Fed Up With Frizzy Velcro Hair.. waahhh

[Ashera]

First it's hot and humid - frizzy velcro hair
Then it's rainy and humid - frizzy velcro hair
Then it's hot again - frizzy velcro hair
Now, thunderstorms - frizzy velcro hair

Did I mention I live in Sunny Southern California??????
Well, at least I used to.... :(

Oh, and I'm shedding like crazy. The bristles on my vacuum cleaner have thicker ends then I do - wait, those ARE my ends.

Waahhhhh...
(vent over... for now... thank you for listending and lending a shoulder - sorry I got it all full of frizzy velcro hair)

Ashera

[countryhopper]

I suggest that you check out the article section at the top of the page to diagnose your hair problem. I haven't read it for a while, but Velcro ends sound like protein overload. Try reading it, clarifying your hair, and following the suggestions there. Hope that helps! :D

[HintOfMint]

I feel ya on the humidity. I moved to the east coast at the end of summer and as you can imagine, the humidity and heat was just atrocious for my hair.

The thing is, I have never seen anyone's hair get as big and frizzy and poofy as mine on an ultra humid day. I remember sitting in class, looking around and seeing maybe a touch of frizz here and there, while I have an angry animal on top of my head. And no, it's not me being overly critical of myself, friends have actually commented (all in good humor, don't worry).

I empathize. I guess, just put it up and try not to think about it. Braids are a godsend.

[Sooze]

Ashera - sorry, I empathise too but this did make me giggle. My hair's a bit that way as well! Coconut oiling is helpful, but then if I apply too much I get rather crispy ends. Waaaaah! indeed :D

[Ashera]

Countryhopper - thank you - hmmmm.... never thought about protein overload. I'm a CO kinda girl and yeah, I need to check how much protein I'm force-feeding my hair. Re: the article - it might not be at the top of the page today - do you have an article name? Sounds like this is a must read.

HintOfMint - Yes to braids. Well, one anyway. It's sloped over my shoulder as I type. My heart is with you as you brave east coast humidity. I so relate to the animal on your head. Well, my hair relates and my hair is related to me, so vicariously, I relate to that animal. My hair goes from being almost waist length to almost shoulder length - humidity depending. Yikes.

Sooze - Cocount Oil is the only way I got that sloping braid over my shoulder. And the crispy ends. I was thinking brittle, but crispy is more what they are. :( Glad you got a smile. Smile transference was definately my intention. When my hair is this way, it's laugh or cry.

We might actually have a bit of sun this weekend. Least that's the rumor. Fingers are crossed. :cheese:

Ashera

[GRU]

I know a thing or two about frizzies and velcro!

Have you tried ACV rinses?

Do you leave conditioner in your hair after you rinse out your CO-wash?

[Cheeks1206]

Do you leave conditioner in your hair after you rinse out your CO-wash?

This will help a lot! Also check out the recipe for Kimberlily's defrizz spray. I think it may be in the VIT thread-I'm on my phone so I can't link it ATM. Sorry.

[Anje]

A couple questions:

1) Have you clarified recently? That might help with the velcro hair.
2) Do your products have proteins in them (anything that says "hydrolyzed," "amino acids," "keratin," or "collagen" for starters)? You might want to try going protein-free for a little while to see what that does. My hair sticks to itself like velcro when I use protein products, particularly "silk amino acids."

[Ashera]

Gru - love your hair! I don't know what an ACV rinse is. Is there a thread on this or a recipe? If it'll make my hair look like yours, I'm in! Thanks! Oh, and yes, I do leave my C in for about 10 minutes. Maybe I need to leave it longer?

Cheeks1206 - I'll be on that Kimberly's Frizz Spray. Sounds like something else I should know about. Geez, but I adore this board and the folks on it. I'll look it up. Thank you!!!

Anje - yes to the clarifying. I try to do that about every 4 months. Maybe I'm doing it too much. With everyone's comments re: protein, I think I'll need to look about for a protein free C to wash with for a bit.

It's strange re: the velcro hair thingy. This is relatively new to me and yet long hair isn't. I think my hormones are at war with my hair, along with the protein issues, and my hair is losing.

