Breakage from my temples to my ears...help!

[Vanilla]

I've been such a good LHC member. I don't wash my hair every day, do cassia treatments about once per month, do protein treatments once per month (not at the same time as the cassia), use only a wide tooth comb, and I wear my hair in protective styles just about every day. I even alternate my styles daily, so my hair isn't pulling in the same place and never pull my hair tightly. I mostly wear nautilus buns, Dutch braids and English braids.

Regardless, I am experiencing some major breakage from my temples to my ears, so much so that pulling my hair back results in a messy look because of all the broken hairs in the front. The only ways to hide these broken hairs is to either wear my hair down or to do a crown braid.

Help! How do I keep my hair from breaking in the front?

[Jenny31557]

Do you wear glasses? I've heard some people say that they have also had breakage at the temples because of the hinges on their glasses. If that's what it is, you might need to be a little more careful when taking your glasses off. :)

[Madora]

From your description, it sounds like the hair around the temple to the ears is being drawn back too tightly. If you're bunning frequently..or ponytailing...that could contribute to the breakage. Hope you find what is causing your problem!

[cog71]

Hey - newbie here (well, long time lurker and avid adorer of LHC). I have struggled for years with breakage in that area, hence my addiction to this site. Sounds weird, but one thing i realized after studying for a while was that in the shower I was applying my conditioner mainly to the top and back - that is to say I wasn't really concentrating on the wispy sides. I decided to literally slather them in conditioner. (Dove, Devacurl One condition, Pantene) Then after rinsing to spray something oily but dry (B&B prep, dove oil, kendra bamboo oil spray) on to those bits, then air drying (or blow fry if I really need to go out) I swear in 18 months I've reversed it. I think those pieces are just a lot more fragile than the rest of our hair and we need to keep an eye on them. Hope this helps!

[Shibe]

Do you wear glasses? I've heard some people say that they have also had breakage at the temples because of the hinges on their glasses. If that's what it is, you might need to be a little more careful when taking your glasses off. :)

This is my biggest issue with my glasses. I have so much bang damage from my darn glasses!

[thistledown]

Mine has those whispy bits at the sides of the front too, nothing I've ever done has changed them-I think they may just be pieces around the hair line that have a shorter terminal length for me, have yours always been there? Are they on the hair line at all?
Vanessa

[Flor]

Your hair just has short terminal length in that area. It's unlikely to be breakage. Check if the ends are tapered.

[Vanilla]

These have been appearing with more frequency in the last few months. I didn't have nearly as many broken hairs there last year at this time. They do look a little tapered, but not really.

I don't wear glasses either.

I will definitely try adding more conditioner to that area and not making my undos overly tight. Thanks all for your advice. :)

[Flor]

These have been appearing with more frequency in the last few months. I didn't have nearly as many broken hairs there last year at this time. They do look a little tapered, but not really.


Could be weather changes. Pretty sure those hairs were there before, they were just laying more flat. Look at the very ends. If they're thinner than the roots, then it's simply virgin uncut hair. Either new growth or short terminal length.

[Elenna]

Just goes to say that if it's about hair, it'll show up here at LHC as a discussion. I've the same problem with the hairs near my face. It is so frustrating, because the rest of my hair is fine.

[TiaKitty]

I have hair that always sticks up, it's curlier than the rest of my hair, and has a short terminal length, like 6 inches. It curls up to a 3c or something tiny like that. It's just crazy.

Could you have a crop of baby hairs coming in or a place where you've reached terminal?

[lapushka]

Your hair just has short terminal length in that area. It's unlikely to be breakage. Check if the ends are tapered.

Agreeing with this! ^^ It doesn't necessarily mean it's breakage. I have short hairs right there too, and they are *not* breakage, just new growth - and the hairs stay shorter there, at least some.

[bunzfan]

Agreeing with this! ^^ It doesn't necessarily mean it's breakage. I have short hairs right there too, and they are *not* breakage, just new growth - and the hairs stay shorter there, at least some.

Yep i agree :agree: i have exactly the same, at first i thought it was breakage to but these are to short to be breakage i've tried to sleek them back because i have some crazy baby hair growth but its not working i think its the increased protein in the last few months have you changed something?? gel is your friend i think it does make for a nice sleek updo.

[neko_kawaii]

I am another with hairs with a short terminal in that area. Some days they stick out and bug me. *sigh*

[Dark Star]

My specs have done in mine too only very recently but this has NEVER happened before (and I have worn glasses for years and years). I got a bum-ass pair of glasses as of May and they have already broken four times since then without any mishaps occurring. I also have a iron-deficiency which makes breakage more likely anyway but if you had that, you would probably know it, believe me. Anyway £200.00 for these darned specs and they are going back pronto. If this is not the cause for your own hair, I agree about making sure you condition the front and not pulling your back hair too tightly. Since having had my son, I too have shorter,wispy hairs at my hairline--so it could just be that you have a bit of a natural fringe. Keep up on your nutrition and water intake as well.

[mamaherrera]

I've got the same thing. The short hair thing even goes in a bit from my hairline, about an inch and a half inwards, going back they start slowly getting longer, but it's like a staircase effect, they start short and eventually get normal long, but my ponytails always start farther back because I don't try and fight with those short hairs in updos, I just let them curl down and stay around my ears.

[Vanilla]

Thanks everyone for the encouragement that it might be new growth :). I haven't foud a gel that I like yet that doesn't make my hair super sticky. Anyone have any suggestions on gel?

[Hootenanny]

Thanks everyone for the encouragement that it might be new growth :). I haven't foud a gel that I like yet that doesn't make my hair super sticky. Anyone have any suggestions on gel?

You could try making your own flaxseed gel. Here's a link to some info (and other links): http://pedaheh.blogspot.com/2012/05/flax-seed-gel.html

[Anje]

Is it possible that those hairs are getting a bit dried out? They tend to get the brunt of handling, styling, getting pushed back, etc., so it tends to want a bit of extra conditioning (in whatever forms work best for you).

That said, I'm in the "short terminal hairs there" camp. Wispies there are really, really normal.

[lapushka]

I have Eco Styler gel, it's without silicones and alcohol, and is a really firm hold, but not sticky or greasy (if you don't overuse it).

[TiaKitty]

I like the flaxseed gel. When I have to slick it back...

Just be happy you don't have THIS to contend with: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7291&d=1383342518

Just try to slick that down/back with gel. Yeah, right!!! :D

[jacqueline101]

From your description, it sounds like the hair around the temple to the ears is being drawn back too tightly. If you're bunning frequently..or ponytailing...that could contribute to the breakage. Hope you find what is causing your problem!

I had an issue like this on a section of hair in the back it was caused by twisting it back tightly. When you examined your breakage look for taper. Taper is new growth and not breakage. Check the breakage for splits and white dots. If you have them clip them off. Then seal your ends with baby oil,

[MaryMarx]

I had an issue like this on a section of hair in the back it was caused by twisting it back tightly. When you examined your breakage look for taper. Taper is new growth and not breakage. Check the breakage for splits and white dots. If you have them clip them off. Then seal your ends with baby oil,
I wonder if this could be my problem too, I have a lot of short hairs at an area of the back of my head... but I don't know, I don't twist tightly and that area is not in the worst twisting zone... oh well. :(

[jacqueline101]

I wonder if this could be my problem too, I have a lot of short hairs at an area of the back of my head... but I don't know, I don't twist tightly and that area is not in the worst twisting zone... oh well. :(

I didn't know it was wrong to do tight twist until my hair lost an inch or more at the ends. I got to looking its where I twist it tight in my claw clip twist. My hair seemed to be doing great and now this happen. The trim idea came from another member on here. I do have to admit it seems to be growing better since the small trim it's a micro trim or dusting for splits and damage on the broken area only.

[jacqueline101]

I didn't know it was wrong to do tight twist until my hair lost an inch or more at the ends. I got to looking its where I twist it tight in my claw clip twist. My hair seemed to be doing great and now this happen. The trim idea came from another member on here. I do have to admit it seems to be growing better since the small trim it's a micro trim or dusting for splits and damage on the broken area only.

