How do I grow out this awful layer?

[uptosomeone]

Underneath my APL layer of hair is a collarbone length one that I think got created by the breakage caused by ponytails. It's nasty and doesn't seem to want to grow at all because it's always being damaged when it falls out of buns when I sleep or just go about my daily business. It's a lot of hair (for me, at least), and I really don't want to have to have it for the rest of my life :rolleyes: so how do I protect it? I just cut off the nasty fuzz that were the ends of it, so it's right above collarbone instead of right below and has no chance of making it into my nightly buns.

[MonaLisa]

i had such layer, well always had it...it's ponytail damage, and i get most tangles there...tangles from hell, sometimes necklace would pull out that hair etc etc..

some time ago i did get annoyed with it and just cut it to length of 1 inch or so...and now its past shoulders and i trim it often and it seems to be normal..

i think it's all the broken hairs of different length that caused it to tangle etc...

but when i cut it it really looked ridiculous..wasn't thin this section...

[Aerin]

Maybe try french braids or something in order to protect it at night? I still have some front pieces of hair fall out of my night-french braid, but if you start at the very top of your head instead of the back, it might keep all those pieces in and protected. But someone else might have a better idea.

[MrsGuther]

I have the same thing! I think mine may be regrowth of hairs since my post partum hormonal shed I had my first child though- that section of hair is about a foot long, but about a foot shorter than the rest of my hair. It is so annoying! I wish it was the same length as the other hairs on my head. :/

[ebba]

ughh i have this too :( so many broken short hairs in the back that don't fit in ponytails, but break in bobby pins and stuff

[maria_tasha]

I used to have that too and now, with a lot of caring, it's past shoulders. Treat it with castor oil to promote growth, pin it up with boby pins and be careful with high collars.

[uptosomeone]

French braiding might work. I think I'm going to at least try figure out how to braid from my neck to my bun...that makes the most sense to me (bobby pins can't be good for this layer, they seem so fragile).

[silverjen]

You could also try wearing a buff or a sleep cap at night, to avoid bunning. It sounds like bunning is the culprit.

[PixxieStix]

I think a silk or satin sleep bonnet would be a good solution, it gets all the protection without the braiding. Maybe those hairs just need some time away from all the mechanical damage for a while?

[Roscata]

I think a silk or satin sleep bonnet would be a good solution, it gets all the protection without the braiding. Maybe those hairs just need some time away from all the mechanical damage for a while?

This^

Also avoid ponytails at all costs and make sure your hair toys are hair safe (no elastic ties with metal holders!). These are some good articles to read: Keeping Split Ends At Bay: Secrets of Gently Handling Your Hair (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=8) and Damaged Hair: Understanding, Preventing & Rehabilitating (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=79). Good luck! :)

[tigereye]

Sleep cap maybe?
Have you stopped using ponytail holders? I used to have some annoying hair like that until I stopped high ponytailing. For me it was the evil metal elastics that did the damage. I figured that out way before I joined the LHC, and it's why I wore buns with pencils holding it almost every day (Before LHC times-I hadn't experienced the wonders of hair toys until finding all the enabling threads here). I never use hair elastics for my buns now. Eventually it grew out, along with the damage on my longer hairs, and the majority of the damage has now been trimmed away. Now I just have the short new growth falling out there.

Treat it gently, trim off the worst damage and it will eventually grow out. It just takes some patience.

By the way, I have found that wearing buns at night is a sure-fire recipe for tangles and damage for me. Because I sleep with my head on my arm, it pulls at the strands which leads to breakage. Loose braids work better for me, but to be honest, if you can get one, a sleep cap may be the best solution.

[uptosomeone]

A sleep cap sounds glorious. I get tired of fixing all of my hair into a high bun every night, and doing a french braid up the back in addition to that sounds like a headache. :p I don't ponytail hardly ever, maybe once a month when I'm seriously in a rush and don't have time to do 15 minutes of strategic layer tucking into my bun. Other than that, the majority of my damage is probably come from sleeping--all of my short hairs are tucked when I go to bed, and when I wake up they're all inevitably untucked. Rather frustrating.

Will just any sleep cap do? Or should I avoid some?

[Roscata]

Will just any sleep cap do? Or should I avoid some?

As long as you make sure it is made of silk or satin you should be ok. The material needs to have slip, that's the feature that prevents rubbing and hair breakage.

[Avital88]

i have one like that too, its been there forever and it never will leave i guess

[uptosomeone]

i have one like that too, its been there forever and it never will leave i guess

How long is yours? I wouldn't mind having it if it stayed up in buns, but it's too short to do that right now.

[luthein]

I have this layer as well. It's an inch or so above my collarbone. Mine may grow out, or it could be where my nape hairs terminate. I hope for the former!

[Avital88]

How long is yours? I wouldn't mind having it if it stayed up in buns, but it's too short to do that right now.

i have shorter parts and longer, the longest is around 18 inches the shortest 6 inches, they always stay the same length and curl more then the rest of my hair, its kinda fluffy hair

[xoxophelia]

i have shorter parts and longer, the longest is around 18 inches the shortest 6 inches, they always stay the same length and curl more then the rest of my hair, its kinda fluffy hair

I have this exact same thing and also had it when my hair was longer and I was 14-17. I definetly think in my case it is genetic.

However, since I stopped heat styling, the texture is improving and possibly it will get a little longer? Who knows.