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View Full Version : Best hairstyle/up-do/protection from mechanical damage



bryana
December 9th, 2014, 08:40 AM
I am still dealing with my breakage issues from 6 months ago and it just won't seem to stop. I have been on a heavy moisturizing routine for about 4 months now. All day pre-poo oiling with CO, diluted Aveda shampoo (Shampure and Invati), condition twice after poo, once with non-coney condition, then a second time with something with cones, like Aveda Damage Remedy. Squeeze dry with jersey cotton. Then leave in conditioner, Aveda leave-in Damage remedy, Curls moisturizing oil and then last but certainly not least, Panacea's hair salve (LOC). I do not comb, do not brush, no heat styling at all. I sleep on a silk pillowcase. I try to wear my hair up as much as possible, I've been using spin pins but even that I feel getting caught in my thin fine hair and pulling/ripping. I just want to protect it as much as possible while I mend my hair back to health. What's the best up-do protective style for damaged hair?

Madora
December 9th, 2014, 08:55 AM
First of all, some unsolicited advice. If you want beautiful, healthy hair, you need to use far less product on it. Why? Because putting all those moisturizers/leave ins, etc. on your hair only weigh it down. Also, the various products may "war" with it each other, and cancel each other out. They may also dry your hair out faster than if you had used nothing on your hair.

So, find one product and concentrate on using that one for a moisturizer. You need to clarify your hair first, however, with a clarifying shampoo, such as Neutrogena Anti-Residue Clarifying shampoo (which has received good reviews from LHC members). The Neutrogena ARCS strips your hair of everything that is on it and leaves it looking and feeling like hay, which is exactly what it is supposed to do. To restore your hair to its former self, you do a deep conditioning treatment immediately after you rinse the Neutrogena out of your hair. (If you can stand it, a rinse as cold as possible helps close your cuticles (which have been opened by the warm water you used to shampoo with) and also helps "push" out any residual shampoo in your hair).

Since your hair is damaged, I would suggest daily gentle detangling with a wide tooth comb. You section your hair in small, pencil thin strips, then starting at the ends, slowly comb out, little by little, until you reach the scalp. Then take another thin strip and repeat, until all your hair has been detangled.

Styling: You don't say how long your hair is, so I can't suggest a style until I know your length. Generally speaking, braids are very protective, as long as you don't braid tightly. Also stay away from elastics with metal in them.

Wearing your hair up is the best way to protect it..."UP" meaning in a braided bun, or a cinnabun, or confined, somehow. The more control you have over your hair, the more you confine it, the less trouble you'll have with tangles, which means less possibility for mechanical damage, which is a win-win situation for your damaged hair.

Also, stay away from any harmful hair practices: bleaching/straightening/dyeing/hot curlers/hot irons/teasing/backcombing and blow fryers (unless on the cold setting).

If your hair is long enough, do weekly Search and Destroy (S and D) on your hair. Snip off those white dots and split ends before they have a chance to travel further. Be sure and use SHARP SHEARS so you don't inadvertently sew another crop of white dots. If you have too many white dots/splits, then a trim would be best. If you want healthy hair, it is best to chop off the damage and begin anew.

Hope this helps. Less is more really works in the hair world, too!

bryana
December 9th, 2014, 09:28 AM
Thanks so much Madora, I should have added that my hair is a couple inches past BSL. I chopped 5 inches off (by a stylist) about 6 months ago when I first noticed the breakage. I dont have any split ends at the moment, just small pieces of hair coming off everywhere and where they are breaking off looks like a tapered hair end. :-(

Madora
December 9th, 2014, 11:24 AM
You're welcome, bryana!

Since your hair is a couple of inches past BSL, you should be able to do the two strand lace crown braid. Here is a tutorial by Lilith Moon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPHEzUr5bWQ

If that is too hard, then you might wish to consider inversion hairstyling, in which you are seated and let gravity help you as you braid.

ETA: Here is a link to the inverted faux crown braid, as demonstrated by LauraLongLocks:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=128191

Nadine <3
December 9th, 2014, 01:37 PM
I'm in the same boat as you! I'm stuck at APL because I have damage layers that I'm trying to remove without chapping to shoulder. Jut waiting for them to catch up so I can be done with them. I do agree with Madora that you're using a TON of products. I really find that much hair does much better if I keep products to a minimum. I do a deep treatment once a week (just conditioner, with coconut oil, and olive oil smooshed into my hair) for about 2 hours before I wash. I've recently added a once a month protein treatment, and I'm really hoping t strengthens my hair so it doesn't break anymore. I S&D once a week with a super sharp hair scissors.

As far as styles go my hair is pretty short yet, but I've had good luck with claw clips. I wear braids a lot, and I always oil my tassel with coconut oil for some extra protection. I had so many recommendations for spin pins as well, but my hair tangled in the pretty badly when I tried them out for my first time and I'm kind of afraid to try again lol

Anje
December 9th, 2014, 02:58 PM
Was there an event that caused the damage, like bleaching it? Or is it just accumulated?

How does your hair feel when it's wet and when it's dry? What I'm particularly wondering about is if it's stretchy or mushy or snappy or stiff or such; those could indicate that the breakage is due to an ongoing imbalance in your hair. Damaged hair can't be un-damaged, but I would hope that with some tweaks you could come up with a routine that would result in less breakage.

I do agree that it sounds like you're putting a lot on your hair, for hair that's only mildly wavy. LOC is all well and good, but in my mind it's better for curly waves and curlier -- hair types that look polished when the hair splits into clumps (compared to straighter hair types, who are prone to complaining when their hair looks "stringy"). My hairtype is pretty similar and I frankly hate ANY leave-ins in it, because they encourage it to be clumpy and sticky compared to its unmodified slipperiness.

bryana
December 9th, 2014, 05:22 PM
Was there an event that caused the damage, like bleaching it? Or is it just accumulated?

How does your hair feel when it's wet and when it's dry? What I'm particularly wondering about is if it's stretchy or mushy or snappy or stiff or such; those could indicate that the breakage is due to an ongoing imbalance in your hair. Damaged hair can't be un-damaged, but I would hope that with some tweaks you could come up with a routine that would result in less breakage.

I do agree that it sounds like you're putting a lot on your hair, for hair that's only mildly wavy. LOC is all well and good, but in my mind it's better for curly waves and curlier -- hair types that look polished when the hair splits into clumps (compared to straighter hair types, who are prone to complaining when their hair looks "stringy"). My hairtype is pretty similar and I frankly hate ANY leave-ins in it, because they encourage it to be clumpy and sticky compared to its unmodified slipperiness.

Thanks Anje, I feel like you're in my head. My hair is so stringy/greasy looking I can't stand it, product overload. I thought the moisture overkill would be beneficial, now it sounds like that's not the case~
I had a botched ombre job from a stylist a couple years back, then I had my hair dyed back natural dark brown by a stylist 10 months ago. I would say accumulated from those events.
Plus, I was refusing to cut it, I was greedy for length. I can see now that was not smart.
When I noticed the breakage I immediately called the stylist who had dyed it brown she said regular cuts are a necessity. I went to see her and she cut my hair twice that night, 5 inches total.
My hair is pretty slippery when wet, somewhat mushy. I'm on day 3 since a wash so it's soft and smooth dry.
I don't have any split ends at the moment, just finding tons of small pieces of hair everywhere and tapered ends.
Enough to concern me!

Anje
December 9th, 2014, 09:17 PM
Mushy is a key word for protein deficient hair. Which would be par for the course with a bad ombre job.

What I would suggest is that you buy a strong protein treatment. Aphogee 2 Step Protein Treatment is one I consistently hear great things about. Use it according to the directions. I'm pretty sure the sind step is moisturizing, which will balance out the fact that protein tends to dry hair. (Protein treated, your hair should also take up moisture easier.) If it isn't and your hair feels crispy after, follow up with an SMT or similar. It's possible to overdo protein and get dry hard hair, but you'll figure out how often you can use it.

Then try minimal leave-ins. maybe just a smudge of Panacea or a drop of oil. You'll have less to wash off next time, and hopefully your hair at least won't be weighed down.

bryana
December 14th, 2014, 02:39 PM
Anje, thank you so much for the advice. I did a Aphogee 2 Step Protein Treatment last week and I have noticed very little breakage since then. Life saver!!!! Now to rebuild/regrow what snapped off