Curl return help...please!

[Hollyfire3]

Hi all,
I know i have had many threads on my troubling hair, from clarifying to moisture to protien overload, well, the problem is still here, everything has not been fixed despite my desperate and continuing efforts. I even tried baby oil and nothing else last night in an attempt to bring my curls back. Is it possible moisture is not my problem? Right now, my hair feels almost too soft and far to slippy and i am not a fine haired person, trust me, i check. My hair is flatter(ha what else is new, flat hair? and this is NEWS to me! this has been my life for months...) and there are almost no curls, short of a few wispy waves that just don't like me and fall out if i brush...i'm so sad, my hair is a big part of my self esteem and i feel like i have been trying to fix it for months with no results and a 3 inch trim to boot. Would a light protein treatment (coconut milk, an egg something, i don't know?) help my curls return? I had some of them (i use the term some lightly) back when using mane and tail shampoo and conditioner which i know is protein heavy, but it was also kinda humid so that might have contibuted, it is still not all that dry here ever and i have never had this much curl loss, no matter the season. When i did a strand test, the strand snapped then looked as though i had stretched where it broke, like the hair was broken but the two pieces had stretched out ends, but it still snapped. Maybe i tugged too hard (i did kinda just rip) or maybe i need a different kind of moisture? or maybe i need protein....i give up, but maybe someone with more spirt and knowledge can help? Please, i need it. Sorry for the long post...

[Maktub]

Hi ! Hope your problems are fixed soon !

Did you clarify ? If so, when and with what ?

Did you use any product with any kind of silicones in them ?

When did you last trimm ?

[Hollyfire3]

Hi ! Hope your problems are fixed soon !

Did you clarify ? If so, when and with what ?

Did you use any product with any kind of silicones in them ?

When did you last trimm ?


I do not use cones, i clarifyed last night, i trimmed only 2 and a half weeks ago, 3 inches off. I soo hope these problems ARE fixed soon...i am sacred i will have to change my hair typing because my hair has so little curl...its pitiful and so is the lack of volume and pure wierdness decidng to terrorize me...

[Maktub]

Could it simply be the weight of longer hair bringing your curls out ? Or having less damage and, so, less curls ?


If you want to accentuate curls, do you know about "plopping" ?

[Hollyfire3]

Could it simply be the weight of longer hair bringing your curls out ? Or having less damage and, so, less curls ?


If you want to accentuate curls, do you know about "plopping" ?


Yes, i know about plopping, i have tried it, i might do so again if i wash my hair tonight. My hair has been longer than this and much curlier. I used to have serious ringlets and poof at APL only a year ago. Now, after 5 inches off in the past few months in total, i am just past APL with less curls than i had when i was past BSL before the trims, i have had curls my whole life. My hair was/is damages but i had curls before i damaged it so the curls were not brought out by damage, they were lessened, hence the trim, but that still did not work. I used to straighten daily for 3 yrs and i do use hair dye but i dye darker not lighten. I do not straighten anymore since last summer (the beginign of last summer) I also only use a blow dryer every blue moon. It is like my hair just doesn't react the same way to products anymore along with not curling. It is just not my hair anymore, it has gone from protein overload and stiff to nearly back to normal for a few golden weeks, then straight straight wave straight now with slight waves and too soft. Is this hopeless? Not enough of my hair has grown since this mess started for my whole head to have grown out different and not curly, so i think it is some kind of inbalance...but you know what, i just don't know, i give this up...

[Maktub]

From what you are saying, I would guess it's damage from when you used an iron daily for 3 years. This changes the "inside" of the cutile and outerlayer... and it's enough for hair to loose elasticity, thickness, natural curl pattern, etc. It's actually amazing that hair is so resilliant and still on our heads sometimes :)

If I am right (and maybe I'm not), yes sadly your hair is doomed. There's nothing you can do to make the hair act like before or the bouncy curls come back.

But, the good news is... (!) the new growth will be healthy, not frizzy, and much more beautiful if you don't damage it ! It will also grow much fuller. I had this happen too, I saw LOTS of new growth coming in a few months after I stopped ironing and damagin my curls (and I was flat ironing about once a month, not once a day). Patience is the key to grow out damaged hair :flower:


Don't despair, lots of people stuggle with such damage and growing it out !

[chou]

It sounds like we have a similar hair type and some weeks, no matter what I do, my hair just wants to lie there almost straight. It seems like this is something you haven't experienced too often before, though? It just happens to me sometimes and I, in my case, I've never been able to pin down the problem on needing either moisture or protein. It's just something to keep in mind that you might be having a straight hair week and everything will be better soon just naturally!
If your hair is feeling like it's not too dry you could try an amla treatment--it can be drying and I don't like to put amla on my hair when it's feeling dry or right after shampooing. This stuff makes my waves curl up like crazy. It's the powder of an Indian berry that you can apply like a paste or a tea and it's acidic like a lemon or acv rinse but more powerful. My hair feels "hard" and the ends shrink and curl up initially when I put it on wet hair. I rinse and follow it with a conditioner and have shinier, curlier hair.
Maybe you have an underlying need for protein, though. A light protein treatment couldn't hurt.

[Maktub]

Another thought... did this start with winter cold and interior heating ?
Because that's a curl killer too...

[Hollyfire3]

Another thought... did this start with winter cold and interior heating ?
Because that's a curl killer too...

No, this started in the summer, not the winter. Besides, there are way to many problems to all be caused by a simple tempature change, i have also never had this happen before.

[Hollyfire3]

It sounds like we have a similar hair type and some weeks, no matter what I do, my hair just wants to lie there almost straight. It seems like this is something you haven't experienced too often before, though? It just happens to me sometimes and I, in my case, I've never been able to pin down the problem on needing either moisture or protein. It's just something to keep in mind that you might be having a straight hair week and everything will be better soon just naturally!
If your hair is feeling like it's not too dry you could try an amla treatment--it can be drying and I don't like to put amla on my hair when it's feeling dry or right after shampooing. This stuff makes my waves curl up like crazy. It's the powder of an Indian berry that you can apply like a paste or a tea and it's acidic like a lemon or acv rinse but more powerful. My hair feels "hard" and the ends shrink and curl up initially when I put it on wet hair. I rinse and follow it with a conditioner and have shinier, curlier hair.
Maybe you have an underlying need for protein, though. A light protein treatment couldn't hurt.


Gosh, i hope this fixes itself, but i'm not so sure, this is more like straight MONTHS and i usually have curlly hair. I might try the alma treatment, i tried cassia in an attempt to fix this and i got little to no results with that. What light protein treatment do you recomend? (I have coconut milk or maybe i could use an egg)

[manderly]

Do you use a gel or anything?

My curls fall out or turn to fluff without a gel leave-in.

I also have a flat spot on the back of my head, I think I'm in need of a good shaping trim back there.

Have you thought about going to a salon that speacializes in curls? Are you nearby any? I'd suggest if you are ok with it, going to see a Deva stylist....my siggy is after a Deva haircut.

[Hollyfire3]

Do you use a gel or anything?

My curls fall out or turn to fluff without a gel leave-in.

I also have a flat spot on the back of my head, I think I'm in need of a good shaping trim back there.

Have you thought about going to a salon that speacializes in curls? Are you nearby any? I'd suggest if you are ok with it, going to see a Deva stylist....my siggy is after a Deva haircut.


I use mousse to try to curl my hair. I might look into a Deva salon. Truthfully, i am not all that intrested in having super curly hair, i just want the volume i get from them back (my hair is just as thick, it just doesn't look it), also i have a problem with my too soft hair and not reacting properly to products.

[Kelikea]

I really don't see how you would need protein, after all your woes about protein overload, and now using M &T. It sounds like you are trying too many things, too quickly. Just clarify and go back to whatever worked the best, most recently. Then, when your hair is back to normal, try one thing at a time, like for a whole month, before trying anything else.

[littleizz]

I never knew my hair was so curly until I started washing with baking soda. It was incredible!! I went a little overboard and had crispy curlies for a while, so you have to be careful about moisture, but it was the best thing I did for bringing out my curls!

[Hollyfire3]

I really don't see how you would need protein, after all your woes about protein overload, and now using M &T. It sounds like you are trying too many things, too quickly. Just clarify and go back to whatever worked the best, most recently. Then, when your hair is back to normal, try one thing at a time, like for a whole month, before trying anything else.

I have clarifyed and tried to go back to what worked, the worst part is, it doesn't work anymore! Would a coconut milk soak be a good idea? I know, too many things at once but maybe i need just bit of protein to bounce my curls back?

