Let talk about the *B* word........(Breakage)

[MermaidOH]

Hello All,
So let's talk about the *B* word Breakage. Does anyone else out there suffer from breakage? What do you do about it? I know nothing will "fix/cure" breakage but what can I do to slow it down? I have damage/breakage form being extremely rough on my hair, double process bleach, heat, mechanical damage, I didn't know I was so mean to my hair until I came here. So I know what was causing the damage and have stopped doing all the bad nasty things I was doing and then punished myself (bad self :mad:). I am very nice to my hair now CO washing, oiling with jojoba or coconut, using Nightblooming Panacea, wide tooth comb to de-tangle, no heat, BBB when dry, and I even bought a Tangle Teaser (OH how did I ever live without you dear Tangle Teaser). Basically my hair is now my very pampered pet :p. But I still have Breakage, when I brush I find small broken pieces either in brush or on vanity. My question is how do others deal with breakage? I cutting truly the only answer?(say it is not so). Thank you for reading this far. Any advice is GREATLY APPRECIATED! Have to go walk my hair now.......

[Madora]

Hi! MermaidOH, here's my take on detangling and brushing to
avoid damage:

Detangling:

1) Bend at the waist and bring all hair in front of you, like a curtain
2) Take a thin, SMALL section of hair (about finger width) and then take your wide tooth comb and starting at the ends, comb a few inches down the strands. Move the comb up a few more inches and comb down. Repeat up the strands until you reach the scalp. Continue to detangle this way until all hair has been detangled.
Brushing:
3) Now take your brush and starting at the nape, brush slowly down to the ends.
4) Follow each motion of the brush with the palm of your other hand to cut down on static
5) Number of strokes to brush: depends on your preference.
Whatever that is, do it consistently, every day.
6) When all hair has been detangled, part it from nape to forehead so that it is in 2 sections.
7) Grab the ends of the right section with your right hand and the left section with your left hand. Stand erect.
8) Take the hair in the right hand and gently place it over your right shoulder and let it fall down your back.
9) Repeat with the other hair.

Do not toss/fling/throw your hair over your shoulder! This only creates more tangles!

10) Style as desired!

The more control you have over your hair, the less the possibility for tangles.

Detangling from the ends UP gives you better opportunities for finding snarls slowly, and working them out with your fingers (not the comb!).

If you just pulled the comb down thru your hair, you'd snag up and maybe break the hair in the process. It is much kinder for your hair to start at the ends and work up to remove snarls.

I hope this helps. As Dr. Michael would say, treat your hair like fine, delicate lace. Treat it gently!

[MermaidOH]

Thank you!:) My hair will be even more pampered.

[beccababesx]

Lots and lots of protein! :-) x

[Anje]

Lots and lots of protein! :-) x
Great answer for some folks, horrible answer for others. Protein's part of the equation, but it can also cause dry brittle hair that breaks readily if you've got too much.

I love this article on achieving protein/moisture balance and assessing which you need. (http://blackbeautyblackhair86911.yuku.com/topic/511/t/Hair-Breakage-and-Shedding-101.html)

Heat styling (past or present) and chemical damage from bleaching and perms are also contributing factors to breakage. Pampering hair helps deal with those, but ultimately the damaged hair will be more fragile than undamaged hair.

[pink.sara]

Well you are doing all the right things so far!
My damage breakage has cost me 3 inches of growth this past year... It stems from multiple (10+) bleaching and dying sessions on the same hair and can't be saved! I did manage however to make it bearable by using aphogee 2 step treatments http://www.aphogee.com/Keratin_2%20_Minute%20_Recon.aspx once every other month and doing the oiling, CWC steps. Also I couldnt totally give up heat while it was growing as it looked ***** without straightening due to the damage making it frizz... So I used cones. Lots of them. I know some LHC'ers hate them but without that fake sheen in my fried bits I'd have hated it so much more.

I second doing the protein V's moisture test too... Too little protein mine breaks... Protein more than once a fortnight and not enough moisture? It breaks :rolleyes:

You can't save it forever but you can save it for long enough to grow it out! :)

[ZeppHead]

I don't have any breakage now but I did years ago. I was dying my hair very light blonde, straightening and blow drying and curling. When I noticed my roots coming in and my hair not getting past my shoulders I knew I had to stop. I started using deep conditioning protein treatments several times a week, laid off the shampoo, used anti breakage leave ins, and stopped all chemicals and heat. My hair gradually improved and now years later I don't quite have my natural texture back but I am happy to see it's very close to it. I assume your hair is dry too so I would suggest regular trims til your hair starts getting back to normal so you wont be plagued with split ends on top of it all.

As sara had pointed out don't overdo the protein. My hair drank it up when it needed it but I slowed it down and used regular conditioner when I noticed it getting crunchy.