Mystery Breakage

**lapushka** · January 17th, 2020, 04:29 PM

Yeah, that would be bleach all right...

Been there a few times. The heat damage (in my case) didn't help. <sigh>

Hang in there. Just moisturize really well. That helps hugely!

**BraidedBunch** · January 17th, 2020, 05:02 PM

Aw thanks so much everyone. Ok, maybe I'll try sleeping without braids for a while and see if the ends snap a little less. Also, I tried shampooing and conditioning with a no protein combo "just for fun" so we'll see. It took 3 sessions of 10 mins each with box bleach to get the indigo out and get the red back, so that probably is it and it's just a delayed reaction like some of you said.
Strange how it takes a while for damage to show up.
Do you think trimming a half inch off will help in the long run, or will it just keep breaking anyway and I should just leave it and baby/moisturize the heck out of it?
Thanks again everyone. <3

**lapushka** · January 18th, 2020, 04:14 AM

Originally Posted by BraidedBunch

Aw thanks so much everyone. Ok, maybe I'll try sleeping without braids for a while and see if the ends snap a little less. Also, I tried shampooing and conditioning with a no protein combo "just for fun" so we'll see. It took 3 sessions of 10 mins each with box bleach to get the indigo out and get the red back, so that probably is it and it's just a delayed reaction like some of you said.
Strange how it takes a while for damage to show up.
Do you think trimming a half inch off will help in the long run, or will it just keep breaking anyway and I should just leave it and baby/moisturize the heck out of it?
Thanks again everyone. <3

It depends on how far up that breakage point is. Have you examined your hair for white dots? They are usually a couple inches up a strand, at least. I keep saying that about the dots, but it's true. It shows up with heat damage, and can show up with bleach damage. Depending on how many you have, you can S&D them out, or you could slowly start a micro-trimming schedule. I would *not* cut them out all at once, because those "suckers" can hang in there for a long time. Yes some will break off, that's inevitable, but not all of them will at once. So you have a lot of time to slowly trim.

I had them in my hair almost at the root when I was shoulder length and growing out perm and heat damage. Yeah, I couldn't see myself with a pixie, and so I grew... and grew... and grew some more. All the way to hip. Yes, a lot of them broke off, but most hung on for dear life, and so at hip I had a major S&D session, but half my head was covered in them, so my hemline thinned out majorly. And so I bit the bullet and cut back from hip to BSL. It was that high up the strand!!! I still can't believe that I actually had the patience to grow that out! But... phew.

You can do it!

**leayellena** · January 18th, 2020, 09:18 AM

I see breakage only in the sunlight or a light very similar to sunlight

**BraidedBunch** · January 18th, 2020, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by lapushka

It depends on how far up that breakage point is. Have you examined your hair for white dots? They are usually a couple inches up a strand, at least. I keep saying that about the dots, but it's true. It shows up with heat damage, and can show up with bleach damage. Depending on how many you have, you can S&D them out, or you could slowly start a micro-trimming schedule. I would *not* cut them out all at once, because those "suckers" can hang in there for a long time. Yes some will break off, that's inevitable, but not all of them will at once. So you have a lot of time to slowly trim.

I had them in my hair almost at the root when I was shoulder length and growing out perm and heat damage. Yeah, I couldn't see myself with a pixie, and so I grew... and grew... and grew some more. All the way to hip. Yes, a lot of them broke off, but most hung on for dear life, and so at hip I had a major S&D session, but half my head was covered in them, so my hemline thinned out majorly. And so I bit the bullet and cut back from hip to BSL. It was that high up the strand!!! I still can't believe that I actually had the patience to grow that out! But... phew.

You can do it!

Thank you!! Wow, that is a really inspiring story and it makes me feel a whole lot better knowing that it's possible to grow even while dealing with this kind of thing. Thanks for sharing. I'll follow your suggestion and not bother trying to get 'em all at once, and I'll microtrim or S&D at some point.
I can't see any white dots in this light but I'll check it out in the sunlight. There probably are some in there.

Also, after clarifying last night and using a no-protein conditioner, there is still some breakage but it has slowed down considerably. Maybe the protein was making a bad situation worse, or maybe it's a coincidence and it wouldn't have made a difference with just one clarify. So still no verdict there.

**lapushka** · January 18th, 2020, 03:03 PM

Originally Posted by BraidedBunch

Thank you!! Wow, that is a really inspiring story and it makes me feel a whole lot better knowing that it's possible to grow even while dealing with this kind of thing. Thanks for sharing. I'll follow your suggestion and not bother trying to get 'em all at once, and I'll microtrim or S&D at some point.
I can't see any white dots in this light but I'll check it out in the sunlight. There probably are some in there.

Also, after clarifying last night and using a no-protein conditioner, there is still some breakage but it has slowed down considerably. Maybe the protein was making a bad situation worse, or maybe it's a coincidence and it wouldn't have made a difference with just one clarify. So still no verdict there.

I'm glad I could help in any way.

I would hold off on the protein. Protein once to maybe twice a month should normally be enough for anyone, if you are using a special dedicated protein treatment and not just a mixed product (with added moisture).

**BraidedBunch** · January 18th, 2020, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by lapushka

I'm glad I could help in any way.

I would hold off on the protein. Protein once to maybe twice a month should normally be enough for anyone, if you are using a special dedicated protein treatment and not just a mixed product (with added moisture).

Yay!

Ok, I'll take it easy on the protein for sure then and I'll use a different S&C. I washed again with the non-protein stuff today since I have a thing to go to tomorrow, and I'm still seeing a little less breakage, so maybe that really does have a lot to do with it! This is so interesting lol.