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View Full Version : Radical change in hair type; I need a bit of guidance, please.



isenephthys
January 2nd, 2010, 01:08 AM
Hello all and Happy New Year! :) I spent a bit of time here at LHC a looong time ago and my hair has gone through some pretty drastic changes. I've been browsing through the threads here and there is just *so much* wonderful information, I am having a hard time figuring out where I need to start.

Hair history: My hair was always fine/slightly wavy with a tendency toward dryness. Last year, I had 2 major surgeries, including gastric bypass. I've also go a few medical conditions that affect my hair- namely PCOS and hypothyroidism. Anyway, I lost a LOT of hair post-op. It is finally beginning to grow back in, but the remainder of my hair is very dry and fragile. The texture has also changed; I'm guessing it falls somewhere between a 2b/2c? It just seems to be getting curlier and curlier. Like waves that begin to spiral but then sort of fall limp toward the ends.

I recently got a haircut and the stylist schooled me in some of the basics of curly hair care- mainly not brushing it once dry and scrunching in a curl cream. It's helped somewhat but I feel so... unkempt!

I've been doing condition-only for the last month because my hair seems to like the extra moisture. 2-3 times weekly, I pre-condition with coconut oil or olive oil. I recently started using Wen (it was a gift!). It is pricey but I do confess to liking the effect it has on my hair.

This week I was at my boyfriend's house sans my precious Wen so I mixed 1/4 c Suave Coconut conditioner with 2-3 drops of tea tree oil for scalp cleansing. I then used my old standby Biolage Hydrating Balm on the ends for a bit of moisture. I liked the effect it gave my scalp- it felt clean and I had a lot of body at the roots. But after doing it a couple of times, the ends are starting to feel a bit dry and crunchy. I'm not sure how to proceed... should I suck it up and order more Wen or keep playing diy hair diva (which is a bit fun, i have to admit, although I am so clueless!) I think my hair likes a little bit of silicone to give it some slip.

Then there is the styling issue... how the heck do I care for curly hair? I finger comb after washing then scrunch some curling cream through (currently I am using Curly Sexy Hair curling cream) and do my best not to touch it as it dries. Oh, I am also using and old t-shirt to dry my hair. I'm trying the "plopping" thing but don't quite have the hang of it yet. When my hair first dries, I fluff the crown a bit and it looks ok for a couple of hours. Then the ends start to droop a bit and I get some frizz... ya'll get the idea. And if I go to bed with it, well, I have no idea how to style "2nd Day" curly hair beyond clipping it up or throwing on a hat.

I am sorry to be so verbose... thank you all for reading. I appreciate any advice you can give or if you can point me in a productive direction. I look at all the lovely hair photos you ladies have posted and can't wait for the day my locks are nearly so luxurious! :)

angelthadiva
January 2nd, 2010, 02:01 AM
Hi :waving: welcome and happy new year! We have similar hair types; I think you may be able to do a search using the hair types and from there you can check out what we do and compare. This can save a lot of time and money sticking to what others with the same hair type do. I used to use the old t-shirt too, drying/plopping method too, but I found that it made my hair have a weird curl pattern and the ends were frizzy. I use an Aquis waffle pattern towel now and don't have that problem anymore...

I thought I found the end all be all washing method CWC; but that made my hair look greasy on my first wash day. So, I do a hybrid wash now; I use products with cones in them. I wear my hair up, comb less and that works for me. I also wash every other day; I've tried scalp washes, but I'm not coordinated enough for that.

If you have not started yet, keep track of what you use and what the results are. Sometimes it takes a while for your hair/scalp to get used to a change and it might not like it at first...So, it's best to keep track of what you are doing...I've found olive oil to be way too thick for me; I do love the results from a mixture of coconut and jojoba oil though.

That's all I can think of right now, but feel free to stop by my place for some low fat snacks :)

isenephthys
January 3rd, 2010, 11:29 PM
Thank you for your advice; I really appreciate it. I've been experimenting. I think keeping a log is a great idea.

I think my scalp is finally getting used to the co thing; I'm finally not greasy and full of body. Now if only I can fix my frizzies...

angelthadiva
January 4th, 2010, 12:06 AM
You are welcome :flower: I could never do CO my hair and especially scalp hated that. Keep track of what works, what doesn't and how long you tried it out. Good luck!