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lilin
September 12th, 2014, 02:57 PM
Hey guys. I've got a bad splitting problem, and I can't figure out why.

My hair is heavily layered. The splits are mostly on the bottom, longest layer, and on the back of my head.

Here's what's weird about that. I have trimmed my bottom layer twice in the last 3 months, trying to get rid of these things.

I haven't trimmed any of my other hair in 6 months to a year, and that hair's mostly fine. And yet the bottom layer is littered with splits -- nearly every hair, and I just cut it a couple weeks ago.

A run-down of my routine...

- Wash with soap nut liquid twice a week. Been using various conditioning slip agents, and recently settled on flaxseed.
- Plop for half an hour or so, air dry.
- SOMETIMES oil the ends with apricot oil -- maybe every 2 or 3 washes.
- If I put it up, hair friendly toys only -- sticks, forks, combs, etc. -- no elastics whatsoever in several months, and no braids.
- Sleep on silk pillowcase.

That's it. That's all I do.

Thing is, I don't see how any of these could be the cause.

If it was my washes, I'd expect more damage up at the top, where most of the stuff actually goes. I don't even touch my ends. And I was still having this problem with shampoo bars/vinegar, and shampoo/condish.

I did some henna highlights on my underlayer, but it's on the natural hair too (about 90% of it is natural).

I don't do anything rough to my hair.

Oiling maybe?

All I can think of is my former habit of ripping a brush through my hair, and my worst knots were always at the back, because I'd tie it up in messy buns. But could this really have damaged the entire length of my hair so badly that it splits IMMEDIATELY after being trimmed? Just this alone? No bleach, no heat -- just elastics and rough brushing?

This really is limited to only certain parts of my hair. Here's a couple pics...

This is the hair right by my face. This hair is not only the finest hair on my head, but also probably gets handled the most on a daily basis. It hasn't been trimmed in a year, and last time I did trim it, I cut vertically into the hair with dull scissors to try to imitate a razor cut. But despite that poor handling, it's mostly ok. I see some damaged ones in there, but not a ton.

http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y464/Lilin9/none_zpsa0b6632f.jpg


This is my bottom layer, trimmed a couple weeks ago. The picture actually doesn't convey how bad it really is. Nearly every hair is damaged somewhere, and most of them are split right at the end, which you can see was cut bluntly and straight across -- and I used proper sharp hair scissors. Despite that, it looks like this...

http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y464/Lilin9/splits_zpsb925f252.jpg


WHY!?

lapushka
September 12th, 2014, 03:00 PM
Maybe your cleaning routine, with soapnuts, is too harsh? Try switching it up with regular shampoo, see what that does.

lilin
September 12th, 2014, 03:07 PM
Maybe your cleaning routine, with soapnuts, is too harsh? Try switching it up with regular shampoo, see what that does.

Like I said, this has been going on a lot longer than I've been using soap nuts. Last time I tried to trim it off, I was using a shampoo bar. Came right back again.

And if it were that, I'd expect to see it the most on my shortest layers, which get the most exposure. I only use it on my scalp, so my ends get nothing but run-off. But my shortest layers with the most contact are in the best shape.

My hair is sufficiently layered that all my hair is pretty much the same age -- it's all somewhere between 11 and 13 inches from root. So it's not just age, because the shortest layers aren't necessarily younger.

meteor
September 12th, 2014, 03:11 PM
I really like your routine. You didn't mention how you normally wear your hair. And I'd recommend wearing hair up as much as possible and protect your ends.

I would also use some hydrolyzed proteins on ends (in leave-ins, for example). And don't forget to oil those ends regularly for now: maybe every other night or so with some penetrating oils (coconut, olive) and maybe use pre-poo oils, if you can.


All I can think of is my former habit of ripping a brush through my hair, and my worst knots were always at the back, because I'd tie it up in messy buns. But could this really have damaged the entire length of my hair so badly that it splits IMMEDIATELY after being trimmed? Just this alone? No bleach, no heat -- just elastics and rough brushing?

This really is limited to only certain parts of my hair. Here's a couple pics...

This is the hair right by my face. This hair is not only the finest hair on my head, but also probably gets handled the most on a daily basis. It hasn't been trimmed in a year, and last time I did trim it, I cut vertically into the hair with dull scissors to try to imitate a razor cut. But despite that poor handling, it's mostly ok. I see some damaged ones in there, but not a ton.

