What in the world is going on with my hair?

[Kibrah]

Now that I am feeling better I can finally pay some much needed attention to my hair. It is doing some really odd stuff and in need of some tlc. I am not sure where to start with it though as I am not quite sure what's going on. It is still growing in a bit of an inverted U like my profile pic, but a bit worse. I have trimmed that even now. It's not really much longer than it was then 3 years ago, 26 inches then. I just recently measured before trimming and the longest side bits were 31.5 inches and the center 31. All evened up now it's 29.5. I think part of the problem is breakage. The back is very delicate, even more so now. It snaps so easy when detangling. It had been a year or more since I clarified, so I just did that. It feels better in that it isn't velcro like and stiff and is smoother. But.. it's like all the build up was holding it together. I can't comb it gently enough, a lot of hair snapping no matter how I detangle. It's also now very stretchy on the top and front, and sides, but very brittle in the back. The back could be damaged from all the time in bed leaning against pillows or laying on my back as I couldn't lay on my side. Its also gotten very, very thin in the back. I tried to do a half up hairdo yesterday and there was hardly any hair left down. If gathered up it was about the size of a pencil at most. One of the medications I had taken when this started 2 and half years ago can cause hair loss, but I didn't notice any then and I only took it the one time, just recently noticed over the winter. I had a lot of shedding then. The other odd thing is that the newer growth, about 8 or 10 inches is now really wavy. All my hair used to be 1b/1c. Now the front is like that but the new growth everywhere else is really wavy, more like braid waves but a little closer together. The old hair is still just barely wavy. So weird.
Not sure when to start except maybe some protein as I think stretchy hair needs protein, if I am remembering correctly. But would that hurt the brittle hair in the back? Also since it's very arid here, I am having a time finding a conditioner without humectants. Even the suave strawberries and cream I like has glycerin. I have started using a bit of oil and my hair really seems to like that. Any advice would be welcome. Even though I have been a member for almost 3 years I wasn't on here much for most of it, or able to really deal with my hair correctly, so I still feel like a complete newbie.

[lapushka]

Now that I am feeling better I can finally pay some much needed attention to my hair. It is doing some really odd stuff and in need of some tlc. I am not sure where to start with it though as I am not quite sure what's going on. It is still growing in a bit of an inverted U like my profile pic, but a bit worse. I have trimmed that even now. It's not really much longer than it was then 3 years ago, 26 inches then. I just recently measured before trimming and the longest side bits were 31.5 inches and the center 31. All evened up now it's 29.5. I think part of the problem is breakage. The back is very delicate, even more so now. It snaps so easy when detangling. It had been a year or more since I clarified, so I just did that. It feels better in that it isn't velcro like and stiff and is smoother. But.. it's like all the build up was holding it together. I can't comb it gently enough, a lot of hair snapping no matter how I detangle. It's also now very stretchy on the top and front, and sides, but very brittle in the back. The back could be damaged from all the time in bed leaning against pillows or laying on my back as I couldn't lay on my side. Its also gotten very, very thin in the back. I tried to do a half up hairdo yesterday and there was hardly any hair left down. If gathered up it was about the size of a pencil at most. One of the medications I had taken when this started 2 and half years ago can cause hair loss, but I didn't notice any then and I only took it the one time, just recently noticed over the winter. I had a lot of shedding then. The other odd thing is that the newer growth, about 8 or 10 inches is now really wavy. All my hair used to be 1b/1c. Now the front is like that but the new growth everywhere else is really wavy, more like braid waves but a little closer together. The old hair is still just barely wavy. So weird.
Not sure when to start except maybe some protein as I think stretchy hair needs protein, if I am remembering correctly. But would that hurt the brittle hair in the back? Also since it's very arid here, I am having a time finding a conditioner without humectants. Even the suave strawberries and cream I like has glycerin. I have started using a bit of oil and my hair really seems to like that. Any advice would be welcome. Even though I have been a member for almost 3 years I wasn't on here much for most of it, or able to really deal with my hair correctly, so I still feel like a complete newbie.

If one time clarifying helps, but isn't doing it all, next wash, clarify again. That's at least one tip I can give you.

Yes stretchy hair generally can use protein, but... I would try clarifying all the way, first.

[Jane99]

Lapushka always has good hair advice so I would follow what she said and clarify again. Maybe consider a chelating shampoo if you have hard water. Since your hair likes oil it sounds, you could see where in your routine it goes well. A lot of people use oil to seal in moisture after washing so the ROO method or just a few drops spread through damp hair after washing should help with that. A satin pillowcase might help if you think you have breakage from being in bed and sleeping. Finger detangling might help with some of the breakage issues from when you detangle. I have found that my routine has evolved a lot since I’ve become more hair conscious so I went from comb to tangle teezer to fingers back to comb for detangling. Each one has worked differently at different times as my technique has changed.

Good luck!

[JasminxCat]

I have the opposite problem I'm more prone to breakage and tangling in the front than the back, so I make sure to always baby the front.
A little advice I would give - I would use protein on the stretchy bits only and a moisturizing treatment for the back, which is fine

[HuaMei]

I would think that arid climates would make humectants even more useful? My understanding is that humectants attract water from the air into the hair shaft, then oils and silicones lock it in, keeping the hair moisturized. In an arid climate where the air is dry you'd need extra help keeping moisture in your hair.

[Kibrah]

If one time clarifying helps, but isn't doing it all, next wash, clarify again. That's at least one tip I can give you.

Yes stretchy hair generally can use protein, but... I would try clarifying all the way, first.
Thank you. You were very helpful when I first joined and I still try to follow the advice you gave me then. I am a bit nervous about clarifying again. The super stretchiness and severe snapping when detangling started when I clarified. My hair has always been delicate but not this delicate. It was almost like the build up was literally holding my hair together better. I did shampoo with the clarifying shampoo twice as the first wash did not suds up much, like it was just getting the first layer off. Would you mind explaining why doing it again might help? I have lots to learn and really want to understand not just what I should do but why it should be done.


Lapushka always has good hair advice so I would follow what she said and clarify again. Maybe consider a chelating shampoo if you have hard water. Since your hair likes oil it sounds, you could see where in your routine it goes well. A lot of people use oil to seal in moisture after washing so the ROO method or just a few drops spread through damp hair after washing should help with that. A satin pillowcase might help if you think you have breakage from being in bed and sleeping. Finger detangling might help with some of the breakage issues from when you detangle. I have found that my routine has evolved a lot since I’ve become more hair conscious so I went from comb to tangle teezer to fingers back to comb for detangling. Each one has worked differently at different times as my technique has changed.

Good luck!
Thank you. The water here is very soft, but I was just somewhere for several months with hard water.
Oiling while my hair is still wet or damp does seem like it would hold in moisture better than on dry hair, I will definitely try that next wash.
I do finger comb before combing. I actually thought about just finger combing for awhile to help minimize the breakage. There is still some, but less I think than with the comb.
I used to sleep with a silk scarf around my hair. I will be finding it tomorrow.


I have the opposite problem I'm more prone to breakage and tangling in the front than the back, so I make sure to always baby the front.
A little advice I would give - I would use protein on the stretchy bits only and a moisturizing treatment for the back, which is fine
That makes sense. Give each area different treatment. I have been oiling the back more as it seems to soak it right up.


I would think that arid climates would make humectants even more useful? My understanding is that humectants attract water from the air into the hair shaft, then oils and silicones lock it in, keeping the hair moisturized. In an arid climate where the air is dry you'd need extra help keeping moisture in your hair.
I have read if the dew point is below 40 degrees F that humectants will actually pull moisture out of the hair since the air is dryer. The dew point here today was 26 degree F and the humidity was 19%. I know this is how it works with my skin as I have tried it. My skin will actually get drier if I put aloe in my body oil mix when the dew point is low. It's a shame because I really like aloe when I can use it, wish I could use it all the time. I was just reading something though saying glycerin is ok, but not sure yet I need to look into it more.

[paulownia]

Maybe you could try ACV rinse? It also has a clarifying effect and, if I remember well, acidic rinses seal the cuticle and may help with tangles.
Also, are you using some leave-in?

[JasminxCat]

I sometimes clarify twice when I do as well as it doesn't always sud up the first time, like you said. Any time I clarify my hair gets quite frizzy/dry and takes a few days to get it back to normal, usually by pre poo oiling or co-washing. I always make sure to do a 30 minute+ deep treatment/SMT immediately after clarifying to help. And agreeing with @Paulina. I love ACV, it's like a more gentle clarifyer and it absolutely helps with my tangle prone hair. I feel like it works best paired after a co-wash, at least for me

[Kibrah]

Maybe you could try ACV rinse? It also has a clarifying effect and, if I remember well, acidic rinses seal the cuticle and may help with tangles.
Also, are you using some leave-in?
I have used acv in the past and liked it. Not sure why I didn't even think of that, thanks!
I was using Garnier sleek and shine for a leave in. It's what DH uses on his hair. But I recently read the ingredients and amodimethicone is in the first few ingredients and I didn't want to have to use a sls all the time so stopped using it last week.

[Kibrah]

I sometimes clarify twice when I do as well as it doesn't always sud up the first time, like you said. Any time I clarify my hair gets quite frizzy/dry and takes a few days to get it back to normal, usually by pre poo oiling or co-washing. I always make sure to do a 30 minute+ deep treatment/SMT immediately after clarifying to help. And agreeing with @Paulina. I love ACV, it's like a more gentle clarifyer and it absolutely helps with my tangle prone hair. I feel like it works best paired after a co-wash, at least for me

I thought about a pre poo oiling, now I definitely need to give it a try. Yep, my hair is dry after clarifying. I did do a catnip treatment followed by sauve strawberries and cream for about 20 minutes, maybe I should have left it on longer. I haven't ever tried an SMT because it's so humectant heavy and read on here about some people having trouble with it in arid environments. I am very curious about co washing as well.

[squirrrel]

I thought about a pre poo oiling, now I definitely need to give it a try. Yep, my hair is dry after clarifying. I did do a catnip treatment followed by sauve strawberries and cream for about 20 minutes, maybe I should have left it on longer. I haven't ever tried an SMT because it's so humectant heavy and read on here about some people having trouble with it in arid environments. I am very curious about co washing as well.

I definitely wouldn’t use a humectant in that situation: they let moisture travel more easily from a place where there is lots of moisture to a place where there is little. If your hair has more moisture in it than the surrounding environment it would strip the moisture from your hair. So definitely a good call.

Sounds like the other advice here is great. How about you try some of it out and let us know how you get on?

[lapushka]

Thank you. You were very helpful when I first joined and I still try to follow the advice you gave me then. I am a bit nervous about clarifying again. The super stretchiness and severe snapping when detangling started when I clarified. My hair has always been delicate but not this delicate. It was almost like the build up was literally holding my hair together better. I did shampoo with the clarifying shampoo twice as the first wash did not suds up much, like it was just getting the first layer off. Would you mind explaining why doing it again might help? I have lots to learn and really want to understand not just what I should do but why it should be done.


Thank you. The water here is very soft, but I was just somewhere for several months with hard water.
Oiling while my hair is still wet or damp does seem like it would hold in moisture better than on dry hair, I will definitely try that next wash.
I do finger comb before combing. I actually thought about just finger combing for awhile to help minimize the breakage. There is still some, but less I think than with the comb.
I used to sleep with a silk scarf around my hair. I will be finding it tomorrow.


That makes sense. Give each area different treatment. I have been oiling the back more as it seems to soak it right up.


I have read if the dew point is below 40 degrees F that humectants will actually pull moisture out of the hair since the air is dryer. The dew point here today was 26 degree F and the humidity was 19%. I know this is how it works with my skin as I have tried it. My skin will actually get drier if I put aloe in my body oil mix when the dew point is low. It's a shame because I really like aloe when I can use it, wish I could use it all the time. I was just reading something though saying glycerin is ok, but not sure yet I need to look into it more.

Can I ask what product you used to clarify with? Was it a sulfate-free/mild shampoo or sulfate shampoo? Sometimes sulfate-free can even add to the gunk or spread it around rather than remove it, if you have a lot of build-up on your hair. Been there, and done it. :(

Stretchy in general yes, does mean protein. Don't use DIY mayo or egg, because those proteins are too large to penetrate the hair. If you have gelatin packs on hand, do those!

Otherwise, yes I would do a very careful protein-treatment. Or, if you say have a product that has more proteins than moisture but is still fairly well-balanced, try that.

How did you get into this mess? Do you mind me asking, because you mentioned being well again. If you say, weren't able to wash for a long time, or have a health condition... it all can impact your hair and its health.

[foreveryours]

Just to add to the mix :p you might want to detangle your hair when it is DRY. Hair is weakest (lowest tensile strength) when wet. Also, at least in my case, its surface is a bit "roughened" when wet or damp so tangling is easier. After washing, when I detangle dry, I get many fewer pieces (sheds and breaks) to pick up off the floor. I try to move very slowly and carefully and listen.

A few words about gelatin. I've used the diy recipe posted on hair science blog whose link escapes me at the moment. The basic mix definitely needs thickening so its not so watery to apply. But the xanthan gum I use(d) sets to a jello-like consistency which doesn't improve application any - it's "clumpy" and tends to clog the drain. The mix also needs to be used as made as it DOES NOT KEEP in the freezer. It's like cheese.

[lapushka]

Just to add to the mix :p you might want to detangle your hair when it is DRY. Hair is weakest (lowest tensile strength) when wet. Also, at least in my case, its surface is a bit "roughened" when wet or damp so tangling is easier. After washing, when I detangle dry, I get many fewer pieces (sheds and breaks) to pick up off the floor. I try to move very slowly and carefully and listen.

A few words about gelatin. I've used the diy recipe posted on hair science blog whose link escapes me at the moment. The basic mix definitely needs thickening so its not so watery to apply. But the xanthan gum I use(d) sets to a jello-like consistency which doesn't improve application any - it's "clumpy" and tends to clog the drain. The mix also needs to be used as made as it DOES NOT KEEP in the freezer. It's like cheese.

That largely depends on texture, how you want to detangle, if there is some wave to it, might be better to do it wet, but that depends on how OP wears it.

Cornstarch is a natural thickening agent, BTW, a little "soup" with some water, add it, should be fine.

[Entangled]

I would think that arid climates would make humectants even more useful? My understanding is that humectants attract water from the air into the hair shaft, then oils and silicones lock it in, keeping the hair moisturized. In an arid climate where the air is dry you'd need extra help keeping moisture in your hair.

The thing with humectants is they work both ways. They're more of moisture "equalizers." In a more humid place, the air outside the hair is wetter and the humectants attract water into the hair shaft, but in a more arid environment where the air outside is drier than the hair, humectants suck water out, drying out the hair.

[neko_kawaii]

I live in a very arid climate and SMTs are lovely. However, a SMT is not a leave in. If you leave it in so long that it dries out, that will cause problems, but as long as it remains damp while on your hair it is fine. What you don't want to do is use any humectants as leave ins.

[Jane99]

I live in a pretty humid climate, except during winter. I’ve read before that people who live in arid climates can get usefulness out of humectants if they use them while in a steamy hot bathroom/shower/showercap and then rinse very well. Presumably sealing in the moisture with oil would help.

But on the flip side, I would personally be nervous that I wouldn’t rinse out the humectants well enough and then have to deal with the issue of the residue sucking moisture out of the hair outside of the steamy hot bathroom.

This winter I ran a small humidifier in the kitchen and would on occasion take my hair down and sort of drape it over the steam coming out to help with the winter dryness. I think it helped, my hair didn’t seem particularly dry this winter. But it’s one thing doing this for a season and another thing doing this year round.

[Finda]

Now that I am feeling better I can finally pay some much needed attention to my hair. It is doing some really odd stuff and in need of some tlc. I am not sure where to start with it though as I am not quite sure what's going on. It is still growing in a bit of an inverted U like my profile pic, but a bit worse. I have trimmed that even now. It's not really much longer than it was then 3 years ago, 26 inches then. I just recently measured before trimming and the longest side bits were 31.5 inches and the center 31. All evened up now it's 29.5. I think part of the problem is breakage. The back is very delicate, even more so now. It snaps so easy when detangling. It had been a year or more since I clarified, so I just did that. It feels better in that it isn't velcro like and stiff and is smoother. But.. it's like all the build up was holding it together. I can't comb it gently enough, a lot of hair snapping no matter how I detangle. It's also now very stretchy on the top and front, and sides, but very brittle in the back. The back could be damaged from all the time in bed leaning against pillows or laying on my back as I couldn't lay on my side. Its also gotten very, very thin in the back. I tried to do a half up hairdo yesterday and there was hardly any hair left down. If gathered up it was about the size of a pencil at most. One of the medications I had taken when this started 2 and half years ago can cause hair loss, but I didn't notice any then and I only took it the one time, just recently noticed over the winter. I had a lot of shedding then. The other odd thing is that the newer growth, about 8 or 10 inches is now really wavy. All my hair used to be 1b/1c. Now the front is like that but the new growth everywhere else is really wavy, more like braid waves but a little closer together. The old hair is still just barely wavy. So weird.
Not sure when to start except maybe some protein as I think stretchy hair needs protein, if I am remembering correctly. But would that hurt the brittle hair in the back? Also since it's very arid here, I am having a time finding a conditioner without humectants. Even the suave strawberries and cream I like has glycerin. I have started using a bit of oil and my hair really seems to like that. Any advice would be welcome. Even though I have been a member for almost 3 years I wasn't on here much for most of it, or able to really deal with my hair correctly, so I still feel like a complete newbie.

Hi, not sure I have any advise to offer, I just wanted to say I feel you on the inverted U hemline. I used to have that, too, very pronounced. Right now it's less so, but you can always see the tendency and I can't tell for sure if it's breakage or uneven growth.

Do you always use a comb? For me the key to finally growing hair was reducing friction and not so much about using certain products. For my many tangles combs didn't work, so now I do a combination of finger detangling and brushing with a tangle teezer.
And until I found out how to treat my hair so that almost no tangles would form in the first place, brushing totally dry hair has always worked best for me. Now, I also brush wet hair, because there is a lot less to detangle.

Concerning oil: I love coconut oil as a pre poo treatmeant and I follow up with a conditioner before actually washing my hair with shampoo (Oil+CWC). Conditioner is very reliable for getting rid of oil treatments. I don't use oil after washing because I'm really bad at getting the dosage right.

Protein: I have never experienced any bad reaction to protein and I've used it a lot and still do. I either had conditioners that were heavy on protein or I added silk protein to a final rinse. But other people obviously have experienced a bad reaction, so this might be an individual thing.

[Kibrah]

I definitely wouldn’t use a humectant in that situation: they let moisture travel more easily from a place where there is lots of moisture to a place where there is little. If your hair has more moisture in it than the surrounding environment it would strip the moisture from your hair. So definitely a good call.

Sounds like the other advice here is great. How about you try some of it out and let us know how you get on?
Yes, everyone has been so helpful. I will definitely be following the advice, but one change at a time so I can see what works and will update on the progress.

[lapushka]

OMG, I am so behind, I don't even know what the humidity is in my country. :o :( I am horrified (truly, not joking). I just never had problems with my (virgin) hair, yes with the bleach issue and with henna even (to my deep regret because that red, oh man) and so I never have to look to solve anything anymore, not since going natural. I have to sometimes dig deep to see how things could potentially be solved, but my standard answer always is: clarify. It solves a multitude of sins. :)

[Kibrah]

Can I ask what product you used to clarify with? Was it a sulfate-free/mild shampoo or sulfate shampoo? Sometimes sulfate-free can even add to the gunk or spread it around rather than remove it, if you have a lot of build-up on your hair. Been there, and done it. :(

Stretchy in general yes, does mean protein. Don't use DIY mayo or egg, because those proteins are too large to penetrate the hair. If you have gelatin packs on hand, do those!

Otherwise, yes I would do a very careful protein-treatment. Or, if you say have a product that has more proteins than moisture but is still fairly well-balanced, try that.

How did you get into this mess? Do you mind me asking, because you mentioned being well again. If you say, weren't able to wash for a long time, or have a health condition... it all can impact your hair and its health.

It was Suave charcoal and Aloe Vera clarifying shampoo. The store here had pretty empty shelves so there weren't a lot of options. It has sodium laureth sulfate and cocamidopropyl betaine for cleaning agents.
I was using sls free shampoos for the last year or so and they worked well for me for awhile but no they don't seem to cut through any build up.

I don't have anything on hand, but I can pick up whatever is needed in a few weeks when we go to town. I will put that on the shopping list and look up how to use it.

As far as how I got into this mess well I think it started several years ago. I had soaked in some hot springs that had very alkaline water and didn't know better about not letting it touch my hair. I was just getting that sorted out following advice from people here when I first got ill. That is quite a long story. I do think it has impacted my hair. I was given an antibiotic for a uti and it caused Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Syndrome. 6 months later another uti and the medicine for that caused nitrofurantoin induced acute interstitial lung disease. Nothing really helped and anything I was given to try to help made it worse. So apparently I have developed a condition called multiple drug intolerance syndrome. They have said I can't take any medicine unless it's life threatening as my reaction to medication is usually life threatening. It took a long time to get back day to day activities. The first medications effects will unfortunately probably be life long, they really don't know. There is a small lump on my thyroid now as well. We are unsure if it is related or something different. As I can't take any medication for it, it has been decided not to look into it further at the moment unless it grows.
I did have to reduce hair washing to about once a week to once every 2 weeks as it had to be done when I could manage. I really just washed it and put some leave in on as I didn't have the energy and sometimes the capacity to do more. Once dry I would put it in a bun or braid, and sometimes it would stay that way a few days ar a time. DH tries to help as much as he can but really is not good at hair being his is very short.

[Kibrah]

Just to add to the mix :p you might want to detangle your hair when it is DRY. Hair is weakest (lowest tensile strength) when wet. Also, at least in my case, its surface is a bit "roughened" when wet or damp so tangling is easier. After washing, when I detangle dry, I get many fewer pieces (sheds and breaks) to pick up off the floor. I try to move very slowly and carefully and listen.

A few words about gelatin. I've used the diy recipe posted on hair science blog whose link escapes me at the moment. The basic mix definitely needs thickening so its not so watery to apply. But the xanthan gum I use(d) sets to a jello-like consistency which doesn't improve application any - it's "clumpy" and tends to clog the drain. The mix also needs to be used as made as it DOES NOT KEEP in the freezer. It's like cheese.
I have the same issue detangling wet. I tried it a few times long ago and it didn't go well. Not only with breakage but it was so tangled when wet it seemed like a futile effort. I wash more gently now so it might not be so bad, but I still wait until it is completely dry. I do have to remind myself sometimes to slow down. That is a helpful reminder, thank you.
Also, thanks for the info on the gelatin I will check out that recipe and keep in mind your advice for it.



I live in a pretty humid climate, except during winter. I’ve read before that people who live in arid climates can get usefulness out of humectants if they use them while in a steamy hot bathroom/shower/showercap and then rinse very well. Presumably sealing in the moisture with oil would help.

But on the flip side, I would personally be nervous that I wouldn’t rinse out the humectants well enough and then have to deal with the issue of the residue sucking moisture out of the hair outside of the steamy hot bathroom.

This winter I ran a small humidifier in the kitchen and would on occasion take my hair down and sort of drape it over the steam coming out to help with the winter dryness. I think it helped, my hair didn’t seem particularly dry this winter. But it’s one thing doing this for a season and another thing doing this year round.
I worry about getting it all rinsed too. That and the fact that I don't have a steamy hot shower. I could use a shower cap however.


Hi, not sure I have any advise to offer, I just wanted to say I feel you on the inverted U hemline. I used to have that, too, very pronounced. Right now it's less so, but you can always see the tendency and I can't tell for sure if it's breakage or uneven growth.

Do you always use a comb? For me the key to finally growing hair was reducing friction and not so much about using certain products. For my many tangles combs didn't work, so now I do a combination of finger detangling and brushing with a tangle teezer.
And until I found out how to treat my hair so that almost no tangles would form in the first place, brushing totally dry hair has always worked best for me. Now, I also brush wet hair, because there is a lot less to detangle.

Concerning oil: I love coconut oil as a pre poo treatmeant and I follow up with a conditioner before actually washing my hair with shampoo (Oil+CWC). Conditioner is very reliable for getting rid of oil treatments. I don't use oil after washing because I'm really bad at getting the dosage right.

Protein: I have never experienced any bad reaction to protein and I've used it a lot and still do. I either had conditioners that were heavy on protein or I added silk protein to a final rinse. But other people obviously have experienced a bad reaction, so this might be an individual thing.

I don't feel so alone on the hemline anymore. Nice to know I am not the only one! I think mine might be due to both breakage and slower growing at the back. The hair there is much finer than the front.

I usually comb as it seems like I lose less hair that way. What is stuck in the brush seems larger than what's on my lap after combing. I do usually finger comb first as well.

I did have a leave in I used to use that had protein in it and didn't seem to have problems but I didn't use it often.

[lapushka]

It was Suave charcoal and Aloe Vera clarifying shampoo. The store here had pretty empty shelves so there weren't a lot of options. It has sodium laureth sulfate and cocamidopropyl betaine for cleaning agents.
I was using sls free shampoos for the last year or so and they worked well for me for awhile but no they don't seem to cut through any build up.

I don't have anything on hand, but I can pick up whatever is needed in a few weeks when we go to town. I will put that on the shopping list and look up how to use it.

As far as how I got into this mess well I think it started several years ago. I had soaked in some hot springs that had very alkaline water and didn't know better about not letting it touch my hair. I was just getting that sorted out following advice from people here when I first got ill. That is quite a long story. I do think it has impacted my hair. I was given an antibiotic for a uti and it caused Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Syndrome. 6 months later another uti and the medicine for that caused nitrofurantoin induced acute interstitial lung disease. Nothing really helped and anything I was given to try to help made it worse. So apparently I have developed a condition called multiple drug intolerance syndrome. They have said I can't take any medicine unless it's life threatening as my reaction to medication is usually life threatening. It took a long time to get back day to day activities. The first medications effects will unfortunately probably be life long, they really don't know. There is a small lump on my thyroid now as well. We are unsure if it is related or something different. As I can't take any medication for it, it has been decided not to look into it further at the moment unless it grows.
I did have to reduce hair washing to about once a week to once every 2 weeks as it had to be done when I could manage. I really just washed it and put some leave in on as I didn't have the energy and sometimes the capacity to do more. Once dry I would put it in a bun or braid, and sometimes it would stay that way a few days ar a time. DH tries to help as much as he can but really is not good at hair being his is very short.

OMG girl, you have been through it! :( I am so sorry. I am glad, though, you feel better once again. :)

My youngest aunt had a thyroid condition in her teens; she had radioactive iodine and is now in her 60s and she has never had to take medication for it.

That is a decent shampoo. Should be just fine.

If you are going to the store(s) anyway, try looking up the 1-step aphogee treatment. DIY is OK, but if you'd rather have something at the ready, I would go that route. The 2-step by Aphogee is a pain in the booty, though. You have to put it on, dry it with a hair dryer (it will become crunchy and that to me is a potential risk for breakage). But the 1-step is great. Redken anti-snap is great too, but I think might be more spendy.

[Kibrah]

You all have so kind to help me and I really appreciate it.


OMG girl, you have been through it! :( I am so sorry. I am glad, though, you feel better once again. :)

My youngest aunt had a thyroid condition in her teens; she had radioactive iodine and is now in her 60s and she has never had to take medication for it.

That is a decent shampoo. Should be just fine.

