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Aerith
September 25th, 2009, 12:07 PM
Hey everyone! :) I am new to this site, so I apologize if this is posted in the wrong place.

I really need hair advice. My hair reaches down to about my tailbone, (Yes, it's veryyy long) and I recently got it cut a whole five inches because it tangles so much and needed a good cut. My hair, especially when I wear it down, tangles within a few minutes or with just a few turns of my head! I'm not sure what is causing it. I have what I assume is my hair type to the left under my name, but I could be a little off. I was just guesstimating.

The possible causes might be that: I used to use a lot of heat styling like blowdrying and straightening to keep the fly-aways down but I haven't done that in years since I realize the damage. I also had an illness for a while and I was poorly nourished and my hair was falling out like crazy and that caused stress and the stress caused more damage. And also, I get a little frustrated with having to comb out big tangles every five minutes so sometimes I get a little rough will my hair. :o

Problems:
- Tangles WICKED easily. Few turns of the head and I have to comb through it!
- Loads of breakage and split ends
- Lots of fly-aways because of the breakage

My haircare routine:
- Wash hair every other day or every two days.
- Usually I use Tresemme Anti-Breakage shampoo and conditioner, but I just started using Paul Mitchell's Moisture line. The Paul Mitchell Conditioner and Shampoo makes my hair pretty oily much faster, but it works for my dry scalp so I'm going to finish the bottles.
- I leave the conditioner in for a few minutes them comb through and rinse with warm and then cold water.
- I use Suave Clarifying Shampoo occasionally.
- I let my hair air dry instead of blowdrying. It takes about 7-8 hours to dry almost completely or even more on humid days which is very annoying. My hair must be really porous on top of being really thick.
- When my hair becomes damp I put in a leave-in called Chi: Silk Infusion.
- Normally, I put my hair in a low ponytail with a snag free elastic when it's almost dry or dry, but I've been trying to wear it down. I usually end up putting it in a ponytail after a few hours because the tangles and flyaways/breakage sticking into my skin or neck is really an annoying feeling.

Pictures:
Here are some pictures of my hair after it was air dried and freshly combed a few days ago. Sorry for the angles and different colors. It was late at night when my hair was finally dry, I don't have a good place to set my camera, and I was experimenting with flash on and flash off. My hair is dark brown not bright blond like some of the pictures show up. :P

Far away:

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k172/Melichan923/My%20Hair/MyHair07.png

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k172/Melichan923/My%20Hair/MyHair06.png

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k172/Melichan923/My%20Hair/MyHair08.png

Example of fly aways/breakage/split ends along the mid shaft:

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k172/Melichan923/My%20Hair/MyHair05.png

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k172/Melichan923/My%20Hair/MyHair04.png

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k172/Melichan923/My%20Hair/MyHair03.png

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k172/Melichan923/My%20Hair/MyHair02.png

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k172/Melichan923/My%20Hair/MyHair01.png

..
Sorry if all the pictures aren't really needed, but I wanted to give you all a good idea of what it looks like.

Someone mentioned that I should do what is called a "mid shaft trim" which is essentially trimming all the split ends that don't meet the very bottom of the hair, but taking shears to my hair really scares me. And since it's sooo long, it would take a billion hours to do it myself and I don't know if it will help or be worth the time.

What do you guys think? Should I cut it all off and start new or can it be saved or repaired? I look terrible with short hair and I've only had it short once my whole life for that reason. :P But if it means it will be healthy again I might... I really want to save it though!

Any advice on what I should do? Thanks for reading this very long post!

Cherry_Sprinkle
September 25th, 2009, 12:11 PM
It doesn't look unhealthy to me. You might try some oils and maybe aloe to help with the fly aways if they really bother you, perhaps a more moisturizing conditioner, and search & destroy (looking for all the splits and snipping them off) really does help with tangles, its the only thing that keeps my hair growing lol

eadwine
September 25th, 2009, 12:24 PM
Unfortunately major damage doesn't show up in pictures, but if it is ridden with split ends, you might want to give it a go with a search and destroy mission. Take some new scissors for the hair (don't cut anything else with it, ever) and snip off every split end.

If EVERY hair is like that, and the hair overall is dry and brittle, then you'll have no choice but to cut quite a bit of it off. I had to resort to cutting to shoulder length and then staying there for a LOOOONG time and trimming every six weeks. My hair was pretty much gone, split ends to the scalp and everything.

SHELIAANN1969
September 25th, 2009, 12:26 PM
First of all, :blossom: welcome to TLHC!

Secondly, holy moly, what wonderful length you have!

Thirdly, you hair, looks like mine close up! :D

My hair does the same thing, tangly, is different lengths from scalp to ends, and is fly away and aggravating.


That said, my hair is not unhealthy, it just doesn't act the way that *I* want it to.

I think your hair is lovely and *I* don't see a need to cut.

Gabriel
September 25th, 2009, 12:35 PM
Hi and welcome! Your hair looks really great and thick and is so long but I know how annoying those flyaways can be. It looks like your hair has some texture to it that's trying to show itself. Try browsing through the wavy and wurly thread for some tips and tricks there.

My hair was acting up being tangled and strawlike and I switched my conditioner up and remembered (got reminded by coming back here) to start ACV rinsing again and that has made a world of a difference. You might want to look into that as well.

