Hair feels strange, and won’t absorb any conditioner-oil

[Katem]

My hair is acting so strange. When it’s wet it feels like straw but also some other weird feeling that I just don’t know how to explain. The conditioner I applied did nothing. And then when it’s dry, it’s so frizzy and disgustingly dry feeling. But after swimming, I was about to cry: my hair had turned into about 10 dreadlocks, so heavily matted it took about 2 hours to detangle (with conditioner in my hair, which normally allows for easy detangling). I really don’t know what’s wrong- my hair was behaving fine up until this last week. What could be the issue? I clarified recently and haven’t used any cones since. I run a boar bristle brush through my hair daily (which normally makes my hair incredibly soft and manageable. But this last week, it did absolutely nothing). I’m scared for my hair and also frustrated enough that I just want to shave it off. Any ideas what’s wrong? And sorry for the constant questions lol, it seems like every day I’ve started a new post with a million questions

[hayheadsbird]

Try clarifying again?

[chomsky]

You can try chelating to see if that will remove any left over chlorine. Just try a swimmer shampoo.

Hope you find out a fix soon!

[DoomKitty]

Hot oil treatment maybe? Or an SMT? I haven't tried an SMT myself but lots of people here do them

[gustavonut]

It could be the shampoo and conditioner you are using. Maybe you need to do a deep conditioning treatment or maybe you are washing too often? Keep trying different things out, just don’t feel frustrated. I’ve been through the same exact thing and all it took was some trial and error. I hope you are able to figure it out and I wish you luck! :flowers:

[lapushka]

I clarified recently and haven’t used any cones since. I run a boar bristle brush through my hair daily (which normally makes my hair incredibly soft and manageable. But this last week, it did absolutely nothing). I’m scared for my hair and also frustrated enough that I just want to shave it off. Any ideas what’s wrong? And sorry for the constant questions lol, it seems like every day I’ve started a new post with a million questions

I second clarifying and doing just a light conditioner after. Do this for as long as it takes. You may need specialized shampoos for clarifying or even chelating as was mentioned. You do seem to be a swimmer, so it may be time for that!

Also maybe try a different brush. You don't want to use a BBB for detangling, always precede a BBB with a WT comb! A Tangle Teezer (TT) or Wet Brush (WB) you can use just like that, without a comb first, but not a BBB! It is much too fine for that.

[Ophidian]

Have you changed any products recently? It makes total sense that the issue might be related to swimming (if in chlorine or salt water), but I have also had some very weird feeling hair from using protein-heavy conditioner. My hair tolerates it in smaller amounts but once I tried to clarify and then use a conditioner that happened to have a lot of protein in it (this was before I learned about label-reading) and ended up with the weirdest feeling hair. It felt dry, rough, and snappy, almost like barbie hair. A lot of moisture eventually got it back to normal. This may not be your issue at all but worth considering if you have switched up products recently.

[FrayedFire]

That kind of sounds like too much protein, but you also mentioned swimming, is that something you do regularly? Have there been any sudden changes in humidity recently?

[Katem]

I tried clarifying one night and then the next I used an ACV rinse. No luck. And at the start of the week, I did the SMT but it didn't help. I finally found a way to describe sort of how my hair feels, though: synthetic. It feels like a cheap, synthetic wig that you'd get from Claire's or something. And then when its dry, its so frizzy and even though I applied oils, it hasn't helped. Maybe ill try the chelating thing though. Is there any diy way to do it, or do I have to buy a new shampoo? The weird thing is I have swam a lot all my life, sometimes 3-4 times a week and my hair has never looked like this.

I use a different brush to detangle, and then I use my BBB to bring oils from my scalp to my ends once my hair is tangle free.

I haven't switched conditioners or shampoos or anything, so i'm not sure if thats it. The weird thing is I thought I might be lacking in moisture, so I piled on an SMT and let it sit for a while but its like it didn't soak into my hair at all. I don't think i've got too much protein, because I haven't done a protein treatment in ages and when I do the protein test on a strand (stretching it) it seems pretty balanced. It doesn't snap and it doesn't stretch an absurd amount either

I'm really appreciating all the help from you guys! My hair stresses me out so much because it always seems to have a new issue! And i'm getting sick of how difficult it is, despite my best efforts

[Blue Mermaid]

Sounds like your conditioner might have silicone? Check for the following ingredients "Dimethicone" "Amodimethicone" "Silicone Quaternium" etc. It could be that you clarified/chelated, stripped your hair of moisture, and then the silicones are keeping moisture from going back in. Don't forget to check your shampoo, leave ins, detanglers, etc.

[Katem]

My shampoo and conditioner don’t have any cones, and those are the only products I use aside from honey, aloe and a few oils. Though I just had a thought- I used Shea butter for the first time recently. I wonder if that’s a problem.

I ordered a chelating shampoo, hopefully that will help me out!

[DoomKitty]

Good luck, I hope you find a solution soon!

[chomsky]

My shampoo and conditioner don’t have any cones, and those are the only products I use aside from honey, aloe and a few oils. Though I just had a thought- I used Shea butter for the first time recently. I wonder if that’s a problem.

I ordered a chelating shampoo, hopefully that will help me out!

Doesn't honey cause problems like tangled feeling ends for some? I remember seeing it on here a fair amount when I first joined. Here's one of the threads I found searching honey on the forum. Shea butter shouldn't have any lasting impact on the hair.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=143335&highlight=Honey

Does your shampoo or conditioner have protein by any chance? Good luck with the chelating shampoo.

[Katem]

Doesn't honey cause problems like tangled feeling ends for some? I remember seeing it on here a fair amount when I first joined. Here's one of the threads I found searching honey on the forum. Shea butter shouldn't have any lasting impact on the hair.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=143335&highlight=Honey

Does your shampoo or conditioner have protein by any chance? Good luck with the chelating shampoo.

Thank you for the link! I actually have been using honey for quite some time and have had loads of success.

My conditioner does have coconut oil in it, which I think has protein (unless i'm totally remembering wrong) but my hair is not too full of protein, I have done multiple strand tests now and it breaks off just fine, it doesn't snap off real fast like protein filled hair does. And even if it did have too much protein, I wouldn't know how to fix it because my hair is not absorbing anything that would add moisture back into it.

[amiraaah]

i want to know how your scalp feels?i read in your profile that you use calia which is a completely natural shampoo.if your scalp gets oily fast this means that this shampoo doesn't clean your hair completely and over time when using moisturizers (with swimming a lot too)with no deep cleaning your scalp gets oily and hair start feeling like straw.
correct me everybody if i'm wrong.

[Katem]

My scalp actually feels great, it’s the only thing making me have some hope for my hair. It only gets oily on Sunday, my wash day. The rest of the week it smells good and feels clean. The hair from my chin down is what feels so gross and awful. From the chin up is soft and manageable

But I used a clarifying last Saturday and my hair still feels so awful

[amiraaah]

do you use coconut oil or heavy conditioners i experienced the same thing and after i stopped using both,my hair started getting softer.

[lapushka]

Natural products & waxes (shea) can definitely build up on your hair. So I would just clarify and use a light conditioner, and that's *it*. No messing with other things, and try that for a couple washes, at least.

[Obsidian]

I really think chelating would help. If you have a lot of mineral build up, a vinegar rinse isn't going to be enough. I really like joico clarifying shampoo, it also chelates. The first tie I used it, the difference was amazing. You need to follow the directions though, leave it in for minutes likes it says and give the whole lengths a good scrub.

[Katem]

I tried chelating and it helped it not feel quite as weird when it was wet, but it still is so frizzy when its dry! And its got so many split ends now, I think I may have to cut off several inches. Luckily i've been busy with my foster puppy, otherwise i'd be so focused on and sad about my hair

[Obsidian]

Did you do a deep conditioning afterwards? Chelating can be drying. You might try a nice heavy coney conditioner too

[Katem]

Did you do a deep conditioning afterwards? Chelating can be drying. You might try a nice heavy coney conditioner too

Yes but i'll keep deep conditioning for a few more washes to see if that helps at all. Thanks for the help everyone