Summer Hair Help, Please

[KlutzyChy1]

So, in the winter, my hair was super easy to manage. It didn't tangle too much, I lost less hair, it was a lot more shiny & sleek & looked super healthy. Ever since the warmer, more humid weather hit, it's been a nightmare. When I go to detangle my hair, it literally sticks together. No matter how much I comb, there's still tangles. It's like the second I undo a knot, it just forms again. My SD also acts up a lot more in the summer & I think I shed more because of it. Today was wash day & I lost 135 hairs, compared to the 70/80 I pulled out in winter. I already wash every other day using two different medicated shampoos & I also use a dentangling spray, but nothing seems to help. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

[Stardreamer]

I don't know too much about this. You mentioned you comb your hair, maybe it's easier to brush it? You could think about changing your brushing or combing tool. And I'm impressed you counted your lost hairs. You should limit wearing your hair completely down = less tangles (braid would be better - I don't know how you usually wear your hair). And you could try trimming the ends if you want, I don't know how much it would help ;) good luck

[enting]

Do you ever oil your hair? My hair gets super fluffy and "sticky" in the summer and I seem to do all right with taming it by adding some oil. I don't have any foolproof answers for you, sadly. Sometimes vinegar rinses help with my hair, but again, YMMV. More moisture seems to make mine worse, and scalp washes seem to be the absolute worst for making my hair stick all together and be impossible.

[Jo Ann]

I work on keeping my hair more moisturized and oil more (once or twice a week) when it's hohahum outside (hot-hazy-humid). I also wear my hair up a LOT more, especially when I go outside. If it's really hot (or when the A/C [air conditioning] is not on or broken down), I'll add a co-wash, using what I have on hand, between washes. It all depends on how much I sweat.

[Begemot]

Could your hair be dehydrated? Hair sticking together/webbing might indicate that. It could help to detangle your hair in sections and keeping it up. Maybe use a deep cleansing/chelating shampoo and then use a moisturizing hair mask regularly.

You could also be experiencing seasonal shedding but consult a professional if you are convinced that you shed more because of the SD. Better check your scalp just to be sure.

[lapushka]

So, in the winter, my hair was super easy to manage. It didn't tangle too much, I lost less hair, it was a lot more shiny & sleek & looked super healthy. Ever since the warmer, more humid weather hit, it's been a nightmare. When I go to detangle my hair, it literally sticks together. No matter how much I comb, there's still tangles. It's like the second I undo a knot, it just forms again. My SD also acts up a lot more in the summer & I think I shed more because of it. Today was wash day & I lost 135 hairs, compared to the 70/80 I pulled out in winter. I already wash every other day using two different medicated shampoos & I also use a dentangling spray, but nothing seems to help. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

What shampoos are you using, exactly? What conditioners are you using?

ETA/
Is the SD under control, or not? What is the condition of your scalp?

[KlutzyChy1]

What shampoos are you using, exactly? What conditioners are you using?

ETA/
Is the SD under control, or not? What is the condition of your scalp?

I wash every other day with prescription strength ketaconazole & extra strength T-gel. & I use the color safe conditioner by Loreal.

I always have some flaking with my SD no matter what product I use or how frequently I wash, but the flaking has been worse since summer hit & my scalp is getting more oily. It's not horrible flaking, no patches or large flakes, but it is worse than it was in the winter.

[KlutzyChy1]

Do you ever oil your hair? My hair gets super fluffy and "sticky" in the summer and I seem to do all right with taming it by adding some oil. I don't have any foolproof answers for you, sadly. Sometimes vinegar rinses help with my hair, but again, YMMV. More moisture seems to make mine worse, and scalp washes seem to be the absolute worst for making my hair stick all together and be impossible.

I sometimes use a hair serum, but most of the time I just use a leave in dentangling spray. I do scalp only washes so I'm wondering if that's part of the problem. My hair only acts like this on days I wash it. I also condition my hair twice & put it on while I let my shampoo sit. I'm wondering if I'm overdoing it on the moisture?

[KlutzyChy1]

I don't know too much about this. You mentioned you comb your hair, maybe it's easier to brush it? You could think about changing your brushing or combing tool. And I'm impressed you counted your lost hairs. You should limit wearing your hair completely down = less tangles (braid would be better - I don't know how you usually wear your hair). And you could try trimming the ends if you want, I don't know how much it would help ;) good luck

I definitely need a trim, that's for sure. I'm waaaay over do & it's driving me crazy. & Goodness, brushing my hair is even worse. I usually finger detangle & then run a wide tooth comb & detangle that way. If I try to run a brush through my hair, it just gets stuck, worse than a comb. Since it's been hotter, I keep my hair up in a braid or bun, it's just the dentangling on wash day that driving me crazy. I spend 40 minutes finger dentangling after a shower, then I leave to air dry & when I go to comb through it, it's a mess. & I know! It's a bad habit. I've gone through hair loss twice & picked it up back then & since I have SD & dealing with health issues atm, I'm always more anxious about it.

[milosmomma]

I would not detangle after a shower. I would do it dry before or soaking with conditioner on it only. Damp/wet out of the shower my hair would immediately re-tangle in a neverending battle. I would also shed alot more from detangling wet. After a shower I leave my hair down and alone until its dry. If something come up and I have to put it up for some reason I will throw it in a messy cinnabun or braid. Only sectioning the 3 sections for a braid, no further detangling until dry. I'm sorry I'm not more help with the other issues but that's all I have experience with.

ETA have you tried the wet brush or tangle teezer in the shower with conditioner?

[Corvana]

I definitely need a trim, that's for sure. I'm waaaay over do & it's driving me crazy. & Goodness, brushing my hair is even worse. I usually finger detangle & then run a wide tooth comb & detangle that way. If I try to run a brush through my hair, it just gets stuck, worse than a comb. Since it's been hotter, I keep my hair up in a braid or bun, it's just the dentangling on wash day that driving me crazy. I spend 40 minutes finger dentangling after a shower, then I leave to air dry & when I go to comb through it, it's a mess. & I know! It's a bad habit. I've gone through hair loss twice & picked it up back then & since I have SD & dealing with health issues atm, I'm always more anxious about it.

I second trying to not detangle wet hair after a shower. We seem to have similar-ish hair, and I can't do it! It just retangles and knots up really badly. So I just detangle before I get into the shower to wash, and then again with conditioner (because it tangles a little with the shampoo). Since I put in my conditioner with my head flipped over, I can then just place it on my shirt to make my turban for plopping. That eliminates a chance for it to get tangled (going from upright to flipped over)!

Then once it's totally dry I don't detangle it either. I literally just don't comb or brush it at all, using my fingers to gently work out any knots if I find them.

[lapushka]

I wash every other day with prescription strength ketaconazole & extra strength T-gel. & I use the color safe conditioner by Loreal.

Have you tried leaving the ketaconazole on for 10 min.? Then washing twice, immediately followed with the T-gel?

I have once washed with Nizoral 2%, left it for 10 min. Then washed with H&S immediately after (let that sit for a few min. as well) and then it was all gone - now granted only my sides had a little flaking going on, so not much.

[Dark40]

I agree with Begemot. Your hair might be dehydrated. I think you may need to start using moisturizing shampoos and conditioners. Also, invest in a deep moisturizing treatment or mask once or twice a week. Do micro-trims. Try using some type of essential oil on both the scalp and hair. When I go outside in the heat and humid weather I always wear my hair up but in the A/C I wear it down. You may also try a clarifying shampoo as well. I hope this helps! :flower:

[KlutzyChy1]

Have you tried leaving the ketaconazole on for 10 min.? Then washing twice, immediately followed with the T-gel?

I have once washed with Nizoral 2%, left it for 10 min. Then washed with H&S immediately after (let that sit for a few min. as well) and then it was all gone - now granted only my sides had a little flaking going on, so not much.

I actually haven't left my shampoo to sit on my scalp since winter hit. Leaving it on longer was drying my scalp out like crazy. I guess I'm just having a super hard time trying to adjust my routine to fit the seasons! But today I washed with the T-gel & ketaconazole & let them both sit for 5 minutes each ( I would've let it sit longer but I live in an apartment & someone else got in the shower & ALL the hot water ran out).

[KlutzyChy1]

I have kind of a silly question for you guys, but how often do you guys wash the length of your hair? I was thinking about it yesterday & I've been doing scalp only washes for the longest time & I don't remember the last time I let shampoo touch the length of my hair (aside from today, I washed my length with a clarifying shampoo).

[KlutzyChy1]

I agree with Begemot. Your hair might be dehydrated. I think you may need to start using moisturizing shampoos and conditioners. Also, invest in a deep moisturizing treatment or mask once or twice a week. Do micro-trims. Try using some type of essential oil on both the scalp and hair. When I go outside in the heat and humid weather I always wear my hair up but in the A/C I wear it down. You may also try a clarifying shampoo as well. I hope this helps! :flower:

I think this is my biggest problem with my hair. I can't use any kind of moisturizing shampoo or essential oil on my scalp because I have SD & it will make it flare up like crazy, so I have to wash every other day with harsh medicated shampoos, so I'm trying to figure out how I can balance moisturizing my length but still take care of my scalp. I did clarify my length today & followed up with a moisturizing mask afterwards, so we'll see how it goes!

[Groovy Granny]

There are no silly questions ;)

I wash my ends once a week;clarify once a month.
If I do a second wash that week I shampoo my scalp but use conditioner on the ends... rinse... and then apply my second (heavier) conditioner (ends only).

[Begemot]

I have kind of a silly question for you guys, but how often do you guys wash the length of your hair? I was thinking about it yesterday & I've been doing scalp only washes for the longest time & I don't remember the last time I let shampoo touch the length of my hair (aside from today, I washed my length with a clarifying shampoo).

Once or twice a month maybe, depending how my hair feels. I use clarifying shampoo once a month but will use a regular sulfate shampoo too if I have been using lots of products, oils and such and my hair feels coated.

[MusicalSpoons]

I have kind of a silly question for you guys, but how often do you guys wash the length of your hair? I was thinking about it yesterday & I've been doing scalp only washes for the longest time & I don't remember the last time I let shampoo touch the length of my hair (aside from today, I washed my length with a clarifying shampoo).

Once a week, -ish. I C-W-ROO-C (leaving the first C on damp hair for an hour or so before getting in the shower) which keeps my lengths and ends happy for the week, but after that they start feeling like they need some more moisture so I do a full wash again. I've not experimented with leave-ins or anything because this routine works for me :) Though just to be clear, I don't *wash* the lengths as such, but I let the shampoo run down the lengths. I very, very rarely need to clarify and when I do it's usually just shampooing the lengths with my usual mild, sulphate-free shampoo. (Clarifying the roots usually needs a sulphate-mild shampoo though.)

[Corvana]

I have kind of a silly question for you guys, but how often do you guys wash the length of your hair? I was thinking about it yesterday & I've been doing scalp only washes for the longest time & I don't remember the last time I let shampoo touch the length of my hair (aside from today, I washed my length with a clarifying shampoo).

I only wash my hair once a week, and the shampoo runs down when I rinse. But when I clarify (varies, depending on several factors) I'll shampoo all of my hair.

[Wusel]

I experience the same in the summer. And what I do to combat it, I wash it or spray my hair with water or herbal tea, detangle it and braid it or put it up. So the moisture stays in, it's detangled and not in danger to tangle and stick together again. That's why I do comb it when it's wet, I HAVE to, otherwise it's a problematic mess.

[Jo Ann]

I have kind of a silly question for you guys, but how often do you guys wash the length of your hair? I was thinking about it yesterday & I've been doing scalp only washes for the longest time & I don't remember the last time I let shampoo touch the length of my hair (aside from today, I washed my length with a clarifying shampoo).
I wash my length every time I shampoo (I WCC + LOC-curl cream every 7-10 days).

[enting]

I nearly always get all of my hair wet when I wash it now, I rarely do scalp washes at my current length because of the sticking together factor. At hip it worked pretty well for me for some reason, but at tbl it's not really working out for me. I'll have to see what I end up doing this summer.

I would add in my 2cents that I would most definitely avoid using essential oils on your scalp and hair except those that are being used as medication. So far as I know they will do nothing for the tangling after a scalp wash and may irritate your scalp if you don't know which ones are right for you. If an oil is to be used for tangling/detangling, use a base oil.

[lapushka]

I actually haven't left my shampoo to sit on my scalp since winter hit. Leaving it on longer was drying my scalp out like crazy. I guess I'm just having a super hard time trying to adjust my routine to fit the seasons! But today I washed with the T-gel & ketaconazole & let them both sit for 5 minutes each ( I would've let it sit longer but I live in an apartment & someone else got in the shower & ALL the hot water ran out).

Nizoral aka ketoconazole *needs* to be left on the scalp or it's not going to do a thing. It is in the instruction leaflet.

5 min. should do a fair amount. Just gauge it to what your scalp needs. But 5 min. is truly a minimum amount!

It is going to be drying anyway. So might as well let it sit a bit.

Maybe conditioning twice after a wash will do something for you? It is what I do with drying shampoos.