I'm flabbergasted, what does my hair want?!?

[theislandoll]

I'm totally confused on what my hair needs! Hopefully you ladies can help me figure out the problem....

About 4 months ago, I figured out why my hair was suffering from breakage - I didn't use enough protein. I DC'd with Mane & Tail mixed with a little Kenra MC and after about an hour I rinsed and my hair was soft & STRONG with literally no breakage. I was so happy! I was on cloud nine that I finally found the answer to my hair problems. Protein truly did turn it around and I felt like I was on my way to beautiful long healthy hair. But a couple weeks after I relaxed, I made a huge mistake...

I had been using Mane & Tail conditioner again as my only DC for that wash day and about 45 minutes later my hair was hard & tangled. I knew I had a protein overload. I had about 50-60 broken hairs and I wanted to cry. A couple days later, I DC'd again with Kenra MC ONLY and I had even more breakage. over 100 little pieces broke off. I didn't want to add any protein in my hair because of the overload so I didn't understand why I had more breakage. It hasn't been the same since.

Right now my hair is very protein sensitive. I always mix my conditioners with a little protein and extra moisturizing conditioner. (I use nexxus keraphix or joico k-pak reconstructor) If I try to add more protein, my hair breaks all over. But if I don't use any protein, my hair breaks even more. But why is my hair still stretching and then breaks when wet but reject any extra protein I try to add?

I DON'T GET IT!

I really want to use nexxus emergencee on my hair this weekend because i'm relaxing next saturday but i'm terrified because I don't want breakage city.

I moisturize once a day (every morning with hairveda's whipped cream & seal with cocasta oil)
I co-wash and deep condition 2-3 times a week
I use shampoo every two weeks
I clarify once a month
I use roux porosity or acv rinses every two weeks

 

[locabouthair]

maybe you need to try a milder protein?? I'm not familiar with mane and tail conditioner.

The ACV rinses act as a protein too by sealing the cuticle I believe so maybe that along with the mane and tail was too much? Just a guess.

I'm honestly stumped at this one. But I'm sure someone will offer more advice.

I know how you feel. I'm having bad breakage now and it does suck..

 

[IDareT'sHair]

maybe you need to try a milder protein?? I'm not familiar with mane and tail conditioner.

The ACV rinses act as a protein too by sealing the cuticle I believe so maybe that along with the mane and tail was too much? Just a guess.

I'm honestly stumped at this one. But I'm sure someone will offer more advice.

I know how you feel. I'm having bad breakage now and it does suck..

Again: Thank you for Keeping It Real !

 

[Itllbeokbaby]

are you using combs and brushes?

my breakage stopped when i stopped brushing and combing. i use my fingers. my hair is too fragile. i know this sounds strange - but is true.

try to cut down on the manipulation. hope this helps.

 

[theislandoll]

maybe you need to try a milder protein?? I'm not familiar with mane and tail conditioner.

The ACV rinses act as a protein too by sealing the cuticle I believe so maybe that along with the mane and tail was too much? Just a guess.

I'm honestly stumped at this one. But I'm sure someone will offer more advice.

I know how you feel. I'm having bad breakage now and it does suck..

I haven't used man & tail since that overload.. I think it's a stong protein conditioner. I've been using nexxus keraphix and I read that it's a light protein. thank you for responding =)

 

[locabouthair]

I haven't used man & tail since that overload.. I think it's a stong protein conditioner. I've been using nexxus keraphix and I read that it's a light protein. thank you for responding =)

yeah nexxus keraphix is supposed to be a light protein. Thats why I'm stumped...I'm a hair fanatic but this protein/moisture is the one thing I just dont get 100%.

 

[theislandoll]

are you using combs and brushes?

my breakage stopped when i stopped brushing and combing. i use my fingers. my hair is too fragile. i know this sounds strange - but is true.

try to cut down on the manipulation. hope this helps.

I only use my fingers, but after I let my hair air dry for an hour after the final rinse I use the jilbere shower comb to detangle when i'm ready to rollerset. maybe I should just wash my hair once a week.. but I still don't understand why my hair stretches and then breaks when it's wet.

thank you for your help!

 

[locabouthair]

are you using combs and brushes?

my breakage stopped when i stopped brushing and combing. i use my fingers. my hair is too fragile. i know this sounds strange - but is true.

try to cut down on the manipulation. hope this helps.

that sounds like the best thing to do right now while you're trying to figure it out. try to leave it alone as much as possible. I hope you find a solution too. I wanna know what the answer is

 

[tiffers]

If your hair is stretching while wet before breaking, that's a good thing. Well, depending on how much it stretches. Does it stretch a lot and then break, or does it just stretch a little before breaking?

Are the hairs you're losing broken (short, little hairs) or are they shed hair (with white bulbs on the end) ?

 

[theislandoll]

If your hair is stretching while wet before breaking, that's a good thing. Well, depending on how much it stretches. Does it stretch a lot and then break, or does it just stretch a little before breaking?

Are the hairs you're losing broken (short, little hairs) or are they shed hair (with white bulbs on the end) ?

it stretches a lot more than normal and the breaks. my hair never sheds, it's always broken little hairs all over the place

 

[tiffers]

If it stretches more than normal, you probably have moisture overload. Does your hair feel mushy when wet?

If you are suffering from too much moisture, it will take a while to recover. It takes longer than protein overload to bounce back from

 

[Lovelylife]

if you are relaxed then your hair could be overprocessed or not neutralized enough.

 

[Miamori]

Hmmm. I had the same exact issue a few months ago. What helped me was not trying anything fancy, but just using Joico exclusively (Moisture Recovery), which still contains mild proteins and if pH balanced for hair - the shampoo and conditioner are balanced slightly differently. I also rinsed with ACV (about 1-2tbsp diluted in small to VERY LARGE mugs, respectively), And eventually bought Roux Porosity Control (great) to use as needed to restore my porosity. I used the Roux/ACV until my hair seemed like it had had enough of that too, and then waited and just kept keeping it simple and using the Joico, and my hair went back to normal. No more broken pieces. HTH.

In other words, I'm saying it could likely be your porosity and/or pH, depending on the products and/or chemicals you use.

 

[Esq.2B]

Might be too much moisture from the 2-3 co-washes AND DCs every week on top of using a daily moisturizer. I know that would be too much moisture for my hair.

 

[hothair]

Start again. Clarify and use a moisture only conditioner. Also some brands may work better for you than others.

I did the Aphogee 2 step last week cause I still had breakage after BKT (reduced but still there) my hair got real hard when wet though I DC-ed with the Aphogee moisturising conditioner that came with it. I DC-ed yesterday with Nexxus humectress (don't know why I stop using this) and my hair feel strong but soft and NO breakage.

 

[theislandoll]

If it stretches more than normal, you probably have moisture overload. Does your hair feel mushy when wet?

If you are suffering from too much moisture, it will take a while to recover. It takes longer than protein overload to bounce back from

my hair felt really mushy. I think I'm going to cut down to just co-washing once a week.

and also, I didn't really pay attention to the strands. the little broken off hairs that came out, also came along with longer strands and I just ASSUMED that it was all breakage but clearly it wasn't. about 70% of the hair that came out was shed hair!

 

[theislandoll]

if you are relaxed then your hair could be overprocessed or not neutralized enough.

I'm relaxed, but my hair isn't overprocessed. whenever I go to my stylist for a relaxer she uses the neutralizing shampoo 3-4 times.

 

[theislandoll]

Hmmm. I had the same exact issue a few months ago. What helped me was not trying anything fancy, but just using Joico exclusively (Moisture Recovery), which still contains mild proteins and if pH balanced for hair - the shampoo and conditioner are balanced slightly differently. I also rinsed with ACV (about 1-2tbsp diluted in small to VERY LARGE mugs, respectively), And eventually bought Roux Porosity Control (great) to use as needed to restore my porosity. I used the Roux/ACV until my hair seemed like it had had enough of that too, and then waited and just kept keeping it simple and using the Joico, and my hair went back to normal. No more broken pieces. HTH.

In other words, I'm saying it could likely be your porosity and/or pH, depending on the products and/or chemicals you use.

that's actually on my wish list! now I really want to go pick that up. thank you for the advice =)

 

[theislandoll]

All my hair needed was baking soda! Someone on here PM'd me and suggested that I add a tbsp of baking soda to my shampoo and after I DC'd, I had no more breakage! The next day I moisturized my hair with aphogee 2 min reconstructer on dry hair, and it felt so much stronger than before. I guess incorporating protein on dry hair is better for me right now

 

[exubah]

Do you use a leave-in? You may want to try using one that has a little protein in it so that you consistently get a little protein hit (to balance things out) while you are moisturizing and sealing.

 

[theislandoll]

Do you use a leave-in? You may want to try using one that has a little protein in it so that you consistently get a little protein hit (to balance things out) while you are moisturizing and sealing.

Yes, I use giovanni direct leave-in (I know that's a protein based leave-in). my hair loves it!

 

[exubah]

All my hair needed was baking soda! Someone on here PM'd me and suggested that I add a tbsp of baking soda to my shampoo and after I DC'd, I had no more breakage! The next day I moisturized my hair with aphogee 2 min reconstructer on dry hair, and it felt so much stronger than before. I guess incorporating protein on dry hair is better for me right now

Great!!! I am happy that you found something that works for you

 

[Itllbeokbaby]

All my hair needed was baking soda! Someone on here PM'd me and suggested that I add a tbsp of baking soda to my shampoo and after I DC'd, I had no more breakage! The next day I moisturized my hair with aphogee 2 min reconstructer on dry hair, and it felt so much stronger than before. I guess incorporating protein on dry hair is better for me right now

wow....is that all? i'm gonna write this down. thank you's to you and the lady who pm'd you.

 

[theislandoll]

wow....is that all? i'm gonna write this down. thank you's to you and the lady who pm'd you.

make sure that shampoo has no sulfates (i use hairveda amala shampoo)