I'll look up everyone's gratefully accepted suggestions and see what I can do with this... uh, lovely hair (maybe it's mad at me for saying unkind things about it).

Ashera

[little_cherry]

I used to get frizzy hair like you described and realised that humectants like honey and glycerin are no-nos on dry days- I just oil on dry hot days. I only use humectants if it is very humid or raining outside and my hair is happy.

I clarify with baking soda (1tbs of baking soda dissolved very well in 2 cups of warm water; poured on my head and left on for a few minutes followed by an Apple Cider Rinse with 2 tbs of ACV to 2 cups of water and then condition) rinse maybe once or twice every 2 months because I oil and use CO...both can build up and cause crunchy hair. I also use cones..so that adds the the build up. ACV is not clarifying, it just helps the cuticle lay flat.

[LouLaLa]

I usually coat my ends in oil/SMT/honey and they restore like magic. I imagine eventually they'll need a trim but if you clarify and then put one of those treatments on you may be able to save more length.

Also using a sauna with lots of conditioner on your hair is a miracle fix too! I always do this when my hair gets velcro-ish.

Good luck!

[BrightEyes7]

I feel you on the humidity... the weather has been so bi-polar here in SoCal... Sunny, then all of a sudden pouring rain, then sunny... AHHH!!! I have been battling a ball of frizz for the past week or so. I've just been oiling and putting it up!

But here are some articles that may help.

This one is hair problem diagnostics:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=44

And this one is about damage:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=79

[moonkitty]

THANK YOU Brighteyes for the links! I am new and find it very difficult to use the Search feature to find exactly what I am looking for. These articles were great! You Rock!

[GRU]

Gru - love your hair! I don't know what an ACV rinse is. Is there a thread on this or a recipe? If it'll make my hair look like yours, I'm in! Thanks! Oh, and yes, I do leave my C in for about 10 minutes. Maybe I need to leave it longer?

Sorry, we tend to speak (type) in shorthand around here! ACV is Apple Cider Vinegar, and you'll find all kinds of mentions of it around here. I talk about my system here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=1307163&postcount=73).


My shower routine consists of:

wet hair (this takes a while!)
work Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut Conditioner throughout, and "scrub" my scalp with conditioner
starting at ends, detangle with a wide-toothed shower comb -- when I'm done, I can pull the comb from roots to ends on every part of my head
sometimes I rinse this out and then apply another heavier conditioner, but usually I just let this be my "conditioner" as well, and I leave it in while I do my other shower duties
rinse conditioner out
apply ACV rinse (a tablespoonish amount of ACV in approx. 30oz of water)
half-rinse the ACV out
apply diluted Suave conditioner (same "flavor") -- I mix it roughly 50/50 with water in a color-applicator bottle... note that I DO NOT RINSE this out.
comb through with a triple-row comb for even distribution of conditioner, using my fingers to "squeegee" excess moisture/conditioner from my hair as I go
do a modified plop into a Turbie-Twist towel-turban-thingy
dry off the rest of me
take off the Turbie-Twist and replace it with an old t-shirt to soak up more moisture
get dressed
remove old t-shirt from hair
shake head
head out the door for work



Being a major curlyhead, my hair is "special" and requires "special" treatment. :rolleyes: So take the parts that work for you and leave the rest. But most curlies can leave actual conditioner (not just special "leave in" types, but actual plain old conditioner) in their hair. I have Suave coconut conditioner in my hair in virtually all of my pictures in my album... my hair's not sticky, clumpy, or greasy in the least.

Hope that helps!

[tiny_teesha]

A few years ago that could have been me posting, mine was because of damage.
The only advice i have is to oil it and follow the hair rules (don't over shampoo, don't use heat or styling, use natural kinder gentler products, be healthy, oil etc) and as your new hair grows in it won't be so frizzy. NOT AS frizzy...
Mind you i have frizzy hair by nature as I'm a wog, so it is ALWAYS frizzy on the day i wash it for a few hours until it is 100% dry (5 hours usually), and then it's still frizzy because it's not got much weight to it so it kind of floats in the air.
Oiling might really help you, or gentle finger combing when slightly damp. Hey even cones might help your hair, you have to find out what works for you. Henna, cassia...etc.