Help: Hair getting straighter...

[Halliday]

Like 6+ months ago, I used to have curly 2c hair with some parts 3a. It was very thick, bouncy and the curls were ringletty and in clumps. Ever since then my hair has been getting straighter and straighter. I now have 2a wavy hair with no ringlets and some parts straight :(

I don't use heat/damage it at all. I wash it x2 a week with Lush New Shampoo Bar and a superdrug coconut conditioner.


the only change to my routine has been putting coconut oil on it when it's wet as a leave in conditioner. i have a feeling coconut oil may be the culprit, although it does moisturise my hair very well. i've tried mousse/gel/curl cream and they all leave my hair sticky, hard and piecey.

Help :( any ideas?

[lilin]

If the coconut oil is the only change, then it must be the coconut oil.

Hair is dead. The amount of curl it has is decided by the shape of the hair and the way its proteins are linked together, and that doesn't change after it comes out of your head unless some external force changes it.

In all likelihood, the coconut oil hasn't actually changed it. Usually only extreme things like permanent straightening or bleaching can really alter or break those bonds. If you stopped using the coconut oil, I'm willing to bet your curls would come back pretty quickly.

But it could certainly be pulling out your waves simply due to the way it sits on your hair. There are lots of other oils you could try; I've heard wonderful things about camellia oil for curlies, and actually would like to try it myself. Also avocado, and even plain olive oil.

There are also curl-encouraging techniques you could try to cancel out the oil's straightening affect, like plopping or diffusing on the cool setting.

[lapushka]

Was it shorter when it was wurlier? Maybe the wurls are loosening up with length? I would try something different to moisturize with (a few drops of baby oil are amazing for that purpose - just a few drops is really enough too). Then see what happens.

[Arctic]

Sometimes hairtype can change too.

It's logical to think already grown hair wouldn't be affected by that, but I've read several times that for example extreme stress, some illnesses, etc, can seemingly change the whole hair; the already gown and the new growth. My own hairtypes seemed to change from straight to wavy almost overnight.

[Night_Kitten]

It is quite possible the coconut oil makes your hair heavier thus stretching out the curls...
Perhaps try putting the oil after the hair is dry and the curl pattern is "set"? Or perhaps put the hair in some sort of curl-inducing style / way while it dries with the oil in?

[M.McDonough]

Was it shorter when it was wurlier? Maybe the wurls are loosening up with length? I would try something different to moisturize with (a few drops of baby oil are amazing for that purpose - just a few drops is really enough too). Then see what happens.

Really baby oil? I didn't know you could use that on your hair. When do you apply it?

[restless]

Have you tried clarifying to remove buildup yet? I dont know what your shampoo and conditioner contain, but as an example, my own hair is a mix of 2b/2c wurls and when Ive used products that contain silicones for some time, those wurls straighten and turn 2a-ish. I usually wash with some cheap sulfates shampoo then and my hair is back to its usual state.

[Anje]

I'm with Restless... The first thing I'd try is clarifying. I'd follow it up with some heavier conditioning - my hair likes humectants so I'm always pushing SMTs for this. Most curly hair curls and clumps more with moisture and less with damage and build up, so this is a way to reset. (Occasionally, you'll find marginally wavy hair that gets wavier with dryness and damage, but that seems a lot less likely.)

[lapushka]

Really baby oil? I didn't know you could use that on your hair. When do you apply it?

Just a few drops on your lengths after washing. I have almost classic, so a few drops, spread over your palms, then applied is enough! Our Madora is a fan as well!

[alexis917]

Your hair may have just grown. My hair was exactly the same nearly two months ago (2c/3a), but now that it's getting longer and my layers are grown out a lot, it's back to being around 1c (as it was when I had long, heavy hair). And I'm using the exact same products I always was.

[Shibe]

The weight of your hair growing might be causing some straightning

[Halliday]

hey, yep my hair is nearly waist now so it probably is getting weighed down.

i use a shampoo with SLS but i don't usually put it on the length, so maybe i could try that and that would be clarifying? i'm gonna switch back to argan oil as a leave in because coconut oil is just too heavy for my hair.

also, i've realised that i just can't find a good or effective sleep style - wearing it down flattens it and makes it straighter, but braids just make it crimp :(

[Halliday]

It is quite possible the coconut oil makes your hair heavier thus stretching out the curls...
Perhaps try putting the oil after the hair is dry and the curl pattern is "set"? Or perhaps put the hair in some sort of curl-inducing style / way while it dries with the oil in?

that's a good idea... i'll try only putting it on when my hair's dry, i just worry about frizz.

[chen bao jun]

I'm with Restless... The first thing I'd try is clarifying. I'd follow it up with some heavier conditioning - my hair likes humectants so I'm always pushing SMTs for this. Most curly hair curls and clumps more with moisture and less with damage and build up, so this is a way to reset. (Occasionally, you'll find marginally wavy hair that gets wavier with dryness and damage, but that seems a lot less likely.)

Seconding this. It seems unlikely that 6 months alone could make a difference so far as the length weighing down the curls. My hair is much curlier than yours, afro curly at 3c and it gets straighter and straighter as it get full of product buildup. And SLS shampoos are drying for curls. Do you ever try CO washing?
the best thing I've ever found to encourage curls and clumping is home made flax seed gel. You can google recipes, its very simple to make and it really is like magic, way better than any artificial gel out there.

[restless]

i use a shampoo with SLS but i don't usually put it on the length, so maybe i could try that and that would be clarifying?



Yep :)
ten characters

[endlessly]

With additional length, your hair is getting heavier, which in turn can be pulling it straighter. My hair was very loosely wavy when it was shorter, but now it's almost perfectly straight when I air dry it.

[TrapperCreekD]

My first thought would be product buildup - though if your hair isn't getting dull or weird, it's probably just the weight of your new growth or the coconut oil stretching out the curl.

[Halliday]

thank you all! i didn't think of it, but it must be product buildup. gonna clarify tomorrow. thanks again! you guys are great.

[Halliday]

Seconding this. It seems unlikely that 6 months alone could make a difference so far as the length weighing down the curls. My hair is much curlier than yours, afro curly at 3c and it gets straighter and straighter as it get full of product buildup. And SLS shampoos are drying for curls. Do you ever try CO washing?
the best thing I've ever found to encourage curls and clumping is home made flax seed gel. You can google recipes, its very simple to make and it really is like magic, way better than any artificial gel out there.

i did try CO-ing, but it made my hair very greasy after a 3 month go and my hair fell out a lot.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Mine is becoming much straighter now at TBL+ than it was at shoulder length. Yet when my hair is wet (and at its heaviest), the wave is all still there, yet disappears to a large extent as the hair dries. I can't fathom it out, really...

[Horrorpops]

Hey I think clarifying is a really good idea! It very well could be buildup, my hair is always wavier after clarifying! :)

[meteor]

I think there are a few possibilities:
a) could be build-up (yes, coconut oil can cause this, too): then just clarify;
b) could be stretched out waves due to growth/weight of hair: then encourage waves via plopping/scrunching/overnight braiding or bunning, etc...;
c) could be a permanent change for hormonal reasons - some people experience a change in texture around puberty, for example...;
d) could be a temporary change due to humidity or even water quality: then experiment with new products (esp. humectants & occlusives), chelate...



Hair is dead. The amount of curl it has is decided by the shape of the hair and the way its proteins are linked together, and that doesn't change after it comes out of your head unless some external force changes it.

Sometimes hairtype can change too.

It's logical to think already grown hair wouldn't be affected by that, but I've read several times that for example extreme stress, some illnesses, etc, can seemingly change the whole hair; the already gown and the new growth. My own hairtypes seemed to change from straight to wavy almost overnight.

^ Does anybody know about the mechanism behind this? I know some people experience this, but I'm curious if there is any scientific explanation for why/how exactly this happens...
With hair being dead, the dramatic change in texture at the ends that can happen is a bit of a mystery to me.