Shorty89
September 25th, 2009, 12:43 PM
I second trying an ACV (apple cider vinegar_ rinse and maybe also a STM (snowy's moisture treatment) - you can search for it. It can give more moisture to hair. Do you do updos? They can help protect hair from damage. If you get some coconut oil you can try showering, with a cool rinse and then after your shower lightly towel dry and then put some oil in your hair and put it in a bun. That can help with moisture, fly-aways and protect from further damage.

spidermom
September 25th, 2009, 12:48 PM
I don't see any reason to cut off a lot of your lovely hair. Certainly you can trim split ends off one by one if you have the patience. I tend to do it on long car trips and being stuck on hold on the telephone. You do understand that everybody has hair of every length, don't you? It shows up more in some hair types than others, mine for instance. Just give it plenty of moisture, maybe an occasional deep treatment. If you do a protein treatment, be sure to follow it up with a moisture treatment.

Anje
September 25th, 2009, 01:05 PM
As others have said, the damage doesn't look too evident, though I suppose that being recently trimmed, your ends may look better than they feel.

When was the last time you clarified? If you're getting some buildup, that might be part of the problem. Your leave-in is definitely heavy on the silicones, which would contribute if you haven't sudsed your ends recently. Furthermore, your Paul Mitchell shampoo doesn't have strong sulfates to remove it, like your Tressemme did.

Other than silicone buildup, I want to through out that you may have protein buildup. Several of your products have protein ingredients in them, which is a recipe for nasty tangles in my hair. (Now, some hair loves protein, some hates it. Mine's not overly fond of the stuff.) The solution to protein buildup is lots of non-protein conditioner. Stuff like the Biolage conditioning balm or knockoffs is good for this. So is doing an SMT with a protein-free conditioner like most of the Suave Naturals line.

Hope that helps a little.

Lamb
September 25th, 2009, 01:05 PM
I really need hair advice. My hair reaches down to about my tailbone, (Yes, it's veryyy long) and I recently got it cut a whole five inches because it tangles so much and needed a good cut. My hair, especially when I wear it down, tangles within a few minutes or with just a few turns of my head! I'm not sure what is causing it.
I don't find it surprising that tailbone length hair worn down gets tangly... :hmm:

- Normally, I put my hair in a low ponytail with a snag free elastic when it's almost dry or dry, but I've been trying to wear it down. I usually end up putting it in a ponytail after a few hours because the tangles and flyaways/breakage sticking into my skin or neck is really an annoying feeling.
Do you ever bun it? There is not a lot of difference between ponytails and hair let down when it comes to tangles, breakage, and splits. A protective updo aka bun sounds more reasonable to me, it would keep your TBL hair from tangling better than a ponytail!

Your hair is gorgeous, I would not cut it, but you might want to learn to reign it in a bit. :flower:

Aerith
September 25th, 2009, 01:11 PM
Wow, so many replies already! Thanks so much for your advice and compliments. :)


It doesn't look unhealthy to me. You might try some oils and maybe aloe to help with the fly aways if they really bother you, perhaps a more moisturizing conditioner, and search & destroy (looking for all the splits and snipping them off) really does help with tangles, its the only thing that keeps my hair growing lol

Unfortunately major damage doesn't show up in pictures, but if it is ridden with split ends, you might want to give it a go with a search and destroy mission. Take some new scissors for the hair (don't cut anything else with it, ever) and snip off every split end.

If EVERY hair is like that, and the hair overall is dry and brittle, then you'll have no choice but to cut quite a bit of it off. I had to resort to cutting to shoulder length and then staying there for a LOOOONG time and trimming every six weeks. My hair was pretty much gone, split ends to the scalp and everything.

I think I will give the "Search and Destroy" method a try after all. I am a little scared but as long as I am careful, everything will be fine. :) Will $10 haircutting scissors like the ones found in Wal-Mart be okay like these (http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10323137) or should I spend money on professional ones like these (http://www.google.com/products?q=salon+scissors&hl=en&aq=f)? I know bad scissors can cause more split ends. =O


First of all, :blossom: welcome to TLHC!

Secondly, holy moly, what wonderful length you have!

Thirdly, you hair, looks like mine close up! :D

My hair does the same thing, tangly, is different lengths from scalp to ends, and is fly away and aggravating.


That said, my hair is not unhealthy, it just doesn't act the way that *I* want it to.

I think your hair is lovely and *I* don't see a need to cut.

Aww, thank you! You have a good point there. I suppose I should try to learn to love my unique hair, even if it's very annoying sometimes. :) I'm sure there are ways out there that my hair would respond much better to, I just need to find them.


Hi and welcome! Your hair looks really great and thick and is so long but I know how annoying those flyaways can be. It looks like your hair has some texture to it that's trying to show itself. Try browsing through the wavy and wurly thread for some tips and tricks there.

My hair was acting up being tangled and strawlike and I switched my conditioner up and remembered (got reminded by coming back here) to start ACV rinsing again and that has made a world of a difference. You might want to look into that as well.


I second trying an ACV (apple cider vinegar_ rinse and maybe also a STM (snowy's moisture treatment) - you can search for it. It can give more moisture to hair. Do you do updos? They can help protect hair from damage. If you get some coconut oil you can try showering, with a cool rinse and then after your shower lightly towel dry and then put some oil in your hair and put it in a bun. That can help with moisture, fly-aways and protect from further damage.

Oh, hmmm. I'd never heard of ACV rinses before, seems like it will really help smooth out the cuticle and prevent tangles. I will give it a try! Any idea where I can find these particular rinses? Or are they home made only? :)

Unfortunately, Shorty89 I can't really put my hair up. :( My neck or head gets very sore from all the weight. Even when I wear it in a low ponytail my neck is begging for relief by the end of the day. It doesn't seem like my hair is *extremely* thick, maybe I just have a very sensitive head or neck.


