Hair breakage and broken hair?. Pls help

[bubbles04]

Hello.

I'm really concerned about my hair so I decided to post this. A quick background about my hair. I have black hair (though the middle to the end section are brown for some weird reason) which is straight. I would say it's fine to medium thickness.

So back in 2016, I had a cut my hair till my shoulder. After the haircut, my hair grew out and by June 2017, it was almost 20 inches. By June 2018, my hair was around 26 inches in length. My hair was pretty long and healthy and I had no issues with split ends and hair breakage. I also didnt have much hairfall.

However, from June-July 2018 onwards, I was under great stress and emotional grief. I had witnessed some split ends but was so preoccupied with the grief that I neglected my hair quite a bit. It was around this time when I began to shed a lot of hair. My hair would come out in clumps and I lost a lot of hair during this process.

Unfortunately I made the huge mistake of not trimming off my hair and decided to keep it. It didnt work and my hair looked really dry and continued to fall out. I did trim the ends of my hair at home but I guess it wasnt enough.
By September 2019, I noticed split ends all across my hair as well in the middle section and the top section of my hair. My hair was full of split ends and broken hairs.

I decided to chop it off and got a big cut. My hair was between 12-14 inches after the trim. After the cut, I ve been extensively caring for my hair. But I'm still experiencing broken hairs and split ends, something which I never had before.

My hair routine consists of
1. I oil my hair every single day with either coconut oil or olive oil and castor oil. I also use mustard oil.
2. I ve been using hair masks like mayonnaise and olive oil hair mask. I did try avocado mask but it made my hair dry for some reason so I'm no longer doing it.
3. I also use in shower hair masks
4. I shampoo and condition my hair
5. I use wooden combs to brush my hair
6. I ve now started the baggy method on my lower section to the ends of my hair.

Inspite of ALL this, I'm still suffering from hair breakage. I lose a lot of hair whenever I use hair masks, hair oils and all these hairs are short and come out from the ends or the middle section of my area.
I still have broken hairs on the top. I keep cutting them but I still notice that they are growing out wiry, curved.

The rest of my hair looks better but then I notice the split ends or the curved and wiry bits and I get so depressed. It seems like all my efforts are going down the drain.

What else do I do for my hair? It seems like some parts of it are permanently damaged and cannot be fixed. Can anyone please help me on this?

[cestlavie]

Maybe you have product build up/ protein overload? Do you clarify once in a while? Also, how do you wear your hair on a daily basis? Wear tight hairstyles can cause breakage over time.
Edit: welcome to the forum! :)

[lapushka]

My hair routine consists of
1. I oil my hair every single day with either coconut oil or olive oil and castor oil. I also use mustard oil.
2. I ve been using hair masks like mayonnaise and olive oil hair mask. I did try avocado mask but it made my hair dry for some reason so I'm no longer doing it.
3. I also use in shower hair masks
4. I shampoo and condition my hair
5. I use wooden combs to brush my hair
6. I ve now started the baggy method on my lower section to the ends of my hair.

Inspite of ALL this, I'm still suffering from hair breakage. I lose a lot of hair whenever I use hair masks, hair oils and all these hairs are short and come out from the ends or the middle section of my area.
I still have broken hairs on the top. I keep cutting them but I still notice that they are growing out wiry, curved.

The rest of my hair looks better but then I notice the split ends or the curved and wiry bits and I get so depressed. It seems like all my efforts are going down the drain.

What else do I do for my hair? It seems like some parts of it are permanently damaged and cannot be fixed. Can anyone please help me on this?

Do you put the hair masks/conditioner on the roots? I wouldn't do that, if you should do that, ears down is more than enough.

Is your shampoo sulfate-mild or sulfate-free? What brand is it?

Also what kind of masks, if commercial, are you using.


Welcome! :)

[bubbles04]

Maybe you have product build up/ protein overload? Do you clarify once in a while? Also, how do you wear your hair on a daily basis? Wear tight hairstyles can cause breakage over time.
Edit: welcome to the forum! :)

Hi!

Yes I shampoo my hair 3 to 4 times a week. But I dont wear any hairstyles honestly. I just let my hair air dry and I always wear it down.

[bubbles04]

Do you put the hair masks/conditioner on the roots? I wouldn't do that, if you should do that, ears down is more than enough.

Is your shampoo sulfate-mild or sulfate-free? What brand is it?

Also what kind of masks, if commercial, are you using.


Welcome! :)

Hello!!

No I dont put conditioner on my roots. I only put it from the mid section to my ends.
I was using a shampoo with SLS but switched to Faith in Nature shampoos and sometimes I use Dr Organic Coconut oil shampoo.

The hair masks I'm currently using are 2-3 minute in shower ones. One is from Shea Moisture, the second one is Tressme Deep moisturising mask and the third is Maui Agave mask.

[lapushka]

Hello!!

No I dont put conditioner on my roots. I only put it from the mid section to my ends.
I was using a shampoo with SLS but switched to Faith in Nature shampoos and sometimes I use Dr Organic Coconut oil shampoo.

The hair masks I'm currently using are 2-3 minute in shower ones. One is from Shea Moisture, the second one is Tressme Deep moisturising mask and the third is Maui Agave mask.

Oh that's great then! :)

Your products are fine.

When is the last time you clarify-washed (with a sulfate/no silicone shampoo). To give you a tip, the Suave Daily Clarifying is a good one for this. The Neutrogena one as well, but quite a bit more expensive!

Also could you post a picture of your hair? If you have an account at a photohosting site, this should be no problem. If you want to. A picture from the back (just like in my signature) is enough.

[bubbles04]

Thanks for your input :)

I think I last clarified a week ago with the Garnier Honey Treasures shampoo. I think this one does have SLS.

I dont have a full pic of my old hair but I do have certain pictures which do show the state of my old hair so this is how my old hair used to look like in late 2017-early 2018

https://www.flickr.com/photos/186431927@N04/49704866547/in/dateposted-public/

And this is what it looks like now. These are a bit old like 2 months ago and my hair has grown a little bit but I haven't taken pics of it as I'm just a bit sad about how its still not improving

https://www.flickr.com/photos/186431927@N04/49704892657/in/dateposted-public/https://www.flickr.com/photos/186431927@N04/49704046323/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/186431927@N04/49704040968/in/dateposted-public/

[bubbles04]

For some reason the URLs arent showing up in my response above so I'm posting the link of the photos here
https://www.flickr.com/photos/186431927@N04/?

[cestlavie]

Thanks for your input :)

I think I last clarified a week ago with the Garnier Honey Treasures shampoo. I think this one does have SLS.

I dont have a full pic of my old hair but I do have certain pictures which do show the state of my old hair so this is how my old hair used to look like in late 2017-early 2018

https://www.flickr.com/photos/186431927@N04/49704866547/in/dateposted-public/

And this is what it looks like now. These are a bit old like 2 months ago and my hair has grown a little bit but I haven't taken pics of it as I'm just a bit sad about how its still not improving

https://www.flickr.com/photos/186431927@N04/49704892657/in/dateposted-public/https://www.flickr.com/photos/186431927@N04/49704046323/in/dateposted-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/186431927@N04/49704040968/in/dateposted-public/

I think the garnier one contains silicone though. Maybe you can try protective hairstyles like a braid or bun to protect your hair as much as possible.

[lapushka]

It looks pretty good to me! :) But of course, you live with your hair, you know what it's like now, right?

How is the shedding these days? We can lose up to 100 hairs a day perfectly fine. If it's not coming out 20/50 strands at a time, there's probably no reason to worry.

ETA/ What I just thought about (seeing the waves in the hair). Are you using a curling iron or straightener on your hair, still? Because that could account for "breakage".

[bubbles04]

Thanks for your kind words :)

On comparing to this (late 2017) , I just feel like I lost half of my hair and it looks like its worst shape.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/186431927@N04/shares/14C0E9

The shedding is pretty much the same especially when I oil or use masks like mayo and olive. It starts breaking off and at least 15 strands will come out at once. Most of these strands come out from my ends or mid section of the hair.
If I dont oil or put on masks, then i lose about 4-5 strands per day.

The waves are from the scrunchies that i use to tie my hair now. I dont use heat at all. Not even blow drying.

[bubbles04]

Thanks for your help! :)

Btw is there any way to get rid of the broken hairs on top ? Or is it just normal?

[lapushka]

Thanks for your kind words :)

On comparing to this (late 2017) , I just feel like I lost half of my hair and it looks like its worst shape.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/186431927@N04/shares/14C0E9

The shedding is pretty much the same especially when I oil or use masks like mayo and olive. It starts breaking off and at least 15 strands will come out at once. Most of these strands come out from my ends or mid section of the hair.
If I dont oil or put on masks, then i lose about 4-5 strands per day.

The waves are from the scrunchies that i use to tie my hair now. I dont use heat at all. Not even blow drying.

Then that is weird that your hair is breaking off mid strand. :hmm:

And the scruncies are silk or just elastic bands?

Have you had a health check of late? Simple bloodwork, like thyroid, iron, those kinds of things.

