Hair breakage even when finger combing

[wiggleit76]

Hi all, after a drastic cut, my hair is now shoulder length and as most of the very damaged hair has been removed combing is a lot less 'rippy'. However, I'm still finding that my hair tears and breaks a little more than I'd like when finger combing.

My hair is medium fine in the middle and very fine all around my hairline which is very prone to breakage, but as I'm almost starting again having cut most of my length, I want to minimise the breakage as much as possible, and I'm starting to despair that maybe my hair just won't ever get past this length and be healthy :(

I am not over-washing my hair, I've dramatically cut down on my hair dryer use and I use Kent hand sawn combs, or a horn or wooden wide tooth comb AFTER I've finger combed (I have to comb or my hair just gets too straggly).

Is my hair type just doomed to constant breakage?!

[PhillyGirl1978@]

I will definitely be watching this thread. I can sympathize...I have the same issue. My hair is probably pretty close to waist when stretched and it's curly. It shrinks back to well below bsl when dry. I only finger comb when it's wet, usually when it's full of conditioner. But I still seem to get breakage...it's an awful sound. It's usually only at the top or at least that's the only place I notice it. I have all of these little short broken pieces that just do their own thing. I don't really think it's damaged, I co-wash...I oil, I condition, I even really only use avg for hold so I'm not sure what it is. I wish I could help....but I am very interested in the others answers!

[ktani]

Finger combing can be just as harsh as using a comb to rip through hair. It is all in the method.

I gently separate my hair rather than finger comb as such mostly but when I do use my fingers I stop if I get resistance and separate the "snag". I do not get tangles but sometimes my hair does not separate as well as others.

Try to be as gentle as possible.

[Charlotte]

Hi there, I'm in the same boat as you, as far as the fine hair goes. The hair around my hair line is almost invisible too. :o It tangles extremely easily, so easily in fact that I don't even have to move!!! :rolleyes: What I've found to help the most of all (after finger combing slowly and gently before using my Kent) is the use of Almond Oil (from the supermarket). It's absolutely incredible! No kidding! It's made having hair fun, heh heh :) If I'm not washing, I just use a drop or two warmed through my hands and then "stroked" down the entire length. If I'm washing the next day, I heavily oil the lot (ears down) and sleep in braids. Honestly, I have lost so much hair to breakage in the past (and the odd heavy shed) that I seriously doubted I'd be able to grow any more length at all. I now have renewed hopes since joining this wonderful community and learning about Almond Oil. :D

[PhillyGirl1978@]

I do the separating thing too...and usually if I do actually run my finger through it's from underneath...it's easier that way I think the hair is courser there or something. The topp part is not as curly as the rest which is cool....its just that if I let it separate naturally it gets to piecey for me and it looks to see through up there. So I sometimes run my fingers through that part when it;s drying, just a little and it smoothes it out and makes it more uniform and fuller. I will try to be more gentle and patient though....I am aiming to thicken the top part up and grow it to waist length.

[Amara]

I agree with what Charlotte said, although I love coconut oil, almost and jojoba didn't work as well for me. So, try a few different oils, experiment! Shea butter worked alright for me as well, but I love coconut the best.

[Speckla]

My hair snaps easily too when it's wet. A lot of conditioner helps before detangling. A good conditioner with a bit of protein may add some more strength to your hair.

[Dyan]

Is my hair type just doomed to constant breakage?!

From your hair typing in your profile, it sounds like our hair is very similar. Although, mine is straighter. But yes, I think hair like ours is more prone to breakage. And I have the same problem as you with breaking hair even when finger combing.

What has helped me is to mist my hair with a bit of distilled water before I start detangling. I don't make it wet, but a little extra moisture seems to give my hair more 'slip' and helps me detangle without as much breakage. I still have to be very, very careful, but the misting helps.

[manderly]

Do you use conditioner??


I have the same problem with my little fluffs around my hairline at my temples. I'll be going about my day, doing random stuff, touch my hair gently and *YANK* pop a hair right out or snap it in two. Those are just some crazy delicate little bits.

But for the rest of your hair, even though you cut back to shorter, are you recouping some serious damage to your hair? And I'm going to ask again about conditioner. :)

[Charlotte]

Ah yes, like PhillyGirl said, start finger combing from underneath as tht hair tends to be a little bit stronger than the canopy hair. :) Ouch! Don't you just hate the sound of hair snapping when finger combing?! Makes me cringe... :mad:

[Igor]

Finger combing can be just as harsh as using a comb to rip through hair. It is all in the method.

I gently separate my hair rather than finger comb as such mostly but when I do use my fingers I stop if I get resistance and separate the "snag". I do not get tangles but sometimes my hair does not separate as well as others.

Try to be as gentle as possible.

I agree
Are your nails short and smooth? Are you gentle? Do you start from the bottom up? Finger combing doesn’t necessarily mean gentler. With a high quality, smooth comb you can get the detangling over with faster, which is overall less handling

More thoughts: Do you put your hair up or is it left to rub against your shoulders during the day? A good French braid works well too. If you do it carefully and add some leave in conditioner (or aloe vera) it can be left for a full day or more with no handling and without tangling

[Moonstruck]

I also agree that fingercombing from the inside, and not the top/outside, is superbly helpful. Since the outer layer is exposed to the elements in general, it gets damaged the easiest (at least for me). Combing from the inside out helps to sort of rearrange/lay out the hairs in a regular pattern, without putting the most stress on the already weakened strands.

[wiggleit76]

I use both intensive and normal conditioner containing cones as without it my hair would just break by looking at it! I do start combing from the underneath and I really am gentle, but I still hear the sound of snapping hair shudder:

I think trying oil to add some 'slip' is definitely worth a try. My hair also tangles really easily so putting it up neatly out of the way (rather than just twisting it up in a claw repeatedly) is going to have to be a way of life from now on.

One of my best friends has the most AMAZING thick, THICK strong hair. A few strands got snagged on a silver clasp of a necklace she was wearing, and instead of the hair breaking, the clasp broke open! I know it was a good clasp because I made the necklace for her!

I and my weedy fine strands have total hair envy! :eek: