How to fix my damaged hair?

[karenkte]

I'm trying to grow my hair and after reading this forum I use a tangle teezer, micro trim and use a wide tooth comb. These are some pics of it just now slightly damp.

I swim two or three times a week, wash my hair with shampoo and conditioner every day, dry with hairdryer every day also. I also used a John Frieda spray in blonde product on my hair last year. I also tie my hair up with a scruch type band three or four nights a week for the gym.

All of this has finally taken its toll and I'd like some advice on how to slowly fix the damage.

I can't give up the swimming....and the only other thing I can think to do is to never use the blonde hair sun in type spray again......too stop using the hair dryer and air dry instead......to possibly buy a silk pillow case.....or silk bonnet (can anyone recommend one for long hair). I would like some advice also on what I can use to keep my hair up at the gym.

Does anyone have any other advice on what I can do. I feel so frustrated.....as I've been microtrimming and trying to grow the length for so long now but the damage has caused my hair to split off....so at the front its all different lengths and at the back its tapers in at the end to very thin.




https://landlords.rocketspark.co.uk/images/page/4551705f28e419ef4e1d96badd8ae6ce/zoom205x245z100000cw205.jpghttps://landlords.rocketspark.co.uk/images/page/1350e3e5f51fcd4dfa837a8d82f31f85/zoom205x247z100000cw205@2x.jpghttps://landlords.rocketspark.co.uk/images/page/12847e0d2ef6e602d40fe61310168b82/zoom205x412z100000cw205.jpg

[Aphra]

Do you use a cap when swimming? There are a few swimming advice threads on here, and the gist seemed to be to saturate your hair first (split opinion on whether to condition it or just use water), as that reduces the amount of swimming pool water it can absorb, put it up in a fabric cap, and then put a silicone or rubber cap over that. And then when you wash your hair after swimming, use a shampoo designed to remove salts and chlorine, and condition the length really well.

For the gym, maybe experiment with things like double french or dutch braids with tucked / pinned / bunned ends? Even if you have to bun the ends with a hair tie to get them secure, it will distribute the weight more.

I wouldn't wash your hair every day unless you need to (I appreciate if swimming + gym covers 7 days, you may well need to, in which case its fine - having a lifestyle that works for you comes first), and I'd probably try a double conditioning method on the dry ends at least some of the time (condition - wash - condition, or wash - condition - condition). There are also options with oils, and leave in conditioning treatments to help the ends retain protien and moisture, which I don't use and know nothing about, but I'm sure other people will clue you in on.

Other than that, I'd stop hair-drying regularly (only when you actually absolutely need it dry quick), don't use the dye, and keep on keeping on with the micro-trimming. You've got a nice length, and your upper hair looks healthy in those photos, so it may largely be case of making routine improvements where you can, and patience otherwise.

[Aphra]

Also (and this is personal preference, not gospel advice), I would probably take a few inches of the ends, just to even them up and get rid of the stringiest most damaged bits. I don't mean a hairdresser style cut out all the damage, but just a medium trim of a couple of inches. If the ends are thicker and less damaged, and then babied with good conditioning, they should tangle and therefore break less, and you may find you therefore retain length better as you grow it (that's how it works for me anyway)

[Reyesuela]

Use a swim cap. Before you swim, get your hair wet with shower water and slather it with conditioner. Then wrap it up and put the swim cap over the whole mess. :) Use shampoo immediately after that's formulated for chlorine neutralization. This saved my kids' hair!

Use coconut oil to protect it from protein loss during the washes. Then the usual advice with slip agents, updos, and silk pillowcases/bonnets. If you run/do aerobics with movement, try braids or updos instead of a loose pony to reduce friction.

The sun-in is a TERRIBLE product. The entire line. Quit using it. Don't use hot blow dryers--none is better, but cool or warm is better than hot.