Couple of hair questions.

[Orange Queen]

Hi all,
I've recently had a hair disaster (Epic Hair Disaster, posted in detail in the "NEW" section).
Basically I went brunette then tried to go back to my natural blonde all in the course of a couple of days. Dumb I know.
I was supposed to go for a cut this week to get rid of the dead and split ends, but decided not to.
The reason being is that I have absolutely no split ends. None at all.
Instead my whole hair is ruined. So I imagine that I would have to get a pixie cut of some sort.
My hair is in some weird state. If it's wet, it feels very hard and tangled. I'm washing with conditioner only and even then in order to run my hand through the hair I have to put on like half a bottle of leave in conditioner.
When it dries it gets softer, but if I don't brush it sticks straight up and looks like my hair was braidied in tight braids and then taken out.
The layers and bangs that I'm growing out are all sticking out from the rest of the hair.
I know than there is no fix all solution to this, but I want to get my hair to at least look semi normal while I grow my roots out so that I can cut it into a bob or something.
My hair grows pretty fast (already seeing roots grow out a bit), and I'm taking biotin and fish oil to help it along.
I've been doing a bunch of natural hair treatments. Egg, honey, mayo, jojoba oil and aloe. Staying away from shampoos and only using conditioners to wash my hair.
My hair still has elasticity left in it once it's dry and doesn't snap off Like I expected it to after this much abuse. Also it seems to not shed more than usual.
I look like a mess. The colour that I have in my hair now is seeping out in places, and blonde hair is peeking out all over the place, my hair looks fried.
I don't care about the colour, I can live with that.
Is there any way to make my hair look better? I know it wont heal or anything, but maybe I can at least get it to look normal?
Anyone have some awesome home/ natural remedy to make my hair feel and look like hair? Right now it looks like I have a loofah on my head lol
I absolutely can't have a pixie cut.
Thanks a lot for reading this long **s post.
=)

[BeachBabe91]

Ironically, I personally wouldn't recommend you cut it at all.. since you stated you are trying to grow it out. I have put my hair through the same amount of damage in the same amount of time, and can probably relate to the damage your hair is suffering from now because of it. Back when I damaged my hair like you have, I noticed that after a week to two weeks, it slowly became more manageable and less "dead feeling". You can obviously cut it if you really want, but I wouldn't recommend that since you are trying to grow it long. That's my advice. Best of luck! <3 :)

[krissykins]

All righty. Have you clarified your hair? If not, I would suggest starting off with that :)

Then I would recommend any/all of the following:
deep oiling with coconut oil
protein treatment
SMT (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=128)

Hope that helps :flower:

[Kat Girl]

You sound like you are where I was about 2 years ago. I wanted to get lighter blonde highlights in my naturally darker blonde hair. The first time I went, the stylist made the highlights yellow. I didn't like the color so I waited a month or 2 and then I went to a different stylist and asked for blonder (not yellow) and more highlights. The stylist way overprocessed my fine delicate hair and left me with the worst mess ever. At first, I had to blowdry and flatiron my hair daily just to make it somewhat presentable, and it was still crazy. Then I tried wen, and I totally fell in love with it. Yes it is expensive, and yes you do have to use alot of it, but it got my hair to a place that I could air dry it, run my fingers through it (no brush or comb) and it was presentable. Since then I have been taking better care of my hair. I stopped using heat and chemicals, have gotten regular trims, etc. I'm slowly trying to trim all of the color out and be done with it. It is a long painful process, but I an definitely say wen has been the best thing for my hair. It is so worth trying!

[Orange Queen]

Thanks you guys =)
BeachBabe 91- What treatments did you use in your hair to get it to be less "dead" ?

Krissykins- Clarified, SMT'd, and heavy oiling with jojoba oil (oiled right now actually). Didn't get coconut oil yet. I have Cocoa butter, wonder if I can do anything with that? I've been using egg masks on my hair, would that qualify as a protein treatment, or do you mean a protein treatment that I can buy somewhere?

Kat Girl- It's super tempting to use a flat iron and a blowdrier, but I've used it only once since my "accident". Trying to stay away from that and mostly wearing my hair tied back. I saw Wen in a "As Seen on TV" store, should give it a try.

Thanks. I've learned so much on this site and I've only been here a bit over a week.
Keep 'em coming =)

[clichepithet]

I chopped up your posts, Orange Queen. Sorry if this confuses anyone. Hopefully I kept it straight. I'm always confused.


]My hair is in some weird state. If it's wet, it feels very hard and tangled. I'm washing with conditioner only and even then in order to run my hand through the hair I have to put on like half a bottle of leave in conditioner.

While not everyone has the same experiences with the same conditioner, some conditioners are better than others with CO'ing, in general. Have you met the current CO Thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=2898)? There's also an archived one (http://archive.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=68006). Shampoo is not evil. I dilute mine heavily with water in a dye-applicator bottle from Sally's, there is also the Sulfate-Free (http://archive.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=34009) route.


I've been doing a bunch of natural hair treatments. Egg, honey, mayo, jojoba oil and aloe. Staying away from shampoos and only using conditioners to wash my hair.Is your hair used to all of this; or are you in panic mode to save your hair? I'd encourage you to try only one new thing at a time, otherwise you will have a very difficult (nigh impossible) time figuring out what does and does not work for your hair.



My hair still has elasticity left in it once it's dry and doesn't snap off Like I expected it to after this much abuse. How much elasticity? Stretchy hair is not necessarily a good thing. It raises red flags for me when you say your hair is very dry, crunchy and frizzy and elastic in the same breath. This screams protein overload (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=17), IMO. I speak from experience. My hair despises the stuff. :D


Clarified, SMT'd, and heavy oiling with jojoba oil (oiled right now actually). Didn't get coconut oil yet. I have Cocoa butter, wonder if I can do anything with that? I've been using egg masks on my hair, would that qualify as a protein treatment, or do you mean a protein treatment that I can buy somewhere?Good, good, and keep in mind that jojoba oil should be viewed more a wax than an oil (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jojoba_oil). I'm not saying that's a bad thing, just that it's not an oil like coconut oil is... an oil. I don't know anything about Cocoa Butter-- I get confused because it's in everything, and everything is usually in it too. Eggs qualify as a protein treatment.



I've only been here a bit over a week.Welcome to LHC.

This article (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=79) will likely be very helpful to you.
As well as this one (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=44).

And especially this one (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=39).

[Orange Queen]

Thanks clichepithet.
Yes, total panic mode lol. Trying a different mask every day.
By elasticity I meant that my hair is dry, but still has some elasticity in it, like it doesn't snap off when I pull on a strand, but not that frizzy elasticity you see in hair damaged by hair dye or perms.
Wow, I think I just got my yearly quota for the word "elasticity" =)

I will try to avoid protein for a while to see if I'm getting too much of it.
I've used Mayo masks before, so I'm somehat used to them.
You're right though, I should give my hair a break, because for the past week I constantly have something in it.

So far my hair "likes" Jojoba the most. Seems to drink it right in, and hair feels much softer.

Same here with the cocoa butter. I see it in everything too.
I usuaully just use it as a skin moisturizer. It's good for dry skin in winter.
If you don't mind smelling like a chocolate bar for half a day that is.

Thanks again!

[SlightlySoprano]

Most of all I think your hair needs a BREAK!!!

I would suggest pick one thing (SMT for example) and stick with it for a little while without putting a different mask on it every day.

Try to see if you can stretch out your washes too! Something like this happened to me and honestly, it took me a week of not washing my hair and purposely letting my hair get greasy, then combing the oils down the shaft THEN GENTLY!!! (baby shampoo) shampoo and conditioner it...

[serious]

I use melted cocoa butter mixed with conditioner as a deep treatment whenever my ends feel dry, it works just fantastic :)

[CurlAhead]

Maybe you need some protein? I too think that you should stick with one thing at a time. Maybe you can leave some deep conditioner in your hair over the night?

[littlenvy]

I think you are on a right path. Keep it up, it takes time for hair to get back to 'normal'.
One thing, I too have dyed fine thin hair like you and coconut oil does more harm then good for me. I find that heavier more moist oils like Olive Oil work much better. Also try ACV rinse to bring back the Ph balance.

Good Luck! And don't worry. Your hair will be well in a little while. :)

[Kathie]

I’m a glycerine fan, it penetrates the hair shaft and attracts water= a true moisturiser for your hair. I have it in a spray bottle at around 10&#37; concentration. So I just spritz the ends when they are feeling dry. I also like oils that penetrate the shaft like olive, sweet almond and coconut.

But I think the best advice is to just give it time...

[McFearless]

I think you should calm down on all the different treatments and use a simple yet effective routine. You wont know what works if you do everything at once! Im glad you're having success with CO. Have you tried oil treatments before CO washes? They work really well and conditioner removes them perfectly. A little oil leave in might work well too. Once a week deep treatments are good too. Just keep it simple and protect your hair. It will be long enough to trim soon.

[annieangel149]

just incase somone hasnt mentioned it: TRY COCONUT MILK!! just tip the whole can over your hair and wrap it in a towel! leave it for 1.5-2 hours! when my hair was damaged from over perming my hair soaked it up and loved it! i did it once a week!

[Orange Queen]

Thanks. Will try to go easy with the treatments.
Kathie, I tried Glycerine before, and it's way to heavy for my hair even in diluted form. Made me look like an oil slick and was next to impossible to get out.

McFearless, that's what I've been doing, oiling and then conditioner wash out.

My hair seems to love jojoba. After I used it hair seems almost human like.
I even put some Jojoba oil in before I went to sleep, and when I woke up in the morning my hair wasn't greasy at all (huge surprise because my hair is super fine), and was actually somewhat healthier looking.

annieangel149, coconut milk? Wow would've never thought of that. It seems like it can't hurt, so coconut milk it is for my next treatment.

I find it funny that most people (well, outside this forum ofcourse :) ) never baby or take care of their hair properly until some sort of a hair disaster happens. I used to just wash my hair, brush it while it's wet, blowdry. iron, etc.etc. Mayo treatment once-twice a month or when I remembered it. Now I'm hair obsessed. My hair gets babied like it's made out of fine silk or something lol.