Help! My fine hair wants to be loved...

[americanjan1]

I just joined after lurking for years. I've suffered with hair-hate for my whole life until I got tired of being mad at it all the time. I have superfine 1b/f/i hair. There isn't a whole lot of it.

I've recently begun COwashing and discovered I have baby waves. No curls, and it isn't all wavy, which makes it hard to not blow-dry it. It's straight in some places, especially on the sides. I have a tragic cowlick on the backside of my crown and it infuriates me because it's so bad it shows scalp.

My hair is so fine and slippery that it doesn't stay up unless I use hairspray. It doesn't hold curl and it refuses to stay straight. What is that??!? It knots up when I leave it down and only looks decent for the first couple of hours. Then it strings up and gets tangled. The hair at the nape is laughable. Only one side of it grows. The other side stays about 3" long at all times. The sides don't grow as fast as the back, either, so I am in a neverending cycle of my hair always being different lengths. The only thing right now that I really like about it is that it's SO soft. Unfortunately, the softness is the same reason it won't act right. Wearing a bun is almost pointless because it is so thin it looks seriously puny. My buns are about the size of an unshelled peanut. I can't even get away with a sock bun using a kid's sock.

I have gone cone free (except for the wash at the salon, after which I do a clarifying treatment) and CO wash almost daily because I'm sick of putting it in a ponytail due to breakage. I can only wear a ponytail on a second or third day because it's so stringy and gross if I wear it down. It was APL but I cut about two inches off. I used to highlight it but now my stylist uses a blonde color instead of bleach and it has helped the health of my hair tremendously. I need the color, unfortunately, because my hair is an odd shade of brown that isn't very flattering to my skintone. My hair is actually fairly healthy, which is nice, but it's so fine that it snaps very easily.

I'm kind of lost as to what to do about it, but I am sick to death of hating it. I want it to grow long and beautiful; I can deal with the fine texture if it would stop snapping and breaking. I'm going to try catnip rinses and see if that helps any. I need a product to use for a little bit of life but I have a hard time finding products that are cone-free and alcohol-free. Olive oil, shea butter and coconut oil are out becuase my hair hates them. Even in small doses.

My current routine is:
COwash: Suave Naturals Mango Mandarin
CO: Terax Crema (stinks but I've been able to stop the hair-hate since using it)
Clarifying: Johnson's Baby Shampoo (Only after the salon uses their stupid coney conditioner)

The best thing I've done so far is stop using cones. Until LHC I had no idea they were causing me so many problems. I ordered some of Nightblooming's Panacea Salve to try because I am hoping that a bit of it just on my ends will help them not split. Even though it contains oil, I was hopeful that the creamy consistency is something that works for me, but it still looks crunchy, even though I used the tiniest bit on just the ends.

Any suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

[americanjan1]

I thought about trying cassia. I'm wondering if I would be sensitive to that.

[spidermom]

I hope you get some helpful suggestions. I have crazy-thick hair so have no experience in caring for the opposite.

Welcome.

[Joribear]

I just joined after lurking for years. I've suffered with hair-hate for my whole life until I got tired of being mad at it all the time. I have superfine 1b/f/i hair. There isn't a whole lot of it.

I've recently begun COwashing and discovered I have baby waves. No curls, and it isn't all wavy, which makes it hard to not blow-dry it. It's straight in some places, especially on the sides. I have a tragic cowlick on the backside of my crown and it infuriates me because it's so bad it shows scalp.

My hair is so fine and slippery that it doesn't stay up unless I use hairspray. It doesn't hold curl and it refuses to stay straight. What is that??!? It knots up when I leave it down and only looks decent for the first couple of hours. Then it strings up and gets tangled. The hair at the nape is laughable. Only one side of it grows. The other side stays about 3" long at all times. The sides don't grow as fast as the back, either, so I am in a neverending cycle of my hair always being different lengths. The only thing right now that I really like about it is that it's SO soft. Unfortunately, the softness is the same reason it won't act right. Wearing a bun is almost pointless because it is so thin it looks seriously puny. My buns are about the size of an unshelled peanut. I can't even get away with a sock bun using a kid's sock.

I have gone cone free (except for the wash at the salon, after which I do a clarifying treatment) and CO wash almost daily because I'm sick of putting it in a ponytail due to breakage. I can only wear a ponytail on a second or third day because it's so stringy and gross if I wear it down. It was APL but I cut about two inches off. I used to highlight it but now my stylist uses a blonde color instead of bleach and it has helped the health of my hair tremendously. I need the color, unfortunately, because my hair is an odd shade of brown that isn't very flattering to my skintone. My hair is actually fairly healthy, which is nice, but it's so fine that it snaps very easily.

I'm kind of lost as to what to do about it, but I am sick to death of hating it. I want it to grow long and beautiful; I can deal with the fine texture if it would stop snapping and breaking. I'm going to try catnip rinses and see if that helps any. I need a product to use for a little bit of life but I have a hard time finding products that are cone-free and alcohol-free. Olive oil, shea butter and coconut oil are out becuase my hair hates them. Even in small doses.

My current routine is:
COwash: Suave Naturals Mango Mandarin
CO: Terax Crema (stinks but I've been able to stop the hair-hate since using it)
Clarifying: Johnson's Baby Shampoo (Only after the salon uses their stupid coney conditioner)

The best thing I've done so far is stop using cones. Until LHC I had no idea they were causing me so many problems. I ordered some of Nightblooming's Panacea Salve to try because I am hoping that a bit of it just on my ends will help them not split. Even though it contains oil, I was hopeful that the creamy consistency is something that works for me, but it still looks crunchy, even though I used the tiniest bit on just the ends.

Any suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

I don't have fine hair, but just some thoughts:

Re: mix and match hair (i.e. wavy, curly, straight): You might find that as your hair grows and you are COwashing for longer those pesky straight hairs will start to wave/curl. They may not - sometimes hair is just funky! I get beautiful spiral curls on my long hair, but my chin length "bangs" are usually straight arrows!

Have you tried pure Aloe Vera Gel for your hair? I know some people swear by it. I can't use it because it makes my hair greasy within an hour of putting it in my hair, which means I have to wash it again! Boo!

[americanjan1]

I hope to high heaven that I find more waves!

How would I use Aloe Vera Gel? And what kind would I get? Is there something specific?

[Joribear]

I hope to high heaven that I find more waves!

How would I use Aloe Vera Gel? And what kind would I get? Is there something specific?

This (http://www.amazon.com/Fruit-Earth-100%25-Aloe-Vera/dp/B0009VNI40/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1312421638&sr=8-3) is the kind I've bought (and given away). Don't buy it from that link tho, if you have a Wal-Mart near you, you can get it much cheaper! A handy hint - it isn't by the sunburn/sunblock section, it's in the lotion section!

You use it just like you would regular hair gel - no cones, no alcohol. If you live in an arid climate, be careful, it is an humectant and can cause your hair to lose moisture.

[americanjan1]

I won't have that problem...it's muggy madness where I live! Thanks for the suggestion! I am going to try that ASAP.

[americanjan1]

Since I will be getting some aloe vera gel, I think I will try an SMT as well.

[taimatsuko]

Hello! I have fine hair too but it's not particularly thin... However I do know about hair hate! I definitely have spent most of my life fighting with and hating my hair, wishing it could be like any and everyone else's hair. The thing that's worked best for me is just giving up and learning to accept it. Just like you can't choose your family but you have to love them anyway. You can't choose your hair. My hair grows at different rates, and tangles up, and always looks a bit off but so be it. I will love it anyway.

advise wise... I would say try to get away from the dye if you can. If your hair is really fine it's already crazy sensitive to damage. Do you have any pictures with our natural color? If you were born with it, I'm sure it must be a lovely color. I've had borderline black/brown hair all of my life and always tinted it wine colored but when I stopped I realized that my color had some nice features all it's own. At the very least it's unique to me.

Hope I don't sound to preachy. Best of luck to you! I hope you are able to make peace.

[Ermine]

I just joined after lurking for years. I've suffered with hair-hate for my whole life until I got tired of being mad at it all the time. I have superfine 1b/f/i hair. There isn't a whole lot of it.

I've recently begun COwashing and discovered I have baby waves. No curls, and it isn't all wavy, which makes it hard to not blow-dry it. It's straight in some places, especially on the sides. I have a tragic cowlick on the backside of my crown and it infuriates me because it's so bad it shows scalp.

My hair is so fine and slippery that it doesn't stay up unless I use hairspray. It doesn't hold curl and it refuses to stay straight. What is that??!? It knots up when I leave it down and only looks decent for the first couple of hours. Then it strings up and gets tangled. The hair at the nape is laughable. Only one side of it grows. The other side stays about 3" long at all times. The sides don't grow as fast as the back, either, so I am in a neverending cycle of my hair always being different lengths. The only thing right now that I really like about it is that it's SO soft. Unfortunately, the softness is the same reason it won't act right. Wearing a bun is almost pointless because it is so thin it looks seriously puny. My buns are about the size of an unshelled peanut. I can't even get away with a sock bun using a kid's sock.

I have gone cone free (except for the wash at the salon, after which I do a clarifying treatment) and CO wash almost daily because I'm sick of putting it in a ponytail due to breakage. I can only wear a ponytail on a second or third day because it's so stringy and gross if I wear it down. It was APL but I cut about two inches off. I used to highlight it but now my stylist uses a blonde color instead of bleach and it has helped the health of my hair tremendously. I need the color, unfortunately, because my hair is an odd shade of brown that isn't very flattering to my skintone. My hair is actually fairly healthy, which is nice, but it's so fine that it snaps very easily.

I'm kind of lost as to what to do about it, but I am sick to death of hating it. I want it to grow long and beautiful; I can deal with the fine texture if it would stop snapping and breaking. I'm going to try catnip rinses and see if that helps any. I need a product to use for a little bit of life but I have a hard time finding products that are cone-free and alcohol-free. Olive oil, shea butter and coconut oil are out becuase my hair hates them. Even in small doses.

My current routine is:
COwash: Suave Naturals Mango Mandarin
CO: Terax Crema (stinks but I've been able to stop the hair-hate since using it)
Clarifying: Johnson's Baby Shampoo (Only after the salon uses their stupid coney conditioner)

The best thing I've done so far is stop using cones. Until LHC I had no idea they were causing me so many problems. I ordered some of Nightblooming's Panacea Salve to try because I am hoping that a bit of it just on my ends will help them not split. Even though it contains oil, I was hopeful that the creamy consistency is something that works for me, but it still looks crunchy, even though I used the tiniest bit on just the ends.

Any suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

I'm in a similar situation with my hair, or will be. Also had some serious hair hate back when my hair was longer. But this time around I think I can get past it. I'm on the thin side of ii and trying to coax my hair into being thicker and wavier (or straighter, as long as it makes up its mind). It also tangles like crazy when it's longer. Hopefully I'll find a solution for that...

One thing that has helped me so far is make my scalp as happy as possible. Since I don't know what's going on with your scalp, I'll use myself as an example. I've always had a dry, itchy, dandruffy scalp. Using CO and ACV rinses along with monistat has been great for my scalp. Much less flaky and itchy. In turn, my hair has been growing faster and thicker. So I'd focus on your scalp and find out what makes it happy and your hair will thank you.

[Chiara]

I have fine hair that likes to go stringy too. It's also about 1b. Try experimenting with plopping or whitestilleto's drying technique to try and bring the movement out a bit more. When I don't have time for that, I also find that putting my hair up in a twist (with a butterfly clip) when about 75% dry can create some nice smooth whirls.

I found cassia worked really well- reduced the tangling A LOT and makes it feel and look more full. I mix the cassia with conditioner because I don't want any drying effects (which some people have reported when they mix cassia with water). Discovering Cassia has been a real 'deal-breaker' for me, in improving my hair's texture and manageability, so that I like how it looks. Or you could also try catnip (or both together!). They both give quite a golden colour (temporarily) which may also give your natural colour a bit of a lift if you're not totally happy with it.

I found that CO overloaded my hair. So I now CWC, using a very mild shampoo and only lightly conditioning the hair above my ears. This means it does not get too weighed down.

[QueenJoey]

You're practically describing my exact hair, word for word. Us tangly, half straight/half wavy fine hairs gotta stick together! We'll call ourselves "wispies". :p

[MonaLisa]

Welcome!
I'm sure you will feel better about your hair after few months, you're at a good place!
What I could suggest is washing less!
And do you comb it carefully and gently? hopefully not when wet?
Combing it before wash and then leaving it alone after brings all those waves and curls at least for me!
Also - try using castor oil on that cowlick at least!
It really really helped my hairline after a major shed, it works!
No dye if possible, no blow drying or any sort of styling and less hairdressers!
And also good food, vitamins and a lot of water!
Positive thoughts and a lot of love and patience! :)

[Alvrodul]

Welcome to LHC! :flower:
There is an enormous amount of hairy wisdom here - the problem for any newbie is sorting out what works for him or her, and what methods and products must be avoided at all costs! Experimanting should be done slowly and carefully, ideally you should wait at least two weeks before springing each new change on your hair - this way you will know how your hair will react to each particular change, and you don't risk driving it wild by dropping a ton of new things on your hair simultaneously.
I am another finie, but I have thicker hair than you, and my hair is straight rather than wavy, but hopefully you will get some tips from me.
First, have a look at your health and what you eat - do you get enough vitamins, minerals and proteins, and is your health otherwise good? both of these things will have an effect on your hair. Taking vitamins and eating healthy is a good idea anyway - any possible medical problems should be discussed with your doctor, though.
Also look at your detangling tools - I ditched all my bad old combs and brushes, and replaced them with good, seamless combs. I have come to the conclusion that those bad old brushes and combs actually did an astonishing amount of damage - also more careful handling of my hair in general has been good for it. The $$ I have spent on those combs have been an excellent investment!
I second taimatsuko's recommendation that you should try to get away from chemical colorants if you can. My hair does not get along with lightening products at all. It does somewhat better with chemical colors that dyes it darker, but it is now several years since I applied chemical colorants to my hair, and my hair is definitely the better for it! These days i use henna, and is delighted with the color and conditioning effects, but that is not for everybody - henna takes commitment, and the color is not suitable for everybody. But trying cassia is likely to be a good thing - you get the same sort of conditioning benefit as with henna, without the red color. Be aware that it doesn't work for everybody - some people's hair just don't get along with cassia or henna.
For me, it is a certain sign that I need to clarify if my ends get tangly - COwashing doesn't work as a steady diet for me, but it is very good that it works for you! My hair also likes oils - I use a bit f Panacea on the ends, and these days mostly Argan oil on the length - I tend to switch it around a bit, though. For you, with your very fine hair, only a tiny bit of the lightest oils should be used lest your hair gets weighed down and icky. Finding the right kind of oil can be tricky, but if you want to try out some exotic oils, you could try Nightblooming's oil samples (http://www.etsy.com/listing/78037260/natural-oil-samples-132-ounce) and see if you can find something that your hair will like.
And for moisture, if your hair doesn't like SMTs, you could look into catnip tea (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=476)!

[Kwongdzu]

I second the person who does CWC. For me, CO washing leaves my fine hair too soft and slippery. (You might also read through the Thin / Fine Hair thread, it has a lot of good tips and suggestions!)

[jackie_brown]

I would suggest cheratin treatment to strenghten the lenghts, also cassia and henna are good to increase the hair diameter and then the resistance to breakage and other mechanical-physical stress.
Have you ever try supplements?

[MsBubbles]

Hi Americanjan1!. First thing I wanted to say was...please quit using hairspray! It may very well be ruining your hair to where it looks thinner than it would otherwise. Scroll down to the hair-sprayed strands under a microscope photos in Nightshade's article about damage (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=79).

Second thing I wanted to say was....lucky you, you're a 1b! This means you actually have some body to your hair. Mine hangs dead straight no matter how little I want it to.

Third thing: how long is your hair?

I believe that if you explore this site and look out for things that work for other thin & fine hairs, you will find out how to bring out the best in your hair.

My hair is thicker and less straggly than it ever was my whole life, since I've been here the past few years. I'll never have a thick curtain of hair swinging about, but it's a whole lot healthier-looking than it was when I was highlighting, blow-drying and using hairspray (shudder!).

[Anje]

If you want a little inspiration, check some of the links from this page (http://www.haarkram.e-something.de/index2.html) (page is a bit old, and I'm not sure the navigation works anymore -- sorry). Madeleine has quite thin hair, and does some very pretty french twists with it. We have a number of other members who have slightly thicker but still i hair that can do awesome things with it.

Oh, for sock buns, make sure you have a sock that matches your haircolor or something close to it. I can't manage to hide a white sock either.

[americanjan1]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I am slowly trying to wean out the hairspray. I don’t really use that much as it is, but I would like to not use any at all. I am also trying to experiment and see what my hair likes and dislikes. It’s right around shoulder length and the growing-out layers are about chin length. I am going to get some cassia and try that, however I have an allergy to cinnamon so I am not sure how the cassia will affect me. I am going to do a spot test first. I hope to eventually be free of the hair dryer because right now I really do need it to create a decent enough style to wear to the office. If it were all straight or all wavy I would be able to manage, but with the mix, air drying just isn’t a good option. I wish it were. I’ve stopped using any other heat, including in the shower; I use tepid water to wash.

I appreciate all the links that everyone posted. I went and read them all. That’s great information. I guess I am just not good at the search function yet because I didn’t find any of those before. It was all great information!

[Anje]

I am going to get some cassia and try that, however I have an allergy to cinnamon so I am not sure how the cassia will affect me. I am going to do a spot test first.
While I'm not going to try to talk you out a spot test (probably wise for everyone, anyway), if you ordered the right thing it's a completely different cassia.

The Cassia obovata that we use in hair is an old classification of what's now called Senna italica. It's related to the laxative senna (but don't worry, you'd have to ingest it for the laxative effects :eyebrows:). On a related note, some members have ordered the powdered laxative plant intentionally and gotten great results using it on their hair.

Cinnamon, on the other hand, is a few Cinnamomum species. As near as I can tell, the two are not at all related.

ETA: I don't know if you've mentioned what color your hair is. Cassia/Senna has a yellowish dye molecule that usually wears off over time. People with darker hair don't normally see any significant change with it or notice that their hair is a slightly warmer or more golden tone. People with light blond or gray hair, however, tend to notice the color more. If you're very fair-haired (like a friend of mine with hair similar to what you describe), you will probably want to strand-test before applying it.

[archel]

I found that CO really weighed my hair down. Only do it rarely now for a touch up but not for regular cleansing. I did an SMT yesterday and my hair sucked it up and today I don't have the tangly velcro ends anymore - it's worth a shot and it has no oils in it! My hair is moisturized but not limp. Also, argan oil is very light if you use just a couple drops. Love it!

[HereIGrowAgain]

When I first switched over to the curly girl method (I do a modified curly girl, but that's not important here), I would sometimes put my hair up on rollers for the night. I think it helped both with feeling like my hair was more styled, plus the curl would be uniform and tighter, and I blew through the transition phase without having bad hair days.

That's a long way to say:
Have you tried rag curls or other no-heat curling methods to add volume and body?

[BlazingHeart]

Um, I know you said your bun is small, I think you said it was 'pointless' - but your hair is very fine and you mentioned pony breakage, so it might do you a lot of good to switch to buns instead of ponytails for the days your hair has to be up. 2/3 of the time is still a LOT of ponytails. If you do continue doing them, make sure you vary where you put your ponytail - change height, do centered and sides, etc. It helps with breakage.

Sorry I can't offer more/better advice than that, but I'm a M/C girl.

~Blaze

[luthein]

Hi and welcome =)
For searching help, I find that searching LHC through google is much easier. Try a search like "cassia thread long hair community" or "fine and thin thread lhc" and you'll get some good results.

[americanjan1]

Yeah, I've noticed I get better search results from google. I have switched from ponytails to buns but I still think it looks silly and people have actually commented on how small it is. But I'm going to deal with it because I want my hair to be healthy. I'm going to go ahead and order some cassia and try it. I'm nervously excited about it and I hope it works well for me. I also got some spin pins. I wish they made kid-sized spin pins because the normal size are too long for my bun and it sticks way out on the bottom by nearly an inch. I've improvised and only put it in three-quarters of the way but I find it doesn't hold as good like that. I'm working through my issues little by little. My hair is just past shoulder length. As soon as I can post a pic or have a signature I will do so.

[taimatsuko]

Hi! I just wanted to add this in the mix. Lilithedarkmoon on youtube also seems to have thin fine straight hair but she does a lot with it including utilizing clip in extensions and styling her own natural hair in various ways. I thought this video was very interesting: http://www.youtube.com/user/lilithedarkmoon#p/u/2/ho03t3OAAag
because it was simple and added a lot of oomph to her hair. Maybe she could provide some inspiration to you? Also, I second the rollers suggestion. When my hair was bone straight I lived and breathed by rollers. The helped me feel more cute and styled.

[HereIGrowAgain]

Mini spin pins!!! (http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/goody-simple-styles-spin-pin-mini/ID=prod6062608-product?V=G&ext=frgl_Google_Beauty)

I bought mine at Target, but this shows you they exist, and what the packaging looks like. :D

[Nightshade]

Yeah, I've noticed I get better search results from google. I have switched from ponytails to buns but I still think it looks silly and people have actually commented on how small it is. But I'm going to deal with it because I want my hair to be healthy.


Could you do a sock bun (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRdqza97TsA)to make it look a little bigger? They sell little foam inserts at Sally's if your hair can't support a heavier sock.

[HereIGrowAgain]

You could also do a fully rolled sock bun! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I13J7ArHTkM&feature=related) :D I do these with my 3-yr-olds hair. Her hair is blond and is still very fine, and using a toddler sock gives a decent size. :D

[americanjan1]

Awesome...mini spin pins! I am going to get some today!

[americanjan1]

I need to practice some of these styles. I'm not overly creative but I'm willing to learn!

[americanjan1]

Taimatsuko, Lilithedarkmoon's hair looks EXACTLY like mine. Mine is a little darker than hers but it is pretty close. Her thin, silky texture is just like mine and the length and layers are about the same as well. Thanks for the tip!

[taimatsuko]

I'm so happy! I thought you might have something it common. I hope you get lots of help and inspiration from her!

[Allychan]

I have super fine (wispy) hair with cowlicks. I henna mine once a month and use castor oil 3x/week. Both techniques have helped thicken it up. It snaps less with henna colour too. I don't use any product in mine as it just makes it limp and stringy.

[americanjan1]

Did the SMT yesterday. 1T Honey, 1T FOTE Aloe Vera Gel and 4T GVP Moisturizing Balm. Sat under shower cap for 45 minutes. Rinsed and felt very dry and rough; normally my hair feels very soft. I CO only and do not use cones. Took a lot longer to dry than normal and my waves weren't as defined as usual. Hated the way my hair felt so I did another one without honey. MUCH better. My hair apparently hates honey as much as my skin does.

Does anyone notice a difference when applying to wet or dry hair? I applied the SMT to damp hair and it left it very coarse. Does applying dry work better?

[americanjan1]

I think I am going to look for good scissors to S&D. I think I would rather do it than let my stylist do it.

[Alvrodul]

Did the SMT yesterday. 1T Honey, 1T FOTE Aloe Vera Gel and 4T GVP Moisturizing Balm. Sat under shower cap for 45 minutes. Rinsed and felt very dry and rough; normally my hair feels very soft. I CO only and do not use cones. Took a lot longer to dry than normal and my waves weren't as defined as usual. Hated the way my hair felt so I did another one without honey. MUCH better. My hair apparently hates honey as much as my skin does.

Does anyone notice a difference when applying to wet or dry hair? I applied the SMT to damp hair and it left it very coarse. Does applying dry work better?
If your hair hates honey, perhaps you could try molasses? My own hair loves the honey, so I have had no reason to tinker with the recipe. You could perhaps also consider trying glycerine, since that is also a humectant.
I use SMT on dry hair, and on hair that was very slightly damp - I did not see much difference, but YMMV.

[americanjan1]

I might try the glycerine. I am not sure about molasses. I don't want it to darken my hair!

[BlazingHeart]

If you live in an arid (dry) area, honey would actually remove moisture from your hair. Not sure if that's relevant in your case, but I thought I'd mention it.

Good for you going with the buns - I hope it helps a lot with breakage for you!

~Blaze

[americanjan1]

Thanks! I actually live somewhere that is overly muggy 95% of the time so I don't think it's the climate. It also could have been because I applied it to wet hair and it might be better if I apply it to dry hair. I really want it to work!!

[irishlady]

How about trying french or dutch braids, if you don't feel like buns. I don't have hair as fine as yours, but I swear by these on days when my hair needs a wash :) They leave nice waves too.

[Kaelee]

My first thought is, if your hair is that thin etc, is there a medical reason behind it? May want to talk to your doctor just to be safe.

You could try cassia but the process (unless someone knows a proces other than what I do with henna and cassia) causes crazy mechanical stress on your hair. If it already breaks that easily you may want to avoid it. OTOH it could really help. My hair is also fine and LOVES henna.

[americanjan1]

I'm terrified yet I still want to try cassia. I sure don't want any breakage though. I wish I knew what the outcome would be without risking my hair! I've heard it can really dry hair out. My hair isn't dry, it is just very fine so it snaps easily.

[americanjan1]

I am also getting ready to purchase some flexi 8s. Not sure what size to get though.

[Alvrodul]

americanjan, cassia may be a good thing for your hair. It has conditioning effects that can make your hair easier to manage, and will make it shinier as well, and you will get a lovely, golden shine to your hair. It is not permanent, though - it usually lasts about a month.
If your scalp gets dried out (mine does when I henna) I sometimes put a drop or two of a light oil, spread it over my palms, and carefully and gently slide my fingers through the roots of my hair so that the oil gets onto my scalp - that seems to help with that issue.
As for which Flexi-8 size to get, it depends on how you are going to wear it. I have bought Flexis in three sizes (Large, Medium and Extra Small) and what size I use depends on how I wear my hair. :)

[americanjan1]

Can cassia cause damage at all? If my hair doesn't like it, can I just stop using it with no ill effects?

[jasper]

It doesn't hold curl and it refuses to stay straight. What is that??!?:agree: this is my hair too! Maintaining moisture seems to help.

I might be the only non-fan of flexi-8's on the LHC. I have a medium and a large. They are heavy to me, so you might think about the weight when you are chosing a size. And for me, they trap hair between the beds.

[Alvrodul]

Can cassia cause damage at all? If my hair doesn't like it, can I just stop using it with no ill effects?
Cassia is unlikely to cause damage, There are a few here on this forum who had bad results with it, making their hair brittle and difficult, but most here only get the conditioning effects and shine, and a slight golden glow to their hair. And cassia is not permanent, it will rinse out on its own, so within a month or so it will be gone. Most who use cassia, and don't use it mixed with henna, do a cassia treatment regularly.
If you haven't already read up on it, start with this article (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=7), and then go on to this thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=406).
Good luck!

[americanjan1]

Thanks! I am going to order some and see how I do wih it.