oiling causing breakage/fall out!? (2b-c/medium/ii hair help)

[danikabananika]

Ok LHCers. I am absolutely freaking out right now- if I wasn't a grown woman I would be crying out of frustration, I'm sure ): I used a mix of castor oil and avacado oil on my hair tonight (to encourage hair growth), and when I got in the shower 3 hours later to wash it out I had a TON of hair coming out as I washed it. I'm not sure if it was breakage or shedding, but either way, I haven't seen that much hair in the shower since my joico kpak tragedy (my hair is sensitive to protein and due to that & other abuse, the majority of my length snap off at about shoulder length about a year ago. I am now trying to take productive steps to fix it). My hair is 2b-c/medium/i-ii (I would say normal, but on the low end of normal). I experimented with grapeseed oil about a month ago with similar results though not quite as dramatic. After today I've kind of lost my willingness to experiment on my hair with oils, so I'm looking for some recommendations? Like I mentioned, my hair is 2b-c/medium/ii, is very dry (and I live in a dry/cold climate to boot, hurray), is prone to breakage and sensitive to protein.

thanks in advance :)

[Roseate]

Are these deep oilings that you're doing? Like, cover your hair with it, get it all over your scalp kind of thing? Your scalp might not like the oil coating. You might try just a drop of it on your ends; rub it between your palms until they are just shiny, then stroke your palms over the length and ends. This seals moisture into your ends, doesn't gunk up your scalp, and doesn't require you to wash it out.

ETA: Heidi's oiling article (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=71), which explains it better than me.

Also, the standard deep conditioning recipe around here: the SMT (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=128).

[Niwa]

If oiling doesn't work for you, then stop doing it. I think that the first rule of hair care is to listen to your hair and scalp.

[Roscata]

Have you ever used any of those oils on your hair before? Castor oil is the one that is suppose to help with hair growth and for me it really has, it even minimized shedding. If there is a possibility that the avocado oil caused this reaction then you're in luck because you could still use Castor oil.

[danikabananika]

Are these deep oilings that you're doing? Like, cover your hair with it, get it all over your scalp kind of thing?

Yes, this time it was a deep oiling, concentrated on the scalp (I read that the castor oil/avacado oil should be used on the scalp for hair growth). When I used grapeseed oil it was just in my lengths.


Have you ever used any of those oils on your hair before?

No, I haven't used either before.

[Roscata]

Also have you ever done any scalp massaging? I had a big of a shedding increase due to the strain put on the roots on my hair.
If the Castor oil is at fault for all the shedding, it's best to be sure that is what is causing it.
If you want to read what I did and what my results are you can find them in my hair journal.
Good luck! I hope everything works out for you. :)

[danikabananika]

Also have you ever done any scalp massaging? I had a big of a shedding increase due to the strain put on the roots on my hair.

Ahhhh yes. The castor/avacado mixture also came with an extensive scalp massage. argh. I won't be doing that again :(

[little_cherry]

I get shedding after a scalp massage. Usually these hairs that shed are at the end of their cycle and were due to shed anyway, so the massaging just encouraged them to fall out. New growth always comes in so I never lose any actual thickness from this.

I scalp oil once a week with castor the night before wash day.

[danikabananika]

I get shedding after a scalp massage. Usually these hairs that shed are at the end of their cycle and were due to shed anyway, so the massaging just encouraged them to fall out. New growth always comes in so I never lose any actual thickness from this.

I scalp oil once a week with castor the night before wash day.

As the night has gone on I've noticed less shedding- usually when I run my hands through my hair, at least 1 or 2 hairs are intertwined in my fingers once they've run through the length. Not tonight though! Have you noticed an increase in hair growth speed while using castor oil?

[jojo]

These hairs could have been due to come out anyway, when you say a lot how many are you talking about? I do light oils daily to the ends only and a heavy oil once a week and I notice a little more in terms of shed, but other times I hardly notice any. In fact since doing this, my hair thickness and condition has improved a lot.

Do you wear your hair up most of the time? I ask because if like me you comb it in the morning and then bun it and dont keep taking it down and combing it (i.e. releasing those loose hairs) the hairs which would naturally fall out dont, so you do a DC or oiling and it helps loosen them, do you see where I am going with this? I seriously would try not to worry about this, it seems that its normal shed (100 hairs a day is normal and long hairs look much worse than shorter hairs which you wouldnt notice anyway) unless your hair is coming out in clumps, try not to let this upset you.

Sorry your upset and I hope you find peace soon xxx

[spidermom]

You can stimulate your scalp by bending forward and raking the teeth of your comb against your scalp. My scalp produces plenty of sebum so I oil my length when my scalp area gets oily, then I do the combing thing, followed by a top-of-head braid, followed by washing the next day. I've had good results with this - no increased shedding.

[little_cherry]

As the night has gone on I've noticed less shedding- usually when I run my hands through my hair, at least 1 or 2 hairs are intertwined in my fingers once they've run through the length. Not tonight though! Have you noticed an increase in hair growth speed while using castor oil?
That's good to hear. Perhaps these hair were due to come out anyway, like jojo mentioned.

The castor oil has helped me grow back the hair I lost from my head injury..then again, my scalp loves a good castor oil massage followed by a scritch! Ahh. :cool: