Hair pulled hard - now feels different

[princess-royal]

On Saturday I experienced a traumatic incident during which my hair was pulled very hard. A clump of it came out (not a huge amount, but I don't have a massive amount of hair in the first place) and since then my hair has felt very different. I don't know if it's the fact that I'm already idealising the way it used to be and looking out for every tiny change in its texture, but it definitely feels mushier, wispier, finer and more flyaway, and I don't know why. As sad as this sounds, my hair was my pride and joy so I would hate for it to be damaged like this. What could possibly have happened? Am I just seeing things? Has anyone else experienced something like this? :(

(I am also someone who generally takes very good care of my hair. I use sulfate free shampoo twice a week, having found that no poo really doesn't work for me, and I comb my hair with a boar bristle brush. I never use hair straighteners or curling irons, I don't use dye, and I only blow dry my hair very lightly.)

[bananahanna]

perhaps the pulling caused some of the hair to stretch, which would account for the mushy feeling in my experience. was it all of the hair that was pulled or just a part?

[Wosie]

I wanted to ask the exact same question as bananahanna -- how much of your hair got pulled? If it was a small section of hair, then the whole head of hair couldn't have suffered and changed for the worse. If a big portion of your hair got stuck/pulled, then it might've stretched the strands so that it changed the texture and feel of the hair.

[princess-royal]

It was the whole head of hair, yes :( I wonder if there's anything to do to make it feel less fine and mushy. Years of growth and healthy hair, gone in an instant.

[stachelbeere]

oh poor you :( sorry this has happened to you, it sounds truly traumatic :(

I have no idea what advice to give to you but I hope it's only a temporary state of you hair and that it'll return to normal :grouphug:

[princess-royal]

Thanks stachelbeere :grouphug:

Does anyone think that a keratin treatment might be a good idea? I'm not sure what my hair needs right now.

[Kaelee]

Keratin treatments are usually a bad idea.

I'm sorry that happened to you...I would seriously just be gentle with it and give it a week or two. Since your hair is so important to you, and the event was traumatic, I have to wonder if it's not "in your head" so to speak- not to make it any less real or devalue your feelings at all, but you could be hypersensitive right now and think you're seeing changes that you really aren't. It's actually pretty difficult to stretch hair when grabbed as an entire bunch because the strands are much stronger as a group than they are individually.

[Anje]

What kind of keratin treatments?

I can't say for certain, but I think a protein treatment might help strengthen what you have. Follow it up with something moisturizing. I hope you find something that helps!

If you're referring to the Brazilian straightening sort of keratin treatment, you'd be better off without, even if your hair weren't already damaged.

[ErinLeigh]

What kind of keratin treatments?

I can't say for certain, but I think a protein treatment might help strengthen what you have. Follow it up with something moisturizing. I hope you find something that helps!

If you're referring to the Brazilian straightening sort of keratin treatment, you'd be better off without, even if your hair weren't already damaged.

I was thinking the same in the sense wonder if just a little protein might help. Nothing severe but maybe a nice protein conditioner for next 2 washes.

As far for what OP is going through I understand. I can notice even the slightest change in hair, things others would not notice and I do stress over it when it changes. I am sorry this happened to you! I would wonder if there is a kind of shock the scalp can go thru after a hard all over pull like that so I would be in the same mindset. Although at same time wondering how much of this was "in my head" but if hair is stretching then ya something could have happened to strands as well. Think of stretching an elastic to way hard and far. There is a chance it wont come back to original state fully. It is going to need some active help to come back if that happened. See if a tiny bit of good protein helps .
Again, I am so sorry. It must have been quite a shock.

[Emanuelle]

Considering the experience was traumatic and your hair is important to you, it is possible that it is ''in your head''. But I would pamper your hair with a protein and deep treatment anyway. Good luck! *hug*

[princess-royal]

Thanks everyone :) I might do a DIY protein treatment, although my hair actually feels wonderfully soft and lovely so I'm not sure if an egg and honey treatment would be overkill. I need something for the limpness/flyaway feeling. Can anyone recommend any good thickening products? I've ordered some multivitamins. Also it's probably too early to tell but I think my hair has lost its natural wave... :(

[ladylowtide]

I just want to say I'm so sorry for what happened to you and your hair. Sending you good vibes! My only advice is just to love and pamper your hair. Best of luck to you. :)

[princess-royal]

My hair, post-pulling

http://24.media.tumblr.com/e03ba8f8561227dd055b553eac61dce6/tumblr_mzhlypeOxl1tnj3gfo1_1280.jpg

http://31.media.tumblr.com/116d709543a15173df1866d14d3ef45f/tumblr_mzhlypeOxl1tnj3gfo2_1280.jpg

(Also I know it's in need of a trim, I've been meaning to get one for a while)

[ErinLeigh]

Your hair is still gorgeous! A trim will fix it right up I think. It should recover from any changes as I cant imagine this changing hair type.

