Hair Identity Crisis

[pastina]

My hair's always had a natural wave, somewhere between 2a and 2b-- I could easily get it to look straight just by combing, blowdrying on cool, or bunning for a while. That's no longer working. For a long time I thought it wasn't laying right because I lost a lot of length. A rogue hairdresser didn't know the definition of the word "trim" and took me from TBL to BSL. But... my hair is nearing hip length again and it's still not laying like I'm used to it laying.

I had a horrible shed when I stopped breastfeeding my second child, where I went from almost 4.5" to 3.5" circ. The regrowth from that comes to about APL, and my circumference is back up to just over 4". Well, from my scalp until APL my hair looks like I've combed out curls, kinda like I've been electrocuted? Then it's my old texture from APL down.

I think I had a hormonal texture change, guys.

I just clarified and let my hair air dry without touching it, and I have *spirals* especially at my nape. But, only until APL. :rolleyes: And even then it's still mostly that giant, awkward, poodle look you get when you aren't properly caring for curls. ....I have no idea where to even start to change my routine to care for this weird new mix of textures. Clearly ignoring it isn't working anymore, lol. I've picked up some aloe vera, and a few new oils... I really don't know, lol. Do I need gel? Is this a case where it's ok to change everything at once?

***Before anyone asks, yes, I clearly color my hair, but I have no white dots, split ends, or any other signs of chemical damage. I've learned from years of mistakes what not to do, so honestly, I remember what chemical damage looks and feels like. This ain't it.***

[school of fish]

I can't offer much by way of advice but I can offer commiseration - I've experienced a post-pregnancy hormanal texture change as well (2nd child). My toddler's about 2-1/2 years old now, and I have a co-inciding 2b wave pattern growing from roots to about APL, while everything from APL to TBL is my original 1a.

It doesn't look quite as dramatic as it sounds - partly because my canopy has remained more straightish so it seems to be acting as a sort of tempering influence on the overall look... Also I think perhaps the visual divide between straight/straivy may not appear quite as wide as the divide between wavy/wurly, depending upon how much spiraling you're getting.

I haven't yet reached the point of needing to adapt my routine to a more 'wavy' routine, but may need to do so as the waves take over - not sure what that tipping point might be. But I can certainly relate to kind of having 2 heads of hair going on at once, since the hormonally-instigated texture change only affects what grows out at root level, not down at the ends... that older texture just has to grow out :)

I hope someone else who has experienced this can offer you some more practical advice! But at least I can assure you you're not alone ;)

[pastina]

Weirdly, this was my second child also. He's 2.5! :D

Eta-- School of Fish, hearing you're in the same boat (albeit with different textures) makes me feel soooo much less crazy, I gotta say. Thank you!!

[lapushka]

I think I had a hormonal texture change, guys.

I just clarified and let my hair air dry without touching it, and I have *spirals* especially at my nape. But, only until APL. :rolleyes: And even then it's still mostly that giant, awkward, poodle look you get when you aren't properly caring for curls. ....I have no idea where to even start to change my routine to care for this weird new mix of textures. Clearly ignoring it isn't working anymore, lol. I've picked up some aloe vera, and a few new oils... I really don't know, lol. Do I need gel? Is this a case where it's ok to change everything at once?

***Before anyone asks, yes, I clearly color my hair, but I have no white dots, split ends, or any other signs of chemical damage. I've learned from years of mistakes what not to do, so honestly, I remember what chemical damage looks and feels like. This ain't it.***

I think the curly girl method might be for you!

Try combing wet with conditioner, then scrunching leave-in products in.

And you might have no damage, but bleach can strip texture!

[Arctic]

Mine hasn't been from having children but I went through a similar texture changes when I was around 30 years old. My hair before was, I'd say, 1b-F. It was very slippery, sleek, silky, soft, compacted into nothing, flat to my head. Low porosity I believe by reading the descriptions. It rarely tangled, very easy wash and go hair.

My hair now is partially wavy, partially straighter. The underside is mostly 2b but can also form few spirals at times. The canopy is much straighter, and over all my texture ranges from 1b to 2c and some hairs even have type 4 characteristics. That's quite a selections of textures in one head, ha ha! F hairs are a minority now, it's mostly M a big percentage also leaning towards C, I think. Some of my hairs are wiry and/or kinky now. I don't think it's low porosity anymore, but I can only guess that. I assume it's more normal porosity now by reading descriptions on how porosities act. It is less slippery (read: not slippery most of the time), tangles much more easily, much more voluminous, poofy, doesn't compact. I even have root volume these days. :)

It has been a big mental adjustment for sure. I have added much more moisture in my routine and leave-in since the change but in general I haven't changed that much (of course (?) during my LHC years I have been into more assertive, intensive hair care than I was before, so the routines are not quite comparable).

I can't do curly and wavy routines because they just give me messy, ugly results thanks to my mixed texture or are just too much work for the little results they give. My straighter canopy just does not respond to them. My strategy is to have some sort of compromise going on at all times, and I either need to curl my straighter areas to match the rest, of empasize the straighter canopy.