Breakage help?

[SamEatsBrains]

What's been the most beneficial way to combat breakage for you?
I have very fine hair. And due to it being thick at the nape (about 4.5 inches, though I wish it was more!), I don't believe that classic length (which I have now), is my terminal length...despite my VERY fairytale ends D:. And yet, I've been 'stuck' here for years. Until I was done growing in height at about age 19 (two years ago), I guess I could blame I was growing taller as my hair was growing longer....but, it shouldn't have been enough height to matter since I was around 16! Especially since my hair grows VERY fast. I cut a lock to give to my boyfriend about 1.5 months ago and I cut it as close to the scalp as possible...and now it is 4 inches long. My hair has been a little bit longer than this before...about 2-3 inches maybe. But the ends just looked pitiful. I wear my hair down everyday and from about 4-5 inches from the nape to my ends the whole underside of my hair is riddled with breakage from rubbing against my clothes, I suppose. I can't find a way to keep my hair up, because it's very slippery. Also, I think my hair hates coconut oil! Any thoughts on why?

[red-again]

You have very similar hair to mine in its fineness and thickness. I think you need to find a way of outting your hair up. It is growing as your hair lock regrowth shows but it as you rightly determine, it's the ends that are becoming damaged. Even braiding will be better than nothing if you really can't manage an updo due to slip.
My hair too hates coconut oil. Don't know why but even the tiniest bit makes my hair dull and lank and gives it a tendency to snap off. I have found lush r&b (think that's what it is called!) ok, also moving onto washing with indian herbs (amla, brahmi etc) is a better way for me to strengthen my hair. Most oils my hair hates though. Have you tried nightshade's hair anointing oil or panaceas? ( member on here but also has an etsy shop called night blooming) my hair can cope with the tiniest bit of any of these.
Also what might be helpful, if for you to comprehensively write down your hair care routine for us to check over, sampoos, condition she's, frequency of washing, how you wash, brush/ comb type etc. don't want to sound condescending because your hair is already waaaay longer than mine but there may be something simple in there that glares out to someone which you could change for better hair health? I.e Maybe you need to clarify to remove build up, moisturise to stop breakage, maybe your routine gives too much protein to your hair ( again can result in snapping hair) or maybe your water is mineral rich and you need to chelate. A complete hair routine would help to decide if any of the above apply to you

Good luck!

[SamEatsBrains]

Oh, you're right! I knew I was leaving something out. I hardly ever wash my hair. This isn't a new thing, it's always been this way. My hair just gets greasy VERY slowly so I usually wash once a week. I used Wen for a while but can no longer afford it....plus I don't think it was too great. Usually I just use cheap shampoo and conditioner unfortunately. I wash only my scalp and condition the whole length. I don't bunch up my hair. Full of cones, though I'm not sure why people have a problem with them...I'm not informed on that (feel free to enlighten me) I never brush or comb my hair when wet. I usually finger-detangle a little when applying my conditioner and then brush when dry. Just a normal plastic brush. I always feel like braiding my hair makes the breakage worse for some reason...like...more surface area to rub or something? And all the little broken bits stick out and look awful! Since using coconut oil, my hair is stringy feeling and more kinky/crispy when it's normally like...satin soft/smooth.

No worries, you don't sound condescending. I need advice big time! My hair has just always been long and it's come 'easy' to me. So, I'm really a bit clueless at times.

[red-again]

My hair is even more similar to yours, I was once a week too. Grease not a prob here
The brush may be a bit to harsh especially on your oldest hair at the ends. Have you heard of the tangle teezer? I use one and so do all of my daughters (4 of them) and it really helps. It is very gentle and doesn't pull or snag at all.
When washing your hair, should you wet your scalp, apply shampoo to it and then hold your length up above the water spray till the shampoo has rinsed away? That will reduce the oil being stripped from your length.
The cones are ok if your hair likes them, they can build up on your hair though and some are tougher to remove than others. Look on google for a list of water soluble cones and try to use products with them in. For the here and now, a clarifying session may really help. If you are in the us, neutrogena do a great clarifying shampoo. They are harsh tho so use them rarely, but at the right time they are invaluable. If you live elsewhere, just look for a specific clarifying shampoo.
The cones will not be helping in terms of the slip your hair has unfortunately but if your hair likes them, it likes them. Maybe do a trial without post clarifying to see what you can do in terms of up do without cones.
And th coconut oil does not sound like your hair's friend! It did exactly the same to my hair. Maybe try a lighter oil like sweet almond or olive?
Also do you use a silk pillowcase? That helps massively with breakage caused by friction.
Good luck. Hopefully someone else can throw more light onto the situation to help you out