Shea Moisture Yucca and Boabab is a good thickening shampoo in my opinion. They have a matching conditioner I have not tried yet also.
It is thick and a little harder to rinse out for me but it does the job. I don't use it daily so cant report on that but when I use it in rotation I can tell a difference. It has protein so it cant be a daily for me although I do find it causes zero issues when used in this concoction.

Shampoo
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Oil*, Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, Adansonia digitata (Baobab) Extract, Biotin, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate (Coconut Oil), Vegetable Protein, Yucca Filamentosa Extract, Rosemary Extract, Bamboo Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower (and) Lonicera Japonica (Japanese Honeysuckle) Flower Extract. *Denotes Certified Organic Ingredient.
Ingredient Attributes: anti-humectant

[EvelynMay]

Your hair is still gorgeous! A trim will fix it right up I think. It should recover from any changes as I cant imagine this changing hair type.

Shea Moisture Yucca and Boabab is a good thickening shampoo in my opinion. They have a matching conditioner I have not tried yet also.
It is thick and a little harder to rinse out for me but it does the job. I don't use it daily so cant report on that but when I use it in rotation I can tell a difference. It has protein so it cant be a daily for me although I do find it causes zero issues when used in this concoction.

Shampoo
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Oil*, Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, Adansonia digitata (Baobab) Extract, Biotin, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate (Coconut Oil), Vegetable Protein, Yucca Filamentosa Extract, Rosemary Extract, Bamboo Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower (and) Lonicera Japonica (Japanese Honeysuckle) Flower Extract. *Denotes Certified Organic Ingredient.
Ingredient Attributes: anti-humectant

I am sorry that I am slightly thread jacking... but oh my word, I was considering this very routine with using their thickening shampoo as an occasional "treatment" as I currently use Shea moisture restorative conditioner... but I didn't know if I'd get any results with using it occasionally as opposed to everyday (I like the ingredients in the moisture line more) as my hair maybe could use a little thickening help. To hear/read that you do this makes me even more want to try it... when you say you use it in rotation, do you mean it gets used one day every once in a while, or one full bottle every once in a while for how ever long? And you have found that it has helped with giving natural body to your hair long term?

As to the OP, I'm not sure what happened or how hard it was pulled, but I have had my hair yanked accidently by my dogs jumping and their claws catching my hair or getting up from a sitting/laying position and not realizing my hair is caught under my arm and pulling it... not super substantial but enough to make me panic. And then I always have this thought that I've ruined my hair and I think this for several days after, but soon forget about it and my hair seems normal again. It could be in your head. Even if it was more damage than this, I think that your hair still looks fantastic in those pics :) I am serious, it looks wonderful still. Baby your hair for a while and see if it feels and looks different to you in a week or 2.

[ErinLeigh]

I agree, hair looks beautiful. I think a trim will help with subconscious things happening and give you a fresh outlook. And it will remove any impending splits coming from the pulling. I wonder if the texture change was already on horizon and not from hair pulling. Maybe it was just due for a chelating/clarifying or something anyway?

And EvelynMay, yes about once a week I use it. I am a daily pooer so this is one of the ones I use.

[Redvelvetdragon]

I wonder if your scalp is a little stunned from the traumatic pulling and you feel it's different because it's still recovering.

I would do a simple conditioning (something you can leave in, or sleep with) and baby your scalp for a while.

I hope it feels better for you!

[MeganE]

Keratin treatments are usually a bad idea.

I'm sorry that happened to you...I would seriously just be gentle with it and give it a week or two. Since your hair is so important to you, and the event was traumatic, I have to wonder if it's not "in your head" so to speak- not to make it any less real or devalue your feelings at all, but you could be hypersensitive right now and think you're seeing changes that you really aren't. It's actually pretty difficult to stretch hair when grabbed as an entire bunch because the strands are much stronger as a group than they are individually.

I think that depends on how it was grabbed. Based on what she's reporting, it sounds like it was grabbed by some sort of a machine that had some real strength behind it, which could very well have stretched all her hair. I mean she said a clump of it came out? How hard would you have to pull on all of someone's hair to get a clump out with it? And if it all went fine and mushy, that sounds like all the strands did get stretched. :( It sounds awful, OP. I'm so sorry.