[Horrorpops]

I think there are a few possibilities:
a) could be build-up (yes, coconut oil can cause this, too): then just clarify;
b) could be stretched out waves due to growth/weight of hair: then encourage waves via plopping/scrunching/overnight braiding or bunning, etc...;
c) could be a permanent change for hormonal reasons - some people experience a change in texture around puberty, for example...;
d) could be a temporary change due to humidity or even water quality: then experiment with new products (esp. humectants & occlusives), chelate...





^ Does anybody know about the mechanism behind this? I know some people experience this, but I'm curious if there is any scientific explanation for why/how exactly this happens...
With hair being dead, the dramatic change in texture at the ends that can happen is a bit of a mystery to me.


Meteor - it sounds like there a few different theories regarding hair cross sectional shape vs follicle shape vs chemical bonds within the hair that may all impact hair texture. (link (http://www.wisegeek.org/what-makes-curly-hair-curly.htm) - don't get too excited, its wisegeek and not any journal articles haha). My understanding is that dramatic texture change at the end of hair is due to damage to the disulphide bonds, caused by previous chemical damage (or other thermal or mechanical damage) to the hair. Where many bonds are destroyed the hair becomes weirdly straight, even when the more healthy hair maintains its natural wave or curl pattern. I thought this was also how bleach can loosen curl pattern - it can damage the disulphide bonds. It would be interesting to see if Olaplex (or another 'bond repairing' product) helps reverse this and return curl patterns.

However I am far from a chemist, but this was my very basic understanding. :)

[Halliday]

it turned out to be buildup and i clarified so my hair is back to normal :)

[Arctic]

Halliday, great to hear!

Horrorpops, my case certainly was not about damaged hair. I had very healthy, shortish, hennaed, well taken care of hair. Mine also did not lose wave/curl, but became wavy. There was also texture change from fine to more coarse and wiry. That probably happened in a slightly longer stretch of time, and I mistakenly thought for a while that henna had made my hair strands thicker. It was after I grew out henna, when I finally realized it wasn't henna after all.

But the waves, they were like Boom. And it wasn't just more moisture, etc.

[Aderyn]

Hurray, I'm glad clarifying helped, Halliday! :cheer:

Buildup gets to the best of us.

[Horrorpops]

it turned out to be buildup and i clarified so my hair is back to normal :)

That is wonderful! Glad to hear it :)

Artic - I hope you did not think I was talking about your hair in regards to damage!! :) I was just discussing the potential mechanisms which can cause wavy or curly hair to become straighter (particularly at the ends).

As for your hair, I have no idea your hair started becoming more wavy without other ways of increasing moisture or fostering more curl (like ploping etc). Its interesting because I don't know whether hair can naturally increase disulphide bonds, but the cross sectional shape certainly wouldn't change. I'm with you and meteor on that - I would love to know why! :p Howevee, personally I know my hair looks relatively straight until its about chin-shoulder length and then the waves become more obvious, but that is consistently length related for me. It isn't overnight like yours. Hmmm....

I've heard hair can become more course with age.. but normally that is with puberty or pregnancy! :) It is so interesting that hair grows all over us but there is still bits we don't understand.

[Arctic]

Oh yeah, I too would like to understand why hair type changes. I am - after years! - finally somewhat acepted the new hair type, but to be honest I miss my fine, straight, silky hair :)

[meteor]

^ Thanks a lot, Arctic and Horrorhops!

Thank you so much for sharing the link, Horrorhops! :flowers: I absolutely agree on texture changes with damage: anything like bleach, dye, sun damage, chlorine, salt, dried out hair, etc. etc can show some texture changes, for sure.
The hormonal thing is really curious... Yes, after a certain age (puberty, menopause, for example), hair texture can easily change... but I understand it only for new growth (kind of how people go gray - only new growth is white, old hair stays as is until it is shed/cut)... Could it be that, because of changes in texture at the root, only the appearance of texture all along the length changes, as well? :hmm: I have no clue at all. :lol: But this is all very, very curious stuff. :)

Halliday, I'm so happy it was just buildup and easily clarified! :cheer: Great news! :D