Why is the top layer of my hair way more dry and damaged than the hair underneath?

[glittermoomin]

Hey everybody!

I have a question! I have very fine, flat, pretty limp hair. Just growing out of a pixie cut right now, so it's just below chin length at the moment.

My question is, why is the top hair on my head (aka the layer of hair that everybody can SEE) so much drier, straw-like, and brittle than the hair that lies underneath it? I find this most noticeable when I get out of the shower, and am gently coming my hair out with a super-wide tooth comb. The hair underneath, the comb just glides though no problem.

But the hair on top, it gets super-matted, it feels rough and straw-like, and I have to tease it very, very gently to get the knots out and untangle it with my wide-tooth comb. The hair on top is also significantly lighter.

Does anyone else suffer from this? It is frustrating, because I feel like I am essentially dealing with two totally different kinds of hair on my head. I do weekly coconut oil treatments, use sulphate-free shampoos, and generally treat my hair very well, since it's short and growing out.

I'm wondering whether my top layer of hair just bears the brunt of sun damage, wind damage, etc. This article speculates on this - http://www.curlynikki.com/2011/11/is-your-crown-shorter-and-dry-natural.html

I'd love to hear your guys' thoughts, as well as any suggestions to protect my hair on top from future damage! Any recomendations for SPF ideas for hair would be particularly welcome.

Thanks for reading!!!

[Kat-Rinnè Naido]

Hi! How long have you been using coconut oil. As sometimes your hair might not like it.
Does your hair have any damage from previous bad habits?
Have you tried to clarify and then do an SMT.

[lithostoic]

Did the stylist use a razor on the hair?

[Anje]

More handling, UV light exposure, weathering... The canopy pretty much takes the brunt of everything.

As a sunburn-prone person who has burned the entire top of my head through bunned hair (that is, not just the part, but ALL of it! And at about 3" in circumference, my hair is roughly average thickness.), I advocate covering your head when you're going to be outside for a substantial period of time. When it's hot, wet bandanas are amazing and they don't stick up in funny ways like dry bandanas might. Buffs are a favorite around here. I've got this Outdoor Research sun bucket hat in a whitish color that is literally cooler to be wearing than not. Wildcat Diva has a great method for bunning hair with a baseball cap. (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=139511) There are tons of possibilities. Find one or two that work for you!

[draysmir]

The top layers of my hair are also more damaged than underneath, but not as bad as what you're describing. The top layers of your hair get more damage, especially the front sections, since it is exposed to things like the wind and manipulation more and such. If you're growing out a pixie cut, it is likely the top layers of your hair have gotten less trimmed than the underneath bits. Since you had a pixie, you would have had to trim more off the underneath layers in order for your top layers to catch up, which could be why your top layers are more damaged, since they might not have technically also gotten trimmed.

[glittermoomin]

Hi! How long have you been using coconut oil. As sometimes your hair might not like it.
Does your hair have any damage from previous bad habits?
Have you tried to clarify and then do an SMT.


Coconut oil for a few months now, weekly, give or take.

Yes, I did use a box-dye on my hair once a few months back. I'm sure that contributed towards the dryness, BUT, I am very curious why it would only dry out the hair on top, and not the hair underneath!

I'm wondering whether the combination of dye and sun, wind etc has wreaked havoc.

I am outdoors a lot, but am fanatical about sun protection, and almost always wear a hat when hiking, running etc.

[MidnightMoon]

Mine is drier too. I never go out in the sun as paranoid as I am of burning and tanning, so it may not even have to do with exposure to sun. My guess has always been that it's because it's exposed to the elements more, some rubbing when sleeping, but perhaps it's also that hair that grows in those parts is a bit more fragile.

[hobbitlocks]

:scissors:

I am outdoors a lot, but am fanatical about sun protection, and almost always wear a hat when hiking, running etc.

Is the inside of the hat rough? I was getting weird damage for while from my bike helmet, where a rougher part of the inside would constantly rest/rub against my hair. Took me forever to figure out! Now I wear a buff under my helmet and it has helped a lot!

[Kat-Rinnè Naido]

It looks like it is a combination of stuff affecting your hair.
Your hair needs more moisture.

Does your hair feel more crunchy after using coconut oil?
Maybe you could stop using it just to get your hair sorted - if it is crunchy due to the oil. You can always go back to using it later.

You may need to clarify and do an SMT.
Borgessa I think her name is, shared this. Before you apply any oil on your hair spritz it with a bit of water and then apply your oil. This should lock in the moisture.
Also try to oil before you wash your hair. This might help prevent your shampoo stripping your natural oils. Try not to over wash your hair in your attempt to rehabilitate it.
Good luck. Please let us know how it's going with your hair.

[Rebel Rebel]

It really is like having 2 separate heads of hair. I just came by to say that I can relate and have to deal with this along with babyfine hair. I could go on and on about my frustration with my top layer and it even seems to grow slower too. The only thing that helps keep it smoother is damp oiling and cone conditioners. It's particularly frustrating and worse in humidity. I've been growing out damage for 2 years and even the new growth doesn't feel as silky and smooth as the rest of my hair. I definitely didn't have this odd texture before. I'm hoping that further growth with added weight will help some. I hope yours gets better as it grows too.

Also, what everyone else said seems like good advice as well and you seem to be smart about hats etc. Definitely baby this area from now on and be very careful about heat and chemicals.

[Rebel Rebel]

Also...how do you protect your hair when sleeping? A silk pillowcase or a silk sleep cap will help with friction especially with weakened hair. I wake up with much smoother hair now. Just something to think about if you feel it could help.

[mizukitty]

Are you sure it's damaged? I have two different hair types on my head that feel pretty much the same as yours - my nape and temples grow really fine, silky smooth hair, but my canopy is quite coarse and rough feeling. When I shed a hair from the coarse area, I can tell it's significantly thicker between my fingers, too. It's almost wiry, it makes a sound when I roll it between my fingers!

It's very odd, but I mostly just treat the areas differently. Coarse hair gets more moisture, fine, silky hair gets more protein. Seems to be okay. I oil both and no area has problems with that :P