[Lucy McLucyFace]

I also get breakage in the top of my head where it rubs against the pillow. To prevent further breakage you could try a good ol' silk cap or silk pillowcase or if you can't get either try to at least put your hair in a protective style at night.

Also be careful how you handle your hair when it's full of oils. Some people's hairs do not handle the weight of the oil very well.

Other than that as said above try to get a regular health check assuming you can with this whole corona situation

[Lucy McLucyFace]

Just re-read the original post and let me tell you I've also gone through a period when I had a lot of damage on my hair for various reasons and it took a while to recover. Even after I chopped off the damage, it was still finding ways of splitting and it was very dry. Maybe it was from damage to the upper section, maybe from damage to the scalp, I have no idea. Just know that one way or another it will get better, don't get disheartened

[bubbles04]

It's usually the elastic ones but the outer material of the scrunchie is velvet or satin.

Not recently. Had bloodwork a year ago where everything seemed fine.

[bubbles04]

Just re-read the original post and let me tell you I've also gone through a period when I had a lot of damage on my hair for various reasons and it took a while to recover. Even after I chopped off the damage, it was still finding ways of splitting and it was very dry. Maybe it was from damage to the upper section, maybe from damage to the scalp, I have no idea. Just know that one way or another it will get better, don't get disheartened

Thanks.

How did you deal with the problems?

[Shorty89]

My only thought, besides what's already been mentioned, is they maybe you're protein sensitive. Do you know of those masks contain protein?

[Lucy McLucyFace]

Thanks.

How did you deal with the problems?

Honestly back then I didn't really care about my hair back then so I just did a regular routine but with more spaced out washes and less frequent blow drying and got frequent cuts until it went away

[menninkäinen]

I came to say maybe you're over moisturizing your hair, I think it can cause breakage as well, but you've got great tips here :) How's your diet? Enough iron and vitamins?

[bubbles04]

I do think my hair doesnt like protein because it's fairly balanced when it comes to protein? It's because I ve used the avocado hair mask which so many women love but my hair hated it. It really made my ends dry and my hair felt rough.

The tresmme one makes my hair smooth but the Maui Agave one isnt that softening.

[bubbles04]

I came to say maybe you're over moisturizing your hair, I think it can cause breakage as well, but you've got great tips here :) How's your diet? Enough iron and vitamins?

I think you are right about overmoisturising. Ever since I chopped my hair, I have been oiling my hair every single day to restore it back to health. Could that be the reason?
Or it's simply that the split ends travelled way up wards and inside the strands of my hair and it's that damage which is still visible?

Yes my diet is pretty rich in protein, iron and vitamins so I think I'm fine there.

[bubbles04]

My only thought, besides what's already been mentioned, is they maybe you're protein sensitive. Do you know of those masks contain protein?

I forgot to reply with a quote

[bubbles04]

Honestly back then I didn't really care about my hair back then so I just did a regular routine but with more spaced out washes and less frequent blow drying and got frequent cuts until it went away

I see. That's great that you got rid of them. I have been cutting these broken hairs whenever I see them but the more I see them, the more depressing if becomes.

[Ligeia Noire]

I would give your hair a break. Less is more. You know, all those masks and oil treatments are probably causing mechanical damage and hair that is finer will break if it is handled too much, not to mention that it might be saturated already and that can be causing it to be more fragile too.
I would try and put it up with a claw clip and only applying a good mask on the weekends.
Also, all of us have some breakage, I have that halo of hair around my hairline and my hair is all frizzy and fuzzy for a few days after washing, I also have that all over my length, you are bound to have hair strands breaking easily when you detangle or new growth hairs constantly sprouting that are at shorter lengths.
Given you do not dye or use heat tools on it, I would say that is the most probable culprit.
I would try it for a while and see how that changes it and if you see no improvement, take a look at your water, if it is highly chlorinated or if it is hard that can cause, overtime, severe breakage too.

[bubbles04]

I would give your hair a break. Less is more. You know, all those masks and oil treatments are probably causing mechanical damage and hair that is finer will break if it is handled too much, not to mention that it might be saturated already and that can be causing it to be more fragile too.
I would try and put it up with a claw clip and only applying a good mask on the weekends.
Also, all of us have some breakage, I have that halo of hair around my hairline and my hair is all frizzy and fuzzy for a few days after washing, I also have that all over my length, you are bound to have hair strands breaking easily when you detangle or new growth hairs constantly sprouting that are at shorter lengths.
Given you do not dye or use heat tools on it, I would say that is the most probable culprit.
I would try it for a while and see how that changes it and if you see no improvement, take a look at your water, if it is highly chlorinated or if it is hard that can cause, overtime, severe breakage too.

Hmm I think you are right. Do you recommend oiling twice or thrice a week?m also, what about hair rinses?

[lapushka]

It's usually the elastic ones but the outer material of the scrunchie is velvet or satin.

Not recently. Had bloodwork a year ago where everything seemed fine.

Hmm; well that's all A-OK! So that can't be it. And you also don't use heat on the hair (which is a prime reason for possible breakage).


I do think my hair doesnt like protein because it's fairly balanced when it comes to protein? It's because I ve used the avocado hair mask which so many women love but my hair hated it. It really made my ends dry and my hair felt rough.

The tresmme one makes my hair smooth but the Maui Agave one isnt that softening.

Regular drugstore masks are usually pretty balanced, unless they say "keratin" up front or some such.


I would give your hair a break. Less is more. You know, all those masks and oil treatments are probably causing mechanical damage and hair that is finer will break if it is handled too much, not to mention that it might be saturated already and that can be causing it to be more fragile too.
I would try and put it up with a claw clip and only applying a good mask on the weekends.
Also, all of us have some breakage, I have that halo of hair around my hairline and my hair is all frizzy and fuzzy for a few days after washing, I also have that all over my length, you are bound to have hair strands breaking easily when you detangle or new growth hairs constantly sprouting that are at shorter lengths.
Given you do not dye or use heat tools on it, I would say that is the most probable culprit.
I would try it for a while and see how that changes it and if you see no improvement, take a look at your water, if it is highly chlorinated or if it is hard that can cause, overtime, severe breakage too.

Ligeia has a few good points!!!

Can I ask how often you wash your hair (sorry if it's already been mentioned, I have some trouble with memory & reading)? :o And *how* you wash (do you pile the hair up top).

[bubbles04]

Hmm; well that's all A-OK! So that can't be it. And you also don't use heat on the hair (which is a prime reason for possible breakage).



Regular drugstore masks are usually pretty balanced, unless they say "keratin" up front or some such.



Ligeia has a few good points!!!

Can I ask how often you wash your hair (sorry if it's already been mentioned, I have some trouble with memory & reading)? :o And *how* you wash (do you pile the hair up top).

I wash my hair with shampoo 3 to 4 times a week. I only wash my scalp as its oily. I dont apply any shampoo on my ends. And for the rest of the days when I dont shampoo, I do rinse my hair with water while showering and apply conditioner on the ends.
I dont pile my hair up while washing.

[lapushka]

I wash my hair with shampoo 3 to 4 times a week. I only wash my scalp as its oily. I dont apply any shampoo on my ends. And for the rest of the days when I dont shampoo, I do rinse my hair with water while showering and apply conditioner on the ends.
I dont pile my hair up while washing.

It's a total mystery to me by now.

And you're sure it's breakage, not the entire hair strand that comes out (with tiny little white bulb often).

[bubbles04]

It's a total mystery to me by now.

And you're sure it's breakage, not the entire hair strand that comes out (with tiny little white bulb often).

The hair which comes out dont have a white bulb but are usually curved, bent or even curly but very rough to touch. The ones that stick out the most are very short and again curved/wired and sticking out.

Do you think it's from the damage that my hair went through after the heavy shedding and split ends which had travelled upmy hair shaft?

I will mention I have been using hot water because it has been cold in London throughout winter. Since this week, I am showering with cool water as it's gotten a bit warmer here

[bubbles04]

It's a total mystery to me by now.

And you're sure it's breakage, not the entire hair strand that comes out (with tiny little white bulb often).

I ve also done the strand test and my hair stretches a little then breaks off.

[Ligeia Noire]

Hmm I think you are right. Do you recommend oiling twice or thrice a week?m also, what about hair rinses?

I mean, if washing is causing strain in your hair and if the water is adding to that strain, by means of hardness or chlorine, not needing to wash as much might help, so I would not oil more than a couple of times, unless it is only a dab for the ends and does not cause you to wash more.
Is your scalp healthy, do you have issues with eczema, dermatitis or dandruff?
If not, you can definitely reduce your washes.
The less you manipulate your hair and the less you have to detangle will help if your hair is too fragile at this moment or if it just easily breaks off.

[bubbles04]

I mean, if washing is causing strain in your hair and if the water is adding to that strain, by means of hardness or chlorine, not needing to wash as much might help, so I would not oil more than a couple of times, unless it is only a dab for the ends and does not cause you to wash more.
Is your scalp healthy, do you have issues with eczema, dermatitis or dandruff?
If not, you can definitely reduce your washes.
The less you manipulate your hair and the less you have to detangle will help if your hair is too fragile at this moment or if it just easily breaks off.