If you are going to the store(s) anyway, try looking up the 1-step aphogee treatment. DIY is OK, but if you'd rather have something at the ready, I would go that route. The 2-step by Aphogee is a pain in the booty, though. You have to put it on, dry it with a hair dryer (it will become crunchy and that to me is a potential risk for breakage). But the 1-step is great. Redken anti-snap is great too, but I think might be more spendy.
Thank you. I am very happy to be feeling a lot better
I was just reading about the gelatin protein treatments and was wondering if there might be a ready made solution. There are so many recipes to sort through and if there is something good ready to use that would be so much easier for me right now. I will look for the Aphogee or Redkin when we go shopping next, it will be a few weeks as we just went a few days ago. If I can't find any I will go the gelatin route. I agree crunchy sounds potentially damaging.
You also mentioned to clarify again at my next wash so I will do that also. My hair has calmed a bit now from the last wash so I am not so nervous about it. It's shine has come back a little, I haven't seen that in awhile.
I will be trying a lot of the advice that everyone has been so kind to give me. I will try one thing at a time so I know what working.

[foreveryours]

You all have so kind to help me and I really appreciate it.


Thank you. I am very happy to be feeling a lot better
I was just reading about the gelatin protein treatments and was wondering if there might be a ready made solution. There are so many recipes to sort through and if there is something good ready to use that would be so much easier for me right now. I will look for the Aphogee or Redkin when we go shopping next, it will be a few weeks as we just went a few days ago. If I can't find any I will go the gelatin route. I agree crunchy sounds potentially damaging.
You also mentioned to clarify again at my next wash so I will do that also. My hair has calmed a bit now from the last wash so I am not so nervous about it. It's shine has come back a little, I haven't seen that in awhile.
I will be trying a lot of the advice that everyone has been so kind to give me. I will try one thing at a time so I know what working.

Hi Kibrah, I know there's a lot but I';ve tried the original version referenced on this page and this one

https://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2014/04/gelatin-protein-treatment-recipe-update.html

I used this recipe's suggested xanthan gum but I found it wasn't a good consistency unless freshly made (when it feels like snot). Lapushka mentioned elsewhere in these posts using cornstarch as thickener which might be better and I'll certainly try next. Probably easiest for you to just buy something ready made. :p

[lapushka]

Hi Kibrah, I know there's a lot but I';ve tried the original version referenced on this page and this one

https://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2014/04/gelatin-protein-treatment-recipe-update.html

I used this recipe's suggested xanthan gum but I found it wasn't a good consistency unless freshly made (when it feels like snot). Lapushka mentioned elsewhere in these posts using cornstarch as thickener which might be better and I'll certainly try next. Probably easiest for you to just buy something ready made. :p

Yep, making a little "puddle" of a tiny bit of cornstarch & water (make "soup" of it as it were, a little cornstarch soup LOL) and then adding it in, don't make it too runny or use too much, though... less is more and it doesn't need much to thicken.

It's typically used to "bind" sauces.

[foreveryours]

Yep, making a little "puddle" of a tiny bit of cornstarch & water (make "soup" of it as it were, a little cornstarch soup LOL) and then adding it in, don't make it too runny or use too much, though... less is more and it doesn't need much to thicken.

It's typically used to "bind" sauces.

Yes, and with a stick blender to eliminate lumps, I think it will work. Best I hope is that it should dissolve in warm water so as not to clog my drain screen. My calendar's month 4 project (May)

[Kibrah]

Hi Kibrah, I know there's a lot but I';ve tried the original version referenced on this page and this one

https://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2014/04/gelatin-protein-treatment-recipe-update.html

I used this recipe's suggested xanthan gum but I found it wasn't a good consistency unless freshly made (when it feels like snot). Lapushka mentioned elsewhere in these posts using cornstarch as thickener which might be better and I'll certainly try next. Probably easiest for you to just buy something ready made. :p

Thank you for the link. I am definitely more comfortable using one that you have had success with. They may not have anything ready made at the store as last time I went the shelves were very bare in the hair care and shampoo aisles. We shall see which I return with.


Yep, making a little "puddle" of a tiny bit of cornstarch & water (make "soup" of it as it were, a little cornstarch soup LOL) and then adding it in, don't make it too runny or use too much, though... less is more and it doesn't need much to thicken.

It's typically used to "bind" sauces.

Like making gravy for your hair, lol

[Kibrah]

Oh my, my phone ate this post twice.

I did the second clarifying wash today. Prior to washing the ends were still sticking together a little bit. That's all gone now. It is very very dry now though. I left the conditioner on longer as suggested. It was odd when I rinsed it out. It felt like I hadn't even put any conditioner on, it just felt squeaky clean. I applied a LOT, I guess my hair just soaked it all up. I waited until this evening to detangle and it went much better this time. Went slow and one section at a time. Only a few snaps.
I think I will try the pre poo oiling and co-wash for the next wash day to help the dryness.

In the original post I had mentioned my hair seemed to be getting wavier on the new growth. Well, apparently, doing a super good clarify and long condish soak and now it's decided to be wavy everywhere except a few odd clumps. Of course the few odd clumps just had to sit on top in an odd way as well, haha. It's a mess in the picture as I hadn't detangled yet. The waves stayed after combing, just got super frizzy. I think it's definitely 2a at this point.



https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=45048&d=1618295816

[Finda]

Kibrah Looks beautiful! I'm not an expert on hair typing at all, but that could be 2b, especially on the back of your head.

[lapushka]

Thank you for the link. I am definitely more comfortable using one that you have had success with. They may not have anything ready made at the store as last time I went the shelves were very bare in the hair care and shampoo aisles. We shall see which I return with.



Like making gravy for your hair, lol

:spitting: Yeah, that! Hahaha!


Oh my, my phone ate this post twice.

I did the second clarifying wash today. Prior to washing the ends were still sticking together a little bit. That's all gone now. It is very very dry now though. I left the conditioner on longer as suggested. It was odd when I rinsed it out. It felt like I hadn't even put any conditioner on, it just felt squeaky clean. I applied a LOT, I guess my hair just soaked it all up. I waited until this evening to detangle and it went much better this time. Went slow and one section at a time. Only a few snaps.
I think I will try the pre poo oiling and co-wash for the next wash day to help the dryness.

In the original post I had mentioned my hair seemed to be getting wavier on the new growth. Well, apparently, doing a super good clarify and long condish soak and now it's decided to be wavy everywhere except a few odd clumps. Of course the few odd clumps just had to sit on top in an odd way as well, haha. It's a mess in the picture as I hadn't detangled yet. The waves stayed after combing, just got super frizzy. I think it's definitely 2a at this point.



https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=45048&d=1618295816

I was just about to say: WOW! Look at those wurls coming through! :D Amazing.

I'm glad it helped. I think your idea of where to go with next wash is *superb* and smart! Totally love it!

[JasminxCat]

Your hair is gorgeous Kibrah! :crush:

[Kibrah]

Your hair is gorgeous Kibrah! :crush:
Thank you for the compliment and the wonderful advice.


:spitting: Yeah, that! Hahaha!



I was just about to say: WOW! Look at those wurls coming through! :D Amazing.

I'm glad it helped. I think your idea of where to go with next wash is *superb* and smart! Totally love it!
Thanks! I am just using the advice from wonderful people here. Hopefully soon I will learn enough to help someone else in return.


Kibrah Looks beautiful! I'm not an expert on hair typing at all, but that could be 2b, especially on the back of your head.
Do you really think so! For some silly reason that makes me happy. Thank you.

[Kibrah]

Also, I found my silk scarf for hair. It was so nice to wake up this morning with no tangles.

[Kibrah]

Did my pre poo oiling and co-wash. The conditioner surprised me at how well it got the coconut oil out. My hair is nice and clean without any shampoo. I did learn a few things. There is something in the VO5 strawberries and cream that makes me itch terribly. Anywhere it has touched is driving me crazy. I learned that my hair actually does like to be finger detangled when it has lot of conditioner in it, very surprised by that. I also learned that I need a heavier conditioner than the VO5 and one with more slip. My hair dried a whole lot faster than with regular shampoo, maybe because the pre oil kept it from absorbing so much water. I was pleasantly surprised by how well my hair responded to co-washing. It is softer and smoother feeling, but quite clean. Still kinda mushy feeling when wet though. My hair seems to have changed a lot lately. Apparently it being wavy makes it poof into a frizz ball when combed dry today. My DH found it quite entertaining and wanted to know if I had figured out how to fix that yet and get the nice waves back. It seems oil and braiding fix it somewhat. All in all I am very happy with how it went and I learned a lot trying something new. It will be about another week before we go to town and I can pick up something for the protein treatment. I'll probably pick up a different sulfate free shampoo and a better condish as well. I have the OGX renewing shampoo and condish, but I find it really harsh, DH does too and he puts anything in his hair. Plus I want something silicone free if I can and the OGX has amodimethicone in the shampoo and condish.

[lapushka]

Did my pre poo oiling and co-wash. The conditioner surprised me at how well it got the coconut oil out. My hair is nice and clean without any shampoo. I did learn a few things. There is something in the VO5 strawberries and cream that makes me itch terribly. Anywhere it has touched is driving me crazy. I learned that my hair actually does like to be finger detangled when it has lot of conditioner in it, very surprised by that. I also learned that I need a heavier conditioner than the VO5 and one with more slip. My hair dried a whole lot faster than with regular shampoo, maybe because the pre oil kept it from absorbing so much water. I was pleasantly surprised by how well my hair responded to co-washing. It is softer and smoother feeling, but quite clean. Still kinda mushy feeling when wet though. My hair seems to have changed a lot lately. Apparently it being wavy makes it poof into a frizz ball when combed dry today. My DH found it quite entertaining and wanted to know if I had figured out how to fix that yet and get the nice waves back. It seems oil and braiding fix it somewhat. All in all I am very happy with how it went and I learned a lot trying something new. It will be about another week before we go to town and I can pick up something for the protein treatment. I'll probably pick up a different sulfate free shampoo and a better condish as well. I have the OGX renewing shampoo and condish, but I find it really harsh, DH does too and he puts anything in his hair. Plus I want something silicone free if I can and the OGX has amodimethicone in the shampoo and condish.

Yeah, I learned my lesson not having conditioner touch my scalp (have SD, seborrheic dermatitis, hence let's call it "finicky" scalp). If you have oily or normal leaning towards oily hair, I just... wouldn't do it. You can easily do CWC lengths only. In fact, that is the only way I ever did it (before doing WCC).

[Ylva]

Did my pre poo oiling and co-wash. The conditioner surprised me at how well it got the coconut oil out. My hair is nice and clean without any shampoo. I did learn a few things. There is something in the VO5 strawberries and cream that makes me itch terribly. Anywhere it has touched is driving me crazy. I learned that my hair actually does like to be finger detangled when it has lot of conditioner in it, very surprised by that. I also learned that I need a heavier conditioner than the VO5 and one with more slip. My hair dried a whole lot faster than with regular shampoo, maybe because the pre oil kept it from absorbing so much water. I was pleasantly surprised by how well my hair responded to co-washing. It is softer and smoother feeling, but quite clean. Still kinda mushy feeling when wet though. My hair seems to have changed a lot lately. Apparently it being wavy makes it poof into a frizz ball when combed dry today. My DH found it quite entertaining and wanted to know if I had figured out how to fix that yet and get the nice waves back. It seems oil and braiding fix it somewhat. All in all I am very happy with how it went and I learned a lot trying something new. It will be about another week before we go to town and I can pick up something for the protein treatment. I'll probably pick up a different sulfate free shampoo and a better condish as well. I have the OGX renewing shampoo and condish, but I find it really harsh, DH does too and he puts anything in his hair. Plus I want something silicone free if I can and the OGX has amodimethicone in the shampoo and condish.

If I'm not mistaken, the VO5 product that made you itchy contains methylisothiazolinone and methylchloroisothiazolinone. These preservatives are known to be common allergens. I, for example, get an itchy rash if I have prolonged skin contact with them. So if your scalp generally responds fine to co-washing, it might just be these preservatives that are the issue.

[Kibrah]

Yeah, I learned my lesson not having conditioner touch my scalp (have SD, seborrheic dermatitis, hence let's call it "finicky" scalp). If you have oily or normal leaning towards oily hair, I just... wouldn't do it. You can easily do CWC lengths only. In fact, that is the only way I ever did it (before doing WCC).
The thing is, it's not just my scalp. It's anywhere the conditioner touched, back, neck, a few places on my face, and the back of my hands. I was a bit itchy last time, but this second use of it it worse. I really think it's what Ylva is saying.


If I'm not mistaken, the VO5 product that made you itchy contains methylisothiazolinone and methylchloroisothiazolinone. These preservatives are known to be common allergens. I, for example, get an itchy rash if I have prolonged skin contact with them. So if your scalp generally responds fine to co-washing, it might just be these preservatives that are the issue.
Yes, I think that is it. I did some internet searching last night on it and came to that conclusion. My scalp doesn't have a rash, but my back and a few places on my face where a clump of hair smacked me do have a bit of red bumpiness. It's better today, but I am throwing out the rest of the bottle, good thing it was cheap.

[foreveryours]

Yep, making a little "puddle" of a tiny bit of cornstarch & water (make "soup" of it as it were, a little cornstarch soup LOL) and then adding it in, don't make it too runny or use too much, though... less is more and it doesn't need much to thicken.

It's typically used to "bind" sauces.

Search function is not working well for me and Advanced Search doesn't work at all so I can't find the original thread where you mentioned this to me, but I just tried this as today is wash day and it's close enough to May to call it May, and IT WORKS! The mix is soluble in water so no problems rinsing it out or clogging my drain with lumps, although if it "dries" it can take a lot of water.

So ... thank you lapushka! :joy:

[lapushka]

Search function is not working well for me and Advanced Search doesn't work at all so I can't find the original thread where you mentioned this to me, but I just tried this as today is wash day and it's close enough to May to call it May, and IT WORKS! The mix is soluble in water so no problems rinsing it out or clogging my drain with lumps, although if it "dries" it can take a lot of water.

So ... thank you lapushka! :joy:

And to mention I saw someone make their sauce thicker that way. :lol: ;) My mom uses a cornstarch "mix" called "Maïzena" here in Belgium and it's a good binding agent. Makes any liquid a bit more of a substance, and yeah... it's smooth! Very smooth.

Happy to help! :D

[foreveryours]

Your recipe for a wavy gravy has been a resounding success!

[Kibrah]

Search function is not working well for me and Advanced Search doesn't work at all so I can't find the original thread where you mentioned this to me, but I just tried this as today is wash day and it's close enough to May to call it May, and IT WORKS! The mix is soluble in water so no problems rinsing it out or clogging my drain with lumps, although if it "dries" it can take a lot of water.

So ... thank you lapushka! :joy:
That's awesome. I was wondering if you were going to try her idea.

[Kibrah]

Update on my crazy hair.
To be honest I am a little afraid of the gelatin treatment. I was going to go with the Aphogee, but couldn't find it where I was. I did find a shampoo and conditioner from Petal Fresh for damage control. It has protein at about or maybe a little higher up on the ingredients list than the Aphogee 2 min reconstructer. I have used it for 2 shampoos now and I do see improvement. The first use I noticed my hair was smooth while wet, which it hasn't been in so long it felt odd, it's been kinda mushy feeling. The second wash yesterday was even better, the smoothness stayed even when dry. It detangled a bit easier this morning and there is a bit less frizz where it's wavier in the back. It is softer as well. I will keep using this for awhile as long as there is some improvement still. I also got a leave in that has hydrolyzed keratin as the second ingredient. I have not tried that yet as I want to just add one new thing for a few washes.

Here is the ingredients for the conditioner:
Water, cetearyl alcohol, glycine soja (soybean) oil, behentrimonium chloride, *brassica oleracea (kale) acephala leaf extract, linolenic acid (omega 3), hydrolyzed vegetable protein (plant-based keratin), *salvia officinalis (sage) flower/leaf/stem extract, *persea gratissima (avocado) oil, oryza sativa (rice) bran oil extract, *salvia hispanica (chia) seed extract,*rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, *helianthus annuus (sunflower) extract, *chenopodium quinoa (quinoa) extract, glycerin, tocopherol, cetrimonium chloride, capryloyl glycerin/sebacic acid copolymer, diheptyl succinate, ethylhexylglycerin, citric acid, phenoxyethanol, fragrance, hexyl cinnamal, linalool.

And here is a picture of the ingredients list for the leave in:
https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=45240&d=1620327575

I think my hair is on the road to recovery. I got a 1/2 inch of growth this month despite the damage. And have been noticing far fewer little broken ends on my lap when combing. It is still esnapping up high towards the scalp some, but I think that is due to my health stuff and will just have to grow past that weak point. I'll just have to baby it. If you want let me know what you think of the products I found. I am still learning ingredients.