Texture change or damage?

[BlueKittyMeow]

I’ve been growing out some perm damage for a little over a year now. At the crown of my head, more on the left side than the right though, I’m noticing some really weird hair. At first I was just trimming it off thinking it was the top of the perm damage but now it’s in an area that I know has already grown out and is new growth.

The hair is hard to describe, very thick, coarse and has crimps in it and feels bumpy all the way along the hair. It stays really dry and rough feeling.

My hair is ordinarily fairly fine, medium density, and probably a 1c or so (normal un-permed hair I mean) and is Caucasian type, if any of that info helps here.

I’m not pregnant or coming on or off any hormones over the last decade. I have started Effexor (venlafaxine) for migraine and anxiety - I believe that anti depressants can have an effect on hair? No changes to my water (soft). This has made me change up my routine a little. I often do Indian herb washing but that seemed too drying so I’ve been deep conditioning more. I did a cassia treatment last month but the coarse bumpy texture pre-dates that.

These areas don’t feel the nicest, but I’d just like to figure out if this is damage or a new mix of hair types I need to learn how to care for! Any thoughts? Been trying to figure this out on my own for months and now I finally throw myself at LHC mercy :P

[lapushka]

First of all, stop trimming the new "texture". Cutting it shorter is not going to help. It may be how your hair is growing in and if so, there is nothing you can do about it, but let it grow along with the rest of the hair.

Texture can vary and change. :)

[MoonRabbit]

I have fresh baby hairs that feel like that as well. I think its just some strands are coarse while the majority of my hair is medium with a few fine sections. I don't see how they could be damage because they are so short and the texture extends all the way to the root so I am guessing they are just odd coarse strands. For me they seem to settle down when they get longer but will always remain thicker than the rest of my hair.

[BlueKittyMeow]

Thanks everyone!

It’s so weird to me because it’s basically all the hair on the left that’s the top layer on that side. The weird part is that it feels like the damage I felt from the perm (rough bumpy feeling cuticle).

I have no previous experience with coarse or thicker hair and I know these things can vary but can anyone with coarse or thick hair tell me if it can feel micro crimped or bumpy all the way down?

I have stopped trimming it, except to s&d splits or bent sideways hairs, I’ll try to keep my hands off the scissors! :P as long as I know it’s not damaged I’ll stop picking at it haha

I kept wondering if I was doing mechanical damage but I don’t even braid it anymore, I do a bun with a hair stick and use only a satin cap at night so I think I’ve ruled that out.

[Glitch]

Interesting. This happened to me when I stopped heat styling on and off starting last year (fully quit 4 months ago :)). My hair, untouched, is naturally a fine/medium, loose wave pattern. I even have naturally 1a hair down to my brows/ears, but even so, some very "strange" strands started showing up. They were pretty rough, with a ton of pattern-like crinkles everywhere. I assumed it was damage and kept cutting them out. Eventually, after quite some time, they completely went away. I'm convinced it's related to growing out very unnatural textures (fried strands from bleaching, etc.) I recently had a feeling one of my hair brushes was a bit too rough for my hair, and the very last time I used it, it ripped through a small area before I noticed. Looking at the base of the brush, I could see some stressed out, damaged strands because of the brush. It had ripped pretty roughly along some strands to the point where they were once again, very rough and crinkled up just like the previous strange strands. I just think it's damage, whether it's your hair slowly reverting and going through some phases, or mechanical.

However, it could be a texture change, you can't be sure unless you wait and see. I know I went from pin straight hair as a child to pretty wavy hair suddenly in my teens. I also have a friend who always had loose waves, but now she has very curly hair. Happens! Maybe babying and moisturizing a little extra in those places you're noticing them will help either restore your usual pattern, or support the new texture. Like MoonRabbit said, I myself have some random coarse strands in my hair. Hair is often a big mixup of texture, thickness, weight, color, etc.!

[Glitch]

Thanks everyone!

It’s so weird to me because it’s basically all the hair on the left that’s the top layer on that side. The weird part is that it feels like the damage I felt from the perm (rough bumpy feeling cuticle).

I have no previous experience with coarse or thicker hair and I know these things can vary but can anyone with coarse or thick hair tell me if it can feel micro crimped or bumpy all the way down?

I have stopped trimming it, except to s&d splits or bent sideways hairs, I’ll try to keep my hands off the scissors! :P as long as I know it’s not damaged I’ll stop picking at it haha

I kept wondering if I was doing mechanical damage but I don’t even braid it anymore, I do a bun with a hair stick and use only a satin cap at night so I think I’ve ruled that out.

That's how it felt for me! I think only time can tell you for sure what's been going on though :)

[MusicalSpoons]

I have several of the strands you describe smattered about my head, though I am finding a few more growing in one particular spot these past couple of years. It's definitely not damage for me! Pre-LHC was damage from hair elastics and possibly my hairbrush, but I was mostly a benign-neglecter just without beneficial practices and ignorance of protective styles. I've had these hairs for as long as I remember, though I am finding more and more recently. So my vote is for texture change :)

[BlueKittyMeow]

That's how it felt for me! I think only time can tell you for sure what's been going on though :)

Thanks for your input that was all really helpful!

Time... it always comes back to that with hair doesn’t it :P I really need to learn how to chill out like, overall :D

[BlueKittyMeow]

I have several of the strands you describe smattered about my head, though I am finding a few more growing in one particular spot these past couple of years. It's definitely not damage for me! Pre-LHC was damage from hair elastics and possibly my hairbrush, but I was mostly a benign-neglecter just without beneficial practices and ignorance of protective styles. I've had these hairs for as long as I remember, though I am finding more and more recently. So my vote is for texture change :)



Thank you! It’s so funny I was aware texture could change but I hadn’t thought about it being in one spot - and I kind of thought it was always hormones too.

Actually... now I’m wondering if it could be from stress, I’ve been dealing with some really crazy over the top stuff lately - bodies are so weird I guess :P

[Glitch]

Thanks for your input that was all really helpful!

Time... it always comes back to that with hair doesn’t it :P I really need to learn how to chill out like, overall :D

You're welcome! And don't worry, I'm a very impatient person and know what that's like :laugh: Time never stops ticking though, you'll get where you want to be soon enough!

[lunalocks]

I had a dramatic texture change starting when I went through menopause. Up til then my hair was pretty straight and would not hold curls well. I started to notice a section at the back along one side, about 2 inches wide that was starting to look kinky. It spread across the back and now all my hair is wavy, like braid waves when it airdries. That one area in the back continues to be the waviest. The funny thing is that at the top and along my fringe, it is still smooth and straight. I recently got super busy (getting my moms house ready to sell) and didn't cut my fringe for a month and the longer the hair grew, the more wavy the ends are. it is just the opposite of what I've always bee told about hair. People will tell my how curly my hair would be if I cut it, but I/m sure it would be straight if it was short again.

[pili]

Sometimes a wave pattern doesn't show itself unless there is some length. Mine is like that. As for "bumpy" hair, yes, that is what coarse wavy/curly hair can feel like. I have a whole head of it! There is nothing wrong with it. It may also be that your hair porosity in that spot has changed.