[SamEatsBrains]

I've been wanting to get a tangle teezer and a silk pillowcase, but no, unfortunately at the moment I have neither. I will try that while washing my hair and definitely use some clarifying shampoo. I think it may be tough to find cone-free stuff though. I'll give it a shot. Thanks so much, that's very helpful since your hair is so similar to mine!

[Nini]

I found using a widetooth comb was much better for my hair than brushing. The main thing for growing it long for me have been braiding and bunning. I hardly ever wear my hair down, unless at home drying after a shower.

Braiding leads to less mechanical damage than having it loose, in my estimation. There'll still be some wear and tear, but that's to be expected. One has to live after all;)

[Madora]

What's been the most beneficial way to combat breakage for you?
I have very fine hair. And due to it being thick at the nape (about 4.5 inches, though I wish it was more!), I don't believe that classic length (which I have now), is my terminal length...despite my VERY fairytale ends D:. And yet, I've been 'stuck' here for years. Until I was done growing in height at about age 19 (two years ago), I guess I could blame I was growing taller as my hair was growing longer....but, it shouldn't have been enough height to matter since I was around 16! Especially since my hair grows VERY fast. I cut a lock to give to my boyfriend about 1.5 months ago and I cut it as close to the scalp as possible...and now it is 4 inches long. My hair has been a little bit longer than this before...about 2-3 inches maybe. But the ends just looked pitiful. I wear my hair down everyday and from about 4-5 inches from the nape to my ends the whole underside of my hair is riddled with breakage from rubbing against my clothes, I suppose. I can't find a way to keep my hair up, because it's very slippery. Also, I think my hair hates coconut oil! Any thoughts on why?

It sounds to me that your breakage problem is hindering your hair growth. The breakage is due to leaving it down all the time..and how you're treating (ie brushing or combing your hair). Your hair implements can make all the difference when it comes to breakage.

I know a lot of folks here swear by the Tangle Teaser, but if you want healthy hair, don't use plastic on your hair. Plastic causes friction..and friction is the enemy of hair. A natural boar bristle brush (with no plastic!) is the brush that mimics your hair's structure. Daily brushing is also beneficial for your follicles and helps stimulate growth.

Your comb should be a wide tooth one with no sharp tines. How you use the comb to detangle makes all the difference in how much breakage you have!

Apart from genetics, wearing your hair up (and thus protected) makes a world of difference. Slippery hair can be put up...it all boils down to how you section it and arrange it.

As for the coconut oil, perhaps it is too heavy for your hair...or you use too much? As far as oils are concerned, have you tried Mineral Oil (Baby Oil)? It is very lightweight, washes out easily, and you use just a few drops.

And just a caution when you clarify your hair with the Neutrogena Clarifying shampoo (which really works!)..be sure you condition your hair afterwards. That stuff really STRIPS your hair of everything.

Good luck!

[KellieMai]

If you hair just hate coconut oil and not all oils I recomend jojoba oil. It's much lighter and I find it almost as moisturising as coconut, for me anyway, my hair is fairly slippery and I like to wear it in either a keltic knot or nautalis bun. I use a hair stick and find it holds well for me, but I know a lot of people find a hair fork holds much better. I hope you find something that works for you :)

[alishaxmarie]

If you do decide to clarify, save yourself money and just add some baking soda to your shampoo and make sure to wash the ends as well as the scalp. You probably have cone buildup since you never shampoo your length to remove all of your product. This means your oil/other conditioning products are sitting on top of the layer of silicone rather than penetrating u your cuticle and moisturizing your locks.

[SamEatsBrains]

If you do decide to clarify, save yourself money and just add some baking soda to your shampoo and make sure to wash the ends as well as the scalp. You probably have cone buildup since you never shampoo your length to remove all of your product. This means your oil/other conditioning products are sitting on top of the layer of silicone rather than penetrating u your cuticle and moisturizing your locks.

Well, I don't wash my length, but I let the shampoo run over it when I rinse my scalp and it stills gets some of it off, as my hair is noticeably more dry all over after washing, but I bet I do have some build-up. That makes sense. I have some baking soda, so I'll give it a try.


I'll try some different oils...I've only tried coconut and olive oil before and my hair liked neither....and different brushes, but maybe I'm just out of luck. I hate how I look in updos and I don't keep my hair long to wear it up :P. I know it'll be protected and grow longer but I don't want long hair to wear it up all or most of the time....

[SamEatsBrains]

It sounds to me that your breakage problem is hindering your hair growth. The breakage is due to leaving it down all the time..and how you're treating (ie brushing or combing your hair). Your hair implements can make all the difference when it comes to breakage.

I know a lot of folks here swear by the Tangle Teaser, but if you want healthy hair, don't use plastic on your hair. Plastic causes friction..and friction is the enemy of hair. A natural boar bristle brush (with no plastic!) is the brush that mimics your hair's structure. Daily brushing is also beneficial for your follicles and helps stimulate growth.

Your comb should be a wide tooth one with no sharp tines. How you use the comb to detangle makes all the difference in how much breakage you have!

Apart from genetics, wearing your hair up (and thus protected) makes a world of difference. Slippery hair can be put up...it all boils down to how you section it and arrange it.

As for the coconut oil, perhaps it is too heavy for your hair...or you use too much? As far as oils are concerned, have you tried Mineral Oil (Baby Oil)? It is very lightweight, washes out easily, and you use just a few drops.

And just a caution when you clarify your hair with the Neutrogena Clarifying shampoo (which really works!)..be sure you condition your hair afterwards. That stuff really STRIPS your hair of everything.

Good luck!

Thank you! I have a boar bristle brush but maybe I am using it incorrectly. I don't have a comb at the moment, so I can't really effectively detangle my hair without brushing....but even after all the tangles are out...boar bristle brush seems to make my hair static-y and frizzy. I need to do very small sections of hair to get it through my hair. I'm sure my technique is simply wrong. Enlighten me? I'd really like to try a Tangle Teezer, as most of my hair breakage happens while brushing/detangling. Why does plastic cause friction? Seems odd! I am disappointed, I'd love to try a Tangle Teezer ):.

I haven't tried Baby Oil, I'll give it a shot. My hair tends to be more dry so I'm a bit afraid to clarify so deeply, especially if I'm clarifying to get rid of cone build-up. I'd have to use a cone-filled conditioner to combat that as I don't have an oil that works for me yet! I'm really reluctant to put my hair up, I know it'll help...but I just don't like to. So, I'll try everything else first lol.

[ErinLeigh]

It sounds like clarifying/chelating just once for a fresh start would be nice. Afterwards deep condition with a SMT (honey, aloe vera gel, conditioner without cones) I find the generic biolage hydration conditioner perfect for these as they are cone/protein free.
If the cones are not being removed then the conditioner is not doing it job. It is block by the cones. This means day by day your hair is getting drier and drier as no moisture is being allowed to enter the shaft.
If you do not like the idea of weekly shampoo on the length perhaps try some herbs or honey. I find honey co wash cleans my hair really well and make it feel full and shiny and my hair is very fine. Perhaps that can work for you length?

Wearing it up: Frizz and breakage will happen if you hair is constantly rubbing up on things. Maybe just make a deal with yourself to wear it up always when home, That way you can enjoy the length but it is up half the time. Half is better than none.
I would for sure get a satin pillowcase. My sleep cap tends to come off and it makes my head hot. The pillowcase tho is heaven.
I bought 2 on Amazon for $10 and the hair just glides across them. This also reduces friction frizz so I do like it a lot.

Oils: I am really liking emu oil. It is non greasy when applied lightly and makes hair really soft. I don't get the crunchy tips like I do with coconut, nor the heavy greasy feel I get with the other oils. You could then do the coconut, castor or some type of penetrating oil an hour before shampoo as a pre treatment. Remove it with a condition/wash/condition routine. Conditioner gets that oil out better so hopefully not be left with lank hair. This way you are pre-treating hair prior to cleansing but don't have coconut oil staying in your hair all week long.
If you getting most breakage when detangling I would think a light spritz of olive oil would work . When my hair was breaking left and right I would apply oil before combing and I would have zero breakage. It helped me more than I can say. It is greasy so go lightly. If the thought of all that oil is just too much...I would say put a good leave in conditioner. Also get a cheap spray bottle and mix up some conditioner and water (and maybe aloe gel) to spritz thru hair before each detangling session. This would help with tangles plus add moisture back in during the week.

