please help :(

[cat-lady]

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[Freija]

It sounds like possible protein overload - I know Mane and Tail is very high in it. Maybe go back to a shampoo that used to work for you before (one without protein in the ingredients!) - and definitely find a good, moisturising, protein-free conditioner and do some deep treatments with it. I agree with Anje about clarifying with a sulfate shampoo, too - it could help to get rid of any buildup and excess protein from your hair, so that any conditioner you use can really penetrate it.

Whereabouts do you live? If you're in America then Sally Beauty Supply sell a conditioner that should be perfect for you - no protein, very moisturising - it's their GVP conditioning balm. Lots of people here swear by it. : )


Edit: Another thought has just occurred. You don't give many details about your routine and the products that you've been using other than the Mane and Tail - but have you given up using silicones recently? It might simply be that going 'cone free doesn't work for you. If you were using them back when you dyed your hair, then they were probably masking the damage that was already being done. Silicones can prevent tangles, stick split ends together, stick down ruffled-up cuticles and help gloss over damaged parts of hair strands - all temporarily, of course, but they can make damaged hair feel healthier while you're using them.

If you've stopped using them, though, your hair will be gradually returning to its natural state as they wash off the strands - and that means you'll be able to feel all and any damage that dyeing may have caused.

In that case, you might want to keep using silicones - at least while the damage grows out - but experiment with different types of cones. There are several LHC members who can give you much more advice on that than me, but lots of people find things like amodimethicone and bis-aminopropyl dimethicone work better than, say, straight dimethicone. It's generally held that they have the same protective, damage-hiding benefits without tending to cause the buildup and other problems often associated with silicone use.

You might also want to keep your routine as gentle as possible, if your hair is feeling dry and tangly because it is just damaged. I'd really baby it, always combing it with your fingers rather than using a comb or a brush; only attempting to detangle your hair when it is already full of conditioner; and using lots of gentle, protective up-dos. Even little things, like using a normal shampoo but diluting it with water; or avoiding shampooing the lengths of your hair and only washing your scalp; or doing deep conditioning treatments every so often in between washes, can make a difference.

[Wosie]

:flowers: I hope your hair'll be fine soon again. If I remember things correctly, Mane 'N' Tail has got tons of protein in it. Too much protein can make hair dry and straw-like. Try using more moisture for a while, no protein.

Check out this link: http://pedaheh.blogspot.se/2012/10/how-to-diagnose-hair.html

Does your hair seem like the one they're describing under "Too much protein"?

[Quasiquixotic]

How much conditioner are you using? Do you use a leave in? My daughter has 2c/3a hair and she needs her hair washed more than me with 1b hair, just because she needs the moisture. You could just get it wet and put a leave in on the ends if you don't want to wash your hair more often.

I think you might be curly-er than you think and just need a lot of conditioner love. Leave ins, deep treatments, oiling, less or no shampoo. And stretching washes isn't for everyone, so wash your hair more if it's happier...just saying :)

[Mowle]

Could it be that the products and methods you were using before were covering up a lot of damage? So it's only now you've stopped using them that you see the extent of the damage your old routine was causing. I know that can happen sometimes, coney conditioners especially tend to hide damage, have you gone cone-free?

[Anje]

Sounds like you did too much, too fast. That makes it hard to pinpoint what exactly is causing the problem.

If I had to hazard a guess though, I imagine the Mane and Tail is your culprit. That stuff is loaded with protein, and if your hair doesn't like protein, it makes it rough and super-tangly. The ends will feel non-smooth when you run your fingers down the length, and it'll tangle nearly instantly when you detangle if it's bad enough.

Based on that:

What do you do now? Here's my suggestion: Get yourself a clarifying shampoo and some protein-free conditioner. I'd suggest VO5 Kiwi Lime Squeeze or Neutrogena Anti-Residue shampoo, but any clarifying shampoo should work. There are lots of protein-free conditioners out there (look for an ingredients list without the words keratin, collagen, protein, hydrolyzed, or amino acids) -- I like the Suave Naturals line, excluding the coconut variety, but it's pretty light. I'd also suggest you get yourself some clear aloe gel (look by the sunblocks or use an aloe plant) and some sort of sugary syrup like honey, molasses, or corn syrup.

Clarify your hair by washing with the shampoo from root to tip. Do it twice. Don't pile your hair on your head -- just run the suds down your length.

Next, do a moisturizing deep treatment called an SMT. I've got a link in my signature below. The original recipe calls for honey, but I've had good luck with other syrups and honey isn't always ideal (occasionally leaves hair rough, has some potential to lighten hair). Warm it up a little bit (not hot, just warm), slather it on, and put a plastic bag over your hair. Wrap a towel around it (it might drip) and let it sit for about a half hour. Then rinse well.

Hope that helps. It should moisturize your hair and counteract the protein buildup. If it feels better but not 100%, consider repeating the SMT in a few days if your hair isn't quite back to normal.

[cat-lady]

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[Wildcat Diva]

Hey, try reading the WCC thread. Then try the LOC method afterward to hold moisture in.

[Kherome]

Could it be that the products and methods you were using before were covering up a lot of damage? So it's only now you've stopped using them that you see the extent of the damage your old routine was causing. I know that can happen sometimes, coney conditioners especially tend to hide damage, have you gone cone-free?

I would guess it is a combo of the above and protein overload. M&T is crap :( Don't use that anymore and do an SMT right away.

[jeanniet]

I think Mane & Tail is too harsh, period. It was a disaster on my hair, and my hair likes a lot of protein. Agree with the other advice given. An SMT may do quite a bit for your hair, but it's best to start with clarified hair so you have a clean slate to work with.

[cat-lady]

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[Sarahlabyrinth]

Glad to hear that your hair is improving. It's horrible when you have a hair problem and you don't know how to cure it.

[lapushka]

okay so I wrote a while ago about my hair, basically for the past few months I have completely changed my hair routine, stopped dying it, stopped washing so much, changed hair products, no heat etc.
the past month my hair has become worse than when I was dying it! it's so dry and constantly tangles, when I do wash it it gets extra knotted despite being gentle. I tried detangling with a wide tooth comb when wet but this ripped huge chunks out, so I tried to detangle when dry but again big chunks!! i'm so upset the little progress I had made has been undone, the ends are now just dry. straggly and breaking off and my roots are always tangling. does anyone have any advice? I have no idea what is causing this :( I started to use mane and tail and then the tangling started so I assumed it was that so I stopped hoping my hair would go back to normal but nope! :(

Do you use products with silicones in them? If not, it might be time to switch to them. They are great for detangling!