What to do, what to do.

[squee]

hello again!
I am in need of hair advice.

Looks like after many months of sadness (Drama (dumb ex-BF and his mommy), Bladder infection & kidney stone(stupid thing backed up my poor kidney and still isn't out yet). Me being not smart(stress!) by not nightly braiding the hairs or being nice to it, plus all the hard water from the shower.....I don't think they use water softener here, poor dishwasher is even sad.

My hair got SUPER tangled (thank you Kiss my face detangler, jojoba for fixing that mostly). I tried a SMT (made hair greasy, guess too much loves?), then I attempted some clarifying (that Aubery organics shampoo w/ nettle + protein (my hair loves that shampoo!), did a tiny condition (with a solid bar thing!), hair still was sad, so I did another protein thing in the form of a shampoo bar with honey and egg in it and a AVC rinse.

hair still feels gunky and dry and generally nasty (even with the jojoba and the NB Pancena hair stuff), perhaps a stronger AVC and another clarify? I am out of ideas, any ideas? My poor hairs!

Oh yeah, did a herbal rinse after the washing off of the SMT....and this all happened within about 3 days.

Hair got to 36inches (just below my tailbone) with a thickness of 3.5in (think it was more before)...but I think I am guna chop off 5inches unless it gets better, velcro ends, I hate them! I will give it a few weeks of love before I chop.

Stupid stress and hair *grumbles angerly*
sorry for the rant, you guys have any ideas, stronger AVC + another clarify and general better care guna help some?

[Firefox7275]

Maybe go back to basics, used the products that worked for you before? Or stick with the a single new product for a few weeks before introducing another? Or look at your nutrition?

[Amraann]

I would try some serious conditioning.

[squee]

Maybe go back to basics, used the products that worked for you before? Or stick with the a single new product for a few weeks before introducing another? Or look at your nutrition?

Been eating good for a while now, using same stuff, same old routine from before I moved into this place.

[Khiwanean]

I noticed several of the the things you've tried had protein. It sounds like it could be protein overload. Try taking it easy on the protein for a while.

[AnnaJamila]

I'd say just trim and get rid of the velcro. I know the feeling; I never really get split ends but if I get careless for a bit the ends feel "crunchy". I obsess about it for a week, then just trim. Even if I don't trim as much as I feel I need to, it still helps. Maybe start with 1/2 inch and see from there? You might not need to cut as much as you think!

Otherwise, my advice is just slap on some oil that you know suits it then pile it all on top of your head or under a heat cap and leave it. It is the weekend!

:p And with hair that long I'm sure you look beautiful!

[squee]

I noticed several of the the things you've tried had protein. It sounds like it could be protein overload. Try taking it easy on the protein for a while.

my hair seems to enjoy protein more then moister for some reason. I must be broke! :)
Wonder if it revered itself! Perhaps for a little bit it wants it the other way around....hmmm
But the gunky mess did start with the SMT which had next to no protein in it....oh well

ah well
I will trim off a few inches after a shower tomorrow, easier to cut wet hair for me after I find my scissors.
and slather it with yummy oils

[Jimothea]

I'm sorry you're having such a rotten time with your hair/etc., right now; things will look up soon, I'm sure!

While I'm not sure how much help, as the saying goes, two heads are always better than one--so here's my input...

1.) Take a breath and give your hair a break for a bit, if your scalp can stand it. You've tried a LOT all at once, and that's a great deal of stimuli for your hair to absorb, so to speak. If I were you, I'd stretch as long as possible till the next wash, all while treating it "vewy, vewy nicewy," lol; proverbial old lace kind of thing.

2.) After the break, clarify--and don't condition or oil or anything. Just clarify. Then let your hair air dry untouched, and once it's completely dry, have a good, long look-see at it. Right now it sounds like you may have gotten too much protein, but then again my hair hates protein and I realize that makes me biased. Anway, Kirin's got a great article for diagnosing hair issues. Too much protein? Too much moisture? Both? Not enough of one, the other, or both? Diet? You'll have a better idea when it's freshly clarified.

3.) After the look-see, you'll hopfully be able to figure out a good paln of attack. I wouldn't do so much at once though...what with everything going on in your life, sneak your remedies up on your hair so it doesn't get more freaked out (I notice I tend to think of my hair like a cat...I have no idea why...lol). Stick with one thing for more than a few washes before switching, that way you can really tell if it helps or not.


Having said all that, I hope you find a solution; I know what trouble bad ends can be...don't be sad! Hang in there. hth.

[Jimothea]

Oh, wow! I must be a slow typer, lol....

a nice trim always works, too

[BunnyBee]

I think you need to clarify with sulphates. Plant/'natural' products are great, but they still can and do leave a residue, especially as it sounds you're using various soap based products. Vinegar may not rinse all that out.

[Kristin]

I think you need to clarify with sulphates. Plant/'natural' products are great, but they still can and do leave a residue, especially as it sounds you're using various soap based products. Vinegar may not rinse all that out.

I second this advice! ;)

[Shany]

I think you should give it a little break and trim your ends. It could be protein overload. Last year, I thought my hair needed protein because everytime I was doing a protein treatment, it made my hair very soft, but a couple of hours later I had velcro, tangly, dry ends. I had protein buildup and cones made it worse. Spritzing/misting hair with some water helped a lot. Your could try to braid your hair when it's damp and leave it overnight.

I also had a kidney stone at 19 years old, it was the most painful thing ever!!!

[HintOfMint]

Yeah, you should get a very simple, sulfate-based clarifying shampoo without protein or anything else that could leave a residue. Neutrogena makes a really good one, I've mentioned it before. It's called (fittingly) Anti-Residue. It's pretty amazing.

[squee]

I will take all your advice into consideration

I did oil my hair last night, then shampoo with that clarifying green tea/nettle stuff from aubery, with a VERY strong (like 4tbs/3c water stong), seems to be doing better (not great, but better!). Ends are MUCH better, I really think my hair likes protein! Must be broke :) guna let it be for a week, then rewash, hopefully that will fix it. Will chop 3inches later, looking at it, they don't look half bad on the ends somehow. huh...I expected much worse, perhaps just an inch!

Washed it like 5 hrs ago, feels funny (tiny bit of gunk) but it is soft, no roughness, used some jojoba oil (on the ends)
ah well, hope this image thing works, it is huge (going to do a web link) and I cannot make it smaller, ignore the date I am lazy and my hand is on the inner curve of my hip! So the very tips are just under the end of my tailbone.

http://tinypic.com/r/dy5ceg/7

[squee]

I think you should give it a little break and trim your ends. It could be protein overload. Last year, I thought my hair needed protein because everytime I was doing a protein treatment, it made my hair very soft, but a couple of hours later I had velcro, tangly, dry ends. I had protein buildup and cones made it worse. Spritzing/misting hair with some water helped a lot. Your could try to braid your hair when it's damp and leave it overnight.

I also had a kidney stone at 19 years old, it was the most painful thing ever!!!

Somehow that makes me happy to know I am not the only super young female to get a kidney stone. They don't even run in my family! It just came out of no where. well during a bladder infection (2nd one in 6 months, makes me wonder)

and yes, they do suck very much so.

[sunnyhope]

Somehow that makes me happy to know I am not the only super young female to get a kidney stone. They don't even run in my family! It just came out of no where. well during a bladder infection (2nd one in 6 months, makes me wonder)

and yes, they do suck very much so.


I promise you that you are not the only one: i have had them several times.
My advice to your hair is clarify,have at least an inch cut off( don't do more than one inch at the time) then give your hair some TLC:It will need moisture too especially if its virgin hair it will need more moisture than protein but hair does need both.


BTW after looking at your pictures I would as a hairdresser and long hair lover recommend you to have a trim:)
I promise it will help:cheese:

[squee]

I promise you that you are not the only one: i have had them several times.
My advice to your hair is clarify,have at least an inch cut off( don't do more than one inch at the time) then give your hair some TLC:It will need moisture too especially if its virgin hair it will need more moisture than protein but hair does need both.


BTW after looking at your pictures I would as a hairdresser and long hair lover recommend you to have a trim:)
I promise it will help:cheese:

I will be doing a trim soon, when i feel like it. :)
I do them myself so, yay?!

[loralie]

I live in a place with really hard water, and had extemely dry hair no matter what I tried until I got a showerhead filter. It has seriously saved my hair, and they aren't to expensive. I still have dry moments but my hair is way happier since I put it in!

[squee]

I live in a place with really hard water, and had extemely dry hair no matter what I tried until I got a showerhead filter. It has seriously saved my hair, and they aren't to expensive. I still have dry moments but my hair is way happier since I put it in!

I live in an apartment :(