Please help me identify this type of hair damage

[Anna-Rapunzel]

Greetings everyone,

I have noticed that when I do a S&D, I do not get split ends, but instead, I get quite a few broken hair that are twisted and curled at the ends. What could be the reason for it? I do not use any heat, no flat irons, and I do not dye nor bleach my hair. I

[Kherome]

Sounds like you're breaking them with a comb or brush.

[Waverly]

^^ Yep I agree. The curled up appearance in a giveaway that they've been pulled through and snapped. Try a wide tooth comb instead and be as gentle as you can.

[Anna-Rapunzel]

Kherome, thanks for your response. I also wondered about that. I simply use a wide tooth comb, but my hair can get so tangled that when I comb it, I sometimes hear it "snap". I also wondered whether it could indicate a lack of protein or moisture?

[Anna-Rapunzel]

Waverly, thanks as well. I do use a wide tooth comb, and still have these broken and twisted/stretched damaged ends.

[Waverly]

You can do a hair diagnosis to find out. There is an article on this site that goes into more detail but I can't find it to link to but basically you wash your hair in a clarifying shampoo and let it air dry - no conditioner, leave ins etc. If it feels dry and crunchy you need moisture, if it feels wadded and stretches too easily then you need protein.

[Madora]

Waverly, thanks as well. I do use a wide tooth comb, and still have these broken and twisted/stretched damaged ends.
Anna-Rapunzel, do you detangle your hair in small sections before you use your wide tooth comb? I've found that gentle detangling in small sections helps limit damage before you start to comb. Good luck!

[Waverly]

Ohh -I'll be borrowing that trick Madora! Thanks :)

[Anna-Rapunzel]

You can do a hair diagnosis to find out. There is an article on this site that goes into more detail but I can't find it to link to but basically you wash your hair in a clarifying shampoo and let it air dry - no conditioner, leave ins etc. If it feels dry and crunchy you need moisture, if it feels wadded and stretches too easily then you need protein.
I wanted to try this for a while and never had the chance for I can't imagine not using any conditioner before letting it air dry. I will do so to investigate a possible lack of moisture/ protein. Thanks for reminding me :)

[Anna-Rapunzel]

Anna-Rapunzel, do you detangle your hair in small sections before you use your wide tooth comb? I've found that gentle detangling in small sections helps limit damage before you start to comb. Good luck!
I endeavor to, but when I am in a rush I do not. And my hair gets tangled easily so I would need to indeed.

[Arctic]

Off topic: what length is UT?

[Arien]

It does sound like it might be breakage from combing doesn't it.. Have you tried using a tangle teaser?

[veryhairyfairy]

Really I think this kind of damage results from pulling through tangles instead of picking them apart.
I can find those ends on days when I've been rushed with my combing, but they are much less bent out of shape when I pick the tangle apart.

I get impatient with detangling which is why wearing my hair up (ie, preventing tangles) is such a necessity for me.

[meteor]

Really I think this kind of damage results from pulling through tangles instead of picking them apart.
I can find those ends on days when I've been rushed with my combing, but they are much less bent out of shape when I pick the tangle apart.

:agree:
Another vote for aggressive combing/brushing as the source of this kind of damage.
I've seen this happen when a tight knot was kind of "pulled apart" instead of painstakingly detangled. The hair strand is being pulled through, rubbing against other hairs in the knot, so it has that "curled ribbon" effect when it's finally out of the knot.
Solution: detangle slowly and patiently, in small sections; use silicones, oils and other slip-inducing ingredients; prevent tangles by keeping hair up and protected.

[swearnsue]

Off topic: what length is UT?

I was wondering the same thing. Upper Thigh?

[Kherome]

Waverly, thanks as well. I do use a wide tooth comb, and still have these broken and twisted/stretched damaged ends.

Is it seamless and do you stop when you hit a tangle and pick it apart rather than just breaking the hair by pulling through it? Sometimes people don't seem to get that pulling a comb or brush or even fingers through a tangle doesn't "untangle" the hair, it breaks some of them.


I was wondering the same thing. Upper Thigh?

Wouldn't that just be Classic?