Shedding issues/any gentle updos for curly hair?

[Laughter]

Hi, everyone.

I have always had very thick curly hair, and late last year I was diagnosed with thyroid issues, which has unfortunately led to shedding. My hair has thinned quite a lot from what it was, and this has continued on and off for months even though I am being treated with thyroid medication. My last visit to my doctor was especially frustrating because my doctor essentially told me, "Your thyroid levels are fine now, your hair loss must be caused by stress or depression." I have friends who have struggled with both stress and depression, and I've seen how difficult it is. My heart goes out to them and anyone else who has faced that. But with all due respect to my doctor, I am not depressed (I have none of the symptoms) nor am I particularly stressed. So, I have been researching other possible causes/treatments for the excess shedding, and in the meantime I've been doing what I can to minimize it as much as possible, which has meant wearing my hair in a loose bun or a braid.

But, while I know how to do a fairly good number of updos, all of them require that my hair be smoother and less curly, which means combing or brushing, and right now, I'm trying to avoid that as much as I can.

So, I wanted to ask:

1. Does anyone happen to know some gentle, nice looking updos for curly hair? I've looked online, but couldn't find much. If it helps (because I know it makes a difference for updos) length-wise, stretched out, my hair is around my waist, curly, my hair falls around my mid-back.

2. Along the same vein, I'm one of the curly-haired people who has to do at least some combing - my hair just won't let me get away without any combing at all. I've tried it, and I wind up with terrible snarls and knots if I finger-comb only. Can anyone recommend a good, wide-tooth, seamless comb for curly hair?

Thank you in advance for your help!

[Upside Down]

Well. I am not sure what you mean by updos for curly hair. You can do any bun really,and leave it a bit loose if you want to show curls. Depending on how resilient your curls are, it will remain curly when you put it down or it will stretch out.

I'd suggest looking up lazy wrap bun and nautilus bun, they are really quick and easy.

Topsy tail styles also looked great with my curls. If you have a tighter pattern it may not be so applicable. I guess you'd have to experiment a bit...

I used to like letting a few strands around my face curl up and putting the rest in a low bun.

Alternatively you could dry your hair stretched out - in a twist or bun or loose braid whichever works for you, and then you get smoother updos. No curls, but if you will wear it up anyway... :shrug:

Regarding the wt comb, I really don't know.

Do you detangle and comb your hair when washing it, while soaking in conditioner? This works for most curlies.

:blossom:

[Johannah]

I like these combs (https://www.etsy.com/shop/EternallyInAmber) very much. Maybe you could check them out.

As for buns, I'd go for simple lazy wrap buns. Maybe a cinnabun would be something to consider as well. Just make sure it's comfortable and stays all day, because re-doing buns every X hours definitely won't help. If that's the case, you better do some three-strand braiding for the next couple of weeks or so.

This thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=82713) might be helpful as well (it's a list of buns)

Good luck! :flowers:

[lapushka]

This is a channel by a thin, fine haired curly. She recently did a hairdo that's lovely. She's called "DiscoCurls" on YT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tQNRwIJx-c

[chen bao jun]

Try Jamaican black castor oil massaged on your scalp. It is sold on Amazon.com
My favorite comb (when I use combs) is by EternallyinAmber on etsy
do you sleeping cap at night? I'd be sure to ina satin cap
The loosest hair style I can think of to use something like a bun cage or flexi 8 and just loosely roll hair around so its not even really a bun, but like a puff and enclose it in bun cage/flexi. that's what my avatar is

[enting]

I agree with loosely bunning your hair so that the natural curls are still present in the updo. You may not even need to detangle before doing it up. It may make it look like a totally different style, but it should be a lot gentler on your hair and scalp. It has the added advantage of making your hair look a lot thicker! I used to do a variation on the peacock twist with my hair curly and not combed out - I'd handle it gently so as not to break up the curls. Braiding or bunning your hair while it's still wet and then letting it dry sounds like a really good idea also. I do that a lot lately so that I don't need to detangle as much later on, which is more of a lazy factor for me than for combating hair shed.
On the topic of thyroid health, some doctors are beginning to recognize that a person's blood levels can be perfectly "within normal" but the patient may still have symptoms and should therefore be treated further. After all, people aren't textbooks, and what is great for one person may be miserable for another.

[DollyDagger]

Hi there,
Sorry you're experiencing shedding. I really hope it gets better for you soon.
Great ideas mentioned so far. I agree that manipulating the hair minimally and keeping curls in tact would probaby be the best idea for you at this point.
If you go on you tube and search up "loose romantic curly hair updos" you get a bunch of hits and also "boho curly updos"
Maybe gentle braids and twists would work well for you.

As mentioned above flexis work well and here is a peacock twist with one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNmr-t8-e8Y

good luck ~

[Laughter]

Thank you for the reply, Upside Down!

I mean any sort of updo that doesn't require a lot of brushing or combing to look good. :) Basically, I'm looking for styles that can look good with "messy" curls and not a lot of handling, since more handling means more shedding for me right now.

Thank you for the suggestions! I will definitely have to give them a try.

I do detangle while soaking conditioner, but I also have to comb through it dry before I wash it. Otherwise I get horrible snarls and my curls look and feel rough. I only need to wash about every week or so, so that's the only time I comb through it, but I've found that one time is necessary for my hair to look and feel its best.

Thanks you again! And beautiful curls in your signature! :)

[Laughter]

And thank you so much to everyone else who has also responded! I so appreciate your kind words and suggestions! (I hope you don't mind me making my response to you separate, Upside Down. :) I tried to respond to you last night, but the boards went down for maintenance before I could, though I still had my answer saved.)

Johannah: Oh, those combs are beautiful! And exactly what I need. Thank you so much for the link! And thank you for the ideas as well!

lapushka: Thank you for the link! That is a beautiful style! I'm not sure it would work for me right now, unfortunately, simply because I'm not sure my hair would appreciate the twisting at the moment, but I will definitely keep it in mind. :)

chen bao jun: Thank you for the suggestions! The combs are great. Your hair is beautiful, by the way! :) I saw you around the boards when I was still lurking. I'm not of African decent myself, but I have been told before that my curls are actually a little bit similar. (I was told this repeatedly by a woman who was working with me once as a model, and she was determined to tame my curls, lol. I wound up with half a bottle of gel in my hair and it didn't do much, except for making me have to wash it all out later, lol.) My hair is dark blonde. Would the black castor oil still work? I will definitely have to think about the cap, and I so appreciate your ideas about the bun cage and the flexi!

enting: Thank you so much for the suggestions! I have heard that too as I've been researching, that the "one size fits all" thyroid treatment, so to speak, does not work for everyone. I'm hoping that I can convince my doctor to look into it a bit more, especially if the shedding continues.

DollyDagger: Thank you for the kind words and the well wishes! And thank you for the suggestions on the searches! That will be such a great help. And the video is wonderful! I will definitely have to try that.

[DollyDagger]

You're quite welcome :) keep us updated with your progress and the improvements which Im sure will come. :flower::sun:

[Johannah]

Johannah: Oh, those combs are beautiful! And exactly what I need. Thank you so much for the link! And thank you for the ideas as well!


You're welcome ;) If you buy one, make sure it's a *wide* tooth comb. I have this one (https://www.etsy.com/nl/listing/211625054/rose-shell-granite-detangling-comb?ref=shop_home_active_7) and it works amazing :)

[lapushka]

lapushka: Thank you for the link! That is a beautiful style! I'm not sure it would work for me right now, unfortunately, simply because I'm not sure my hair would appreciate the twisting at the moment, but I will definitely keep it in mind. :)

Oh well, maybe there's other videos on her channel that you will like better. :flower:

[enting]

Lots of luck with reasoning with the doctor! Perhaps going armed with articles about treating the patient according to their symptoms and not just their blood tests might help? At the very least, I hope your doctor will be more open to discussion of how to get your shedding to stop in whatever way possible and understand how important this is for you.

[Naunnie]

Hi Laughter. Welcome to LHC. :flowers: I'm sorry I don't have any styles or combs to recommend but I have read that Blackstrap Molasses and Aloe Vera (mix in conditioner) are great for excessive shedding. I believe the molasses may darken your hair but it is temporary. My Daughter is also experiencing excessive shedding currently, so I've been in research mode. We have suspected a thyroid problem for awhile now, but the color, bleach, recent divorce, are not helping either. I apologize ahead if you have another thread about your condition that I haven't seen. I found this link interesting and plan to show it to DD but wanted to share it with you too. http://hypothyroidmom.com/10-things-that-stopped-my-thyroid-hair-loss/

Speaking of Molasses....do you take any vitamins/supplements? Back in the day....Molasses saved my life. Monthly's caused severe anemia. There is lots of info about it on the net, but here is one just in case you are not familiar with the health benefits. https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/other/health-benefits-of-molasses.html

I also wanted to mention, although I don't have excessive shedding, I do have a lot of damage due to my mistreatment. I've changed my ways and handle my hair very gently now. The "Twist n Clip" although nothing fancy, has become my best friend. I no longer use elastic's or metal barrettes. I second the recommendation of a satin sleep cap. You can use a satin/silk pillowcase if your not into caps. The biggest differences I have noticed is less tangles and a lot less lint.

[Laughter]

Johannah: The pink color of the comb is beautiful! I'm also kind of eyeing the icy blue. :D Thanks again!

lapushka: Thank you again for the link! I look forward to looking at her channel. :)

enting: Thank you! Me too. I really like my doctor, but his response this time left a lot to be desired.

Naunnie Thank you so much! I will definitely have to look through those links! I do take a regular vitamin, and I recently started taking kelp, which is supposed to be good for thyroid support and healthy skin and hair. I've also upped my protein intake, which seems to have done some good as well. I hadn't heard about Molasses, but I look forward to learning more about it! Thank you for the other tips as well! I will have to think seriously about the pillowcase, since I'm just not comfortable wearing my hair up at night. :) Thank you again! I hope that your daughter's own shedding issues improve.