I think the first poster had a fantastic idea about reviewing all your products. Beyond cones and no cones you need to look what has proteins, moisture, sulfates, ceramides etc. Knowing what is in your products will help you establish a balance. You wouldn't want to find you are washing with protein shampoo and conditioner and then applying a protein based gel and silicone afterwards.

Would you care to share you whole routine including products? Advise when you add the oils, when last trim, last S/D was etc etc. It may help some of the really knowledgeble people pinpoint something that is being overlooked.

I really hope whatever breakage you are experiencing will stop. It is so disheartening and I am sorry you are having this happen.
Maybe with a few slight changes the current breakage will stop and the rest can catch back up.

[SamEatsBrains]

It sounds like clarifying/chelating just once for a fresh start would be nice. Afterwards deep condition with a SMT (honey, aloe vera gel, conditioner without cones) I find the generic biolage hydration conditioner perfect for these as they are cone/protein free.
If the cones are not being removed then the conditioner is not doing it job. It is block by the cones. This means day by day your hair is getting drier and drier as no moisture is being allowed to enter the shaft.
If you do not like the idea of weekly shampoo on the length perhaps try some herbs or honey. I find honey co wash cleans my hair really well and make it feel full and shiny and my hair is very fine. Perhaps that can work for you length?

Wearing it up: Frizz and breakage will happen if you hair is constantly rubbing up on things. Maybe just make a deal with yourself to wear it up always when home, That way you can enjoy the length but it is up half the time. Half is better than none.
I would for sure get a satin pillowcase. My sleep cap tends to come off and it makes my head hot. The pillowcase tho is heaven.
I bought 2 on Amazon for $10 and the hair just glides across them. This also reduces friction frizz so I do like it a lot.

Oils: I am really liking emu oil. It is non greasy when applied lightly and makes hair really soft. I don't get the crunchy tips like I do with coconut, nor the heavy greasy feel I get with the other oils. You could then do the coconut, castor or some type of penetrating oil an hour before shampoo as a pre treatment. Remove it with a condition/wash/condition routine. Conditioner gets that oil out better so hopefully not be left with lank hair. This way you are pre-treating hair prior to cleansing but don't have coconut oil staying in your hair all week long.
If you getting most breakage when detangling I would think a light spritz of olive oil would work . When my hair was breaking left and right I would apply oil before combing and I would have zero breakage. It helped me more than I can say. It is greasy so go lightly. If the thought of all that oil is just too much...I would say put a good leave in conditioner. Also get a cheap spray bottle and mix up some conditioner and water (and maybe aloe gel) to spritz thru hair before each detangling session. This would help with tangles plus add moisture back in during the week.

I think the first poster had a fantastic idea about reviewing all your products. Beyond cones and no cones you need to look what has proteins, moisture, sulfates, ceramides etc. Knowing what is in your products will help you establish a balance. You wouldn't want to find you are washing with protein shampoo and conditioner and then applying a protein based gel and silicone afterwards.

Would you care to share you whole routine including products? Advise when you add the oils, when last trim, last S/D was etc etc. It may help some of the really knowledgeble people pinpoint something that is being overlooked.

I really hope whatever breakage you are experiencing will stop. It is so disheartening and I am sorry you are having this happen.
Maybe with a few slight changes the current breakage will stop and the rest can catch back up.

Thank you so much for such a long response! So much of this is very very helpful :D. Wearing my hair up isn't really something I'm willing to do much at all. I'd rather wear it down at home with my boyfriend and look pretty and feel comfortable (also probably get less damaged at home out of the elements!) and maybe I can wear it up more in public! I really don't care if strangers see my ugly ears hahaha. But, I'll skip the sore head at home! I will try and find a style that works for me, and braid more in the meantime.

I will definitely be purchasing a silk pillowcase ASAP!

I've actually used emu oil for my skin before and I love it, so I will try it on my hair! Don't know why I didn't think of it :D. I'll definitely use the spray bottle with water/conditioner for detangling, that sounds like a great idea.

I really have no idea about proteins...I never heard of/considered checking for them in my routine.

I haven't done a S/D in a long time, I used to do them frequently but I have so many splits it seemed pointless and very discouraging. But mostly I stopped because my scissors broke and I need a new pair of nice hair scissors. I can't really offer info on my hair products because usually they change every time I run out. I just buy what's cheap because I don't really have much money. Right now I think my shampoo and conditioner are switched between a Sauve Everlasting Sunshine shampoo and conditioner and Pantene Beautiful Lengths shampoo and conditioner. I really like the Pantene actually, my hair has always seemed to like it. But it's more expensive than the sauve so I don't get it as often. Right now, my whole routine is brush when tangly, wash once a week as I specified earlier, and air dry. That's about it.

Thanks so much, and I hope it stops too!

[ErinLeigh]

Your routine is simple! I like that. Fuss free. I will peek at the ingredients of the Suave and Pantene and see if anything weird stands out but I am just guessing right now a nice clarify and deeeep condition (please try the SMT it is amazing) will give you a nice fresh slate and add back some moisture to the hair. Too much protein can cause breakage so maybes try a deep moisture treatment and see if helps. There is nothing to lose if you don't have allergies to any of the products. Personally I doubt you are over proteined via product since your routine is so simple, but if you dont have enough moisture your balance could be out of whack anyway.

I just got thru the other side of some nasty breakage although mine was chemical induced. It has stopped but to get there I did lots of moisture, oil before de- tangling when I could (sometimes I just don't want greasy hair!) and definitely penetrating prior to shampoo, pillowcase change to satin and of course a trim.

Would you be willing to part with perhaps half inch of length? If you have that many split ends I would take them off before they continue to travel upwards and into the good hair. Sometimes a little trim goes a long way. You will have 1/2 inch back within a month if the breakage stops or reduces.
I ask your feelings first on the trim as I know it is hard to lose length when you are already not gaining any currently. I wouldn't want to advise anything that will depress you. I just know it really stopped my breakage. Once I got rid of those tangling ends,which somehow caused nape and canopy tangles also, I no longer had breakage when combing. Prior to that I was loosing immense amount just trying to comb thru my hair.

I had my hair ruined Oct 30 and now a month later, just by adding those few things, it has completely turned around. My hair is a lot softer and smoother and no longer breaks off. It was a really big deal to me and emotionally stressful so I do relate. I really credit honey for a lot of it. Adding that to my conditioner really pulled moisture in and added a nice sleek shine and fullness that my fine hair has not seem in a long time.

[ErinLeigh]

Your routine is simple! I like that. Fuss free. I will peek at the ingredients of the Suave and Pantene and see if anything weird stands out but I am just guessing right now a nice clarify and deeeep condition (please try the SMT it is amazing) will give you a nice fresh slate and add back some moisture to the hair. Too much protein can cause breakage so maybes try a deep moisture treatment and see if helps. There is nothing to lose if you don't have allergies to any of the products. Personally I doubt you are over proteined via product since your routine is so simple, but if you dont have enough moisture your balance could be out of whack anyway.

I just got thru the other side of some nasty breakage although mine was chemical induced. It has stopped but to get there I did lots of moisture, oil before de- tangling when I could (sometimes I just don't want greasy hair!) and definitely penetrating prior to shampoo, pillowcase change to satin and of course a trim.

Would you be willing to part with perhaps half inch of length? If you have that many split ends I would take them off before they continue to travel upwards and into the good hair. Sometimes a little trim goes a long way. You will have 1/2 inch back within a month if the breakage stops or reduces.
I ask your feelings first on the trim as I know it is hard to lose length when you are already not gaining any currently. I wouldn't want to advise anything that will depress you. I just know it really stopped my breakage. Once I got rid of those tangling ends,which somehow caused nape and canopy tangles also, I no longer had breakage when combing. Prior to that I was loosing immense amount just trying to comb thru my hair.

I had my hair ruined Oct 30 and now a month later, just by adding those few things, it has completely turned around. My hair is a lot softer and smoother and no longer breaks off. It was a really big deal to me and emotionally stressful so I do relate. I really credit honey for a lot of it. Adding that to my conditioner really pulled moisture in and added a nice sleek shine and fullness that my fine hair has not seem in a long time.