My scalp seems fine but the water in London is not the best though. I was washing with hot water so was this the issue? And in the strand test, my hair stretches a bit then breaks off.

[Ligeia Noire]

Yeah the water might be the culprit, city water is pretty ****ty, so I avoid washing unless necessary, but we all have our routines. I do rinse with an apple cider vinegar and distilled water mix at the end. I have always washed my hair with cold water, even in Winter, I start with it warm to wash the grease and then switch to cold, that always helped my hair because I have very porous and dry hair and the hot water dries it even more.

[lapushka]

The hair which comes out dont have a white bulb but are usually curved, bent or even curly but very rough to touch. The ones that stick out the most are very short and again curved/wired and sticking out.

Do you think it's from the damage that my hair went through after the heavy shedding and split ends which had travelled upmy hair shaft?

I will mention I have been using hot water because it has been cold in London throughout winter. Since this week, I am showering with cool water as it's gotten a bit warmer here

Shedding can't cause "breakage". But splits that travel up might. But I mean, those are rare circumstances. Usually they are!

Hot as in: not burning = perfectly fine. If you use too cool or even cold water your products are not going to rinse out well, and that creates build up on the hair before you know it.

ETA (just reading Ligeia's response to the water) / You might fare well by using a chelating shampoo instead of just a clarifying one. A chelating one gets rid of issues you might have with hard water and mineral deposits and such.

[BerrySara]

I agree with less is more. I wonder if you have buildup from the various many oils and masks you apply since you only wash your scalp and not the lengths?

I went through a period of oiling my hair consistently every few days & reapplying conditioner daily because my hair felt so dry. But because I was using mild shampoos I wasn't getting the oils off my hair which was contributing to my hair getting drier and not getting any moisture (the oil was acting as a barrier). Well I stopped oiling my hair and I apply shampoo along the lengths now (its been a couple of months) and I am seeing my hair regain some moisture and bounce back again (less dry and frizzy now).

Maybe you are overdoing the oils? Just putting it out there as a potential cause.

[AutobotsAttack]

Hello.

I'm really concerned about my hair so I decided to post this. A quick background about my hair. I have black hair (though the middle to the end section are brown for some weird reason) which is straight. I would say it's fine to medium thickness.

So back in 2016, I had a cut my hair till my shoulder. After the haircut, my hair grew out and by June 2017, it was almost 20 inches. By June 2018, my hair was around 26 inches in length. My hair was pretty long and healthy and I had no issues with split ends and hair breakage. I also didnt have much hairfall.

However, from June-July 2018 onwards, I was under great stress and emotional grief. I had witnessed some split ends but was so preoccupied with the grief that I neglected my hair quite a bit. It was around this time when I began to shed a lot of hair. My hair would come out in clumps and I lost a lot of hair during this process.

Unfortunately I made the huge mistake of not trimming off my hair and decided to keep it. It didnt work and my hair looked really dry and continued to fall out. I did trim the ends of my hair at home but I guess it wasnt enough.
By September 2019, I noticed split ends all across my hair as well in the middle section and the top section of my hair. My hair was full of split ends and broken hairs.

I decided to chop it off and got a big cut. My hair was between 12-14 inches after the trim. After the cut, I ve been extensively caring for my hair. But I'm still experiencing broken hairs and split ends, something which I never had before.

My hair routine consists of
1. I oil my hair every single day with either coconut oil or olive oil and castor oil. I also use mustard oil.
2. I ve been using hair masks like mayonnaise and olive oil hair mask. I did try avocado mask but it made my hair dry for some reason so I'm no longer doing it.
3. I also use in shower hair masks
4. I shampoo and condition my hair
5. I use wooden combs to brush my hair
6. I ve now started the baggy method on my lower section to the ends of my hair.

Inspite of ALL this, I'm still suffering from hair breakage. I lose a lot of hair whenever I use hair masks, hair oils and all these hairs are short and come out from the ends or the middle section of my area.
I still have broken hairs on the top. I keep cutting them but I still notice that they are growing out wiry, curved.

The rest of my hair looks better but then I notice the split ends or the curved and wiry bits and I get so depressed. It seems like all my efforts are going down the drain.

What else do I do for my hair? It seems like some parts of it are permanently damaged and cannot be fixed. Can anyone please help me on this?

Trimming doesn’t guarantee that breakage will be reduced. Trimming also isn’t completely necessary. Your main focus should be moisture retention, especially towards the ends of your hair. If you’re noticing breakage ANYWHERE along the length of your hair you’re either handling your hair in such a way that’s too much for it, or you’re handling your hair while it’s lacking in moisture or protein.

Hair masks like mayo, avocado, bananas, etc. aren’t the best things to use because they aren’t that great at penetrating into the hair on a cellular level. There’s only so much whipping and mixing you can do to break down those types of ingredients. More often that not, food based masks just sit on the hair, espeacially if you don’t use indirect heat to help it soak in.

I also wouldn’t make such a fuss about split ends. They’re going to form regardless of what you do. Most breakage occurs from over manipulating your hair throughout the course of each day, and the following weeks and months. If you’re noticing curved parts of your hair, I can guarantee your hair texture isn’t as pin straight as you think it is. The curlier or wavier you’re hair is, the more moisture it needs.

It honestly just seems like you aren’t moisturizing you’re hair enough.

[MusicalSpoons]

I agree with less is more. I wonder if you have buildup from the various many oils and masks you apply since you only wash your scalp and not the lengths?

I went through a period of oiling my hair consistently every few days & reapplying conditioner daily because my hair felt so dry. But because I was using mild shampoos I wasn't getting the oils off my hair which was contributing to my hair getting drier and not getting any moisture (the oil was acting as a barrier). Well I stopped oiling my hair and I apply shampoo along the lengths now (its been a couple of months) and I am seeing my hair regain some moisture and bounce back again (less dry and frizzy now).

Maybe you are overdoing the oils? Just putting it out there as a potential cause.

This actually was my first thought upon reading the OP, and through the rest of the thread I do think it is probably a factor.

I also think you're just doing too much to your hair. Unless your scalp is incredibly oily, you don't need to be wetting or washing it every day* and especially not with our rubbish hard water. Oils in moderation are good, but I just get the feeling that your hair can't cope with everything you're doing even though it's all well-intentioned!

What is the reason for oiling your scalp? Was it to try to help regrow hair? Some people can't tolerate oil or even conditioner on their scalp and it causes shedding for them. Maybe try leaving your scalp alone except for shampooing, and maybe a swipe of conditioner over the canopy if you feel your hair needs it (without it touching the scalp).

Also those wiry hairs sticking up/out? They're normal. They are also perhaps more prone to splitting because they are coarser, especially if your routine isn't actually as moisturising as you intend it to be.

The strand test sounds like your hair is pretty okay but possibly wants a bit more moisture.

Conversely - and this is something only to consider if a truly moisturising routine really doesn't help - sometimes a sign of needing more protein is if the hair just won't hold any moisture. But as I say, that's only to be considered if all reasonable, LHC-approved methods fail.

I can't remember everything else you wrote in the thread; I'll come back another time when I have a bit more brainpower.

Oh! The Honey Treasures is not a clarifying shampoo. For that I recommend any clear sulphate shampoo (Alberto Balsam, Tresemme, Pantene) - clear shampoos generally don't contain problematic film-forming ingredients like silicones, polyquaternary compounds (polyquats), waxes, etc. Tbh even something like Femfresh would do the job (yes really - ask me how I know :p)
Which Faith in Nature shampoo did you try?
Also for clarifying, you have to shampoo all your hair, and preferably let it sit for a couple of minutes to break down any stubborn buildup before rinsing it off. Btw Tresemme cleanse and replenish (I think?) shampoo also should chelate, so if you're going to buy anything for clarifying that might be a good choice, especially if you find it on offer. It was under £3 for 900ml when I bought it on offer. [I'd offer to send you some if you wanted but the postage would be more expensive than just buying an entire bottle :rollin:] Then follow up with a conditioner you know your hair really likes, and let it sit for however long you want for it to do a better job.

[bubbles04]

I agree with less is more. I wonder if you have buildup from the various many oils and masks you apply since you only wash your scalp and not the lengths?

I went through a period of oiling my hair consistently every few days & reapplying conditioner daily because my hair felt so dry. But because I was using mild shampoos I wasn't getting the oils off my hair which was contributing to my hair getting drier and not getting any moisture (the oil was acting as a barrier). Well I stopped oiling my hair and I apply shampoo along the lengths now (its been a couple of months) and I am seeing my hair regain some moisture and bounce back again (less dry and frizzy now).

Maybe you are overdoing the oils? Just putting it out there as a potential cause.

Hi. Thanks for your tips.

I dont shampoo my ends because they tend to get dry and show signs of splitting very quickly if I wash them with shampoo. My scalp is oily and the rest start getting dry as my hair grows put so I stopped putting shampoo there completely.

[bubbles04]

Trimming doesn’t guarantee that breakage will be reduced. Trimming also isn’t completely necessary. Your main focus should be moisture retention, especially towards the ends of your hair. If you’re noticing breakage ANYWHERE along the length of your hair you’re either handling your hair in such a way that’s too much for it, or you’re handling your hair while it’s lacking in moisture or protein.

Hair masks like mayo, avocado, bananas, etc. aren’t the best things to use because they aren’t that great at penetrating into the hair on a cellular level. There’s only so much whipping and mixing you can do to break down those types of ingredients. More often that not, food based masks just sit on the hair, espeacially if you don’t use indirect heat to help it soak in.

I also wouldn’t make such a fuss about split ends. They’re going to form regardless of what you do. Most breakage occurs from over manipulating your hair throughout the course of each day, and the following weeks and months. If you’re noticing curved parts of your hair, I can guarantee your hair texture isn’t as pin straight as you think it is. The curlier or wavier you’re hair is, the more moisture it needs.

It honestly just seems like you aren’t moisturizing you’re hair enough.

Thanks. I agree that I need moisturizing because my hair starts feeling dry if I dont moisturize it.
I was using mayo and olive oil together because that's the only DIY mask which worked. The avocado one was so bad and drying that didn't use it again.
I used to use coconut milk 2 years ago but now I cant find pure coconut milk so stopped it.

Is there anything that can provide moisture to my hair ??? Something which actually works?

[bubbles04]

This actually was my first thought upon reading the OP, and through the rest of the thread I do think it is probably a factor.

I also think you're just doing too much to your hair. Unless your scalp is incredibly oily, you don't need to be wetting or washing it every day* and especially not with our rubbish hard water. Oils in moderation are good, but I just get the feeling that your hair can't cope with everything you're doing even though it's all well-intentioned!

What is the reason for oiling your scalp? Was it to try to help regrow hair? Some people can't tolerate oil or even conditioner on their scalp and it causes shedding for them. Maybe try leaving your scalp alone except for shampooing, and maybe a swipe of conditioner over the canopy if you feel your hair needs it (without it touching the scalp).

Also those wiry hairs sticking up/out? They're normal. They are also perhaps more prone to splitting because they are coarser, especially if your routine isn't actually as moisturising as you intend it to be.

The strand test sounds like your hair is pretty okay but possibly wants a bit more moisture.

Conversely - and this is something only to consider if a truly moisturising routine really doesn't help - sometimes a sign of needing more protein is if the hair just won't hold any moisture. But as I say, that's only to be considered if all reasonable, LHC-approved methods fail.

I can't remember everything else you wrote in the thread; I'll come back another time when I have a bit more brainpower.

Oh! The Honey Treasures is not a clarifying shampoo. For that I recommend any clear sulphate shampoo (Alberto Balsam, Tresemme, Pantene) - clear shampoos generally don't contain problematic film-forming ingredients like silicones, polyquaternary compounds (polyquats), waxes, etc. Tbh even something like Femfresh would do the job (yes really - ask me how I know :p)
Which Faith in Nature shampoo did you try?
Also for clarifying, you have to shampoo all your hair, and preferably let it sit for a couple of minutes to break down any stubborn buildup before rinsing it off. Btw Tresemme cleanse and replenish (I think?) shampoo also should chelate, so if you're going to buy anything for clarifying that might be a good choice, especially if you find it on offer. It was under £3 for 900ml when I bought it on offer. [I'd offer to send you some if you wanted but the postage would be more expensive than just buying an entire bottle :rollin:] Then follow up with a conditioner you know your hair really likes, and let it sit for however long you want for it to do a better job.

This is very valuable info! Thanks a lot!

Yes I was oiling my hair to regrow it and restore it back to health. I had pretty long hair and cutting it thats short aaspretty drastic and a bit frustrating. So Iwas oiling each day to grow it out just like before.

Also those wiry hairs sticking up/out?


Yes. Around the tops especially. They are short and wiry and stick out.

The faith in nature shampoos that I used were 2 of them. One was the blueberry one and the other one was the coconut one. I preferred the coconut one more than the blueberry one.

[bubbles04]

Shedding can't cause "breakage". But splits that travel up might. But I mean, those are rare circumstances. Usually they are!

Hot as in: not burning = perfectly fine. If you use too cool or even cold water your products are not going to rinse out well, and that creates build up on the hair before you know it.

ETA (just reading Ligeia's response to the water) / You might fare well by using a chelating shampoo instead of just a clarifying one. A chelating one gets rid of issues you might have with hard water and mineral deposits and such.

Could you recommend some good chelating ones?

[lapushka]

Could you recommend some good chelating ones?

Chelating is really not my area. I know they exist, but someone else out there is going to have to recommend you some. Also where are you from? US? Knowing where you're from also helps make it easier to recommend brands.

[Ylva]

Could you recommend some good chelating ones?

