Please Help! RE: Severe Damage

[angel_night]

HI everyone :) I'm new here and I come to you with a problem :(

I have hair that is just above BSL. I have been on a mission for several years to grow it, and finally broke the barrier that my hair refsued to grow past last year.

However, I'm terrified I've ruined it :( I don't know if any of you have heard of this product, but I bought the Babyliss Root Boost about 4 months ago. Basically, it does little half inch/inch crimps at the root of your hair to give you volume that lasts and isn't frizzy. Great! Loved it! Made my hair look fantastic. i became rather obsessed with it, using it (and I now realise unnecessarily) nearly everyday...

I always thought I had quite a good care routine. I wash my hair 3 times a week with a decent shampoo and then a good conditioner which included keratin in it. Then I'd put on some of the John Frieda frizz ease serum. I also use heat protector spray.

However a couple of weeks ago I noticed that above my ear on my left side the a load of the hair has broen off to 1/2 inches in length :( I didn't understand and thought I must have had a freak accident with my shaver and brushed it agaisnt the hair there (I have done similar things in the past lol, silly me :rolleyes:).

I noticed though this time last week that on the other side of my hair a lopad had also broken off there, though not to the same extent. I can only put this down to the use of the Babyliss Root Boost as the hair should be stronger ast the root ebcause if new, so can;t be because of long term damage and because of where it is breaking off to it seems to go hand in hand with the crimp area.

Needless to say I have immediately stopped using it! I have also emailed the company explaining my situation and how they should put a warning on it. I've been using heat products for years ans yes, I do have split ends, but I just didn't think (which i think many wouldn't!) that my hair would ever rbeak off so close to the root :(

I have bought products from kerastase which are meant for damaged hair in the hope that it will prevent any fuither damage. Has anyone had any success with these products?

Everytime I run my fingers through my hair where I have previously used the product I get almost everytime at least 1 hair, sometimes up to 5 :(

I'm so scaredd I'm going to have hair rbeakage to one inch all over the hair that I have used this product on. I'm terrified, and as this is a long hair forum, I'm hoping you can understand why :(

Has anyone experienced any damage like this before? And can anyone offer any advice?

Also, is hair directly above the ear more delicate and fragile than the hair on the rest of your head? Some of my friends/family have said that it is (but I don't know if that is just in effort to calm me..)

Sorry for such a long post...ATM it's one of my biggest worries and I am so upset over it :(

[Nightshade]

Well, you're at the right place, so that's a start :grouphug:

I had horribly damaged hair too, though my damage was from dye. It took YEARS to rehabilitate and grow out, but it's possible.

There's an article on how I did it in my siggy, it'd probably be worth the read :)

[angel_night]

Well, you're at the right place, so that's a start :grouphug:

I had horribly damaged hair too, though my damage was from dye. It took YEARS to rehabilitate and grow out, but it's possible.

There's an article on how I did it in my siggy, it'd probably be worth the read :)

Im so worried that I won't be able to grow it out to get it cut out because it won't stay in a decent enough condition to get to that point :(

I'm really struggling to find what to do, because the itnernet doesn't seem to bring up anything about breakage from the roots like this..only split ends (which I probab;y need to look at as well really!).

I checked out the article and it is reassuring that you managed to cut out all your damage eventually! I'm hoping that i will be able to do the same, but I have 2 years grow to where the hair that I have lost was and up to 3 years for the hair that I am worried I could lose. I'm worried it won't stay strong enough for that... :(

[spidermom]

You are also continually shedding hairs and growing new hairs, so some of what you are seeing may be normal new hair growth combined with normally shed hairs. Try to relax.

[Nightshade]

Hang in there :) I totally understand how you feel :(

And you are right, your hair may well keep breaking at the roots, it may well have a ton of splits, BUT there are good things!


- Right now, this exact second, your hair IS growing. You have undamaged hair coming out of your head right now.

- You know and understand what went wrong

- You're in a great place full of information and emotional support to help you get back the hair you want.


The only hard part is it's going to take some patience.


I've never used it, but I know there's an intensive damage-repair treatment out there that others here have used. Perhaps someone that knows what it is will drop by with the name.

That said, what your hair probably needs most right now is a break. Give it lots of moisture, protein, and TLC. Handle it as gently and as little as possible, perhaps look at a satin pillowcase?

[Anywhere]

Im so worried that I won't be able to grow it out to get it cut out because it won't stay in a decent enough condition to get to that point :(

Baby it. Baby it now, continue babying it for as long as you have/want long hair. Don't stress over the little amounts of hair, I usually lose way more than that every time I run my fingers through my hair. Stress makes it worse, IMO. :grouphug:

[mariazelie]

Oh, this is upsetting for sure and you must be very disappointed, but perhaps if you are careful you will only get a little more breakage and it won't show that much. My sides broke off half way up after a perm two years ago, just in time for a trip to Europe, the only one I will probably ever take, for a very special occasion. I wear it up, anyway, but it was hot humid summer time and the sides were too short to stay back nicely. And here I was planning a special trip and at odds with my hair. I was horrified. I mustered up some fortitude and made the best of it. I was determined not to let it ruin my trip. I was really angry, especially at the timing, but some of these life/hair lessons are cruel. I am sure you will never make the same mistake again. Take heart, it will all right itself in time. You have a lot of friends here.

[sweet&sourkiwi]

I haven't used the product, but for what it's worth...I have horrible breakage from past abuse, and lose sooo much hair everyday. It's almost heartbreaking to see it come out in the shower, on the brush, on its own...but the amazing thing is, I still have almost BSL length hair. Damaged, yes somewhat, but I don't look like a circus freak or a balding 20-something or anything like that. I get compliments on my hair too! While I am no Pantene commercial...I am still presentable and I still feel pretty, even with all the breakage.

What I'm trying to say is, even if you are experiencing breakage up that high (and I do too) there are still plenty of hairs left on your head and, as my best friend always says, "it won't be noticed from the side of a trotting horse." People will see your beautiful BSL hair before they see the breakage, and most likely will not notice at all.

Don't panic, don't start over. Just baby it, smooth down the breakage with a smidge of oil, and rock it. And thank you for warning the rest of us away from the Babyliss!

[LunaMoon]

Hello angel_night
I am very sorry about what happened with your hair. Just want to add that Kerastase is really great for damaged hair. Also, nightshade's advice on satin pillowcase is very good.
Already tryed both (kerastase and satin pc) in a bad breakage I had 1 year ago. Helped to save my hair from cutting very short.
Other idea is stoping with keratin, because if your hair is not very well moisturized can start breaking a lot as well.

[gthlvrmx]

time for some repair treatments dear :D and maybe taking off those damaged ends, i know i know, but its best to have a safe healthy end than one that continues to break.
honestly, i had such a terrible damaged head scare, handfuls of hair fell out and my hair was not curly anymore, it was just poof, hard, crinkly, and super dry. i had to cut 2 inches and do repair treatments(which i found at sally's) and do that every time i showered, by the second month it was back to normal
i suggest checking the ingredients for that thing you used, and changing ur routine
i personally do not trust chemicals much and like natural stuff better like oils and such. the more chemical stuff usually does stuff to your hair after a period of time in usage.

[RancheroTheBee]

1) Hair next to the ears, for me at least, is usually pretty fragile. I also accumulate a lot of damage near the crown. You can indeed have more fragile hair in some spots.

2) Please don't feel bad. They don't exactly put warnings on those things, and magazines tell you they're great for your hair, and I personally had no idea you weren't supposed to use a flatiron every day until my hair started coming out in clumps.

3) In addition to Nightshade's damaged hair article (which saved my rear, I'll tell you) I'd also suggest this (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=8) article.

4) You'll want to handle your hair as infrequently as possible for as long as you can, at least a couple of months. I also have no doubt it was this tool that caused all this damage. Your best bet would be to go through all the articles for the moment, but otherwise try to be as gentle with your hair as possible.

:) Good luck.

[angel_night]

Hi guys,
Thanks so much for all your replies!
I feel a bit better today :)
Although above my ear I do think it's thinning and breaking off a bit more it hasn't got to the stage of the other side. Nor has the worst side appeared to get any worse I don't think, in the past week. Which is hopefully a good sign!
I've used a hot oil treatment on my hair the past 2 types I've washed it, along with the kerastase products. I'm hoping that these will hopefully repair the rest of my hairin the next few months and hopefully prevent too much more breakage (I'm guessing that some will just be too far gone to rescue..)

I didn't notice it happening I guess ebcause I thought my hair would feel awful...My hair feels soft (and still does), I guess as the shampoo and conditioner that I use are very good for moisturising. The products that I use that do have keratin in them only have a teeny tiny bit, so I don't think that that will have done much/any damage. It's definitely the root boost heated product that's caused it.

Babyliss are sending me a pre-paid postage label this week so I can send them the root boost. They sais they are going to examine it, but I don't know what for really...It isn't broken, it does what it say, it just ruins your hair without a warning...

I think maybe I;m panicing about too much hair that I am shedding. Reading on here has shown that up to 100 hairs a day is normal. I may lose that much, I don't really know lol, but unless I wash it there doesn't seem to be too much noticable hair falling out now I am more calm! I can't really remember how much hair I used to lose though to compare it to, as I never paid attention to it before :/ Mind, I did always used to say to my boyfriend that a dog wouldn't be much worse than me, and if he can deal with my hair shedding, he can deal with a dogs as well lol. I also can't remember how easy/difficult it was before to snap off my hair before I noticed this...

I'm hoping I've caught it early enough and it's reassuring to read that others have had severe damage and managed to get their hair through it!

Stressing definitely won't be helping and I've been under a lot the pasyt 2 weeks..though thankfuly deadlines have now passed! Yay

[angel_night]

Hi guys,
It's been two months now since I first noticed the breakage about an inch/inch and a half from the root. I have given upthe root boost completely and have been using the kerastase products each time I wash my hair (2-3 times a week). I've also added in a moisturising treatment between the shampoo and conditioner as I am aware too much protein (which i think the kerastase resistance range is made of) is also not too good for your hair...

I'd started to htink that it had now stopped, as although aorund my ears it got worse for a period of time, there is no denying that, it hadn't appeared to spread furhter round my head.
But last night I noticed some strands all together broken at 2 inches :( furhter round my head...I don't know if I've just never noticed this or if this is new :( I do religiously check it though these days for signs of spreading, but it is a small amount so I am praying I just haven't noticed...

The areas where the hair had broken have grown, so they are now 2-3 inches long in length, which is good. What distresses me with this area is the amount of time that it's going to take for it to catch up to the rest of my hair and how awful it is potentialy going to look as it grows :( My other concern is that my hair 2 inches from my crown is signifcantly weaker than my hair lower down...My worry is how long it's going to take before it does eventually break off, as I don't know if it has the strangth to mke it to wheremy ends are now...

I just can't believe how horrible this is and the fact that it is happening :( i knew heat wasn;t good foir your hair but I had no idea it could do this level of damage over a matter of months...The fact that it is at the starts of my hair is the worst bit :(

[spidermom]

By the way, every time I run my fingers through my hair, I end up with at least one hair coming out, too. It doesn't mean anything except that I most likely raked a shed hair out.

[angel_night]

Thank you, it's reassuring that others also get hairs come out when they run their fingers through their hair, especvially when they have healthy hair.

What does panic me is that I still seem to lose close to 100 hairs every time I wash it. I lose about 50-60 usually in the washing process (sometimes more, sometimes less) and then whilst it dries and I run my figners through I seem to lose another 20-30...

I just wish i knew what it would be like in a few months time/a years time so I can prepare for it, or I could go back in time and never buy the root boost :(

[RitaPG]

I'm sorry you are going through that, when I first joined LHC, I was also getting a lot of breakage (not because of heat, but because of dye and bad haircare) and I had to cut a LOT, I had hair reaching down my elbows and had it cut to barely BSL. So I kinda understand your stress :grouphug:

One thing that's helped me a lot weren't expensive conditioners and treatments, but coconut oil. I probably say this a lot lol, but it really made my hair softer and easier to cope with. It's not too expensive, I think you really should give it a try. It's actually very common in India and Polynesia (I think?). Just slather a lot of it on your length a couple of hours before every wash, and use a tiny little bit on the ends after the shower, and you'll see the difference. Coconut oil supposedly helps prevent protein loss too, so it's all good :inlove:
At some point you'll figure out what conditioners will work best on your damaged hair, it's not something I can help you with, but for now I hope this helps.
Also, don't get too worried about it, it will grow faster than you think :)
Oh and throw away that babyliss from hell!

[Mesmerise]

I understand your pain and frustration! I don't have hair broken from damage, but I did have massive hair shedding last year, and there are some areas on my head that are just full of much shorter hairs than the rest of it. Even up at my hairline I can grab chunks of hair that are probably only 3 to 4" long.... It's very frustrating, because I know how long it will take for those hairs to get back to normal length, and because of all the shedding I have terrible taper too!

The only thing you or I or anyone else with hair problems can do, though, is be patient. And, try not to stress! Stress causes hair loss, so the last thing you want to do is stress about your hair so much that you start losing more hair!

[Annie Fulton]

Don't worry too much about it. ;) For one thing, it is normal to lose some hair when you run your fingers through, as we are constantly shedding, as others have said. That happens to me too. Also, since you know what the culprit is and you have stopped, now you just have to really start caring for your hair. I would advise you to stay away from anything that may cause unecessary damage, i.e. heat products, chemical hair dye, ect. Even brushing your hair can damage it if it is done too roughly. So just be good to your hair and be happy that you caught the problem before it became much worse. ;)

[bumblebums]

You might be shedding, which is normal, or you might be pulling off broken hairs that were damaged by that tool. (By the way, I am amused by the company's response--if I were you, I would ask them for a full refund and for the cost of shipping it back, and not pursue the matter further... they will not admit liability, and it would cost you more time and effort to prove it than is worth. Just consider it a valuable lesson learned.)

The best way to grow out damage while maintaining length is the one outlined in Nightshade's article--there is no way to repair it, so you might as well focus on trimming off the damaged ends and baby your new growth. The good news is that the damage to your hair is mechanical as opposed to chemical or internal (=health-related)--mechanical damage is by far the easiest to deal with, since it affects the part of your hair that is dead anyway. So cheer up--it's not as bad as it could be!

[Elenna]

Angel Night, can you stop all the hot oil treatments and Kerastase, etc. You are using too many commerical products. Instead you might try natural products like coconut oil, jojoba oil, or shea butter on your hair, start with small amounts, as hair treatments. It does take a while to get results though.

[braidedbeauty]

I don't have any personal experience with something like this but I can give you some advice. First of all I would stop using so many products! You are just layering the amount of harmful chemicals your putting on your hair. Second I have had tremendous success with homeopathic methods for almost everything one of these things is the dry frizziness of my hair. I learned soon after it started getting out of control the true MIRACLE of olive oil!

Olive oil is a gift from above in my book because not only did it help defrizz and relax my hair but it is a miracle worker on damaged hair. Please excuse the nasty story ahead.

Awhile ago my grandmother had developed this nervous tick of scratching her head CONSTANTLY! And I had for awhile been washing her hair for her about once a week and one week I looked at her scalp and discovered that she had actually scratched a huge section of her scalp bald.

After that I took some olive oil heated it in the microwave for maybe 30 seconds and messaged it into her scalp for 10 mins or so then let it sit for an hour before washing it out...I could not believe my eyes when a single week later I saw new hair beginning to grow in this bald spot! It took maybe 2-3 month for her hair to fully grow back my mom and I were absolutely facinated by it and we both cover our hair in olive oil once a week before washing it now. :)

[ravenreed]

I had to look up what a Root Boost is. After seeing a video on it, I understand why you have so much breakage. Read Nightshades's article, if you haven't already, as it has great advice for dealing with severe damage. Other than that, just wait. If you treat your hair well, the damage will grow out and you can go forward from there.

My hair is healthy and full in spite of the fact that I shed constantly. There is a continual battle in my house to vacuum up the loose hairs on the carpet. I would think at this point I should be bald, but I have plenty of hair left. Sorry for your bad experience, but if you read up on hair care and end up with a better routine, you should have years of happy growing ahead of you.

[jojo]

Oh what a horrible experience for you. I also second the evoo (extra virgin olive oil) its done wonders for my hair. I also recommended aphogee 2 step protein treatment, I use this every 3-4 months and I swear it has preserved my ends, which split due to being fine. Its a strong treatment which requires a deep conditioning treatment after but never fails to get my hair back on track.
Again sorry you have experienced this, your hair will grow just put it down to experience.

[daaisychains]

Use lots of olive oil :)
Try and wear your hair up as much as you can and like put your hair in a bun when it's damp with a leave in conditioner. ( Damp not wet hair)


You'll get lots of help here.
But remember the hair you've use the root boost on is already damaged it's not going to get healthy again so you'll have to grow that out and keep the new hair that's growing in healthy :)