[Madora]

Thank you! I have a boar bristle brush but maybe I am using it incorrectly. I don't have a comb at the moment, so I can't really effectively detangle my hair without brushing....but even after all the tangles are out...boar bristle brush seems to make my hair static-y and frizzy. I need to do very small sections of hair to get it through my hair. I'm sure my technique is simply wrong. Enlighten me? I'd really like to try a Tangle Teezer, as most of my hair breakage happens while brushing/detangling. Why does plastic cause friction? Seems odd! I am disappointed, I'd love to try a Tangle Teezer ):.

I haven't tried Baby Oil, I'll give it a shot. My hair tends to be more dry so I'm a bit afraid to clarify so deeply, especially if I'm clarifying to get rid of cone build-up. I'd have to use a cone-filled conditioner to combat that as I don't have an oil that works for me yet! I'm really reluctant to put my hair up, I know it'll help...but I just don't like to. So, I'll try everything else first lol.

To help calm static made when brushing with a boar bristle brush, follow each swipe of the brush with the palm of your other hand. The brush is the plus (+) and your palm is the minus (-). Go all the way down your detangled hair with the brush, then take your palm of your other hand and follow down the hair you just brushed. Continue with each section of hair until it has all been brushed.

Detangling with a brush is a sure way to get breakage! You're trying to get hundreds of tiny bristles thru your hair..and God forbid if your hair has snarls. Using a wide tooth comb limits the breakage because you only have a set number of tines, rather than all those bristles. Also, with a comb you isolate the snarl/tangle easily, then take it apart with your fingers (never just comb thru tangles! That's asking for all kinds of breakage!).

Dr. George Michael, the famed "Czar of Long Hair" always stressed to use natural utensils (the boar bristle brush) because the boar bristles most closely mimiced actual hair texture. Brushing "hair" with "hair" was more natural than using plastic. Of course there are all types of boar bristles..so finding a good match for your hair can be hard.

The Johnson and Johnson Baby Oil (with no additives!) helps with moisturizing..but a little goes a long way. I actually use it as a detangler after shampooing..just 4 tiny drops, on my palms, then the palms applied to the wet hair.

If you are reluctant to put your hair up, then you're going to need to check it once in a while and remove any tangles. Better to take care of tangles every so often than to wait until the end of the day, when you're tired, etc. and have to deal with them.

Please, for the sake of your hair, get a wide tooth comb (check that the tines are smooth!). You don't need a pricey one. Sally's has cheap ones (under $10.00). The sooner you stop detangling your hair with a brush, the better for your hair!

[SamEatsBrains]

Your routine is simple! I like that. Fuss free. I will peek at the ingredients of the Suave and Pantene and see if anything weird stands out but I am just guessing right now a nice clarify and deeeep condition (please try the SMT it is amazing) will give you a nice fresh slate and add back some moisture to the hair. Too much protein can cause breakage so maybes try a deep moisture treatment and see if helps. There is nothing to lose if you don't have allergies to any of the products. Personally I doubt you are over proteined via product since your routine is so simple, but if you dont have enough moisture your balance could be out of whack anyway.

I just got thru the other side of some nasty breakage although mine was chemical induced. It has stopped but to get there I did lots of moisture, oil before de- tangling when I could (sometimes I just don't want greasy hair!) and definitely penetrating prior to shampoo, pillowcase change to satin and of course a trim.

Would you be willing to part with perhaps half inch of length? If you have that many split ends I would take them off before they continue to travel upwards and into the good hair. Sometimes a little trim goes a long way. You will have 1/2 inch back within a month if the breakage stops or reduces.
I ask your feelings first on the trim as I know it is hard to lose length when you are already not gaining any currently. I wouldn't want to advise anything that will depress you. I just know it really stopped my breakage. Once I got rid of those tangling ends,which somehow caused nape and canopy tangles also, I no longer had breakage when combing. Prior to that I was loosing immense amount just trying to comb thru my hair.

I had my hair ruined Oct 30 and now a month later, just by adding those few things, it has completely turned around. My hair is a lot softer and smoother and no longer breaks off. It was a really big deal to me and emotionally stressful so I do relate. I really credit honey for a lot of it. Adding that to my conditioner really pulled moisture in and added a nice sleek shine and fullness that my fine hair has not seem in a long time.


Actually, I've been wanting a trim of an inch/2 inches or so. I just can't go to a salon for it and my haircutting scissors are broken. But, I'm picking up another pair soon. My hair grows pretty fast. Not sure on exact rate but it's pretty quick. I really appreciate you being so considerate of my feelings though. Your tips are great, I'm definitely going to try them all. That would be great if you would check those ingredients for me! As I really don't know what to look for. But you're right, it's probably just a lack of moisture since I don't use much product or use it very often. I always have honey in my house, so that's definitely worth a shot for me.

[hanne jensen]

A TT totally trashed my hair. I have very fine delicate hair that breaks if I blink my eyes. I use a wide toothed horn comb for de-tangling. I use the TT on my dog.

[SamEatsBrains]

To help calm static made when brushing with a boar bristle brush, follow each swipe of the brush with the palm of your other hand. The brush is the plus (+) and your palm is the minus (-). Go all the way down your detangled hair with the brush, then take your palm of your other hand and follow down the hair you just brushed. Continue with each section of hair until it has all been brushed.

Detangling with a brush is a sure way to get breakage! You're trying to get hundreds of tiny bristles thru your hair..and God forbid if your hair has snarls. Using a wide tooth comb limits the breakage because you only have a set number of tines, rather than all those bristles. Also, with a comb you isolate the snarl/tangle easily, then take it apart with your fingers (never just comb thru tangles! That's asking for all kinds of breakage!).

Dr. George Michael, the famed "Czar of Long Hair" always stressed to use natural utensils (the boar bristle brush) because the boar bristles most closely mimiced actual hair texture. Brushing "hair" with "hair" was more natural than using plastic. Of course there are all types of boar bristles..so finding a good match for your hair can be hard.

The Johnson and Johnson Baby Oil (with no additives!) helps with moisturizing..but a little goes a long way. I actually use it as a detangler after shampooing..just 4 tiny drops, on my palms, then the palms applied to the wet hair.

If you are reluctant to put your hair up, then you're going to need to check it once in a while and remove any tangles. Better to take care of tangles every so often than to wait until the end of the day, when you're tired, etc. and have to deal with them.

Please, for the sake of your hair, get a wide tooth comb (check that the tines are smooth!). You don't need a pricey one. Sally's has cheap ones (under $10.00). The sooner you stop detangling your hair with a brush, the better for your hair!


I'll definitely get a comb next time I'm at Sally's. Only 4 drops? I like the sound of that! I'll definitely have to get some baby oil. My boar bristle brush is also very very old so idk if that makes a difference. I'll keep at it. My mom used them when she was younger and had long hair and swear by them. I'll probably end up buying a tangle teezer to carry around and detangle minor knots during the day, and detangle with a comb and oil at the end of the day. And honestly, I'm VERY guilty of just brushing through tangles...it's surprising my hair is even this long ):. I'm so guilty of that. I will resist!

[SamEatsBrains]

A TT totally trashed my hair. I have very fine delicate hair that breaks if I blink my eyes. I use a wide toothed horn comb for de-tangling. I use the TT on my dog.

I have the same kind of hair, so that alarms me! But I've heard from others with the same hair type who love it! So confused. Very mixed opinions on them it seems!

[Scarlet_Heart]

I think hair breaks because it gets rigid. I would suggest finding an oil that works for your hair. And the way you oil could affect your results as well. If coconut oil is making your hair stringy, you're probably using too much. Try smoothing a small amount over your wet hair after a wash, and then gently comb it through. This is what I do and I find it works better for me than putting a ton of oil in your hair and then trying to wash most of it out. But if coconut oil is still not working for you, try others. For fine hair, lighter oils like camelia and jojoba are good. My hair is thick and course so I use olive oil and sometimes petroleum jelly even.

I use a wide tooth horn comb to comb my oil through after a wash. The rest of the time I finger-comb. I have found that finger combing also greatly reduces shedding and breakage because your fingers flex and give unlike a rigid comb or brush bristles.

HTH!

[SamEatsBrains]

I think hair breaks because it gets rigid. I would suggest finding an oil that works for your hair. And the way you oil could affect your results as well. If coconut oil is making your hair stringy, you're probably using too much. Try smoothing a small amount over your wet hair after a wash, and then gently comb it through. This is what I do and I find it works better for me than putting a ton of oil in your hair and then trying to wash most of it out. But if coconut oil is still not working for you, try others. For fine hair, lighter oils like camelia and jojoba are good. My hair is thick and course so I use olive oil and sometimes petroleum jelly even.

I use a wide tooth horn comb to comb my oil through after a wash. The rest of the time I finger-comb. I have found that finger combing also greatly reduces shedding and breakage because your fingers flex and give unlike a rigid comb or brush bristles.

HTH!

That is how I've been oiling and I think it's just too heavy for my hair? I'm not using a lot. I will try baby oil and jojoba. I have like...baby fine hair, so maybe it just doesn't agree with me! Thanks for the tips :D.

[hippie girl]

My hair is very fine and prone to break, but I have been able to grow it long. Mine does taper, but I think it is just the nature of my hair. Given how fine it is, I'm surprise it has grown as much as it has, even though it is tapered. For hair that breaks easily, I'm happy enough with my results so far.

I think the most important thing for fine, straight hair (at least for mine) is to always detangle it before getting it wet with a wide tooth comb, and never comb when wet. Not in the shower, not after, not ever.

When dry, I can carefully get out the snags, which are usually due to a shed hair on it's way out grabbing other hairs, or a piece of unknown fuzz causing a snag with other hairs. I do it from the bottom up, mostly, and sort of pull apart the snags without force with my fingers and the comb. If I do this before getting it wet, the shed hairs get removed and don't cause tangles (or clogs!) in the shower or afterwards.

I have never seen a good wide tooth comb at sally beauty though. I don't ever have reason to go in there, so things may have changed. When I lost my good resin comb on the road one year I could not find a decent comb to save my life at basic beauty supply stores. We have a couple really good privately owned ones here that carry the Creative line, but I have never seen one in a sally beauty. And boy, did I look!

This is the type of comb I use:
http://creativehairtools.com/comb/c-le.html
I also like this style, maybe even better than the one above, but I am currently using the one above.
http://creativehairtools.com/comb/c5w-le.html

I know they look similar to the ones at sally beauty and the drugstore, but these are resin and not plastic and are much, MUCH smoother than the plastic ones that do have tiny seams down the teeth. The seams are murder on my hair and I'd rather comb with a hairstick than a plastic comb. Which I did for the longest time till I returned home and could get a replacement resin comb. :)

I don't use bone or wood combs. Some people love them, but I still fear micro cracks in the wood so I stick with what i know and trust, which is the resin comb.

Maybe try a good comb and detangling when dry and never while wet. I do not brush my hair, either. I have a BBB, but never use it. It is a mid-priced one and not so great, but I am just not a brusher. I think that it does a bit more damage for me than I wish it did. I stopped brushing so long ago that when I did get my BBB I just never got back into it. Not brushing helped my fine hair so much that I just never started again.

If I got a really good BBB I might give it a try, but I am happy with combing! :)

I don't oil too much either. Very infrequently. I find that oil attracts too much fuzz, which is what causes tangles in my fine hair. I'm better off not oiling as little fuzz pieces cause way more tangle damage than the oil helps my hair. It is a trade off. I do use a couple drops of jojoba every so often, and just started trying coconut in the last few months. I use very little though.

Good luck!

[QMacrocarpa]

My hair is prone to split and break (I've had times when the breakage kept up with my growth rate) and regular updos (plus sleep-braids) have been the biggest help for me. I've never tried coconut oil, but I did like jojoba. I've switched to cheap (non-virgin) olive oil because I found the jojoba too pricy (I keep most of the olive oil in the fridge so it won't go rancid). I've heard that some hair doesn't like the protein in coconut oil.

If your hair is so slippy that you have a hard time getting updos to stay, you might have an easier time with Ficcare-style (http://www.amazon.com/Caravan-Salon-Clip-Hump-Cream/dp/B0052JMKHK/) clips (http://www.amazon.com/Hair-Claw-Clip-Slide-4-75/dp/B0091W9GHG/) or Flexi-8's (www.flexi8.com/‎) that grab onto your hair (several Flexi-8 bun vids here (https://www.youtube.com/user/frambuesa55/videos)). Combining an elastic with a hairstick to make an elastic slide is a simple alternative with great hold. Braiding the hair before putting it up can help defeat the slitheries.

I didn't have good success with a boar-bristle brush, I had the shreddiest ends of my life when I was using one regularly. Mostly I use a tangle-teezer to detangle. I do a tiny self-trim (http://feyeselftrim.livejournal.com/) about twice a year to keep the splits and breakage at bay.