I don't see any reason to cut off a lot of your lovely hair. Certainly you can trim split ends off one by one if you have the patience. I tend to do it on long car trips and being stuck on hold on the telephone. You do understand that everybody has hair of every length, don't you? It shows up more in some hair types than others, mine for instance. Just give it plenty of moisture, maybe an occasional deep treatment. If you do a protein treatment, be sure to follow it up with a moisture treatment.

Thank you spidermom. That made me feel a little better about my many different lengths. Do you know where I can find the protein treatments and moisture treatments? Are they in local stores or are these supplies in special hair stores?

Thanks everyone! :)

Shiva
September 25th, 2009, 01:17 PM
I think your hair looks kind of healthy actually.

Welcome to LHC.

:)

spidermom
September 25th, 2009, 01:18 PM
Most hair salons sell deep treatments. I like Joico K-Pak Reconstructor; it gives both protein and moisture.

You might try a simple 3-strand braid instead of a low ponytail; that's a bit more protective.

Aerith
September 25th, 2009, 01:19 PM
As others have said, the damage doesn't look too evident, though I suppose that being recently trimmed, your ends may look better than they feel.

When was the last time you clarified? If you're getting some buildup, that might be part of the problem. Your leave-in is definitely heavy on the silicones, which would contribute if you haven't sudsed your ends recently. Furthermore, your Paul Mitchell shampoo doesn't have strong sulfates to remove it, like your Tressemme did.

Other than silicone buildup, I want to through out that you may have protein buildup. Several of your products have protein ingredients in them, which is a recipe for nasty tangles in my hair. (Now, some hair loves protein, some hates it. Mine's not overly fond of the stuff.) The solution to protein buildup is lots of non-protein conditioner. Stuff like the Biolage conditioning balm or knockoffs is good for this. So is doing an SMT with a protein-free conditioner like most of the Suave Naturals line.

Hope that helps a little.

Thanks for the tips! When I get my eyebrows reshaped in a couple of weeks, I will ask my salon if they have the Biolage conditioning balm. Do you know of a good clarifying shampoo? :) The last time I clarified was a couple of weeks ago and I used a mild Suave kind.


I don't find it surprising that tailbone length hair worn down gets tangly... :hmm:

Do you ever bun it? There is not a lot of difference between ponytails and hair let down when it comes to tangles, breakage, and splits. A protective updo aka bun sounds more reasonable to me, it would keep your TBL hair from tangling better than a ponytail!

Your hair is gorgeous, I would not cut it, but you might want to learn to reign it in a bit. :flower:

Hehe, good point! I have seen people with my length have non-tangly hair so I wasn't sure if it's something I'm doing wrong or just the length. Unfortunately, I do not bun my hair. Wearing it up hurts my neck and head really badly because of the weight. :(

Thanks for the advice. :)

Aerith
September 25th, 2009, 01:26 PM
I think your hair looks kind of healthy actually.

Welcome to LHC.

:)

Thank you very much! :)


Most hair salons sell deep treatments. I like Joico K-Pak Reconstructor; it gives both protein and moisture.

You might try a simple 3-strand braid instead of a low ponytail; that's a bit more protective.

Oh, that's good. I will ask my salon about it when I go in. I do put my hair in a braid occasionally and I love how when I take it out at night there are no tangles. I do wish to wear it down most of the time if I can. I have a strange face shape and it makes me self conscious. :o That's one reason why I'm trying to wear it down again after two years of wearing it back in a low ponytail every single day. My hair is kind of like my mask a little, I like hiding behind it but I just hate how annoying the flyaways and tangles are. :eek:

Thanks for your advice!

friskybiznus
September 25th, 2009, 01:28 PM
I think your hair looks kind of healthy actually.

Welcome to LHC.

:)

That's what I was gonna say! Neutrogena makes a very nice clarifying shampoo. I really like it! Welcome!:D

spidermom
September 25th, 2009, 01:30 PM
I end up bunning or braiding even when I start out wearing my hair down because of the tangles and the fact that it gets into everything. I've even had it grab the crack between the light switch cover and the wall.

longhairedfairy
September 25th, 2009, 02:18 PM
I think your hair is very pretty.:flower:
I would recommend some light oiling of the length and braiding to help prevent tangles.:)

Alaia
September 25th, 2009, 02:21 PM
First off, I agree that your hair doesn't look like it needs a significant trim. It does look really thick, and in my opinion, a bit in need of moisture, but the lack of moisture can be corrected (maybe try oiling and the things everyone else has suggested) and the thickness isn't a bad thing ;)



Unfortunately, I do not bun my hair. Wearing it up hurts my neck and head really badly because of the weight. :(

This is not surprising. Perhaps you should try and play around with the bun, with your hair you will need to distribute the weight correctly or it will hurt. If everything is all in one place, it will pull and hurt. There are quite a few members here with more length than you and the same thickness, so if you do a search for something like weight distribution you might find some techniques to try.

If you can't find a way to bun it that works for you, definitely braid it, and then perhaps fold the braid in half and tuck your ends under the top of the braid. That way, they would be more protected.

Hope that helps :flowers:

HairColoredHair
September 25th, 2009, 02:27 PM
Hehe, good point! I have seen people with my length have non-tangly hair so I wasn't sure if it's something I'm doing wrong or just the length. Unfortunately, I do not bun my hair. Wearing it up hurts my neck and head really badly because of the weight. :(

Thanks for the advice. :)

What have you tried to put your hair up with?

I find that I cannot use scrunchies or hairties with a bun or it will pull and hurt and that hairsticks have to be just so. Bobby pins are right out.

RavennaNight
September 25th, 2009, 02:28 PM
Horribly damaged? Absolutely not. Completely salvageable. Almost perfect. Lovely color. Could use moisture? Yes. Otherwise you have lovely hair! Try an SMT, or a deep conditioner. Clarify first. Maybe cholestorol treatment? No need to cut.

jojo
September 25th, 2009, 02:36 PM
Welcome to LHC.

You have beautiful hair, lovely length and colour. A dusting may help with the tangles. I have fine hair and mine tangles like bilio too, but if I do a self trim like this -----> _ much off the ends its makes the world of a difference. You may want to try claryfying too.

To me (please excuse me if i am repeating others advise, I haven't read the other replies as yet) your hair looks like it might need moisture, have you tried oils? coconut is very good or an SMT (check serach) may help too but overal I think your hair looks really lovely.

krissykins
September 25th, 2009, 02:36 PM
Your hair is gorgeous! Beautiful color, amazing length, and tons of thickness! I have some serious envy right now.

I agree with putting some oil in and braiding it--it would help a lot.

If you can't find the Biolage Conditioning Balm (or don't want to spend the money), they have a generic version at Sally's Beauty Supply. It's called GVP Conditioning Balm and it's like $5. It's also the same formula, so it works just as well. You can also get the Joico K-Pak that spidermom was talking about at Sally's.

Best of luck!

eadwine
September 25th, 2009, 02:41 PM
Any kind of scissors will do I think, as long as they are proper ones that are good and sharp. When in doubt, go for the special hair ones, you'll be using it for the rest of your life anyway ;)

Aer
September 25th, 2009, 02:47 PM
Welcome to TLHC! I really like your color, I don't think your hair looks damage. Maybe just a ACV rinse would help.

Fractalsofhair
September 25th, 2009, 02:51 PM
Your hair is damaged, but it doesn't look it.

In regards to the tangles. Wear it up with a hairstick, and only comb it after washing it when it's wet. Maybe brush it lightly when it's dry. You do say your head hurts, what about two braids? Or a crown braid? Do a loose braid as well, not too tight at the nape.

Coriander
September 25th, 2009, 02:54 PM
Welcome! Your hair is lovely. I'm happy you've found us.

I've given you a link to Nightshade's excellent article on damaged hair. I hope it's as helpful for you as it has been for many members on the LHC.

Enjoy!

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=79

Anje
September 25th, 2009, 03:14 PM
Walmart hair scissors are just fine, so long as they're sharp.

Be aware that the Biolage conditioning balm is rather expensive. I've seen it a bit cheaper at Target and maybe Walmart. There's supposed to be a knockoff at Sally Beauty Supply (but I don't think mine carries it), and Aldi has a really cheap version that works nicely.

As far as clarifying shampoos go, the Suave stuff you have is just fine. Otherwise, VO5 Kiwi Lime Squeeze is quite decent. When clarifying (unlike normal shampooing), make sure you lather well from root to tip, and consider doing it twice. The goal is to get any and all built up gunk off your length.

ETA: As others have said, putting hair helps with damage -- mine's rather fragile and would never last if I didn't keep it up. (Especially with all the open flames around, but that's another story.) Low braids are good for sensitive scalps, and there may be better ways to secure buns that distribute the weight better. Perhaps strangely, the most comfortable way for me to get the weight distributed most of the time is a single hair stick, positioned horizontally in a bun. Try Spidermom's "bun that stays" (I think it's in the articles section) for a place to start. I think you'll find it relatively comfortable. Another good, inexpensive and easily accessible way to secure things comfortably is to buy a pack of aluminum double-pointed knitting needles (size 3 or smaller is usually best) and bend them into a U shape. Weave these in like hair forks or Amish pins.

Stormsong
September 25th, 2009, 03:20 PM
Welcome to LHC!

There's a lot over in the articles section that can help you. Perhaps what you may want to try and read first is this article : Whats wrong with my hair? Hair Diagnostic Tips (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=44). It's a good place to start.

Vinegar rinses : Here's a how and why article. (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=56)

Islandgrrl
September 25th, 2009, 03:38 PM
Hi and Welcome to LHC!

From the pictures, your hair doesn't look all that damaged to me. But then again, in pictures the bottom half of my hair doesn't look damaged either, and it is. Your hair kind of reminds me of my hair - but maybe yours is a bit straighter.

The bottom third of my hair tangles like crazy. My solution is to wear it up every day (for a few reasons - to protect it, to keep it out of my way, and to keep me from obsessing :) ). And my plan is to begin with monthly microtrims once my hair reaches hip again, to slowly rid myself of the damage without losing length. In the interim, I condition the heck out of the damaged part of my hair, oil frequently and pretty liberally, and detangle very, very gently using my fingers first, and then a very wide tooth comb or a brush with long bamboo bristles (very, very carefully).

ambychelle
September 25th, 2009, 03:41 PM
That's what my hair looks like if I just shampoo and condition and let it dry. I have a ton of different lengths. Some are from damage, some are from badly done layers, and some are from new growth (because they still have the pointy tip). I find mine want to sort of flip out every which way unless I use coconut oil or EVOO in it while it's damp. I don't use very much at all (way less than you'd think) and it takes a few hours to sort of absorb, but once it does, the hair doesn't seem so haywire. IF (and I do mean if because some people do NOT do well with brushes) you can brush, a boar bristle brush after the oil has absorbed well can really give a nice glossy finish to your hair.

I think your hair looks quite nice. It might be the lighting, but I *think* I can see the point at which you stopped using heat on your hair. Somewhere between brastrap and waist length. If that's true and it's not just the lighting in the photos, if I had your hair (and I wish I did!), I'd take off another 2 inches now and then start maintaining that length by trimming an inch every couple of months until those remaining damaged ends were cut off. But no way would I get a short haircut. It's nowhere near THAT bad :)

coconut and EVOO are pretty fantastic as a leave-in to get strands to get along.