I forgot something sorry. If you didn't twist tightly or cause damage. Maybe you have new growth.

[askan]

I have a glorious gloria of short standing out hairs around my face, particularly in the temple area.. I've been thinking that it might be breakage from always sleeping on the sides of my head. And a lot of other reasons that I try to eliminate, like pinning my fringe up, hairs getting caught in the hinges of my glasses, hairs breaking off because of ponytail in the same position every day..

[thistledown]

Actually I've noticed that the hair around my hair line (upto about 2cm in) varies in length form about 5cm to around shoulderblade length......with a definite taper.....this is right the way round including the nape-interesting I've never really thought about it before :)
Vanessa

[Flor]

^ Yeah, that's just how hair on our heads is. Everyone has shorter hairs around hairline on front, sides and back. Sometimes there's only a few of them with just 0.1-1 inch length, but more often it's a gradual progression and one can have hairs with 2-6 inch terminal length close to hairline. We don't usually notice them, because longer ones do blend in and get sleeked down. But do an experiment, wash hair upside down, don't use heavy conditioner, either keep hair toweled until damp or blowdry (on low temp) upside down and you'll be surprised how many of those "shorties" you actually have, they'll stick out everywhere :D

[MaryMarx]

I forgot something sorry. If you didn't twist tightly or cause damage. Maybe you have new growth.

No, I think you could be right actually! Because I always twist the same way for claw clips, and maybe the hair got bent too much at the same place.
Something to keep in mind for me. :)

[Vanilla]

Thanks so much for your input everyone. The other night, I put some deep conditioner on those parts of my hair, and they seem to be behaving a bit better. I will certainly try the flax gel, too. I've heard great things about it.

[SerinaDaith]

Just another little thing but how do you wear your hair to bed? I change mine up but I lost (to gremlins I am sure) my satin pillow case, I have noticed a lot more breakage/short sticky outie hairs now that I am not sleeping on a satin pillow case. Time to make a new one perhaps...

[jacqueline101]

No, I think you could be right actually! Because I always twist the same way for claw clips, and maybe the hair got bent too much at the same place.
Something to keep in mind for me. :)

I had the same issue and never knew this would happen. If i knew id never done it to my poor hair. Now that i know im trying to correct it. I also found a little extra tlc helps to mend it. Sorry about multiple post.

[Vanilla]

Just another little thing but how do you wear your hair to bed? I change mine up but I lost (to gremlins I am sure) my satin pillow case, I have noticed a lot more breakage/short sticky outie hairs now that I am not sleeping on a satin pillow case. Time to make a new one perhaps...

I wear my hair loose inside a satin sleep cap. The band around the bottom of the cap is not elastic, so my hair can't catch there. Maybe when I'm twisting it up in a towel to dry is the cause of the breakage.

[mamaherrera]

Good point. That sounds just like how mine are. They start at hairline about 2 inches, and go in about an inch and a half, gradually getting to be longer. Now I won't worry!!! Especially when I shed those shorties!




^ Yeah, that's just how hair on our heads is. Everyone has shorter hairs around hairline on front, sides and back. Sometimes there's only a few of them with just 0.1-1 inch length, but more often it's a gradual progression and one can have hairs with 2-6 inch terminal length close to hairline. We don't usually notice them, because longer ones do blend in and get sleeked down. But do an experiment, wash hair upside down, don't use heavy conditioner, either keep hair toweled until damp or blowdry (on low temp) upside down and you'll be surprised how many of those "shorties" you actually have, they'll stick out everywhere :D

[Naiadryade]

I like my ear-temple wispies. I think they look kind of soft and elegant, and make updos less harsh. When I wear a dutch braid they kind of swoop out away from my head for an inch before winding down to my collarbone (in a very tapered way), it's fun. I actually kind of wish there were about twice as many of them, but they're nice the light way they are too.

[mamaherrera]

I'm okey dokey with them too now that I know it's normal. But I get so many part lines in my hair when I do updos, because those wispies go down in one direction, my hair goes back, and some of my hairs from the sides swoop down and then go back, so I can never get a good seal unless I use gel to make everything go in one direction!