Can Damage Cause Curls?

[A. Correira]

I noticed the weirdest thing today. I no longer have real curls in my hair. When I used to dye it and heat style it all the time, once I would leave it alone, it would curl like crazy! I loved it. Now that I have stopped with dying and heat styling, my hair is losing all of those curls that I once had. I have always had curly hair too, even when I was little with TB length hair. I'm a little confused as to why it no longer likes to curl. I have washed my hair and put my usual leave-in in and then not touched it at all and it will be curly until about mid-day and then it will be waves.

Does anyone know why this could be happening? I wouldn't be too upset if I lost my curl but I wonder what could be causing this. I might be out-growing it as well, I know my mother did as she grew up. It just kinda baffles me.

[Georgies]

Perhaps your curls are getting weighed down by leave ins - your hair could be less porous now. You could try clarifying, trying a lighter leave in, or no leave in at all.

[longhairedleah]

well, I feel like maybe just doing all these things to your hair can change it?

Because pre-LHC i never dyed or anything, but my hair was very dry and therefore also damaged. Ever since I've restored the moisture and have cut off/grown out the damage my hair curls tightly forming nice ringlets all the way down, which may not have happened since I was a kid....

I realize this is the opposite of your situation, but.... perhaps provides some insights?

I hope that helps somehow

[Foxy_Booker]

I always found the more damaged my hair is the better it curls. I used to style my hair with mouse and scrunching it with a blowdryer to bring out my natural curl because I had wavy hair and I had the underneith half of my hair bleached and that area always created the best and tightest curls where more healthier areas were limp and almost straight with just a bit of wave so that definetly happened with me. Now that my hair is post-LHC it doesnt have wave pattern at all anymore.

[Amber_Maiden]

Maybe on some strands of hair it would- my hair does that, but in bunches? I doubt it.

[jojo]

When i used to abuse my hair many moons ago, my hair was dry due to damage, so it was a lot curlier. Id say dry hair which has some wave/wurls can become curlier due to damage but they are not nice boungy curls as in those with healthy curly hair.

[A. Correira]

Thank you all! Maybe my healthy natural hair is wavy. I don't think my leave in is too heavy because I have used this kind for a few years now. I do know that my hair is amazingly healthy now thanks to lhc. And I kinda like the new waves only hair.

[vanillabones]

My bleached damaged ends start to curl if I don't trim them and I am probably naturally a 1b. So, yes :p

[oktobergoud]

Yup, I think it can! When I started to bleach my hair, it became a lot more wavy! I think because it was more porous/dry?

[Anje]

Well, perms cause curls and damage..... (I know, not the answer you're looking for.)

I find that when my hair is dry, it definitely picks up more curl, usually in the form of frizz. So it's entirely possible that your hair has some more texture to it when it's dry/damaged.

[KajiKodomo]

When my hair was damaged (bleached) it was curly (I even got some big ringlets). Now that it is fairly undamaged (aside from a few dyes) it is wavy, with large waves and flips. I admit that I loved the curls, but not enough to bleach my hair again. :)

[Helix]

I think this only applies to people with straighter textures. When curly hair gets damaged the opposite happens - the hair loses its ability to curl.

For example a relaxer, (a.k.a perm) will make my hair straighter but I've heard if you apply it on hair that is already naturally straight it makes the hair curly. Weird, right?

[manderly]

I think this only applies to people with straighter textures. When curly hair gets damaged the opposite happens - the hair loses its ability to curl.

For example a relaxer, (a.k.a perm) will make my hair straighter but I've heard if you apply it on hair that is already naturally straight air it makes the hair curly. Weird, right?

I came here to say this :)

I think for curlies that damage = frizz and less curls. I know that no matter how I alter my routine, if my curls start falling out (or not forming right) or are just "blah" in general, a little trim is in order. Post trim, perfect curls.

[QMacrocarpa]

I think this only applies to people with straighter textures. When curly hair gets damaged the opposite happens - the hair loses its ability to curl.
Just what I was thinking! Years ago I had memorable top-layer damage that made the top much straighter than the underneath, less-fried parts.