Darscilla
September 25th, 2009, 03:44 PM
Hi! We have similar hair types, and I have the same problems of flyaways and tangling, though I don't have splits, thankfully. Are you sure all the shorter hairs are actually breakage and not just new growth, AKA baby hairs? I know mine are!

My instincts tell me it is just your hair type. I think if you cut it all off, you would have the same problems, just on shorter hair. I think your hair is lovely now, a few weeks at LHC and it will be :thud:

Isilme
September 25th, 2009, 03:55 PM
I think you should put your hair up, having it loose is inviting damage. If your scalp is sensitive, try all the updos you can find and try different positions. You could also make two braids and wrap them around your head.
Also, try to make a leave in spray by mixing your favorite conditioner with water in a spray bottle, just make sure to replace the mix often as it can go bad pretty quick.

Nera
September 25th, 2009, 03:58 PM
Welcome on LHC(:

First of all, your hair is amazing! You have a great starting length!
I would recommend light oiling as well. You can melt coconut oil in warm water. I put this in a small spray bottle and spray it on my hair. Wearing your har up, or braided in a loose braid or two braids (if your head hurts), can prevent tangles.

sana junaid
September 25th, 2009, 04:00 PM
beautiful hairs :)

Medievalmaniac
September 25th, 2009, 04:16 PM
Everyone else has already given such great advice, I can only second that 1. you have amazing hair 2. I don't see a lot of real damage 3. I think it is actually in good health overall and 4. an ACV rinse and a few SMTs should give you the results you want. :)

Oh...and 5. I'm MAD jealous!! :D

Longlocks3
September 25th, 2009, 04:55 PM
I used to think I couldn't wear my hair up everyday. Then I wore it up constantly for months. The first time I tried to wear it down(out of the house) I couldn't! It was horribly tangled. It took me a while to figure out how to make a comfortable updo and what updos felt the best. One thing I think ANYONE can wear with comfort is hair taping. Torrinpaige has a great youtube on victorian hair taping and it literally feels like nothing at all because ribbon that you 'sew' in distributes the weight of the hair. Good luck!

Aerith
September 25th, 2009, 05:47 PM
Aww, you are all so sweet! Thanks for all your helpful tips! :) My hair is oily at the scalp, but I think it's drier the more I get down so will try a deep conditioner/ACV rinse/SMT once I find out how much of each of the ingredients I should mix together.

For those recommending olive oil and coconut oil, do you mean I can just pick up these in my cooking cabinets and use them after warming a bit or do I need to buy a special kind?

Sorry for all the questions - I'm pretty new to all this stuff!

CurlyGirlCa
September 25th, 2009, 07:59 PM
I swear by the coconut oil - I put it on my hair overnight before washing and my hair has been in much better condition. I'm even oiling it before dyeing my hair (another thing I learned here) and I believe it's helping with cutting the damage to my hair.

I get the extra virgin coconut oil, I've read that WalMart has it but I always forget to look when I go. Any health food store will have it as well. I bought mine online at VitaminShoppe.com. I ordered through Ebates so will get a rebate also.

I use jojoba oil (quarter-size drop) for styling so I have been eliminating the use of silicone products (Biosilk, Silk Infusion) and I think that's helping too.

Amoretti
September 26th, 2009, 07:16 AM
It looks like hair growing out at different speeds to me. Not all your hairs can be the exact same length so it's normal to have different lengths interspersed. My hair also looks like that.

Aerith
September 26th, 2009, 11:07 AM
Thanks everyone! ^_^ Well, I just came out of the shower and I used Suave Daily Clarifying and Tresemme Anti-Breakage Conditioner. I found a V05 hot oil sample in the drawer today so next time I will try that out. I'm going to be careful what I put in my hair though until I can get some of that coconut oil and moisture moisture moisture! I'm gong to skip out on the silicone leave-in that I use and see if it helps as well. :)
I can't wait to try this all out! First step is "search and destroy" to get rid of the mid shaft split ends (a lot). It won't be fun but I'll pace myself. I'm sure not all of it is split ends and some is new growth.

Anyway, If I notice a difference after my new routine starts I will let you all know! Thanks again.

Fiferstone
September 26th, 2009, 11:16 AM
Hey there, apple cider vinegar rinses are homemade (you want them fresh). I use 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (same stuff you get in the grocery store) to 1 cup of water, make however many cups of this you will need to saturate your hair. I make it fresh on washday and use it as my final rinse. I have exceptionally hard water and I have noticed a huge difference in the tangle factor since doing this. I've also noticed that my scalp isn't as oily when I do this. Hope that helps, and welcome to LHC. I would love to have your hair :)

Aerith
September 26th, 2009, 12:36 PM
Hey there, apple cider vinegar rinses are homemade (you want them fresh). I use 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (same stuff you get in the grocery store) to 1 cup of water, make however many cups of this you will need to saturate your hair. I make it fresh on washday and use it as my final rinse. I have exceptionally hard water and I have noticed a huge difference in the tangle factor since doing this. I've also noticed that my scalp isn't as oily when I do this. Hope that helps, and welcome to LHC. I would love to have your hair :)

Thank you very much Fiferstone! I will probably need at least 4 cups for my hair so I will use 4 tablespoons of the ACV when I mix. I can't wait to try this out! People seem to be having great results with it. You all have such gorgeous hair and I have a lot to learn from this community. :)

krissykins
September 26th, 2009, 01:12 PM
Oh, by the way, coconut oil and olive oil can be just the ones you buy for cooking. Some people buy the coconut oil that isn't pressed for cooking, but the cooking one is what I use and I think it works great! My curls adore it.

SMT thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=128)

Aerith
September 26th, 2009, 01:40 PM
Oh, by the way, coconut oil and olive oil can be just the ones you buy for cooking. Some people buy the coconut oil that isn't pressed for cooking, but the cooking one is what I use and I think it works great! My curls adore it.

SMT thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=128)

Thanks a lot for the great link krissykins! I've read that honey can lighten the hair though. :( I've also heard that heating it up stops the process but since I love my color, I'm not sure I want to risk it getting lighter. I think I might substitute the honey for coconut oil like someone suggested in the SMT thread. Will that produce the same results?

Sheltie_Momma
September 26th, 2009, 02:09 PM
Your up close photos were exactly like my hair used to be when I first came to LHC. I don't have any advice for you, only to encourage you and confirm that the advice here really truly will work. I would never have believed that cheap Suave and VO5 shampoos and conditioners and some honey and ACV would have drastically changed the texture of my hair but they have.

krissykins
September 26th, 2009, 02:44 PM
Thanks a lot for the great link krissykins! I've read that honey can lighten the hair though. :( I've also heard that heating it up stops the process but since I love my color, I'm not sure I want to risk it getting lighter. I think I might substitute the honey for coconut oil like someone suggested in the SMT thread. Will that produce the same results?

I think many have substituted molasses for honey. You can try adding coconut oil and see what that does for you :shrug: I will look in the thread and see what others have to say. You're not the first to not want to take the risk lol ;)

ETA: Ktani talks about substituting molasses in this post (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=174421&postcount=70).

ETA 2: Oh and I recommend warming up your mixture for 10-15 seconds in the microwave anyway, as it helps prevent 'clumping' that some have experienced (including me shudder:)

HTH!

Sissy
September 26th, 2009, 03:57 PM
Your hair is gorgeous! Beautiful color, amazing length, and tons of thickness! I have some serious envy right now.

I agree with putting some oil in and braiding it--it would help a lot.

If you can't find the Biolage Conditioning Balm (or don't want to spend the money), they have a generic version at Sally's Beauty Supply. It's called GVP Conditioning Balm and it's like $5. It's also the same formula, so it works just as well. You can also get the Joico K-Pak that spidermom was talking about at Sally's.

Best of luck!

yes, in my opinion the generic GVP conditioning balm works just as well as the Biolage one. I have owned both :) but only buy the GVP now to be more wise with my dash.

I think your hair is pretty lovely... mine tangles too so I know I need to learn updos and prolly give an AVC rinse or clarifying a try again soon. I am a fan of the coney leave-ins as well and I think that might be part of what both of our problem is. Too much of that stuff without clarifying can be an issue.

Sissy
September 26th, 2009, 04:01 PM
Thanks a lot for the great link krissykins! I've read that honey can lighten the hair though. :( I've also heard that heating it up stops the process but since I love my color, I'm not sure I want to risk it getting lighter. I think I might substitute the honey for coconut oil like someone suggested in the SMT thread. Will that produce the same results?

Yes, honey may lighten the hair, which is why I do my SMT with molasses instead. I use the following recipe:

4 tablespoons of GVP Conditioning Balm
1 tbs of molasses
1 tbs of aloe very gel (fruit of the earth)
* sometimes I also use a few drops of castor oil as that can help moisturize and darken the hair.

I find that this smt mix is much more drippy than the ones I 've tried with honey in the past but I don't mind. I slather it on my hair and put my hair under a heat cap and sit for an hour or so. I keep a towel to wipe the drips off my face and neck. Then, I shower it out and don't even have to follow up with any other conditioner. The result is smoother, more moisturized hair. I'm not too keen on the smell of the molasses but it doesn't seem to stay with the hair once washed out. I have pictures of my hair post molasses smt in my album. Hope this helps.

Aerith
September 26th, 2009, 06:10 PM
Thanks again for your replies. :)

Sissy - it looks like molasses does the opposite and darkens the hair huh? :P Lol, I would rather have darker hair than lighter hair though.

I am making my shopping list but before I finalize the products I'm going to look out for (I've been researching all day), could someone please answer these questions?:

- Can I use GVP Conditioning Balm instead of the conditioners listed here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=128) for the SMT?
- Does the apple cider vinegar and water for the ACV rinse both need to be distilled? (My store seems to have both but I wonder if one will work better than the other?)
- Can I use any kind of molasses for the SMT? I heard the lighter kind might not darken the hair (and I don't want to go darker).
- Any recommended brands of molasses?
- Can anyone recommend a good, but decently priced brand of shampoo that I can use every day (one without the silicones and proteins if possible)?

Thanks! :)

krissykins
September 26th, 2009, 06:15 PM
- Can I use GVP Conditioning Balm instead of the conditioners listed here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=128) for the SMT?


Biolage Conditioning Balm is one of the conditioners listed as 'worked well' and GVP has the exact same ingredients, so yes :)

Elenna
September 26th, 2009, 06:31 PM
For your last question about shampoos that are cone and protein free.

Pariate has an article called "To Cone or Not to Cone." It is here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=13).

For protein, I look for ingredients like "silk protein" or "soy milk" on the label, etc.

Flaxen has an article called "Sulfate/Sulphate-Free Shampoo List." It is here (http://archive.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=34009). These are generally gentle shampoos.

Aerith
September 26th, 2009, 06:51 PM
Biolage Conditioning Balm is one of the conditioners listed as 'worked well' and GVP has the exact same ingredients, so yes :)

Oh, sorry. I looked through the list and didn't see it. I must have missed it. Thanks krissy. ^_^


For your last question about shampoos. Flaxen has a post called the "Sulfate/Sulphate-Free Shampoo List." It is here (http://archive.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=34009).

The products availabe to you also depend upon where you live.

Great link! Thank you very much. I hope I can find some of those in my local stores, I skimmed through the list and I don't think I've ever heard of or seen 90% of them. :p

krissykins
September 26th, 2009, 06:57 PM
Oh, sorry. I looked through the list and didn't see it. I must have missed it. Thanks krissy. ^_^



Great link! Thank you very much. I hope I can find some of those in my local stores, I skimmed through the list and I don't think I've ever heard of or seen 90% of them. :p

No problem! :D

A lot of the stuff on those lists I hadn't heard of either, but now I can spot them from a mile away! Or whenever I walk down the beauty isle of my local health food store...

Darkhorse1
September 26th, 2009, 08:16 PM
Haven't read the responses, but there are a few things to consider:
1. do you drink enough water?
2. Vitamins?
3. Kids? Hormones? etc
4. Current hair regiem.
5. original texture of hair

A healthy inside makes a healthy outside, and that shows in your hair. Vitamins also help this too. If you've had kids etc, your hormones can reek havoc on your hair (so I've been told ;) )

Now, with all the heat styling, I'd say that is your culprit right there. It's drying out your hair. So, re-moisturizing it would be an idea.

I had breakage and dry hair and found using oiling (I used olive oil prior to a clarifying wash), and found it helped HUGE in regards to softer, stronger hair.

There are many oils you can try--it'll be a trial and error in regards to what works for you, as well as other herbal methods such as catnip tea rinses etc.

Hopefully you will find the right thing that works for you. Your hair is GORGEOUS!

HairColoredHair
September 26th, 2009, 09:23 PM
One thing... don't try too many things all at once. Sometimes it takes a while to see effects, good or bad. And if you're trying a bunch of things all at once you'll not be able to see what's helping or not...

julliams
September 27th, 2009, 12:12 AM
I think your hair is lovely. Perhaps to help with the tangling, you could leave a small amount of conditioner in your hair when you rinse so that it stays nourished. I second oiling as that will help with the ends. Also perhaps you could wear it up in some of these neat styles - I can across this ladies youtubes last night and sat up all night trying things but my hair is way too short for most of them. http://www.youtube.com/user/torrinpaige

Juliette

krissykins
September 27th, 2009, 08:45 AM
I think your hair is lovely. Perhaps to help with the tangling, you could leave a small amount of conditioner in your hair when you rinse so that it stays nourished. I second oiling as that will help with the ends. Also perhaps you could wear it up in some of these neat styles - I can across this ladies youtubes last night and sat up all night trying things but my hair is way too short for most of them. http://www.youtube.com/user/torrinpaige

Juliette

Oh I love her videos! She's actually a member here too :P

Sissy
September 27th, 2009, 09:37 AM
Thanks again for your replies. :)

Sissy - it looks like molasses does the opposite and darkens the hair huh? :P Lol, I would rather have darker hair than lighter hair though.

I am making my shopping list but before I finalize the products I'm going to look out for (I've been researching all day), could someone please answer these questions?:

- Can I use GVP Conditioning Balm instead of the conditioners listed here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=128) for the SMT?
- Does the apple cider vinegar and water for the ACV rinse both need to be distilled? (My store seems to have both but I wonder if one will work better than the other?)
- Can I use any kind of molasses for the SMT? I heard the lighter kind might not darken the hair (and I don't want to go darker).
- Any recommended brands of molasses?
- Can anyone recommend a good, but decently priced brand of shampoo that I can use every day (one without the silicones and proteins if possible)?

Thanks! :)

Hi there,

To be honest, I haven't really noticed much darkening if any from Molasses but I remain hopeful :) I think Castor Oil has just as much promise of darkening hair so if you don't want darkening just use molasses and don't use castor oil.

You can definitely use the GVP conditioning balm for SMT, that's what I use every time.

I currently am using Grandma's all natural Unsulphured Molasses. You can buy blackstrap, unsulphured, or sulphured molasses. From what I've researched unsulphured is the best. See this website for reasoning: http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=dailytip&dbid=88&utm_source=rss_reader&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss_feed

However, I am not sure which type of molasses darkens hair the most. I have read on a few sites to use blackstrap molasses for BEST results. I'm not sure why this is but I might try blackstrap next time.

Does anyone actually know which type of molasses darkens hair the most? I'd be very interested to know.

As far as shampoo recommendations. I do not shampoo everyday, it's more like once or twice a week. However, the natural shampoos I like best are JASON Biotin shampoo and Aubrey Organic shampoos.

metalgypsy85
September 27th, 2009, 09:42 AM
Your hair is beautiful. I wouldn't cut it cause of the splits. Just baby it a little bit and stop with the heat styling for a while.

Fiferstone
September 27th, 2009, 09:48 AM
Hi again Aerith:

I just use plain 'ole tap water (yes, the awful hard stuff I have at home) to make up my ACV rinse. The vinegar restores the ph balance of the skin on your scalp, helping to counteract the dry, tight sensation that detergents in shampoo can cause (and reducing the itchies), it also prevents the minerals in my hard water from adhering to my hair, which is why I use it as the final rinse, it also helps the cuticle to lay flat, reducing the potential for tangling and increasing the shine. You don't have to use distilled water :).

susiemw
September 27th, 2009, 01:02 PM
Unfortunately, Shorty89 I can't really put my hair up. :( My neck or head gets very sore from all the weight. Even when I wear it in a low ponytail my neck is begging for relief by the end of the day. It doesn't seem like my hair is *extremely* thick, maybe I just have a very sensitive head or neck.:)

Your hair is gorgeous! I'm sorry it's giving you fits right now.

Since you don't tolerate it up how about braiding it?
Your hair would look spectacular in a variety of braids. and the braids would protect your hair and keep it from tangling.

there are lot of posts on learning different braiding methods.

Good luck with this!

Susan

ponyboy
September 27th, 2009, 03:34 PM
You have such beautiful hair ... it would be an extreme shame, if you were to cut it all off and start over. Taking the time to cut each split might seem overwhelming, but it does work with a little patience. Obviously, the members of this forum have come up with suggestions for you to try ... go for it!

juliaxena
September 28th, 2009, 12:07 AM
I don't think in your case cutting is the answer (and I'm generally critical about hair) because you have a very thick hemline. I'd say do some serious moisure treatment, maybe they will smooth your hair a bit.

slz
September 28th, 2009, 12:14 AM
Your hair is very close to mine - as aware as I am of its damage, NO WAY I'm going to cut !! Because overall it's in pretty decent shape and it looks good enough for me, with enough care it will only get better in time anyway, and I'm not in a hurry.
So what I'd say to you : yes it could look better, and rest assured it will, and no need to cut for that since it's more than decent as it is already.

Katze
September 28th, 2009, 01:01 AM
I do not see any damage in the pics you posted. I see wonderfully thick, shiny, healthy hair that I am sure many other people here envy! :)

That said if your ends are a bit dry, why not a tiny trim, or as many have suggested a "search and destroy" - trimming just the splits?

It seems to me like you might be washing your hair too much, too. Every other day seems like a lot for hair at your length. For example even with my fine thin hair I can get away with washing every 3 days at the most (with one of these washes only water) or even once a week.

As others have said your hair looks healthy and sounds "normal". What the cosmetic companies sell us as "flyaways" are normal new growth and different lengths that happen in healthy hair that is constantly replacing itself and renewing hairs that have fallen out.

hope this helps!

pdy2kn6
September 28th, 2009, 01:01 AM
I think it looks really good, I would probably suggest search and destroy too, this way you can take some time out of your day and just focus on trimming as many of them splits as you can find. Good luck, let us know what you decide to do :)

Aerith
September 28th, 2009, 01:54 PM
Wow, so many new replies! :0 Sorry it's taken me so long to reply. I didn't get online much yesterday.

I am definitely not going to cut it short. I'm going to do a "search and destroy" maybe 15-20 minutes every day (so I don't get impatient) until all the split ends are gone. As someone suggested, I shouldn't try ALL the new things at once. I think I will start off with just an ACV rinse once a week and see how that goes. Then gradually I will start doing the other things like buying new shampoos, conditioners, etc. Because if my hair responds badly to something (or responds good), I'll know just what did it. :)

I'll try to update you all again once I've tried everything suggested! So far I have put in a small amount of EVOO in my hair when it's damp and I didn't have much luck with it. My hair doesn't' seem to be sucking up the moisture from it, so I will try another moisture technique I guess.

Thanks again everyone! You are all so great.

cobblersmaid
September 28th, 2009, 02:11 PM
MY hair can get very heavy, and trigger tension headaches for me, so I understand what you mean about buns. I have found that very nice hair toys (certain ficcares in certain buns, a few hair sticks in certain buns) make them managable sometimes. It's hard that I can't play as freely as many others, but I have found some ways.

I wear my hair in a single braid 90 percent of the time. If I have a headache, two braids is never painful, for me.

Your hair looks similar to mine, as far as texture. After I got past hip, I realized that a low ponytail is almost the same as wearing it down.

I hope you find something that works for you!

Nocturnal
September 28th, 2009, 02:33 PM
I also suggest working on updoability. :) I find pony tail on my hair to be even worse in terms of tangles and breakage than wearing it down. I find a low wrap bun with a thin hairstick to pull hair the least.
I also think you might find that you are a wavy, after getting enough moisture and cutting down on shampoo.

Ally<3
September 29th, 2009, 02:53 AM
I haven't read through the whole post, so this has most likely been mentioned, but anywho...

I'd get an sls free shampoo. Strips your hair of essential oils and makes it dry and tangly. Don't use elastics when wet, hair is extra fradgile.

Also nip any splits in the bud now so they don't get worse.

hennaphile
September 29th, 2009, 04:21 AM
You hair is beautiful, no need to chop :flower:

I *highly* reccomend coconut oil (cocoveda by henna sooq is the best), cassia, and henna if you can deal with the color, and indian herbs to wash. They made my tangly hair much more managable. Oils and cassia/hennas do WONDERS for damage.

JamieLeigh
September 29th, 2009, 09:42 AM
Welcome to LHC!! I hope you take some of the great advice that has been given here in this thread. It would be a shame to lose so much gorgeous hair over something that is pretty easily corrected, if you know what to do. :flower:

One of my thoughts is that you might be clarifying too often. My hair is a couple of inches past my butt, and I don't really get tangles anymore. I don't use shampoo either, though, only once a month or so, to clarify (with Suave Clarifying 'poo). I use conditioner only, and swap out between Suave Naturals tropical coconut and Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat. I like both the coconut and minty scents in my hair, so that's what I use. My hair is also in the fine/medium range, so it loves loves LOVES it some coconut oil!! Once a week, I braid in some coconut oil, bun it, let it sit overnight and wash it out the next day in the shower. It really works well. Also twice a month, I mix honey with my Suave Naturals coconut and leave it in my hair (scalp to tip) for 2 hours before washing it out. Creates moisture and a lovely shine. 8)

Browse the articles on this site, you'll find lots of info, and the instructions to lots of neat hairstyles you can do to both show off your length and protect your hair at the same time. :) Good luck!