Please examine the quality of your brush and maybe quit brushing altogether if you can't be gentle with it? There is some research that showed that a lot of brushing caused some protein loss and damage. However, I'm sure it really depends on the brush and the technique. Personally, I noticed that I simply stopped getting split ends after throwing away all my brushes, but YMMV. Now I only use a wide-tooth comb and fingers and my hair is a lot stronger.

Also, you can replace damaging elastics on braids with silk ribbons - just weave them into the braids a few inches before you tie them off and wrap them around the end a few times to a stronger hold.

Please don't do razor-cuts (see pictures of damage below). If you develop splits right after a cut/trim, it's very likely that either it was an unskilled cut or the scissors weren't sharp. It's much better not to trim hair at all than to trim it badly:

The stump of a hair that has been badly cut:
http://pgbeautyscience.com/assets/images/twoh/Chapter%202/Damage%2011.jpg
Unskilled razor cutting can leave a long 'tail' on the severed hair, which may lead to breakdown of the end of the hair:
http://pgbeautyscience.com/assets/images/twoh/Chapter%202/Damage%2012.jpg

lilin
September 12th, 2014, 03:16 PM
I really like your routine. You didn't mention how you normally wear your hair. And I'd recommend wearing hair up as much as possible and protect your ends.

I would also use some hydrolyzed proteins on ends (in leave-ins, for example). And don't forget to oil those ends regularly for now: maybe every other night or so with some penetrating oils (coconut, olive) and maybe use pre-poo oils, if you can.



Please examine your brush and maybe quit brushing altogether? There is some research that showed that a lot of brushing caused some protein loss and damage. I'm sure it really depends on the brush and the technique. I noticed that I simply stopped getting split ends after throwing away all my brushes. Now I only use a wide-tooth comb and fingers and my hair is a lot stronger.

Please don't do razor-cuts (see pictures of damage below). If you develop splits right after a cut/trim, it's very likely that either it was an unskilled cut or the scissors weren't sharp. It's much better not to trim hair at all than to trim it badly:

The stump of a hair that has been badly cut:
http://pgbeautyscience.com/assets/images/twoh/Chapter%202/Damage%2011.jpg
Unskilled razor cutting can leave a long 'tail' on the severed hair, which may lead to breakdown of the end of the hair:
http://pgbeautyscience.com/assets/images/twoh/Chapter%202/Damage%2012.jpg

Thanks! I usually do simple buns, and just tuck the end into a swirl of hair somewhere. Sometimes I tie it around my head with a ribbon (only the ribbon gets tied -- it's long enough to go around 3 times).

I've stopped doing all that stuff now. Finger comb while my hair is slippery in the shower, and only use a wide-tooth comb when my hair actually needs it (usually once every couple days).

I don't cut like that anymore either. I have good scissors now and cut straight across.

LHC whipped these bad habits right out of me!

But it's weird to me that my badly-cut hair is less split than my properly cut hair.

But I'm wondering if this was truly enough to destroy the whole length of my bottom layer?

meteor
September 12th, 2014, 03:24 PM
I don't know if those practices were enough or not (it depends on too many factors), but it seems like you are doing everything right! :D Maybe S&D or trim the splits and baby those ends?
If you see that what you are already doing is not enough, maybe you can condition more intensely with penetrating oils, hydrolyzed proteins, 18-mea, ceramides? They are pretty useful for temporarily patch-repairing hair damage and providing slip.
Honestly, I'd oil the braid tassel every night or every other night for a while and see if that helped. :) That should increase elasticity and reduce hair porosity, somewhat strengthening those fragile ends.
I really hope you'll find a lasting solution, lilin! :flower:

Madora
September 12th, 2014, 03:25 PM
Are you using any hairtoys that are unfriendly?

The only other thing I can think of is that your hair is not getting enough moisture..hence the splitting. You might want to look into using a drop or two of baby oil (mineral oil). Johnson and Johnson makes a good baby oil that contains the mineral oil plus fragrance and nothing else. You don't want extra additives in your MO.

Place a drop or two of the MO on a plate..or directly on your hands. Spread the oil so that it covers the entire hand, both sides. Now run both hands through your hair several times until the oil sheen has about disappeared.

MO is very lightweight. It helps tame frizzies. It's also a terrific detangler! Washes out in the next shampoo. Best of all, it is dead cheap! A bottle will last forever! Best applied on hair that has been clarified first, but you can use it on damp (not wringing wet) hair. Good luck!

sarahthegemini
September 12th, 2014, 03:33 PM
You don't mention using a 'proper' conditioner, maybe that's contributing. It could also be that the soapnuts are too harsh (as was the shampoo bar prior) Maybe you need a leave in conditioner.

spidermom
September 12th, 2014, 03:35 PM
It can be difficult to find the right hair care routine; I sympathize. For years I complained bitterly about my split, dried out ends in spite of trying a number of LHC recommendations. I've discovered that coney serum is 1000 times more protective of my ends than oil. Since I discovered that, finding split ends has become a challenge, and it's not just because coney serum (example - CHI Silk Infusion) hides split ends. I recently did a no-cones experiment for 3 weeks to find out if the serum was making my hair straighter (it was), and I still found very few splits.

I'm not saying that silicones are the answer for you, however. I wish you success in your quest to protect and grow your hair.

lilin
September 12th, 2014, 03:58 PM
The problem is my hair is a terror to wash.

Shampoo, shampoo bars, and soap nuts are literally the only things that work for me. I have tried everything -- and I do mean everything. I get splits like this with all three of the only things that work.

Conditioning is a similar kind of nightmare. Even with regular condish, I could only use a little bit or I was a grease pit. Without traditional shampoo, I can't use it at all. I have to say the flaxseed is a vast improvement over vinegar, or any other DIY conditioner I've tried. Using it was a rinse, more watery than a full-on gel, it actually does a decent job.

If these things are causing my splits, I'm lost, because there is nothing else that works. But I don't think they are -- why don't I see damage on my top layers if it's my wash?

I've fiddled around with oiling more and oiling less. I think if anything is continuing to contribute beyond the mechanical damage, it's oiling. I get the crunchy feeling in a hurry if I overuse it.

I have done protein treatments, because I do think my hair lacks protein. Why is anyone's guess. Maybe weakness from mechanical abuse. Maybe the alkaline nature of shampoo bars? It helps a little.

Mineral oil is the one thing I haven't tried. Maybe that's next on the list.

But honestly, I'm beginning to think I will keep having this problem no matter what I do until I've cut to the hair that's currently at shoulder. The damage isn't just at the ends. *sigh*

RileyJane
September 12th, 2014, 04:02 PM
How long has it been since you last dyed your hair? it could be something as simple as dyed ends that are weak and brittle (trust me Ive dealt with that too) if not try coconut oil or argon oil on the length and ends, ive noticed my splits cut down by doing just that.

lilin
September 12th, 2014, 04:17 PM
How long has it been since you last dyed your hair? it could be something as simple as dyed ends that are weak and brittle (trust me Ive dealt with that too) if not try coconut oil or argon oil on the length and ends, ive noticed my splits cut down by doing just that.

I've never dyed it with any standard dye. I dyed some highlights with henna a week or two ago, in the hopes it would help make my hair a bit more resistant to this problem, in fact. Hasn't made a ton of difference one way or the other. My natural hair looks just as bad as my henna'ed hair, and vise versa.

meteor
September 12th, 2014, 04:24 PM
Please forgive me for a slight thread hi-jack, but how did you henna highlighting go, lilin? :) I've been thinking of doing this for quite awhile, but I don't see many photos online at all.
Does it look more like low-lighting (since henna darkens hair)? Did you do many small streaks or more like an ombre style?

lilin
September 12th, 2014, 04:27 PM
Please forgive me for a slight thread hi-jack, but how did you henna highlighting go, lilin? :) I've been thinking of doing this for quite awhile, but I don't see many photos online at all.
Does it look more like low-lighting (since henna darkens hair)? Did you do many small streaks or more like an ombre style?

I actually made a thread about it. :D

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=125864

I did streaks on the bottom layer only. It actually looks a bit like a highlight, because my hair has a blonde undertone. It's quite subtle since I'm dark-haired, but it swirls around in my bun!

meteor
September 12th, 2014, 05:44 PM
Thanks so much, lilin! :flower: I'm off to read it! :D

ExpectoPatronum
September 13th, 2014, 03:03 PM
Also, I think it's worthy to mention that, if it's your cleansing routine your ends aren't liking, you aren't seeing damage on your shorter layers because that hair is younger. The longer ends have been around longer and have been through more, so what probably isn't damaging to your front layers and the top of your head, can be damaging to them.

lilin
September 13th, 2014, 03:53 PM
Also, I think it's worthy to mention that, if it's your cleansing routine your ends aren't liking, you aren't seeing damage on your shorter layers because that hair is younger. The longer ends have been around longer and have been through more, so what probably isn't damaging to your front layers and the top of your head, can be damaging to them.

That's what's confusing about it. All of my hair is the same age -- my shortest layers are still 11 to 13 inches long, and my bottom layers are the same. But the top ones towards the front look fine despite being the finest hair on my head, which I cut with bad scissors, and no trims for almost a year, and the bottom/back ones look terrible despite being thicker, cut with good scissors, and having a trim 2 weeks ago.

jacqueline101
September 13th, 2014, 04:15 PM
Deeply weekly condition, rinse follow up with a leave in conditioner on damp hair then add a serum over it. Braid and wear up to protect your ends. You can s&d your ends to keep splits at bay just don't do it too often.

ExpectoPatronum
September 13th, 2014, 10:21 PM
Your bottom layers also rub up against your clothing more than your shorter layers do. Also do you find they get stuck in bags? What about rubbing up on chairs? Even if it seems minor, repeated rubbing against things can take their toll on hair, especially fine hair like yours.

Also what hair toys are you using? I had a pair of sticks that I thought were fine, but it turns out they were tearing my ends apart.

lilin
September 14th, 2014, 07:50 AM
Your bottom layers also rub up against your clothing more than your shorter layers do. Also do you find they get stuck in bags? What about rubbing up on chairs? Even if it seems minor, repeated rubbing against things can take their toll on hair, especially fine hair like yours.

Also what hair toys are you using? I had a pair of sticks that I thought were fine, but it turns out they were tearing my ends apart.

I try to be careful about that kind of stuff. I always move my hair if it's down when I throw my bag on over my shoulder. I tend to either sit up in my chair, or throw my hair over the back of it or over my shoulders if it's down and if I'm leaning back.

I would actually think the shorter ones get more rubbing as well. The long ones will stay over my shoulders, but the shorter layers, maybe a couple inches past shoulder, have a tendency to slip back.

Although perhaps the fact that my hair's so thinned out at the bottom from layering makes each individual hair more vulnerable? That has occurred to me.

The hair toy I use the most is a Dymondwood Ketylo. It's very smooth. If I'm bumming around the house, it's often in a sort of modified nautilus. I try to get the center bit loose enough not to pull (I am quite tenderheaded, so I know when it's pulling). My ends are just tucked in to the wrap part of it before I put the stick in. They're not held by anything except the grip of my hair itself.

I also have a wood fork, another stick, a metal comb, spin pins, and 3 Flexi's. Of the lot, I'd say the Flexi's tend to give me the most trouble. My hair gets into everything, so I do sometimes get a couple hairs caught in it. But I wear it pretty rarely. The runner up would be the metal comb, but it's only *potentially* problematic -- if you put it in right, it's no problem. It's smooth-tipped, but of course any battle between it and my hair, it's going to win. I can avoid any pulling if I put it in gently, and wiggle it in as opposed to jabbing it in.

yasminec19
September 14th, 2014, 08:00 AM
What brush do you use? You should use a wide tooth comb instead of a regular brush to minimize the damage you do to your hair ( a horn/polished wood one for when your hair is dry, a plastic one for the shower) try to not brush them when they are wet unless you heavily conditionned your hair. Maybe the scissors you are using to trim your hair do more damage than good, you should use professional shears otherwise you're cutting your hair the wring way and damaging it. Oiling can't do any wrong for your hair, except if you oil it HEAVILY and have to wash it several times to get rid of the oil. It defeats the purpose of oiling. Try to use a little bit of oil at a time. If you wear your hair up, no elastics of course, and don't handle them too roughly. You don't see damage at your top layers because your damage is probably mechanical. You need to handle your hair gently and be careful of knots and breakage. Braid, braid, braid ! and your hair is probably protein-sensitive. Too much protein breaks the hair. Stick with henna. If you can henna your entire head or maybe use cassia if you don't want the color, it may save your ends (it saved mine, haven't had a split for 4 months and i use to have them every month because of chemical dye and heat)

hope this helps xoxo

lilin
September 14th, 2014, 08:13 AM
What brush do you use? You should use a wide tooth comb instead of a regular brush to minimize the damage you do to your hair ( a horn/polished wood one for when your hair is dry, a plastic one for the shower) try to not brush them when they are wet unless you heavily conditionned your hair. Maybe the scissors you are using to trim your hair do more damage than good, you should use professional shears otherwise you're cutting your hair the wring way and damaging it. Oiling can't do any wrong for your hair, except if you oil it HEAVILY and have to wash it several times to get rid of the oil. It defeats the purpose of oiling. Try to use a little bit of oil at a time. If you wear your hair up, no elastics of course, and don't handle them too roughly. You don't see damage at your top layers because your damage is probably mechanical. You need to handle your hair gently and be careful of knots and breakage. Braid, braid, braid ! and your hair is probably protein-sensitive. Too much protein breaks the hair. Stick with henna. If you can henna your entire head or maybe use cassia if you don't want the color, it may save your ends (it saved mine, haven't had a split for 4 months and i use to have them every month because of chemical dye and heat)

hope this helps xoxo

Thank you! I'm doing pretty much all those things now.

I gave up brushes completely. I have a variety of combs. I have a wide-tooth horn comb, which is mostly what I use. I have a VERY wide tooth cellulose comb (no seams) that I use if I have an especially bad tangle. Due to its light weight, it's extremely gentle. I only comb about once every two days, or as needed. I have a medium-tooth wood comb that I use right before I get in the shower. Finger comb in the shower with a watery flaxseed gel in my hair. I don't even really have to comb it -- most of the tangles come out just running my hands over it.

I did get proper hair scissors, and that's what I used to trim my hair the last 2 times, and what I S&D with.

My oil applications are pretty light, and usually just the lower third of my length. I can't feel the oil much at all, and it certainly doesn't look oily. I use maybe 2 or 3 drops. I'm considering trying baby oil, as someone mentioned earlier.

I actually think my hair might lack protein. Why, I'm not sure. It tends to be extremely stretchy. I've tried light protein treatments a couple times, which did help with that. But of course, it's only temporary. I don't know whether it helps in the long run, since I get splits so consistently that it's hard to say.

I only use hair-friendly hair toys. I don't braid, because I've been worried tying off my ends will damage them more because they're already in such a sorry state. Do you think it would help?

I pretty much know how it got that way. I used to tie my hair tightly in a high messy bun. This produced knots all throughout my lengths, with the worst ones being at the back and on the ends, and then I'd rip through it carelessly with a paddle brush.

I'm just getting frustrated that trimming doesn't seem to help at all. Is it possible the mechanical damage goes most of the way up my hair? I do see damage on a lot of hairs several inches away from the ends (sharp bends, white dots in the middle of hairs, etc). Could mechanical damage alone have hurt my hair THAT much that it'll just split when it's trimmed until all that hair is gone?

When I think of this kind of damage, I think of the hardcore stuff -- lots of bleach, lots of heat, etc. I've never done any of those things to my hair. That's why I was wondering if anything about my routine seemed obviously out of place. I can't believe mechanical damage alone could do all of this. But maybe it has?

meteor
September 14th, 2014, 11:45 AM
My oil applications are pretty light, and usually just the lower third of my length. I can't feel the oil much at all, and it certainly doesn't look oily. I use maybe 2 or 3 drops. I'm considering trying baby oil, as someone mentioned earlier.

I actually think my hair might lack protein. Why, I'm not sure. It tends to be extremely stretchy. I've tried light protein treatments a couple times, which did help with that. But of course, it's only temporary. I don't know whether it helps in the long run, since I get splits so consistently that it's hard to say.

Lilin, may I ask why you only use 2 or 3 drops of oils if your hair is really damaged and splitting? The more porous/damaged the hair is, the more it likes penetrating oils. I'd really do heavy pre-poo oilings in your case. Use as much oil, as the hair absorbs. I used to have splits and simply don't get them anymore since I've started oiling hair and detangling super-gently.

And yes, hydrolyzed protein is great for damaged hair! Use more protein, if it worked for you even when you used a little bit, especially since you have damaged, stretchy ends. And of course, it's only temporary patch-repair. Nothing will undo the damage, but you can prevent it and you can temporarily patch-repair it.
Penetrating oils and hydrolyzed proteins are some of the very few ingredients that are proven to penetrate, protect and temporarily patch-repair hair. :)

Good luck! :D
And I highly recommend reading Science-y Hair Blog on damaged hair:
Managing elasticity and porosity: http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.ca/2014/03/managing-elasticity-and-porosity-in-hair.html
How to make pre-poo oiling work for your hair: http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.ca/2014/03/oil-pre-shampoo-or-pre-wash.html
About protein: http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.ca/2013/09/more-about-protein.html

yasminec19
September 14th, 2014, 01:16 PM
Is your hair porous? Sometimes people who have naturally porous hair get that kind of damage really easily even if they don't do anything to their hair (african hair for example is generally porous so it doesn't hold the moisture in) which oils do you use? I don't recommend mineral oil because it can't get into the hair shaft, it has no "affinity with protein" whatever the hell that means. Try argan oil, coconut oil, castor oil, olive oil, these are proven scientifically to actually nourish the hair. Mineral oil might be good for people with non-porous hair by taming it and probably helps with keeping the ends "oiled" and not dry looking but it doesn't strenghten anything. I think braiding is the best thing you could do for your hair because braiding your hair everyday/night reduces tangles TREMENDOUSLY. Check your hair porosity first and if you are porous (and i'm sure you are if you are experiencing this kind of damage) try to henna your hair every month and oil it overnight before hair wash-day. And as meteor said maybe you could oil it heavily if you are porous and it prenetrates your hair (if you're porous your hair will "drink" the oil, if you're not (like me) it just sits on top of your hair and needs hours ans hours before penetrating). You'll also need to learn how to "seal in" moisture because porous hair let it all evaporate. Henna coats the hair strands and helps with porosity.

lilin
September 14th, 2014, 02:06 PM
Lilin, may I ask why you only use 2 or 3 drops of oils if your hair is really damaged and splitting? The more porous/damaged the hair is, the more it likes penetrating oils. I'd really do heavy pre-poo oilings in your case. Use as much oil, as the hair absorbs. I used to have splits and simply don't get them anymore since I've started oiling hair and detangling super-gently.

And yes, hydrolyzed protein is great for damaged hair! Use more protein, if it worked for you even when you used a little bit, especially since you have damaged, stretchy ends. And of course, it's only temporary patch-repair. Nothing will undo the damage, but you can prevent it and you can temporarily patch-repair it.
Penetrating oils and hydrolyzed proteins are some of the very few ingredients that are proven to penetrate, protect and temporarily patch-repair hair. :)

Good luck! :D
And I highly recommend reading Science-y Hair Blog on damaged hair:
Managing elasticity and porosity: http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.ca/2014/03/managing-elasticity-and-porosity-in-hair.html
How to make pre-poo oiling work for your hair: http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.ca/2014/03/oil-pre-shampoo-or-pre-wash.html
About protein: http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.ca/2013/09/more-about-protein.html

Because my hair gets really crunchy if I use more. It's a very fickle beast...

lilin
September 14th, 2014, 02:20 PM
Is your hair porous? Sometimes people who have naturally porous hair get that kind of damage really easily even if they don't do anything to their hair (african hair for example is generally porous so it doesn't hold the moisture in) which oils do you use? I don't recommend mineral oil because it can't get into the hair shaft, it has no "affinity with protein" whatever the hell that means. Try argan oil, coconut oil, castor oil, olive oil, these are proven scientifically to actually nourish the hair. Mineral oil might be good for people with non-porous hair by taming it and probably helps with keeping the ends "oiled" and not dry looking but it doesn't strenghten anything. I think braiding is the best thing you could do for your hair because braiding your hair everyday/night reduces tangles TREMENDOUSLY. Check your hair porosity first and if you are porous (and i'm sure you are if you are experiencing this kind of damage) try to henna your hair every month and oil it overnight before hair wash-day. And as meteor said maybe you could oil it heavily if you are porous and it prenetrates your hair (if you're porous your hair will "drink" the oil, if you're not (like me) it just sits on top of your hair and needs hours ans hours before penetrating). You'll also need to learn how to "seal in" moisture because porous hair let it all evaporate. Henna coats the hair strands and helps with porosity.

Yup, I'm pretty sure I do. I have actually borrowed a lot of stuff from what is considered African hair care, and it's been more help to me than anything else. But it's kind of a tough balance, because since my texture is much looser, it gets weighed down easier.

I actually concoct my wash to be slightly over-conditioning/under-cleaning and wash at night, because my hair will absorb all the left-over oil and flaxseed by the next morning and it will feel totally clean.

Henna hasn't really worsened my splits at all, but it didn't help (I henna'ed right after a fresh trim and it still split anyway), and it made my hair dry. I'm hesitant to do it again.

I know mineral oil doesn't penetrate, but I was thinking it might help reduce any additional impact on my hair. I currently use apricot kernel oil, which is fairly penetrable. No particular reason, except that it has no scent. It seems to work just as well as coconut, etc.

My new hair all the way around my head (the 6 inches nearest the root, which haven't endured so much mechanical abuse and have had gentler and less frequent washing) is much softer and very supple. I just wish all my hair was like that! But I'm starting to think maybe it's just very susceptible to any kind of hair abuse, even stuff that might not be a total hair-killer to most people. Messy buns and rough brushing would hurt anyone's hair, but I think it wrecked mine. I think my previous cleansers didn't help (SLS shampoo daily, and then alkaline shampoo bar every couple days). It looks ok from an outside perspective actually, but if you look at it closely, it's just a mess.

The fact that my newer hair gets the most exposure to my washing method, and the least exposure to any oiling/additional care and it feels so good makes me think nothing I'm doing right this minute is the cause. I don't really do a ton to my hair, and that seems to suit it perfectly fine.

None of the new LHC-style stuff I've tried has hurt my ends any worse than they were, my new hair feels great, but it's also not helping me preserve my older hair. So then the question becomes, how do I stop the damage from spreading when it's so bad that even a trim doesn't help? Seriously, it's all split again a week later, and I see obvious damage several inches up the hair shaft. I shudder to think what it'd look like under a microscope.

I don't know if I should just chop it or what.

yasminec19
September 14th, 2014, 05:05 PM
Henna doesn't repair splits over night, you need to get rid of the splits, and henna your hair several times until your hair is saturated with henna. If you want henna not to dry out your hair mix it with oil and an egg, then do an oil treatment afterwards and it should be fine :)

Maybe you lack iron or something? I don't know? Do you nails break , are they as weak as your hair

lilin
September 14th, 2014, 07:46 PM
Henna doesn't repair splits over night, you need to get rid of the splits, and henna your hair several times until your hair is saturated with henna. If you want henna not to dry out your hair mix it with oil and an egg, then do an oil treatment afterwards and it should be fine :)

Maybe you lack iron or something? I don't know? Do you nails break , are they as weak as your hair

I gotta say, if something is so wrong with my hair that I have to commit to years of constant dying... I'd frankly rather just chop it off and start over. I'm a low maintenance girl who's always had a problem with pouring foodstuffs down the drain (it's always food-related hair stuff I just won't try -- I remember being poor enough that I would pass out from horror at the suggestion of doing such a thing). I don't want to be stuck in the cycle of dying, and that just seems like a waste to me personally. Just not worth it.

Nope, my nutrient levels are good. I do actually know this, as I was tested recently for minor surgery. I supposedly have excellent iron levels for a woman.

hbicmaya
September 14th, 2014, 08:44 PM
Has your hair always been like this? maybe it is reaching your terminal length and so gets weaker at the ends. I really cant think of anything else sound like you treat you hair really well should be no split ends at all, I get alot because my hair is quite fine trying to grow them all out too xx

lilin
September 14th, 2014, 09:20 PM
Has your hair always been like this? maybe it is reaching your terminal length and so gets weaker at the ends. I really cant think of anything else sound like you treat you hair really well should be no split ends at all, I get alot because my hair is quite fine trying to grow them all out too xx

No, I can definitely grow way longer than this. I've been past waist and was still growing at that point. My hair isn't thinning out at the ends -- it's just all split. I didn't start treating it well until maybe 3 or 4 months ago.

I had my hair short for about 4 years before this, but I don't recall it usually being this bad before. I never took amazing care of it, but the styles I wore in my teens weren't as harsh as the ones I wore as of a year or two ago. The only other time I remember my hair being like this is when I was swimming in chlorine daily and not properly protecting it or washing it out. Oh, and the time I dyed it -- that was a nightmare.

lilin
September 14th, 2014, 09:21 PM
Has your hair always been like this? maybe it is reaching your terminal length and so gets weaker at the ends. I really cant think of anything else sound like you treat you hair really well should be no split ends at all, I get alot because my hair is quite fine trying to grow them all out too xx

No, I can definitely grow way longer than this. I've been past waist and was still growing at that point. My hair isn't thinning out at the ends -- it's just all split. I didn't start treating it well until maybe 3 or 4 months ago.

I had my hair short for about 4 years before this, but I don't recall it usually being this bad before. I never took amazing care of it, but the styles I wore in my teens weren't as harsh as the ones I wore as of a year or two ago. The only other time I remember my hair being like this is when I was swimming in chlorine daily and not properly protecting it or washing it out. Oh, and the time I dyed it -- that was a nightmare.

lilin
September 29th, 2014, 08:37 PM
So I went on a trip and swam in the sea and got all kinds of sand up in my scalp. I decided to try out CO those two weeks, since I needed conditioner to get it out anyway. I went with the beloved VO5. I wasn't swimming for most of the trip, so after that first wash, it was mostly just clean shower water and CO.

The results were just like I remember last time I tried this. My ends did look a little better, but still velcro-y and icky. The rest of my length never got clean, it took out the majority of my curl pattern, and made my hair crunchy and brittle-feeling, while somehow still managing to be overly stretchy.

Conditioner might be helping my shattered ends, but it's not doing anything good for the rest of my hair.

I've come to the conclusion my underlayer is just wrecked. Probably from a combination of really rough styling (basically intentional matting on a near-daily basis), and using a very alkaline cleanser for a year. I don't think there's any fixing it.

So, I've decided to do what I've always wanted to do just once in my life, but never been able to because I know it destroys my hair and it will all just break off within 2 months: I'm going to dye it crazy colors, just to have them once in my life, and then when my hair decides to give up the fight, I'm going to cut it all off.

Before I do that, I'm going to give the mineral oil and maybe a couple other things a try, just to know for when I grow it back out again

I am convinced my newer washing method is much gentler, and my shorter layers are still in relatively good shape. They have the over-stretch that I suspect is from using an alkaline wash, but they are relatively split-free despite not being cut for a year. I don't think my new wash is the problem, and I don't think my conditioning has been so drastically lacking that it could be the problem either, because otherwise I'd be seeing the same damage everywhere, not just on the most styling abused part of my hair. My hair is all the same age, so whatever happened to my underlayer must be unique. And all I can come to is my rough styling and brush-ripping.

I want to know what totally unabused hair would be like for me. I also want to experience going that short once in my life, just to see it from a sociological perspective. So, now is the time to do it I guess.

The hair I have now is always going to be a practice in frustration, because there's visible damage going as much as 4 to 6 inches up the hair shaft of my bottom layer. I'd rather just chop it all off and start fresh than battle with that for the next year or two.

MsPharaohMoan
September 29th, 2014, 08:52 PM
You have accepted your future with much grace. I admire you for this… And definitely support you for the crazy colours, as this is my method as well! Damaged is damaged, might as well enjoy it before you chop it (or in my case, gradually trim). :flower:

lilin
September 29th, 2014, 09:07 PM
You have accepted your future with much grace. I admire you for this… And definitely support you for the crazy colours, as this is my method as well! Damaged is damaged, might as well enjoy it before you chop it (or in my case, gradually trim). :flower:

Thanks! I suppose it helps that these are things I genuinely do want to experience (crazy color, shaved/buzzed). Not in the long run, but at least once. I'd just never been at a point in my life where I was willing to sacrifice my hair's health (dying) or socioeconomically able to maintain my life after doing something like that (jobs that would have given me grief for crazy color and/or such an "unfeminine" cut).

Right now, I can. At this point in my life, I can do whatever I want without having to worry about what anyone thinks, and who knows when that will happen again. And simultaneously, about 40% of the hair that is currently on my head is hopelessly damaged most of the way up its length, and what of it isn't hopeless is still showing signs of protein loss, and I will have to baby it forever.

So, I'm gonna tick two things off my bucket list, and then I'm going to grow the beautiful, well-maintained hair that I want in the long run.