TRESemmé Cleanse & Replenish is a good, cheap shampoo that clarifies and chelates.

[bubbles04]

Chelating is really not my area. I know they exist, but someone else out there is going to have to recommend you some. Also where are you from? US? Knowing where you're from also helps make it easier to recommend brands.

I'm from the UK.

[bubbles04]

TRESemmé Cleanse & Replenish is a good, cheap shampoo that clarifies and chelates.

Thank you for the recommendation

[Ligeia Noire]

Shedding can't cause "breakage". But splits that travel up might. But I mean, those are rare circumstances. Usually they are!

Hot as in: not burning = perfectly fine. If you use too cool or even cold water your products are not going to rinse out well, and that creates build up on the hair before you know it.

ETA (just reading Ligeia's response to the water) / You might fare well by using a chelating shampoo instead of just a clarifying one. A chelating one gets rid of issues you might have with hard water and mineral deposits and such.

I've been washing my hair with cold water for more than twenty years and never had a problem. I do lather first with warm water but that's it. Hot water or too warm makes me flake more. Cold water calms my scalp and softens my length. Chlorinated water is far more harmful.

[lapushka]

I've been washing my hair with cold water for more than twenty years and never had a problem. I do lather first with warm water but that's it. Hot water or too warm makes me flake more. Cold water calms my scalp and softens my length. Chlorinated water is far more harmful.

How cold is it though? Surely not cold-cold? Brrr, I shiver thinking about it. ;)

[AutobotsAttack]

Thanks. I agree that I need moisturizing because my hair starts feeling dry if I dont moisturize it.
I was using mayo and olive oil together because that's the only DIY mask which worked. The avocado one was so bad and drying that didn't use it again.
I used to use coconut milk 2 years ago but now I cant find pure coconut milk so stopped it.

Is there anything that can provide moisture to my hair ??? Something which actually works?

Deep conditioning masks do a great job. The lists are endless, so I’d suggest just using one you like. Typically commercial ones are the best in my opinion. Anything from Garnier, Marc Anothony, Aussie, Shea Moisture, Maui Moisture, Tresseme, Dove, etc.

Use heat though. Put a plastic cap over your head and either let the natural warmth from your head do the job, or use a blow dryer or warm towel wrapped around your head over a plastic cap. Focus on the length and tips, and not so much the roots.

[AutobotsAttack]

Hi!

Yes I shampoo my hair 3 to 4 times a week. But I dont wear any hairstyles honestly. I just let my hair air dry and I always wear it down.

Also, Do your best to not let the shampoo get passed your ears. There’s really no reason for shampoo to be towards the last 3-5 inches of your hair. That’s goes for chelating and clarifying as well. Rarely if ever, do the very ends of your hair need to cleansed with anything concerning shampoo. They’re the most porous in general, and mostly need regular amounts of moisture added. If the water run down doesn’t remove previous product, the regular friction your ends come into contact with will.

[lapushka]

Also, Do your best to not let the shampoo get passed your ears. There’s really no reason for shampoo to be towards the last 3-5 inches of your hair. That’s goes for chelating and clarifying as well. Rarely if ever, do the very ends of your hair need to cleansed with anything concerning shampoo. They’re the most porous in general, and mostly need regular amounts of moisture added. If the water run down doesn’t remove previous product, the regular friction your ends come into contact with will.

When I clarify I always wash my lengths, but that is a very personal thing. I use stylers on my lengths and oil and so I feel that I need to properly get rid of that.

[bubbles04]

Also, Do your best to not let the shampoo get passed your ears. There’s really no reason for shampoo to be towards the last 3-5 inches of your hair. That’s goes for chelating and clarifying as well. Rarely if ever, do the very ends of your hair need to cleansed with anything concerning shampoo. They’re the most porous in general, and mostly need regular amounts of moisture added. If the water run down doesn’t remove previous product, the regular friction your ends come into contact with will.

Thanks a lot. I do have dry ends and my hair is prone to getting dry and frizzy so I always avoid washing my ends

[bubbles04]

Deep conditioning masks do a great job. The lists are endless, so I’d suggest just using one you like. Typically commercial ones are the best in my opinion. Anything from Garnier, Marc Anothony, Aussie, Shea Moisture, Maui Moisture, Tresseme, Dove, etc.

Use heat though. Put a plastic cap over your head and either let the natural warmth from your head do the job, or use a blow dryer or warm towel wrapped around your head over a plastic cap. Focus on the length and tips, and not so much the roots.

Thanks!

One quick question about Shea Moisture. I used the deep treatment masque and it really made my hair sticky and just weird. Have you experienced it?