Need your advice, to cut or not to cut? On a recovery and growth journey...

[nikolette]

Hi Ladies,
I need some advice from you all about how to remedy my hair situation.....
I figure I should give some background. Since I was in middle school, I have had terrible hair care practices. From age 13 on, I was dying/blow drying/flat iron constantly. I am 27 now and I am just coming to my senses. The last 5+ years I can safely say that I have used a flat iron nearly every day. Needless to tell you all, I never had hair past BSL. Recently, I started to yearn for beautiful long locks so I decided to embark on a healthy hair journey. I stared by trying to get regular trims and take some vitamins. I noticed that it helped a little, but not by too much. Now I have stopped using traditional shampoo (i No-POO), upped my vitamins, use hair masks, wash hair in cool water, and for the last month plus I have ceased using ALL heat on my hair. I know I am on the road to recovery!!

Now here is where I need advice... My hair is totally damaged. Even with the regular trims I have been trying to get, I still see so many split ends and I find that my hair is so brittle and weak in certain areas from years of abuse and neglect. When I comb through my hair, I see about 10 pieces of broken hair EACH time. I know this is because my split ends have plit up the hair shaft. It's a mess.... (By the way, my hair is about 22-23 inches long now.) So my question is, is the solution to cut off all the damage and start fresh? This of course makes me want to cry but if it has to be done I can do it! OR should I continue on with my regular trims and good hair care regime and be patient?

Help me! Do I cut off an entire years worth of growth and start fresh OR keep up with regular trims and good practices and be patient? Can you really repair damaged hair or is it damaged for good?

Any thoughts are so appreciated!!!

-N.

[Zesty]

It sounds like you're doing the right things, generally. But hair is damaged for good. You could try 'cones or other such products that mask damage, but at some point it's going to have to come off if you want long, healthy hair. That said, it doesn't mean that you have to chop it all off now. Some LHCers have had success microtrimming to eliminate damage. You would have to baby those ends like no other to keep the damage from traveling up the hair shaft, though, it sounds like. It's up to you. Either route will require patience. However, if it's that bad I might tentatively suggest to just bite the bullet, to keep the damage from spreading.

[DweamGoiL]

I think zesty is spot on. If it were me, I would just cut most of the damage off and then microtrim the last bits off.

[browneyedsusan]

I can't say. It depends on how fast your hair is breaking off.

I'd trim off 2 or 3 inches to get rid of the worst of it, then wear it up all the time and baby the ends. Every month trim off the new growth--1/2". Maintain there for 4 or 6 months, then have a look. Better? Worse? Re-evaluate your strategy. :)

[nikolette]

Thanks Dweam and Zesty. I know it will be painful now but in the long run for the best.

I forgot to mention that I have curly hair and the last 4 inches or so are dead straight from damage. I'm not sure how much hair to cut off, but thinking if I cut off all the hair with a disrupted curl pattern that I may be good to go...

eek this haircut is going to take courage!

[nikolette]

Thanks Browneyed, I think I will do a good chop of 3-4 inches and then just keep up the good habits.


Does anyone have some advice for treatments for my ends? Right now I use Argan oil when I get out of the shower but not sure what else to do for the my thirsty ends!

Thanks all!!

[maskedrose]

I would cut off the 4" of obvious damage right away, then if you're curly you should check out the curly girl method (http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/no-poo/the-curly-girl-method-for-coily-hair/#!slide1) if you haven't already. Growing out damage does take patience, but you definitely have options past getting rid of the worst of the damage. Maintain at your current length, microtrim every month while growing longer, or grow to your goal length with trims along the way...

Good luck!

[Nordlilja]

Are you wearing your hair up? Curls tangle, and an updo prevents some of that problem, and your hair will be protected from wear. Keeping some lenght makes it easier to make a nice braid or bun.

[jeanniet]

Unfortunately, you can't un-damage hair, and if you've been using a flat iron that often until recently, your hair is probably really damaged. But that doesn't mean it won't get better! The oldest parts of your hair are going to be the most damaged (that is, the ends) because those are the areas that have been subjected to heat the most--which is why your curl pattern is shot on the ends. So I would cut off at least that 4", but don't be surprised if you'll still seeing breakage, because there will likely be at least some until all the damage is grown out and trimmed off.

Definitely look into Curly Girl. I'd also try protein treatments if your hair does well with them, and overnight coconut oil soaks before washes. Beyond that, it's mostly gentle treatment and patience. Vitamins really aren't going to do much unless you have deficiencies. A good diet is more important, so if you need to improve that, put your money into better food. And good luck growing!

[nikolette]

Are you wearing your hair up? Curls tangle, and an updo prevents some of that problem, and your hair will be protected from wear. Keeping some lenght makes it easier to make a nice braid or bun.

Recently I have been putting my hair in a braid or bun in the morning when its wet and then I take it down part way through the day. I find it hard to keep a protective style in all day, I am not use to wearing my hair up.

[nikolette]

Unfortunately, you can't un-damage hair, and if you've been using a flat iron that often until recently, your hair is probably really damaged. But that doesn't mean it won't get better! The oldest parts of your hair are going to be the most damaged (that is, the ends) because those are the areas that have been subjected to heat the most--which is why your curl pattern is shot on the ends. So I would cut off at least that 4", but don't be surprised if you'll still seeing breakage, because there will likely be at least some until all the damage is grown out and trimmed off.

Definitely look into Curly Girl. I'd also try protein treatments if your hair does well with them, and overnight coconut oil soaks before washes. Beyond that, it's mostly gentle treatment and patience. Vitamins really aren't going to do much unless you have deficiencies. A good diet is more important, so if you need to improve that, put your money into better food. And good luck growing!

Thanks! Yeah actually the ends that I have been trimming arent looking too bad, but I still see damage further up the hair shaft which is why I am thinking of a big cut. I eat really well as it is and I started taking fish oil again and Biotin too. I figure it can't hurt! I think I do need to drink more water though!

[nikolette]

jeanniet, what is a protein treatmeant? I use coconut oil in the shower, how should I be using it ?

[memeow]

I think if the thought of cutting makes you want to cry you shouldn't do it. Unless looking at the split ends and damaged bits also makes you want to cry; then it's a toss-up.

If your ultimate goal is undamaged, waist-length hair and all the hair on your head right now is damaged, it's probably going to take you 4 or 5 years (depending on how fast your hair grows and how well you can keep it protected). That's a long time. Would you rather spend that time with long but imperfect hair, or with shorter hair you're growing out?

If you don't want to cut, I'd second the recommendation to use protein. Mane 'N' Tail conditioner has a lot of protein. It may dry your hair out after a few uses, in which case you should alternate with something more moisturizing, but adding protein to your damaged hair will help protect it from breakage. You may also want to try a leave-in serum or cream conditioner containing silicones, as these will also help hold your hair together. As for the coconut oil, you can use it as a pretreatment a few hours before washing your hair. Use a few drops (not enough to saturate your hair with oil) and run it through your hair. It will absorb into your hair's cortex, protecting it from water damage and from the detergents in your shampoo.

You also want to generally minimize handling and manipulation of your hair, avoiding tangles and general rubbing against your clothing. There are a lot of recommendations here on how to avoid it.

If you're concerned about damage working its way up, just keep an eye on it and measure growth. If the ends are breaking off faster than it's growing, microtrimming might be the way to go. But I think if you like having long hair you should keep it. :blossom:

[MsPharaohMoan]

N -

If you really want to put the time and effort into it, it's salvageable. I had a similar routine to you in my youth and am growing this damage out now.

First, you need to protect the healthy hair. This means eliminating split ends, this means time spent in a certain lighting with a certain coloured background. Get a new sharp pair of scissors and only use it for hair. Get rid of the split about half inch above the rupture. It sounds like you have splits travelling up the hair shaft so make sure to examine as much strand as you can! Dividing hair into sections is very helpful and cut perpendicular to the strand as much as possible.

With enough search and destroying individual split strands, you might develop thinner ends or what we call 'fairytale ends'. Definitely check out the thread here where people share pics of their lovely ends. It may be a phase your hair will have to go through in your quest for length retention. I had bleach damage so protein is awesome for my damaged ends. I also like dying the damaged bits with a veggie dye (non damaging) as well for fun and to watch my progress, heh. Each month or two, especially in the beginning, microtrim! I like how you're starting your day with hair up and out of the way, that's a great habit to get into. Gradually increase your time (and hairtoy collection? mwa hahaha) with hair up. Thinking about all the pollution and dust I wade through downtown is a beautiful motivator to keep hair up.

As you can see by my method, it will take a lot of time and effort at some times… but then it won't. Eventually you'll have longer and longer stretches of time not focusing on hair, just throwing it up and away, periodically letting it down oohing and ahhing over your accomplishment. Benign neglect is my hair vitamin ;) Definitely share with the rest of us your hair journey, I definitely know where you are coming from and think you should hang in there!

- Miss Moan

[Nellon]

If no one else has already I would like to recommend coconut oil for those damaged ends. As a pre-wash soak, or a small amount of leave in after shower, or both. It helped my damaged ends tremendously! Good luck, you'll get there! :)

[lapushka]

Now here is where I need advice... My hair is totally damaged. Even with the regular trims I have been trying to get, I still see so many split ends and I find that my hair is so brittle and weak in certain areas from years of abuse and neglect. When I comb through my hair, I see about 10 pieces of broken hair EACH time. I know this is because my split ends have plit up the hair shaft. It's a mess.... (By the way, my hair is about 22-23 inches long now.) So my question is, is the solution to cut off all the damage and start fresh? This of course makes me want to cry but if it has to be done I can do it! OR should I continue on with my regular trims and good hair care regime and be patient?

First off, it's going to take *years* not months before you'll start to see a change. Healthy hair takes work and dedication and most of all time and patience. That heat damage is going to have to come off, and that means starting from scratch. Microtrimming might be your best solution. It's trimming a tiny bit every few months, so you'll still (hopefully) have some growth. I say hopefully, because in your case there will be breakage. Try S&D in between trims as well. I believe there's this article by Nightshade, about how to cut damage off gradually, that will surely benefit you.

[Theobroma]

I second the recommendation of coconut oil. You could also try small amounts of pure shea butter on the ends if they're grabby and tangly. BTW, since said you'd upped your vitamins, please be careful with those and don't take more than the recommended amount. They won't help your existing length at all and even huge doses probably won't speed up your growth, but may have harmful effects on your body -- even water soluble vitamins will make your kidneys work harder to get rid of the excess! It's much better to eat a balanced diet and get all your necessary nutrients that way.

Depending on the condition of your hair, you may not have to go for a large chop. The damaged length will have to go eventually, but it might not have to go all at once. Nightshade has an article on this site somewhere about rehabilitating damaged hair -- it's well worth reading in its entirety, but in a nutshell she opted for a monthly microtrim schedule and took off half her growth each time, which gave her fresh ends every month and still allowed her to gain some length.

[Santi]

Hi Nikolette,
I started taking care of my hair last year. I am currently transitioning from keratin. Like you, I had a lot of heat damage. Coconut oil was the first thing I used when I started my journey. I used it before, during & after washing. I felt a difference immediately. When my curls started to appear I had to deal w/ 3 textures. I had curly roots, wavy hair & straight ends that would not hold a curl. Once I realized I had severe heat damage I panicked b/c I was afraid of losing my length. I was below BSL. My hair appeared healthier after months of caring for my hair but the ends remained straight. I made the decision to cut off 10" of damage. I knew it had to be done. I was surprisingly relieved when it was gone. My hair looked great & I loved having a wavy bob. I knew that would change as the curls grew in. Btw, I will consider my hair to be healthy once all of the keratin is cut off.

I'd recommend thinking about what you need before thinking about what you want. See how your hair responds to healthy practices before cutting. If/when you decide to cut it will be a choice made w/o hesitation. Good luck!

[nikolette]

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

Such great advice ladies!! I think my final plans will be to have a good cut now (2-3 inches) and then just micro trim every month and see how that goes. My hair grows average, I would say maybe a little less then 1/2 inch a month? I never measured how quickly it grew before. I'll keep track now... I must admit im curious! I always felt it grew slowly but I noticed that was just because I was damaging my hair far quicker then it was growing.

I will keep up with the coconut oil, I always used it on my body since childhood but now I will be using it for my hair too!

Also, I will be checking out Nightshade's article and reading with great attention...

Thank you all so much!!!!!

[jeanniet]

Here you go: http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2014/04/gelatin-protein-treatment-recipe-update.html

if you find your hair responds well to protein (damaged hair usually does), you can also get a protein spray. I use Colorful Neutral Protein Filler in a spray bottle. Keep in mind that my hair loves protein and can take a lot of it, so your use might vary.