question about breakage

[Freeland]

Hi all , I have bra strap length hair which is midly wavy, about 4 years ago I use to blowdry and flat iron my hair, and get frequent trims. After that I decided to stop doing that damage and wear it wavey and grow it out. It has since grown to bra strap length but it breaks alot on the ends, and as a result I have a mild case of fairy tale ends. Not sure if I should cut more off, because even after my trims, my hair still breaks. Dont understand what is causing this considering I do not blowfry, or color or use harsh hair styling products.

I also cleanse with a conditioning only type product WEN about twice a week.
What in the world should I do? It seems like my hair is at a standstill.

[Isilya]

Could it be that it is still the damage from 4 years ago?

If you hair was the 14 in you mention in your profile and it grew to the 24 in it is today and you didn't have big trims in the meantime (to get rid of 14 in of damaged hair), it's possible you still have some damage to grow out.

If this is the case, I suggest you just try to baby your hair as much as you can (with treatments, for example) and wear it in updos to keep your ends from further damage.

For the rest, it's up to you. You can decide to stay at BSL at the moment and trim regularly until all the damage is gone. Or you can grow to your (mini)goal and trim the damage off at that point.

HTH!

[frizzinator]

Fine hair breaks easily from just about everything: washing, combing, brushing, wearing it down and trying new hair toys. I try to think about not breaking my hair all the time.


I always start with finger combing my hair, starting at the hemline and working my way up to the scalp. Whenever I encounter resistance, I try to pull out individual hairs from the top of the tangle, and eventually I'm left with a piece of lint that started the tangle. This way I'm not breaking hair.


The next thing I do is use a wide tooth comb, in the same way I finger combed, by stopping whenever I encounter resistance and pull out the individual hairs from the top of the tangle. All the while I'm starting the combing at the hemline and moving up toward the scalp as I untangle. Next, I comb with a fine tooth comb in the same way.


At this point I use the brush if necessary. Even though I start brushing at the hemline in the same way that I combed, and remove all tangles before using full length strokes, the brush can still break hairs. To help eliminate breakage, I only brush about once every three weeks.


You would not believe the amount of breakage that is prevented just by wearing the hair up everyday. I sleep not only with a silk pillowcase, but also with a silk scarf around my hair, tied at the forehead, and when I wake up I can use the comb without any resistance.


If you want to grow your hair long, fine hair really needs more protection. Otherwise, your hair will be broken all over, and you'll struggle with the frizzy look. I'm so thankful for the knowledge I gained from this website.

[Kirin]

I would also add, a lot of the breakage can be old damage on the length which while shorter was easier to manage but now is getting weathered with wear and tear.

At this length are you wearing your hair up? Try oiling the ends and wearing it in a bun or clipped up style. If your ends have gone through styling/straightening for a while then are now left alone, they could be getting extra friction rubbing on the back of shirts and chairs and in the car.

[Forever_Sophie]

Can you use a protein treatment, like Emergencee?

[maskedrose]

I can sympathize! I'm going today to get an inch trimmed off, since the rough, dry ends have been tangling and breaking a lot lately. I do have damage (caused by illness), but I think that even when it is all grown out I will still have to baby my fine hair in order to decrease breakage. I'm not a fan of fairy tale ends (on myself), so I think I would rather trim more often and reach my goals a bit slower than have it long and scraggly. It's a personal choice though :)

[spidermom]

I figure out that I only have about 14-15 inches of growth since I started taking extra special care of my hair. Everything below that has been blow-dried on hot with brush-stretching, flat-ironed, curling ironed, and so forth. It splits and breaks off. I get trims every 3 months to keep my ends as nice as possible, and I'm getting nearly average length increase in spite of that.

[Freeland]

Thank you so much for the tips. This forum is just a wealth of knowledge, and we all share one basic goal, to have long healthy hair. I am so happy leaving my hair to its natural state and not destroying it with heat. I cant believe how horrid blowdryers and flat irons are to hair, its simply mind boggling. I know I will need to trim at least a dusting or more to get rid of these splits. They are very frustrating!

[Freeland]

Where would I find this protein treatment? I use a hot oil treatment once a week. Is that a good treatment,?

[spidermom]

Where would I find this protein treatment? I use a hot oil treatment once a week. Is that a good treatment,?

It really depends on the oil. I have found olive oil and cold-pressed coconut oil to be the best. That "hot oil treatment" that you can buy with all kinds of stuff in it - not so good. I usually don't bother with the "hot" part. I apply olive or coconut oil to damp hair after washing and most evenings to any dry-feeling areas when I comb it out to braid it for bed. By the time my scalp area gets oily, the ends are pretty oily, too. I feel the heat of my body is enough warmth as my hair drinks the oils right up and becomes very soft and shiny. Diluted shampoo is enough to get it out.

[julya]

I find that my fine hair breaks and tangles pretty easily also. I have started wearing a buff to protect my hair at night, and it has helped some.