Confused Hair or confused me?

[BookishRay]

So my hair is a conundrum to me. Is it healthy just as it is? Does it need moisture or does it need protein? Have I simply been brainwashed by the media to what healthy hair is supposed to look like?

I *THINK* my hair is generally healthy based on elasticity and generally any test I could find to do myself. It's a bit on the finer side (not baby fine, but thinner than thread), but my pony tail is somewhere between 3.5 and 4 inches. It tends to be light and fluffy and will generally look oily before it will feel heavy, and that can take days. I suppose I may be confusing fluffy with frizzy or damage. I haven't had a trim in months, but I don't find any splits or white dots. I shampoo and condition 2-3 times a week and I do have some flaking, mostly around where my bangs would be if I had them and around my ears.

So I recently stumbled upon Kirin's hair diagnostic tips, to try to determine if I needed protein or moisture. I figured I needed one or the other, because my hair isn't as shiny or as smooth as I think it should be (I couldn't actually find it in the article section on here, but here is a link to where I found it after googling it: https://thenaturalmane.wordpress.com/2009/12/11/whats-wrong-with-my-hair-hair-diagnostic-tips/)

I wanted to try it, but didn't have any "clarifying" shampoo so I used some Suave rosemary mint that I had lying around from before I went sulfate free. While wet my hair felt kind of stiff and tangley but not brittle at all. When it dried it was slightly more prone to tangle, but felt very soft and more flexible than it generally does after shampoo and conditioner

I will try to share a photo:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5696/30523558952_ab2cf2c91c_m.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/NvgdDN)20161029_091155 (https://flic.kr/p/NvgdDN) by (Ray)2 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/27020793@N04/), on Flickr

Maybe I just needed to clarify and my hair is just fine as it is.

This is what my everyday hair looks like:
https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5677/30604315086_e74cd25a19_m.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/NCp7CW)20161004_122429 (https://flic.kr/p/NCp7CW) by (Ray)2 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/27020793@N04/), on Flickr

and heck while we are sharing here is what my under layer looks like (wish it was like this all over)
https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5516/30008825374_66040e23a1_m.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/MHM5hW)20161009_092402 (https://flic.kr/p/MHM5hW) by (Ray)2 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/27020793@N04/), on Flickr

That is my natural color any dye has been cut out ages ago. I do have a few silvers.

So help me out please. Have I just been brainwashed by the shampoo commercials into thinking if my hair isn't as shiny as glass and as flexible as a limp noodle it's in bad shape?

Feed back is welcome.

thinks I forgot to mention: heat use is rare and if used it is cool/warm blow dryer on low not even once a month. Currently using Shea Moisture JBCO shampoo and conditioner, but not very happy with it, seems to dry my hair. feel free to ask anything I forgot to include.

[furnival]

Your hair looks fine! If you haven't had a trim in months and haven't got any splits or white dots then that suggests it's in excellent health. Ignore those commercials, they are deliberately designed to make you feel bad about your hair and the hair they show is often computer-enhanced (or completely computer-generated) anyway. It looks nice and thick too. :)

[lithostoic]

I think your hair looks beautiful, and I always think it looks healthy when you post photos c: Media is definitely brainwashing, it does to everyone. According to shampoo commercials, my hair is "thin and flat" but it really isn't!

[pailin]

If there are no splits or white dots your hair is probably healthy enough. You mention fluffiness and it not being smooth- I think it sounds like frizziness, which suggests that you are brushing or combing out waves. How do you normally handle your hair? If you could try detangling it wet (wide tooth comb only) after washing, then don't touch it until it's dry, you might find it behaves a little differently.

[BookishRay]

:shrug:Thanks for the compliments! Looking at my pictures I keep a king myself "what is your hang up it looks fine" but I don't feel like that's what it looks like in real life...maybe I have hair dysmorphic disorder...is that a thing? :shrug:


If there are no splits or white dots your hair is probably healthy enough. You mention fluffiness and it not being smooth- I think it sounds like frizziness, which suggests that you are brushing or combing out waves. How do you normally handle your hair? If you could try detangling it wet (wide tooth comb only) after washing, then don't touch it until it's dry, you might find it behaves a little differently.

I do know that is part of my problem. I can't keep my hands out of my hair! I used to brush it, but now I generally use a wide tooth comb to detailed and occationally a tangled teaser. I'm trying to train myself to keep my fingers out of it, but it's really haed! 37 year habit and all :rolleyes:

[missrandie]

Hair dysmorphia is real :)

[BookishRay]

Hair dysmorphia is real :)

Maybe I have that...or I'm just obsessing. Maybe I think there should be something wrong with it because I haven't been overly cautious with it over the years. I don't know. I guess I will keep up my routine and see what happens. Evidently, I'm doing something right even if my expectations are unrealistic. :). I do need to find a shampoo that makes both my scalp and hair happy at the same time.

[Wusel]

You have wonderful, healthy, shiny hair with a very pretty texture. Nothing wrong with it.

[lapushka]

I think you need to stop fiddling with it. Honestly, it's not good. I think your hair is just fine and dandy. Just give it what it needs, its shampoo + condition 2 to 3 times a week and stop worrying about anything else. I think... well take a look at janeytilllie's anniversary thread if you want to learn a thing or two about experimenting with your hair too much (and of course I can tell you my experiences, but they're on the boards countless times already):
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=140291

[Kat-Rinnè Naido]

You have beautiful hair.
According to your photos it looks like you have maybe more wavy hair than you think. You could try to bring out your natural waves and also try using a leave-in conditioner. Try to see if that would help.

[BookishRay]

I think you need to stop fiddling with it. Honestly, it's not good. I think your hair is just fine and dandy. Just give it what it needs, its shampoo + condition 2 to 3 times a week and stop worrying about anything else. I think... well take a look at janeytilllie's anniversary thread if you want to learn a thing or two about experimenting with your hair too much (and of course I can tell you my experiences, but they're on the boards countless times already):
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=140291

This is actually one of the reason's I did this thread. I wanted unbiased opinions because I know mine are skewed and I wanted them before I did an experiment I would regret!!

Thank you all for your input. I think I will just keep on keeping on and not experiment with more than different shampoos, conditioners and the occasional moisturizing treatment, try to keep my hands off and QUIT OBSESSING!!!!

CHEERS! :beerchug:

[lapushka]

This is actually one of the reason's I did this thread. I wanted unbiased opinions because I know mine are skewed and I wanted them before I did an experiment I would regret!!

Thank you all for your input. I think I will just keep on keeping on and not experiment with more than different shampoos, conditioners and the occasional moisturizing treatment, try to keep my hands off and QUIT OBSESSING!!!!

CHEERS! :beerchug:

Ooh, I also wanted to say, your hair looks fine as it is! Happy growing!!! :D

[Eastbound&Down]

OP- I think you are at a length now where you can start really playing around with updos, that will help prevent damage as well as help you keep your hands out of it! It looks perfectly healthy and I think you have a good routine going!

[whimsicalfaerie]

I think it looks great! but I know what you mean about media brain-washing. I have a really hard time getting my hair to shine without plastering it down with oil, but henna does help me some in that respect. Have you ever tried henna or cassia?