Hair that Won't Dry (and has other issues)

[Amahaitz]

My hair has been so weird recently. The main issue is that it seems never to get completely dry after I wash it. I wash my hair every morning because it looks greasy and my scalp hurts if I skip even one day. In the past, it would dry reasonably quickly if I just left it in a towel for a while (sometimes I would use a blow-dryer just briefly afterward, but not always). Now it seriously does not get completely dry all day, even if I use the towel AND blow-dry for much much longer than I used to. I haven't changed my shampoo or conditioner or anything else. The other issue is that my hair has become EXTREMELY tangly lately, especially from about collarbone down. The only way I could deal with it today was to divide it in half, detangle it as much as possible, make two English braids with the damp hair, and then wind it up into a bun to get it out of my way. It does NOT look good :) It's been over five hours since I washed and "dried," and it's still damp and feels yucky. I've tried using Silk Drops to help with the tangliness, but that just exacerbates the dampness. Does anyone know what might be going on?

[lithostoic]

Try clarifying.

[triumphator!]

I second clarifying. You likely have build up! Any kind of braid or bun on damp hair will keep it from totally drying, as well.

[Johannah]

I third (?) clarifying. Sounds like build-up to me.

[Anje]

Start with clarifying. You might benefit from some additional treatments (protein perhaps), but clarifying is always the first thing to try when hair gets weird.

[Amahaitz]

I'll try clarifying! Is the inexpensive Suave clarifying shampoo okay, or is there something else you'd recommend? Also, is there any particular conditioner that is better after clarifying?

[Nadine <3]

I always use either suave or VO5 for clarifying and that works great for me! I usually do a deep treatment after I clarify. In the past I would just whip up an SMT (Conditioner, honey, and aloe. I always skip the aloe and add an oil instead. YMMV) Recently I've been obsessed with Hask deep conditioners. I've tried the Keratin and the Argon oil ones and they've given me the best hair of my life. Any treatment your hair likes will be sufficient though :)

Another thing that came to my mind...is it particularly humid were you are? I know my hair takes forever to dry normally, but when it's humid it seems to feel perpetually damp.

[Anje]

Clear/transparent Suave should be fine. If it's opaque, I'd be skeptical about how many additional ingredients are in it and whether they'd build up. But I've used the transparent ones (Ocean Breeze, Aloe & Waterlily, whatever I grabbed) for clarifying for years and they seem totally sufficient.

Make sure you shampoo the length too. That's where you tend to get buildup, after all. :)

[lapushka]

I haven't changed my shampoo or conditioner or anything else. The other issue is that my hair has become EXTREMELY tangly lately, especially from about collarbone down. The only way I could deal with it today was to divide it in half, detangle it as much as possible, make two English braids with the damp hair, and then wind it up into a bun to get it out of my way. It does NOT look good :) It's been over five hours since I washed and "dried," and it's still damp and feels yucky. I've tried using Silk Drops to help with the tangliness, but that just exacerbates the dampness. Does anyone know what might be going on?

What shampoo & conditioner do you use? I agree - try clarify-washing!

Basically, any sulfate (no silicone) shampoo will do for this purpose. The Pantene volumizing one is a good one, and they even do a special clarifying one as well. The Pantene Aqua Light is fine too, if you can find that.

Always works for me.

[Amahaitz]

Well, this is an interesting development... Apparently the shampoo I use every day IS a clarifying shampoo. It's Garnier Fructis Pure Clean. I use Aussie 3 Minute Miracle conditioner.

[Anje]

But do you shampoo the length or just the roots normally? If you shampoo like I do, you still are probably prone to buildup on your length.

Might be worth trying a different shampoo in any case. It looks decently cleansing, but one product may remove what another misses.

When your hair is wet, how does it feel? How stretchy is it?

[lapushka]

Mystery to me. I'd change up the shampoo with another one, and yes, do shampoo the lengths. I -on and off- shampoo my lengths. I weekly wash, so it depends on the week, but I do so frequently, because I use the LOC method + ROO method, and so a lot of products.

Also, does it have enough time to dry before you wet it / wash it again? If not, I would try a hair dryer!

[Amahaitz]

I mostly concentrate on the roots, so I'll definitely work more on the length and see if that helps. I haven't really noticed any stretchiness when my hair is wet, but I'll pay more attention to that tomorrow. Mostly when I take it out of the towel, I notice that it (especially the length) feels very matted. It really is a nightmare to detangle.

For some reason, blow-drying is not working right now. It's the weirdest thing!

[Stepo_NiNha]

Definetely build up once you're having the yucky feeling. You have many options for clarifying shampoos, herbal essences (the transparent one) and Pantene come to my mind now. Pantene volumizing and aqua light are designed for fine hair and they work as clarifying shampoos. Aqua light has the same ingredients in the same order as the clarifying one though I think that the amount/percentage of sulfate is slightly different. Aqua light is my favourite shampoo ever and keeps my scalp free from itches and flakes.

[lapushka]

I'd maybe try shampooing twice in a row, then deep conditioning.

[Johannah]

Just FYI: if I use the same shampoo for a long time, my hair is acting weird as well. Changing up the shampoo is the solution in that case.

[Amahaitz]

I'm sorry to bring this back up to the top of the forum, but I just wanted to say thank you to everyone! Clarifying the length (twice) and following it with conditioner solved the problem completely. I guess I've been so focused on trying to keep the length moisturized that I let too much build up on it. Thanks again!

http://i785.photobucket.com/albums/yy140/amahaitz/IMG_3065.png (http://s785.photobucket.com/user/amahaitz/media/IMG_3065.png.html)

This is what it looks like now:) Much better.

[Kajzh]

I'll try clarifying! Is the inexpensive Suave clarifying shampoo okay, or is there something else you'd recommend? Also, is there any particular conditioner that is better after clarifying?

Response for people reading along: Keep in mind that you get what you pay for when it comes to a quality clarifying shampoo. So Suave likely won't cut it. I adoooore Ouidad Water Works clarifying shampoo. It's salon quality, so it kinda costs an arm and a leg, but it's so worth it. A grocery store substitute I use for clarifying is Giovanni Golden Wheat shampoo. It doesn't work as well, but it certainly get the job done for a discounted price.

===

That said, I'm glad it worked for you! I clarify once a month. Buildup is a real issue that lots of people aren't aware of. You can't just keep globbing water-insoluble products (like oils and masks) on op of your hair without cleansing it every once in a while. It's easy to overlook, but definitely makes a huge difference in the quality of haircare. :)

[Stepo_NiNha]

I'm sorry to bring this back up to the top of the forum, but I just wanted to say thank you to everyone! Clarifying the length (twice) and following it with conditioner solved the problem completely. I guess I've been so focused on trying to keep the length moisturized that I let too much build up on it. Thanks again!

http://i785.photobucket.com/albums/yy140/amahaitz/IMG_3065.png (http://s785.photobucket.com/user/amahaitz/media/IMG_3065.png.html)

This is what it looks like now:) Much better.


WOW!!! :agape: Another fine haired person with a GREAT length and awesome hair! Keep it up :toast: