Help, I want to kill my hair

[TheWhiteRabbit]

My hair is just past hip length and this is the longest that my hair has ever been. And it is the most frustrating thing I have ever had to deal with. It is fine and I don't really have a lot of it but it is extremely temperamental and angry all the time.. It is really starting to get dry and coconut oil isn't cutting it anymore. Can someone who has fine hair suggest a good replacement? I also think I have a lot of breakage that can be seen in my pictures.

[AspenSong]

*hugs* Hi hair twin, I feel your pain. I just posted a length shot of my hair in the length thread and talked about how I want to chop it....I get it.

Your hair looks pretty nice and shiny and healthy to me!

Oils that work well for my hair are Jojoba and Argan especially lately. But I've used Olive and Grapeseed, etc for oilings and they work well too. Have you clarified? For me, sometimes my hair feels drier than it is when I need a good clarifying wash.
I struggle with wanting to cut too at times, and I just do something nice for my hair or get something pretty to put in it and just keep bunning and growing! I think keeping it up and protected is a big thing for the fine-haired and avoiding breakage. I know sleeping in a satin sleep cap helped me as well.

[Larki]

Oils don't moisturize for me, they just keep moisture in/out. So I use a leave-in conditioner and follow that with oil - keeps my ends in good shape. Have you tried using a leave-in?

[molljo]

I don't really have much to suggest, except to echo using a leave-in conditioner, but what you call breakage just looks like new growth, to me. Your hair is very pretty, btw.

[AmberJewel]

I really envy your shine! That said, I feel your pain being on the fine, thin side in the hair department. I also have plenty of breakage up the length. More recently I started mixing coconut and olive oil for applying to the length and it seems to be helping with dryness. I also CO wash. Not sure if this will work for your hair type, but I certainly hope it helps. I'll be following this thread for tips myself.

[longhair64]

I haven't posted in a looooong time, but your hair looks just like mine, color and all, except mine is classic length. I started using coconut oil last year and was amazed at how wonderful my hair was and how easy it was to comb/brush. That last for a few weeks then my hair suddenly got very dry and "crunchy" feeling on the ends. I read here on LHC that coconut oil is high in protein and that my hair was on protein overload. I had to stop using it for a while and use lots of non-protein conditioners and oils to get it back in shape. I now just do coconut oil pretreatments about once a month and occasionally put a TINY amount on my hair after washing/before drying.

I also tried to go cone-free and that almost ruined my hair, so I went back to coney conditioners and my hair loves them. I use just 1 or 2 drops of jojoba oil on the ends of my wet hair followed by 1 or 2 drops of Silk Drops (cones) before drying. My hair is much happier now.

I am SLS and SLES free and my hair and scalp feel much less dry and itchy.

Also, there is a "straight and silky" thread that is great because you can read what works for other with your same hair type.

Good luck! Laurlyn

[islandboo]

I agree with molljo that you don't appear to have much breakage, just new growth. I would hazard a guess that you are actually 1b not 1a, and the little bitty J curve at the hair terminus is making the new growth extra visible against the otherwise straight hair shafts. To be honest, I think your hair looks great in that pic. As far as oils, camellia oil works well on my hair - coconut works for me for occasional deep treatments but otherwise it is too heavy.

[Anyuta]

Your hair looks exactly like mine - thin and shiny. But so thin that even slightest wind will pull out individual hairs and create havoc. That really drives me nuts and I live in a windy climate, even updos and tight pony don't help! And believe me, I cut it short now, shortest I have ever had and it doesn't make anything easier with this type of hair. It still tangles even at this short length, now hard to put into pony, bun or updo, it easily slips off and none of my clips that worked on long hair is now able to hold in place this short hair. I have to grow it long, I don't have a choice. At length like yours you can try different hair styles that will keep it neat and protected. But on the brighter side, this type of hair can look really gorgeous when it's not cranky and the shine is so real that it gets you compliments all the time. Keeping it happy is hard, but I hope you don't cut it because I think you will have even more problems with it.

[hairpleasegrow]

To me your hair looks absolutely beautiful.

[molljo]

I read here on LHC that coconut oil is high in protein and that my hair was on protein overload.

This isn't true. Coconut oil is an oil, a fat. It contains zero protein. It is very helpful for retaining the protein already present in your hair, though. I just wanted to clear this up.

[Majorane]

Well you have very pretty hair! As for the breakage, I feel your pain. But it isn't visible, it looks like new growth, like others have said. So even if they really are all splits, only you know that :D Maybe doing some Game of Thrones inspired hairstyles from youtube could make you love your hair again? With a new hair regimen the knowledgeable peeps here think up for you?

.....buuuuuuut if you've been pondering about a chop for a seriously long time, and you really are tired of your long hair, then... well... if it makes you happy.... chopchop might be a solution. (I go hide in the basement now :hatchet: )

[jacqueline101]

I think your hair is beautiful and maybe a new hair do or toy is in order to make you love it again. As far as oils go I use argan, sweet oil, and coconut. I mist my oil blend on it's mixed with water maybe a water diluted oil mist would be good. It's lighter then heavy oils or direct application. I think the hairs you think is breakage is growth. My hair turns out in one area when it grows. Maybe your hair does the same thing.

[longhair64]

This isn't true. Coconut oil is an oil, a fat. It contains zero protein. It is very helpful for retaining the protein already present in your hair, though. I just wanted to clear this up.

Thanks, molljo. I appreciate the clarification. I do love my coconut oil and have recommended it to others, but moderation is the key for using it on my hair.

[RapunzelKat]

I find that SMTs (Snowymoon's moisture treatment) are excellent for moisturizing my thin, fine hair without weighing it down. I add a bit of coconut oil to mine, and I leave them overnight.

Also, the floaty hairs sticking out look like new growth to me, not breakage :) It's pretty common for us fine -haired 1a's to have new growth stick out because it's so lightweight.

[cosmic crusader]

Shea butter might work for you. I have fine hair, and coconut oil makes it feel drier and more fragile, not to mention it breaks me out. I use shea butter as a pre-poo. I rub it between my palms to liquify it, then apply to my general length. I then go through and appy to small sections at a time, concentrating on the canopy and ends. My hair has felt more moisturized and resilient as a result, and doesn't dry stringy like it does when I use other oils. Good luck!

[chen bao jun]

It is beautiful looking hair.

[Aurum]

Honestly, I find that it helps to switch things up a bit when long hair starts to get boring and/or cumbersome. Try out some new buns or styles, maybe go for a dye if you're feeling wild. Just have fun with it and enjoy! :)

[Hibernis]

So pretty! I think like everyone else has said, the little flyaways are new growth. They are popping up all over the place now that I'm taking care of my hair properly, so unless they're split ends it's a sign that you're doing it right. They WILL grow out.

[höpönasu]

Do a microtrim and find a new oil treatment that works better for your hair. :o

[Federica]

Hello, TheWhiteRabbit!
First of all, I wanna say that your mane is really beautiful.
I don't have nearly your hairtype, mine is coarse and wavy, but it looks like all that "fizzy" hair is just, as Anyuta said, pulled out from the wind.
Your hair seem so light and fine that I don't think that is breakage, but just flyaways/new growth.
You could look at the ends of your shorter single strands: if it's pointy like a little cone is new growth and not breakage.

[GetMeToWaist]

Your hair looks to die for in that picture! I have heard that overnight shea butter treatments are great - also you could try an SMT, or do some or lapushka's methods like WCC, CWC and LOC.

[Firefox7275]

Fine hair often does well with hydrolysed protein (strengthens, patch repairs, gives body/ volume).

Try a different penetrating oil to regular coconut: anything rich in oleic acid (olive, avocado, sweet almond, argan) or lauric acid (palm kernel, babassu) oe capric/ caprylic triglycerides (fractionated coconut). I am really liking fractionated coconut which is lightweight and silky, not at all like regular coconut.

[brickworld13]

Your hair looks a lot like mine used to. Have you tried stretching washes and using a BBB to distribute your natural oils to the length? It really helped mine to stop being so wispy and fly-away.

[lapushka]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/t1.0-9/q71/s720x720/10320533_10201763843644419_1144804363444569285_n.j pg

This is the longest that my hair has ever been. This was taken a couple months ago so it is a bit longer now. And it is the most frustrating thing I have ever had to deal with. It is fine and I don't really have a lot of it but it is extremely temperamental and angry all the time.. It is really starting to get dry and coconut oil isn't cutting it anymore. Can someone who has fine hair suggest a good replacement? I am not used to long hair and would also like some suggestions on how to keep it from making me resort to chopping it off.

Also, as you can see, I have a lot of breakage all through out. What can I do to help with that? I usually just use buns and braids. :confused::mad:

I don't see breakage - at all! If that's any consolation to you. :o You could try WCC as a method and LOC, after clarifying thoroughly first. The links are in my signature.

[Larki]

How can you tell the difference between new growth and breakage? I have TONS of short little hairs at all lengths that are super visible in sunlight. I'm pretty sure most if not all are new growth from trich, but how can I be sure?

[Federica]

Larki, as I said before, you can be sure by watching at the end of the shorter hair, if it's pointy it's new growth, if it's split/broken it's breakage.
Here (http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/2011/10/hair-under-microscope-hair-ends-damage.html) you'll find some microscope pictures of hair ends to get a visual idea.

[ErinLeigh]

My hair is very fine so I relate.

Avocado penetrates and for me works fantastic. I swear it makes my hair feel healthier and more hydrated somehow.

Jojoba oil on damp hair as a post wash serum gives me softness and locks in moisture extremely well. Some oils dry my hair out and this one never does. I only need 2 drops and it never looks oily or greasy.

Nightblooming Panacea as a finisher is something I can't do without. It gives my hair a feeling of substance and takes away my frizz and hides any damage and breakage. My hair can be a puffy mess an a pea size of this stuff makes my hair look thicker, smoother and shinier. I don't know why it works so well for me but it does. I prefer Ostera and original mix.