[Hollyfire3]

I never knew my hair was so curly until I started washing with baking soda. It was incredible!! I went a little overboard and had crispy curlies for a while, so you have to be careful about moisture, but it was the best thing I did for bringing out my curls!

Baking soda scares me, especially for my colored hair. I am too scared to try it...

[chou]

Gosh, i hope this fixes itself, but i'm not so sure, this is more like straight MONTHS and i usually have curlly hair. I might try the alma treatment, i tried cassia in an attempt to fix this and i got little to no results with that. What light protein treatment do you recomend? (I have coconut milk or maybe i could use an egg)
I'm sorry to you're such long term frustration with your waves :( . Please continue to update this thread if you try something that works.
If cassia is similar to henna, I would think it would leave the hair straighter--this is my experience with henna anyway. Give the amla a try! As for protein... I have been blundering around these last six months with my newly long (well, to me anyway--I'm still only at mid-neck) waves overloading them with protein from conditioners. Last week after going without any protein for two weeks solid I did a protein "treatment" by just using a rinse-out conditioner (Suave coconut) that contains a bit of protein. I have never tried egg or coconut milk but they both sounds gentle and natural. I have heard from posters that yogurt is nice as well.

Oh, and I totally agree with the poster above--gels are a necessity for me even at my short length where I don't have any issues with my waves being weighed down. I've been using Curls in a Bottle because it's nice and light and non-crunchy. It does build up after a week or two, but not nearly as badly as some others I've tried (cough--Pantene curl mousse--cough). The Deva cut is also an excellent idea. I got my hair cut by a non-Deva curl specialist I found on Yelp and she did some serious magic in my hair.

[Hollyfire3]

I'm sorry to you're such long term frustration with your waves :( . Please continue to update this thread if you try something that works.
If cassia is similar to henna, I would think it would leave the hair straighter--this is my experience with henna anyway. Give the amla a try! As for protein... I have been blundering around these last six months with my newly long (well, to me anyway--I'm still only at mid-neck) waves overloading them with protein from conditioners. Last week after going without any protein for two weeks solid I did a protein "treatment" by just using a rinse-out conditioner (Suave coconut) that contains a bit of protein. I have never tried egg or coconut milk but they both sounds gentle and natural. I have heard from posters that yogurt is nice as well.

Oh, and I totally agree with the poster above--gels are a necessity for me even at my short length where I don't have any issues with my waves being weighed down. I've been using Curls in a Bottle because it's nice and light and non-crunchy. It does build up after a week or two, but not nearly as badly as some others I've tried (cough--Pantene curl mousse--cough). The Deva cut is also an excellent idea. I got my hair cut by a non-Deva curl specialist I found on Yelp and she did some serious magic in my hair.

Alright, off to try a coconut milk soak, i will report back asap!

[beachgirlla]

Hi all,
I know i have had many threads on my troubling hair, from clarifying to moisture to protien overload, well, the problem is still here, everything has not been fixed despite my desperate and continuing efforts. I even tried baby oil and nothing else last night in an attempt to bring my curls back. Is it possible moisture is not my problem? Right now, my hair feels almost too soft and far to slippy and i am not a fine haired person, trust me, i check. My hair is flatter(ha what else is new, flat hair? and this is NEWS to me! this has been my life for months...) and there are almost no curls, short of a few wispy waves that just don't like me and fall out if i brush...i'm so sad, my hair is a big part of my self esteem and i feel like i have been trying to fix it for months with no results and a 3 inch trim to boot. Would a light protein treatment (coconut milk, an egg something, i don't know?) help my curls return? I had some of them (i use the term some lightly) back when using mane and tail shampoo and conditioner which i know is protein heavy, but it was also kinda humid so that might have contibuted, it is still not all that dry here ever and i have never had this much curl loss, no matter the season. When i did a strand test, the strand snapped then looked as though i had stretched where it broke, like the hair was broken but the two pieces had stretched out ends, but it still snapped. Maybe i tugged too hard (i did kinda just rip) or maybe i need a different kind of moisture? or maybe i need protein....i give up, but maybe someone with more spirt and knowledge can help? Please, i need it. Sorry for the long post...

Ok now when did this happened, I'm not trying to solve the problem you have, LOL and sorry, but I need to know how and when did this happen, your hair changed from curly/wavy to straight?, can you rememeber what did you use? I will take it right now :D

On other note, I think you are overreacting and over doing things, I think you need to calm down a bit and stop using so many things at once

[Hollyfire3]

Ok now when did this happened, I'm not trying to solve the problem you have, LOL and sorry, but I need to know how and when did this happen, your hair changed from curly/wavy to straight?, can you rememeber what did you use? I will take it right now :D

On other note, I think you are overreacting and over doing things, I think you need to calm down a bit and stop using so many things at once


It all started when i went to Arizona, my hair was dry and went less wavy but not as bad as now. when i got back i used protein pack after protein pack, overwashed (even up to 2-3 times a day sometimes) got agrivated and blow dryed with a hard gel product, did more treatments with too much protein and failed to be nicer to my hair when it got crunchier and brittlier. Flash forward further into the summer, i was in the Keys and tried different stuff over the course of the week, by the end of the week, the island moisture and breeze had brought my hair back to nearly normal, even with heat styling and i was happy. Back at home, the next wash my hair just got worse and worse and i tried and tried and blew dried and got more frusterated. Had a 2 inch trim, hair was perfect for 3 days, until i washed again. Got more angry, this continues into present day, from which i have gone from this crunchy protein overload to wierded out, too soft and not curly hair and everything in between to curly but flat and wavy and fluffy to perfect (very few good hair days!) to just plain wired out and built up. I just tried a coconut milk soak (canned coconut milk for like 40 mins, 10 mins with blowdryer heat and it feels better, i am still waiting for it to dry. I will report back, thank you for caring, would you except a friend request if i sent one?

[manderly]

It all started when i went to Arizona, my hair was dry and went less wavy but not as bad as now. when i got back i used protein pack after protein pack, overwashed (even up to 2-3 times a day sometimes) got agrivated and blow dryed with a hard gel product, did more treatments with too much protein and failed to be nicer to my hair when it got crunchier and brittlier. Flash forward further into the summer, i was in the Keys and tried different stuff over the course of the week, by the end of the week, the island moisture and breeze had brought my hair back to nearly normal, even with heat styling and i was happy. Back at home, the next wash my hair just got worse and worse and i tried and tried and blew dried and got more frusterated. Had a 2 inch trim, hair was perfect for 3 days, until i washed again. Got more angry, this continues into present day, from which i have gone from this crunchy protein overload to wierded out, too soft and not curly hair and everything in between to curly but flat and wavy and fluffy to perfect (very few good hair days!) to just plain wired out and built up. I just tried a coconut milk soak (canned coconut milk for like 40 mins, 10 mins with blowdryer heat and it feels better, i am still waiting for it to dry. I will report back, thank you for caring, would you except a friend request if i sent one?


STOP.

You are in hair overdrive. Back away from the products. Let me ask you something, in the words of Dr. Phil: "How's that workin' for you?". Doesn't sound like any of that is helping you out, right?

If your hair is wavy/curly, it will come back. It doesn't just go away unless you do some serious chemical treatments with the intent of making them go away.

Since you just did a coconut milk soak (my god, you have used a ton of protein), I would just use the products YOU USED TO when your hair was wavy. Accept that you'll have crummy hair for a while - but just stop doing new things to it. You have to allow it to come back on its own.

Best wishes.

[ladonna]

My hair get's straighter when I color it. I just colored it a week ago and so went from lot of curl's to kind of frizzy and almost straight, I also go darker when coloring my hair. Just a thought. Someone (shikara) suggested using condish for color treated hair and put a warm wet towel around the hair for a bit (I did 30 min.) and then rinse, I just did this last night and some of my curl's came back.

[Hollyfire3]

My hair get's straighter when I color it. I just colored it a week ago and so went from lot of curl's to kind of frizzy and almost straight, I also go darker when coloring my hair. Just a thought. Someone (shikara) suggested using condish for color treated hair and put a warm wet towel around the hair for a bit (I did 30 min.) and then rinse, I just did this last night and some of my curl's came back.


What condish did you use? I might try this?

[manderly]

What condish did you use? I might try this?

Wow. Ok, completely ignore me. Carry on, I hope you get your curls back.....:rolleyes:

[Hollyfire3]

STOP.

You are in hair overdrive. Back away from the products. Let me ask you something, in the words of Dr. Phil: "How's that workin' for you?". Doesn't sound like any of that is helping you out, right?

If your hair is wavy/curly, it will come back. It doesn't just go away unless you do some serious chemical treatments with the intent of making them go away.

Since you just did a coconut milk soak (my god, you have used a ton of protein), I would just use the products YOU USED TO when your hair was wavy. Accept that you'll have crummy hair for a while - but just stop doing new things to it. You have to allow it to come back on its own.

Best wishes.


Thank you for all the advice, and the best wishes. I hope my wurls don't just go away...how heartbroken i would be...I know, coconut mil has a bunch of protein but honestly, i figured can;t get much worse, has to get better, maybe this will work...still waiting to see if it has...I am using the same mousse i had used when my hair was wurly, hoping it will work...Nice Dr.Phil quote, in answer to it, not so well....opps...just hope i can fix this, with the help of you guys :) I also just clarifyed yesterday, so hopefully that will help as well.

[Hollyfire3]

Wow. Ok, completely ignore me. Carry on, I hope you get your curls back.....:rolleyes:


I meant when i get my curls back..i didn't ignore you, i just wanted to write you a response longer than 2 sentences. Trust me, you are talking to an obssesive person, my impulse is to try and fix this and that makes me ask questions as to what treatments others used to fix a similar problem, no intention of ignoring you, trust me.

[manderly]

I understand. It's hard not to obsess about your hair when you first join.....we've ALL been there :) I just know that the members who calmed me down and told me to ease up were a godsend at the time.

They'll be back :)

[Hollyfire3]

I understand. It's hard not to obsess about your hair when you first join.....we've ALL been there :) I just know that the members who calmed me down and told me to ease up were a godsend at the time.

They'll be back :)


I have always been hair obbsessed, not fun really, thats why i joined this forum, not the other way around lol, i do need to relax though....thank you so much for the help, sorry if i offended you by asking what the other member did for their DT

[beachgirlla]

Ok like others suggested, please relax, stop everything and take a breath :)
I was like you like 10 days back, but the opposite, my hair got so fluffy & puffy and frizzy out of sudden after more than a month of smooth nice hair, I did not know what happened, then I read here about the build up and read about the baking soda, I was so afraid to use it, but heck I was so desperate of the new hair situation after I enjoyed the smooth hair for a white, so I figured what I'm going to lose, half of my hair is damaged anyway, lol, I put a teaspoon of baking soda in 2 cups of water and rinsed my hair with it, I could not believe my eyes after that, its like 360 degree change, I found out that my hair acted that way from the build up of the coconut oiling + over conditioning I was doing, your hair is acting in a different way than mine but the reason is same, just clarify and tell us what you get, you do not need an new gel/conditioner, you need some clarifying treatment

[manderly]

I have always been hair obbsessed, not fun really, thats why i joined this forum, not the other way around lol, i do need to relax though....thank you so much for the help, sorry if i offended you by asking what the other member did for their DT

Sorry about that - I just saw your response to her (yet another product) as completely disregarding the "chill out" I suggested.

You need to let your hair rest. Use what used to work in the past, and your hair will be happy again :)

[beachgirlla]

I'm so obsessed with my hair too these days, LOL, I don't blame Hollyfire3 at all, but in those 6 weeks I've been here I have learned to be patient a little :), I hope that she can soon get her curls back, she will look great either way, curly or straight :)

[Hollyfire3]

I'm so obsessed with my hair too these days, LOL, I don't blame Hollyfire3 at all, but in those 6 weeks I've been here I have learned to be patient a little :), I hope that she can soon get her curls back, she will look great either way, curly or straight :)


Aww, that is so sweet, i hope the same for me too! I have clarifyed twice with not good results, do you think the baking soda will help or be stronger than just suave clarifying shampoo? I know, but i am reluctant to admit, i used coconut milk as a soak last night and although my hair is weighed down and kinda greasy, some of the curls decided to return to the ends, not my full on curly poofyness, but this makes me think protein may be what i need (because coconut milk is high in protein) either that or the build up from the canned stuff is making my hair heavy and thus easier for it to curl in some wierd way...

[jacqueline101]

Have you tried using a pick? Then work your fingers through your hair and fluff the curl up.

[Hollyfire3]

Have you tried using a pick? Then work your fingers through your hair and fluff the curl up.


Hmmm, if I get any curls back, i might try this. Thanks.