I need help, hair very damaged?

[Lady SleepsAlot]

Hello! I'm new and I'm in desperate need of help.

I'm not sure where to start, I'm just going to try and explain what the problem is. I thought I had frizz. After I've washed my hair I let it air-dry, and it just poofs up like you wouldn't believe. I tried some anti-frizz products, serums, oils, deep-conditioners, special shampoo and conditioners, you name it. Nothing helped, not even a little.

I did a search online trying to find what the actual cause of the frizz was and one website suggested that frizz is not "natural", that it's damaged hair, which made me start looking closer at my hair.

I discovered that some of my strands seem extremely messed up, they grow almost curly, and when I examined the frizzy strands closer I felt that the thickness is irregular, so I cut off one strand to look at it and it really is thin-thick-thin-thick and so on. Most of my hair is almost entirely straight, the strands are smooth to the touch, but a massive amount of strands, mostly on the top layer is curly and/or thin-thick.

When I googled what could cause this I found heat-damage as the answer, but I do not use a hairdryer, and I do not use a straightener.

My routine is washing with head and shoulders because I'm prone to dandruff, I use a cheap conditioner at the moment because many of the more expensive ones have too much perfume which I'm allergic to and the cheap one leaves my hair in the best condition after washing than expensive ones. I'd like to point out that for some time I used fructis strenght shampoo and conditioner, it left my hair in horrid shape. I also used a keratin set from L'oreal if I remember correctly, not much difference there either. I've tried using aussie 3 minute conditioner even though the smell makes me sneeze like crazy and my hair still dries like this.

I use an old t-shirt to dab excess water from my hair after showering and I let it airdry. I've been using the tangle teezer brush but I could still feel hairs breaking (even if I start brushing from the bottom working my way up) so I purchased a boar hair brush recently. Before those I just used a paddle brush and I've noticed no difference in my hair after making the switch.

The only thing I do that I know damages my hair is color it.

I've been doing search and destroy through my hair and I've been cutting or pulling the damaged hairs out, but I can't keep doing it, I'll end up with bald spots and I know it's probably not healthy to pull them out.. I'm just desperate because I'm not a pretty person, the only thing I've ever been confident in is my hair, and I want it to be healthy..

When my hair dries it looks so awful.. it feels like running my hand over a carpet or something. It gets less messy as time goes and I only wash once a week.

I have a photo of two of my strands here that I hope can help identify the problem:


I hope someone can help me, thanks so much for your time!

[Flor]

I actually have a very similar issue, but I've only recently pinpointed it and changed a few things in my hair care routine, so I'm waiting to see what happens in 6 months from now. So far my guess is - sun damage and elastics (I wore my hair in a ponytail 24/7 for years). It has to be environmental or mechanical, because it's really only the top layer of my hair that does this. Those kinky hairs of mine are really crazy looking compared to the rest of it. So I've switched to braids and one stick buns, I made a satin pillow case to sleep on, but I'm still trying to figure how to protect hair from sun and wind.

[Lady SleepsAlot]

I forgot to add I always have my hair in a bun or a braid, my hair tangles SO easily that I can't afford to have it flying freely, though I'd love to have my hair down for once :/
It's mostly only on my top layer as well, as far as I can tell at least. My hair gets like that when the air is moist and it gets static during the winter, so I'm worried my hair can be dry too. It feels dry and suddenly it gets oily, so I'm probably doing several things wrong right now.

[Panth]

May I suggest your hair strands are not "extremely messed up" they're just simply... curly!

If you've got strands like in the photo, there's absolutely no WAY that you are a 1b. (It is possible to have multiple textures on one head - perhaps this is what you have?).

"Frizz" can be a symptom of damage. However, the other really common cause of frizz is wavy/curly hair that is mis-treated (i.e. treated like you should treat straight hair). I suggest you give the Curly Girl method a go.

[Vampyria]

Your hair is probably wavier than 1b, hence the frizz. The picture you posted shows coarse and fine strands and I have pretty similar ones on my head. Coarse and frizzy hair is not damage, it mostly indicates wavier hair. Head & Shoulders is a really harsh shampoo (contains SLS) and can be drying and dyeing can be really damaging also. I agree with Panth on Curly girl method, maybe try some natural oils-like coconut, avocado (if you haven't yet), to encourage your texture and minimize the frizz.

[itdontmatter48]

I have found aloe vera juice in a spray bottle to help with 'frizz' along with a protein conditioner used 1x per week to be helping.

[Dandelion6]

'"Frizz" can be a symptom of damage. However, the other really common cause of frizz is wavy/curly hair that is mis-treated (i.e. treated like you should treat straight hair). I suggest you give the Curly Girl method a go.'

--This is true. I don't think that frizz is necessarily damage. Would you be able to post another picture of the back of your head showing all your hair?

[Anje]

Just adding my voice to the mix. Sounds like you've got curly hair. Frizz is much more often a sign of unrecognized or brushed curls than anything else. Treat it like curls (Curly Girl method is a great place to start), and I think you'll be much happier with your hair.

[Lady SleepsAlot]

Wow thanks for all the replies! I did think that maybe I had some curls going on, but I didn't think that curly hair had strands that were thick and thin? (in one single strand I mean)
It's already night here so a decent photo of my entire hair will have to wait but I'm going to post one tomorrow.
I'll look into the curly girl method, I'm a complete newbie so I have no idea what that means

[stachelbeere]

I know the weird strands you are talking about - I have a couple of these on my head as well and I am definitely a 1b - no hint of a wave or anything on my head unfortunately!
but said hairs behave 'nicely' and don't poof up or anything - maybe it's just that I have so few of them so they just blend with the rest nicely. I read somewhere on this thread that they are referred to as 'hair pubes.' and they are also thick-thin, it's really weird. they are also sort of 'flat' as if the hair strands aren't 'round' in diameter if you know what I mean.

I'm subscribing as I am interested what others have to say