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cuties
March 21st, 2012, 10:28 AM
I have been trying to grow my hair long for over a year now and always ended up cutting it because my hair ends felt gross after a certain length. Now after a long long time, it has reached APL and am ready to cut it again due to bad looking ends. I don't have split ends, just dry ends that look bad. I have tried everything. I haven't used heat in ages, massage it regularly, baby the ends (SMT, protein treatment etc) but nothing works. After coming to LHC, I started doing updos, but looks like I cannot do it properly and its putting strain on my hair at crown causing traction alopecia (according to doctor) and loss of hair at crown. I cannot use hair sticks as my hair is still layered. I tried using claw clips, barrettes, fikkare etc, but all of these involve twisting the hair and it causes strain at crown of my head. If I don't twist, I cannot secure a updo and I don't know what to do. My hair is not very thick. I have gotten all medical tests done and I am fine and clear except Vitamin D deficiency, for which I'm taking a supplement. I eat a balanced diet and sometimes use vitamin supplements, but since I am mostly vegetarian, trying to look into increasing protein intake which might help but not sure. I am ready to give up growing my hair. Feeling very low and depressed. Planning to setup a hair appointment and get it cut by an inch or so. :(

Here are a couple of pics: NOTE that these are best shots (with newly combed/brushed hair) and probably do not show dryness on ends. I will try to upload a few more pics tomorrow.

The first one is today's updo with pony tail and 2nd one is from the past weekend.

http://i40.tinypic.com/hwii9z.jpg

http://i44.tinypic.com/1has6e.jpg

sonrisa76
March 21st, 2012, 10:35 AM
awww...don't give up just yet :( ..because you are a vegetarian, have you tried the supplements Spirulina and Chlorella? i am not a vegetarian but i've been taking both of them for about 2 months now. do your research on them. they both are considered 'superfoods'..maybe those supplements can help you :)

Amanah
March 21st, 2012, 10:36 AM
I lost my hair to chemo in 2010, and it came back baby fine and fragile. I made the mistake of having it colored, and it started to break off. So now I'm trimming to get rid of the hair color damage. I understand what it means to be frustrated by your hair :)

Today I'm wearing a headband that covers the front and sides of my hair with my hair brushed back, kind of out of sight. It's barely shoulder length, and layered and there are times when I think it will never look good again, but I know that what I really want is healthy long hair. I don't know how long it's going to take to get there, but here we are, in the same boat :)

And I wish you well on your hair journey, don't give up hope!

spidermom
March 21st, 2012, 10:39 AM
Protein treatments can be a problem for some people; it can cause dryness. The first thing I would advise is to avoid protein for a couple of weeks and see if that improves the problem with your ends.

Also, very small trims on a regular basis rather than waiting until your ends get bad might be a better option.

bumblebums
March 21st, 2012, 10:45 AM
When I get frustrated with my hair, I put it up and try to forget about it. Focus on good handling rather than fancy treatments.

Hair sticks and ficcare clips work better for hair that's longer than APL, I think... At APL, my favorite accessory was a 60th Street three-pronged fork--it held everything and stayed all day without pulling. Have you tried regular claw clips, or perhaps Flexi-8 clips? You don't need anything fancy to put hair up, and the nice thing about having it up most of the time is that the ends are protected and do not annoy you.

Caringformyhair
March 21st, 2012, 10:49 AM
I can empathise with you on this, my hair isn't very thick either and I'm off to the docs this week to look into why I might be shedding more than normal.

I've managed to get some growth over the last 4 months but my hemline is see-through so I feel I have such a long wait until I can get that thicker and to the same BSL.

One thing I've realised is that it is a long road to beautiful hair. Maybe a 1 inch trim might help you feel better about it? Are you growing out damage from years of heat styling and/or colouring? I think that's the issue with me and it will take a good year or so before all the colour is gone and the virgin hair is at my hemline. Maybe your ends seem worse because of something similar?

I also agree with some of the other comments, protein treatments can dry the ends out.

Good luck and hope you feel better about your hair soon.

heidi w.
March 21st, 2012, 10:51 AM
If you're a vegetarian, eat tofu. It has loads! of protein. There's also tempeh which comes in different flavors, and in my opinion, is rather tasty. In fact, I take a tempeh block and cut it into bite-size pieces and eat those as a snack!! (only the 'flavored' stuff).

Tofu can be marinated to take on the flavor of say, soy sauce, tempeh sauce, or a marinade of your own making. It's important to eat it as fresh as is possible. Older it tastes a bit chalkier. Where I used to live in California, I could get it freshly made from a tofu factory. But not here!! This area doesn't know that much yet, it would seem.

Vitamin D deficiency:

For those who don't know what problems Vitamin D deficiency can cause --
http://www.webmd.com/diet/vitamin-d-deficiency
It seems that those who are vegetarians may have a higher correlation of Vitamin D deficiency as explained although not proposed in this article. If one is a vegetarian, you can't merely eat just vegetables and hope all goes well. You have to know what you're doing nutritionally.

Do not keep pulling your hair so tight that you can your own traction alopecia. That's not an idea proposed here. There is a way to twist hair so that it is not twisted tightly from the crown or forehead hairline. Just start twisting a bit lower down than near the crown, and make sure that the hair on the head can move and is slightly loose.

Also, I have found that using clips, ficcare's and that kind of thing caused my bun to list and weigh heavily on one side of the head or the other and still all this weight is then too loose that it kind of slides down the back of my head which pulls forehead or hair head really, really tightly and is extremely uncomfortable. In those days, I used to have to take my hair down after a few hours.

I am thinking you may do well with bobby pins holding hair out of the face. You can allow the hair to swoop into the little bobby pin drawing the hair off of the face.

Focus on your health more than your hair right now. You need to get the diet under control that the Vit. D deficiency is no longer a big, critical problem.

I would not cut your hair off just yet.

I went and looked at your profile and there isn't a single photo of your hair to be found. So I'm kind of working in the dark here. A pix or two could be helpful.

heidi w.

heidi w.
March 21st, 2012, 10:53 AM
I rather doubt your hair needs protein treatments. If in doubt, collect FACTS, and don't just do stuff because you're at a loss of what to do and go stabbing about in the dark trying this or that. Get a colorist, a good quality colorist, to conduct a strand test for protein. That'll tell the story if you need to keep doing this or not. Likely not needed. But if you're concerned, go get the facts. Guessing about protein treatments can cause a lot of hair problems.

heidi w.

bumblebums
March 21st, 2012, 10:55 AM
Here are a few suggestions for putting your hair up without twisting or sticks (which do require some length to work):

* A lazy wrap bun held with three or four mini-jaw clips around the perimeter
* A simple English braid, pointed up and tucked in and clipped to the head with a Flexi-8 or a good quality French barrette
* A crown braid (have a look at Lilith Moon's youtube channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/lilithedarkmoon))

I noticed you say you have layers. Layers are a pain to grow out and can make your ends look and feel lousy because the individual hairs are more exposed to the elements. There is a method for growing them out--trim about .5 cm every month from the very ends. Emichiee's youtube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWRJ57j1AyI&feature=plcp&context=C4a85aa8VDvjVQa1PpcFP7LntFdR7fGPlKgxTxrVg0 8C-Mmzg8XzE%3D) explains how she got rid of layers by using Feye's self-trim method.

cuties
March 21st, 2012, 10:59 AM
Thank you all for the encouraging comments. I will stop the protein treatments. I don't color my hair except using henna every 3-4 months. I have never been a fan of heat styling, earlier I used to blow dry 4-5 times a year and in the last 1 year I have done it only once. I have used flat iron only once in my lifetime. So, I don't have damage because of all these.


... At APL, my favorite accessory was a 60th Street three-pronged fork--it held everything and stayed all day without pulling. Have you tried regular claw clips, or perhaps Flexi-8 clips? You don't need anything fancy to put hair up, and the nice thing about having it up most of the time is that the ends are protected and do not annoy you.

I haven't tried a fork or flexi-8, but tried claw clips. I don't know how to put it up without twisting and its causing loss of hair at crown. I agree if ends are up, I won't notice the bad ones, but I have run out of ideas to put hair up that doesn't cause strain on my crown. I have tried doing a pony tail and then put hair up, but I don't know if it will not cause damage. Also since I still have layers, its hard to put up hair without clips etc as they tend to fall out from everywhere. Thanks for the suggestions. If you have any more insights, please share them.

I guess, i do need to get an inch or inch and a half trim to keep ends in order.:(

MissAlida
March 21st, 2012, 11:03 AM
Did you try a french braid? I know it's a bit tricky to pull it off on layered hair, but with enough practice, it can be done quite nicely, and it will hold all the layers. This way you could avoid using clips and such, so you won't have to put any additional weight on your scalp. You can try to do 2 french braids, and pin the tails up with bobby pins if you feel like leaving them loose looks too girly. Whatever you do, don't get depressed over it. Hair is important, but health is more so. You should take care of your health, and you'll see that your hair will get better also. Don't give up. We all have our little problems, hair or otherwise, but we can get trough them. Just have patience. APL is not the best lenght(I've been there for 3 years, trust me, I know), but at BSL it gets easier.:)

spidermom
March 21st, 2012, 11:09 AM
I think it might be a matter of practice. Try gathering your hair at the nape of your neck and gently twisting as you lift your hair upward, clip at the mid-back with a small-to-medium claw clip. It can be done without causing too much tension at the crown of your head.

At your length, though, you can probably wear it down without causing too much wear and tear.

cuties
March 21st, 2012, 11:26 AM
Thank you for your suggestions. I will post the pics in a couple of hours.

bumblebums
March 21st, 2012, 11:40 AM
I haven't tried a fork or flexi-8, but tried claw clips. I don't know how to put it up without twisting and its causing loss of hair at crown. I agree if ends are up, I won't notice the bad ones, but I have run out of ideas to put hair up that doesn't cause strain on my crown. I have tried doing a pony tail and then put hair up, but I don't know if it will not cause damage. Also since I still have layers, its hard to put up hair without clips etc as they tend to fall out from everywhere. Thanks for the suggestions. If you have any more insights, please share them.

Spend some time on youtube for inspiration. Here's a thread that archives a bunch of good links:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=61722

It's okay if you start with a pony tail before you bun. I find ponytail buns uncomfortable, but that's not everyone's experience. In fact, some people with slippery hair can *only* put their hair up with a ponytail base. A popular style that relies on a pony is the Gibson Tuck; there is a good video on youtube by Habioku.

How long are your shortest layers? Can you perhaps wear a gentle headband up to help them stay out of the way?


I guess, i do need to get an inch or inch and a half trim to keep ends in order.:(

Before you do any cutting, try a couple of weeks of just wearing your hair up, in different styles. It will distract you from focusing on your ends, and learning new skills is fun :)

jeanniet
March 21st, 2012, 11:45 AM
Aw, don't feel bad. Stay around here, and you'll learn all sorts of things that may help. If you're a vegetarian, it's important to eat a balanced diet (and equally important if you eat meat!), but honestly, it's unlikely you're not getting enough protein unless you really don't eat much at all. Most people in the US get way more than they need. A vitamin D deficiency can affect hair, but if you're being treated for that you should be fine (I have one, but didn't notice any difference to my hair).

If you tell us specifically what your routine is, we can make better suggestions. Overdoing the protein might be the problem, but you may also simply need to clarify. This is especially true if you're loading up on the treatments and products. My suggestion would be to clarify, then condition with a simple, light conditioner and assess the condition of your hair. That will give you a better idea of what you need to work on.

QMacrocarpa
March 21st, 2012, 12:54 PM
Don't know if this idea will help, but the kind of claw clip that I particularly liked for my early buns, because it sat comfortably against my head, was one of the octopus clips (http://www.amazon.com/Scunci-No-slip-Grip-Octopus-Count/dp/B001SXPSD2) with "no-slip" silicone blobs inside to help grip the hair. I could just kind of wad my hair up loosely in a bun and close the clip over it. For me it was instant "hair out of sight and out of mind".

With at least one style (the flipped bun) I can prevent uncomfortable localized pulling by purposefully loosening the known problem area while I have my hair gathered in my hand, but before I start actually putting it up. So I gather my hair in an unsecured ponytail, loosen the part that will otherwise pull, and then make the bun. If it still pulls, I re-do it, loosening more.

I like MissAlida's French braid idea too.
:blossom:

cuties
March 21st, 2012, 02:16 PM
I have added a couple of pics in the original post. They are the best shots I had. I will try to post pics again tomorrow when I haven't combed my hair for half an hour. That is when the dry ends stand out.

Anje
March 21st, 2012, 02:31 PM
Have you clarified your hair recently? Sometimes buildup is a cause for nasty-feeling ends. Otherwise, I agree that protein could definitely be a problem -- it causes rough, grabby feeling ends for me if I use any, but my hair is more sensitive than most people's to protein overuse.

What about wearing your hair in plain old simple braids? You could vary one or two, and they offer nearly as much protection as buns, so long as you make sure not to let them get caught behind you in chairs and under the straps of any bags you carry. Bunning braids is also useful, and is a good alternative to twisting the hair to bun it.

swearnsue
March 21st, 2012, 02:33 PM
I looked at the pics and your hair doesn't look bad at all! It looks thick, shiney and has wonderful color and waves! If you could just hold out a bit longer before you cut it I think you will get past this awkward hair in your face stage and begin to like your hair more.

AngryVikingGirl
March 21st, 2012, 02:58 PM
http://i44.tinypic.com/1has6e.jpg

Seriously, I don't see anything bad about your hair. I think it's healthy. You say you don't have split ends. Dryness doesn't really show either. Maybe it's just me, but I think your hair is in a good shape. Of course, if you're shedding because of updos, loosen them, but otherwise you can relax in my opinion. Hugs :)

woolyleprechaun
March 21st, 2012, 03:00 PM
I dont know if Im missing anything here, but your hair realy didnt look too bad at all to me. Chin up! :)

spidermom
March 21st, 2012, 03:01 PM
Your hair looks good to me. Try a clarifying shampoo followed by a moisture treatment.

cuties
March 21st, 2012, 03:04 PM
I clarify once a week with baking soda- I use about 1/2 -1 tablespoon and mix it with conditioner. Am I using too less/too much?

spidermom
March 21st, 2012, 03:14 PM
Baking soda dries my hair out terribly; I will never use it for clarifying again.
Once a week sounds like WAY too often.
That might be the problem with your ends.

cuties
March 21st, 2012, 03:23 PM
Baking soda dries my hair out terribly; I will never use it for clarifying again.
Once a week sounds like WAY too often.
That might be the problem with your ends.

What should I be using to clarify? I didn't want to use any sulfate based shampoo, so I thought this was a better natural alternative. I clarify once a week because I am using shampoo bars. I don't want to give up on them cause they have reduced by shedding a lot. How often should I be clarifying?

Anje
March 21st, 2012, 03:30 PM
Definitely less clarifying, not more. Clarifying weekly with baking soda would explain why you're fighting dryness.

With shampoo bars, you definitely want to be rinsing with dilute vinegar after you wash with them. The dilution people use varies a lot, but I'd say diluting it down to 1/10 vinegar in water is good. (Start there and mess with it a bit.) That should be enough to limit the buildup so that you only have to clarify rarely.

cuties
March 21st, 2012, 03:36 PM
Definitely less clarifying, not more. Clarifying weekly with baking soda would explain why you're fighting dryness.

With shampoo bars, you definitely want to be rinsing with dilute vinegar after you wash with them. The dilution people use varies a lot, but I'd say diluting it down to 1/10 vinegar in water is good. (Start there and mess with it a bit.) That should be enough to limit the buildup so that you only have to clarify rarely.

I use 1 tablespoon in 32oz water. I guess it is too less as I can feel a waxy coating on my hair afterwards. I will cut down on clarifying for sure. Thanks for the input.

Anje
March 21st, 2012, 03:47 PM
My guess is that 1 Tablespoon in 32 oz isn't enough, but that's partially based on my experience with my own, rather hard, basic, and bufferring water. You've got a 1/64th dilution currently.

Next time you do it, taste your vinegar rinse (easy pH test :) ). You should clearly taste some tangy acidity. If it's not acid enough, your hair stays waxy-feeling.

autumnsdaughter
March 21st, 2012, 03:56 PM
For up do's, have you tried spin pins? I think they are incredibly gentle on the hair, and are really light weight, so they shouldn't pull out any hair. You can do a lot of different styles with them, and they come in 2 sizes, so you can pick the smaller ones if you think they would be better. They hold styles really well!

Littlewing13
March 21st, 2012, 04:12 PM
Protein treatments can be a problem for some people; it can cause dryness. The first thing I would advise is to avoid protein for a couple of weeks and see if that improves the problem with your ends.

Also, very small trims on a regular basis rather than waiting until your ends get bad might be a better option.

Second this. Overloading with protein can weaken hair too.

What else do you do? Oils? Have you tried CO? or CWC? Maybe try changing conditioner to more moisturising one.

Also you should be able to do some shortish braids that changes things up from your updos.

Yame
March 21st, 2012, 05:10 PM
Your ends look fine! But I'm feeling the same way about mine. My solution? Put my hair up and forget about it. No more progress photos, no more measuring, no more trimming, no more experiments. Just wash, let air dry loose, then put it up and keep it up and out of the way all the time. When I reach my goal I'll care for the condition of my ends.

Miss Catrina
March 21st, 2012, 05:16 PM
An inch trim is really no big loss. I would say to just get the trim, and perhaps begin a regimen of microtrims monthly.

Five of Five
March 21st, 2012, 09:43 PM
Of course it is up to you what you do with your hair, but I think your colour and wave pattern is really enviable, and I'm sure growing it out longer will show it off even more!

I have problems securing updos as well, without using a lot of tension or twisting. Going off cones really helped to stop the hair falling out everywhere. Also, braided buns using spin pins and flexi-8s (moreso flexis) have allowed me to do looser hair-friendly updos without nearly as much tension. French braids are also very secure even when done loose, if you don't mind leaving your ends a bit vulnerable. Before I got my flexis, I chose to wear braids all the time as I would rather have vulnerable ends than hair loss at the root.

If you are looking to increase your protein intake, I would recommend foods containing all the essential amino acids such as tofu, whey, eggs, milk and quinoa, as well as a wide variety of wholegrains and legumes to cover any patches (even though those foods have all the amino acids you need, they are often very low in one).

Also, it is very difficult as a vegetarian to get enough Omega 3s in EPA and DHA form unless you buy microalgae supplements or are comfortable eating fish. Your body can convert ALA plant omega 3s into these types, but only in very small amounts - meaning you need quite a bit more omega 3 overall than a meat-eater in order to get the required amount of EPA / DHA. Good sources include linseed/flaxseed, soy, walnuts, canola oil and borage seed oil. Taking plenty of flaxseed oil has really improved my skin, so I'm sure it would help hair, as well - that is if you think any of your concerns may be diet related.

catamonica
March 21st, 2012, 10:16 PM
Put a capful or two of baby oil in your shampoo & conditioner. It makes the hair soft. Also
aloe vera in your conditioner. That makes the hair soft to. My ends get a little dry to. I put a little baby oil & conditioner on the ends for two minutes. I do this three times after I wash my hair. The ends are softer. Hope it helps.

Babyjolie
March 21st, 2012, 11:06 PM
Grr... my browser froze & deleted my post. Oh well.

Sometimes too much protein, usually when keratin is involved, can cause breakage. So I'd be careful. Everything in moderation, right?

I always feel like healthy hair starts before the root. What you eat plays a much bigger role in your skin/hair/nails than what you put on it. I haven't tried this before, but maybe you could do some research on the hair/nails supplement called Biotin? What I HAVE tried though is the Borba line. It can get pricey, but sometimes walgreens will have a sale & I'll stock up. I personally believe it works, but it can get expensive, so I just try to get my vitamins from actual food. But the gummy bears, & all of the 'skin drinks' as I call them, are yummy & work nice. I usually wait until winter to use any of this stuff, when my skin really needs that extra boost.

http://www.borba.com/

I don't know your reasons for going veg, but I was a vegetarian for about 5 years, too. The last three I was vegan. It's really easy to not get enough protein in your diet. Protein is responsible for growth, repair, & maintenance in the body. You can see how not getting enough can be detrimental to your hair.

Just make sure you're creating complete proteins in your diet. You do this by pairing two incomplete proteins. It doesn't necessarily have to be in the same meal. Just having it in the same day is good enough. & as long as you're eating a variety of whole foods, you're probably already doing this. But here's a cheat sheet just in case.

Grains and Dairy, Legumes and Grains, Seeds or Nuts and Legumes, & Dairy and Legumes.

Examples: pita & humus, peanut butter & jelly, rice & beans, granola & milk.. etc.

I don't know what kind of vegetarian you are. Normal, ovo, lacto, or ovo-lacto. So I included dairy anyway. Also, don't forget about soy protein! A little tofu now & then is good stuff.

I stopped being a vegetarian because it didn't suit my body & lifestyle anymore. Now I just try to know where my food is coming from & make sure it's reached me in as humane a way as possible.
If you ever stop that life style don't forget about fish protein. It's like gold for hair, skin, nails. Especially fatty fish like Arctic char & salmon.

Also, make sure you're getting your water!

Here's a fun anecdote for you. When my ex was a baby, his Grandmother made his Mother eat these little fish whole. Bones & all. In smaller fish, they're soft & it's easy. This isn't uncommon in Japanese culture, & I totally dig it too. Anyway, she ate this particular fish for the length of her pregnancy. It was suppose to promote good hair, nails, etc. Anyway, fast forward 20-something years.. & my ex has beautiful thick nails, great teeth, supple skin, & oh my god... his hair! He grew it out once, I was so jealous! I used to brush it for him! It was unbelievably strong, thick, shiny, & LONG. He never used any fancy products or anything. That's just how his hair grew. We also grew up in Hawaii though, so we ate good food, & a lot of it. Acai bowl before the beach with granola & bananas. Lots of tropical fruit, veg, & tons of fish. So I'm sure the diet helped a lot.

Anyway, that's my pro-fish rant. Take it however you want.

I hope I've helped at least a little. If you have any questions I'm here to help, I'm sure everyone is.

& on really frustrating days, just forget about your hair. It's just hair! When I get really bummed out, I just tie it up & forget about it. & then put on a cute pair of earrings & focus on that! haha I used to do that a lot when I had NO hair. Like, shaved head. I think dangling earrings look so pretty against the jaw line & neck, when the hair is pulled away from the face. Even just one of those soft, cloth-like headband things to push the hair back.

I dunno, I talk too much, so I'll end it here.

My heart really goes out to you. I hope you feel better soon....

Babyjolie
March 21st, 2012, 11:08 PM
Oh! & don't forget to eat your avocados! I'm pretty sure it's the only food that has omega 3 & 6 fatty acids in one.

sfgirl
March 21st, 2012, 11:14 PM
I think APL is the hardest length to have. It's too short to do really cute updos, and since you're trying to grow it out all the fun damaging stuff is out of the picture.
Stick with it. Maybe try different oils. Braids aren't too damaging, and it's better than having your hair down, so maybe you could just do that (which is how I've been doing my hair lately, my buns look just woefully tiny :( )

Debra83
March 21st, 2012, 11:34 PM
I find doing cwc's with GF3N as the conditioners really helpful. I won't try baking soda again for a lonnnnnnng time because it dried out my hair. I also use GF3N (a little) as a leave-in. Also, if you are a vegetarian, or even not, make sure you are getting enough oil in your diet, not just your hair! I take Omega 3-6-9, 3 1000 mg capsule's a day, but you need to do your own research on oils. I read that sometimes women can't even conceive because of not enough oil in their diet. Indigenous peoples all over the world who eat closer to nature than us city folk, have well-balanced diets which include a source of oil, and most of the people who eat less processed foods (and have enough food and aren't malnourished) have GREAT hair AND health!!!! Hair is a great indicator of health.

sycamoreboutiqu
March 21st, 2012, 11:35 PM
Does your hair feel better or worse after a henna application ? Henna deposits a bunch of protein - for some people it improves their hair texture and for some it worsens it. I love the color I get from it but hate the temporary texture change.

After henna mine feels rough and terribly tangly. That is when I realized that my hair really doesn't like protein added to it. Every time I used a product that made my hair feel crappy, it had some type of protein in it. Since I have avoided proteins and most cones my hair feels incredibly softer and far less tangled than it used to.

Using a leave on was the final step that made huge improvements in the texture. Different combinations of conditioner, Jojoba, Coconut and Aloe make wonderful leave-ins and have transformed my hair.

Try leaving on just a touch of conditioner after the CO. The best method seems to be to add a pea sized amount to your palms and apply that to dripping wet ends. Just squeeze it through and squeeze out the excess water. This deposits just enough to seal in the moisture and smooth the cuticle without being enough to leave a sticky feel.

sycamoreboutiqu
March 21st, 2012, 11:41 PM
I think the trick to the baking soda clarifying is not leaving it on very long. I also apply it in conditioner - but far less than you were using. I put less than a teaspoon in a BIG palm full of conditioner - blend together until it is dissolved - then apply that to dry hair - squeeze through quickly and rinse it out within about a minute.

I think the clarifying takes place immediately and leaving it on longer than a minute or so pulls additional oils from the cuticle.

I do it about once every other week or when my hair "tells" me to by the feel. You can always tell when the texture just seems not "right".

Babyjolie
March 22nd, 2012, 12:01 AM
I think APL is the hardest length to have. It's too short to do really cute updos, and since you're trying to grow it out all the fun damaging stuff is out of the picture. )

I agree! Shoulder length was hard for me too.

Pecheresse
March 22nd, 2012, 12:16 AM
I feel for you! I know that I have turned it into an obsession to cut any single split end I see, which results in uneven looking ends. And after a few days, the ends look dry again. I would do oil bath, or put egg yolk on the ends, it helps. Or argan/oilive/castor oil.... or a mix of indian shikakai-neem-amla oil. I think it's important to also drink plenty of water. Just put your hair up and literally forget about it like someone suggested. I am sure its the best way to have it grow! Good luck to you, Im in the same boat :)

Safira
March 22nd, 2012, 03:54 AM
No baking soda for hair, itīs very drying. And once a week is too often.
You should find good conditioner, add some honey, avocado oil and aloe vera. You should try deep conditioners, which is the same as let conditioner sit for an hour with those extras.

I canīt see your hair as damaged as you said. I think itīs in nice condition, and youīre being too harsh. Your hair has shine and the ends donīt seem too dry.

Try to forget your hair and enjoy the spring and summer. Maybe next autumn you show us some pics and tell us you have beautiful, dark and silky hair.

ravenheather
March 22nd, 2012, 07:55 AM
Besides condition, 2a hair can be difficult at this length. There's a couple of support threads for 1c/2a hair. Supposedly it gets better at bsl. I'd hold off on trimming if at all possible to get through this stage faster. By the way I've always done the same thing cut my hair as soon as it gets past sl. Patience is key.

bumblebums
March 22nd, 2012, 08:24 AM
Besides condition, 2a hair can be difficult at this length. There's a couple of support threads for 1c/2a hair. Supposedly it gets better at bsl. I'd hold off on trimming if at all possible to get through this stage faster. By the way I've always done the same thing cut my hair as soon as it gets past sl. Patience is key.

Spot on--I have 2c hair, which presents similar problems to 2a, and it was a real pain between shoulder and APL length. I wore it up all the time to let it grow, and only some updos worked. I am at BSL now and hair is just not a problem anymore. I can even wear it down :)

cuties
March 22nd, 2012, 10:09 AM
Thank you all for the encouraging responses and suggestions. Really brightened up my morning. I do eat dairy and take egg twice a week. I also eat lentils regularly but not big on Tofu. I'm not sure what is meant by oils, I do eat nuts and cook in Olive oil. Also I drink/eat whole milk/yogurt. I have decided to start eating fish regularly, but cannot start eating meat due to personal reasons. Its just that I am a little concerned about the mercury content in fish, but will try and stick with the ones that have lower mercury content. I will give up on using baking soda for now, probably it is stripping my hair. I sometimes use yogurt on my hair as I love the cool feeling on my scalp now that the weather is warming up. Is that considered protein as well? I have also decided to let it be for a couple of weeks and then decide whether to take the ends off or not. I have an event coming up in a couple of weeks where I would need to let my hair down on more than one day and I honestly don't want it to look bad then. I will see how it goes till a couple of days before the event and then decide. Honestly speaking, I'm feeling so much better about my hair today than what I was feeling a couple of days ago. You guys are so supportive and caring :grouphug: