggest visiting your doctor to discuss it. It seems like this is unusual and could be medically related. I would avoid using baking soda for now. I use it to clarify my hair every so often and it is really drying for me. Have you tried the conditioner only method? Also, catnip rinses are great for split ends, but I don't know that they would help with breakage.

[melusine963]

^^ Yep, baking soda is probably not the best thing for your hair. Are you being gentle when you detangle? Do you wear your hair up in protective styles? All these can make a huge difference when it comes to mechanical damage and breakage.

[Firefox7275]

Hi! This is my first time posting. I've been lurking on here for months and finally joined! My last trim was in January 2013. Anyway ever since I was around 13 or 14 my hair started getting lots of breakage. As a teenager I never used heat except for occasions like prom or the homecoming. I just washed and would brush it out when dry. I had a little past waist length hair until I was 18 and cut it to my shoulders a couple of months before my big chop I had used sun in. I started growing it out again but I started going for a trim every 3-4 months but that made no difference with my breakage. I quit using hair elastic daily and that didn't help either. In 2012 I had it cut to my shoulders again and kept it maintained there. My last trim was about 9 months ago. After the trim I decided to go nopoo. I would wash with baking soda and condition with apple cider vinegar. I started oiling ends with olive oil coconut oil and almond oil. I continued nopoo until June and started using suave again. I wash around twice a week. I'm thinking about going nopoo again. I thought I would ask y'all what I should do to prevent split ends. My hair is not colored and I don't use heat. I'm hoping for some of your long haired wisdom with what to with this crazy breakage. When I've asked stylists they would tell me to use X product or that I just have bad hair.

Welcome!

Phrases like 'big chop' and 'bad hair' make me think you might be of African heritage with curly hair, are you? If so have you considered the Curly Girl method? When was the last time you did a chelating wash? You might review your diet making sure you are taking in a balance of all the nutrients required for healthy skin and hair.

I would work out your hair properties (porosity, elasticity, coarseness) and work with that when choosing products and ingredients, you can have an analysis if you are confused, this might also help you identify what is causing the breakage http://pedaheh.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/goosefootprints-hair-analysis-with-my.html
Also dew points/ humidity is relevant. Baking soda is alkaline so damaging for both skin and hair, vinegar is not a conditioner.

Damage can be caused by heat styling (even one session), chemical treatments, rough handling/ mechanical (up dos, brushing, combing, detangling, rubbing on fabrics, playing with the hair a lot), UV light, harsh cleansing products, hard water, swimming pool chemicals, product build up. Depends on the hair type and properties beneficial ingredients include coconut oil, hydrolysed protein, ceramides, 18-MEA and panthenol.
http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/curl-products/curlchemist-porosity-and-curly-hair?page=4

[Flor]

I use baking soda (in a very weak diluted form) as a clarifying wash. I know some people add it to their regular shampoo once a month for the same clarifying purpose. I really don't understand how it became widely known as a no-poo mild hair washing solution.

[jacqueline101]

I'd try something less harsh and I'd try a deep conditioner.

[Crumpet]

When I've asked stylists they would tell me to use X product or that I just have bad hair.

This makes me sad. In my opinion, no-one has 'bad hair'. We often do crazy things to our hair in an attempt to make it be something that we have in mind and it rebels. For me, the more I allow my hair to be itself, the better it gets. It may take a while to figure out what your hair wants but its worth it. I'm sure you have gorgeous hair that you will love. Don't give up!

[QMacrocarpa]

I've never used heat or dye on the hair currently attached to my head, but it's very prone to splits and breakage. In my teens I tried to grow my hair long while wearing it down all the time, and I got splits and breakage that kept up with my growth rate and gave me a false-terminal length around BSL. For me, wearing my hair up most of the time is essential if I want to grow it long. I inadvertently got on the updo-bandwagon when I got an octopus clip and just stuffed my hair into it bun-cage-style most days for a few months. I was amazed at the good shape my hair was in after all this updo-wearing. When I started outgrowing my clip, I fortunately found this place and learned a bunch more updos.

Here's what keeps my split-and-breakage-prone hair growing:
1. protective updos most of the time
2. sleeping with my hair in a braid to prevent overnight tangling (I don't secure the end with anything)
3. oiling the ends a little bit (I use cheap olive oil)
4. gentle detangling (I mostly use a tangle teezer)
5. small self-trims about twice a year to prevent velcro ends and eventual splits/breakage

I stretch washes, washing about every 10 days (with diluted shampoo and conditioner), but that's more about hating to have wet hair than anything else.

Good luck! :blossom: