I Lost Lots of Hair After Co-Washing and Wet Bunning

[janeemat]

Is this normal? I co-washed and bunned, well not bunned but plaited my hair for a week. Yesterday I did a normal wash and rollerset. Dang the hair that came out! Is this because my hair was up and was not combed with a fine tooth/rattail comb in between this co-washing. Someone please shed some light on this, because I'm about to throw the towel in before I get started good with this co-washing and bunning.

 

[Dominican09]

Have you checked your protein and conditioner balance?

 

[Charz]

It is probably shed hair. Are there white bulbs attached to the hairs you lost?

 

[kittenz]

Sounds normal since you didn't comb your hair for a week. What's a "lot" ... was it more than a week's worth?

 

[Kerryann]

did you comb out ur hair during this week

 

[SweetSay]

We lose (shed) hair everyday in small healthy amounts, so small that we do not notice. But when the hair is in a confining style, such as braids, plaits, etc. that hair has nowhere to go. So when you take it down, it seems like you are losing a large amount of hair all at once. When you are losing an unhealthy amount of hair, there will be no questions. YOU WILL KNOW!

 

[Caramela]

Did you detangle at all during this time? My suggestion would be to comb out your hair in the shower with the conditioner still in using a shower comb. You do not need to fine tooth comb your hair.

 

[msa]

Is this normal? I co-washed and bunned, well not bunned but plaited my hair for a week. Yesterday I did a normal wash and rollerset. Dang the hair that came out! Is this because my hair was up and was not combed with a fine tooth/rattail comb in between this co-washing. Someone please shed some light on this, because I'm about to throw the towel in before I get started good with this co-washing and bunning.

What you saw was a week's worth of shed hair.

Humans shed 50-100 hairs per day on average. If you hadn't combed your hair in a week, then all the shed hair came out at one time. That's perfectly normal and to be expected.

It has nothing to do with cowashing or they style your hair was in.

 

[janeemat]

Have you checked your protein and conditioner balance?

I use a mild protein followed by a moisturing cond weekly. Lately it has been ADR or Sebastian Pentrait followed by Nacidit Olive Oil/Silicon Mix.

 

[almond eyes]

It also depends on the texture of your hair. If you have fine hair the co-wash and the wet bunning might be detrimental.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[msa]

Have you checked your protein and conditioner balance?

I use a mild protein followed by a moisturing cond weekly. Lately it has been ADR or Sebastian Pentrait followed by Nacidit Olive Oil/Silicon Mix.

Losing a normal amount of shed hair has nothing to do with protein/moisture balance.

 

[BlondeByDesire]

I think this is pretty normal. I've done the same for the past 3 weeks now. I co-wash twice a week and my normal wash day is on Sunday. Instead of bunning on wet hair I plait as well - my hair is very fragile right now while transitioning. Every other week on wash day I do a light protein treatment.

 

[janeemat]

I always comb in the shower with a conditioner in my hair. I used my shower comb and detangling comb. Added some leave in and braided my hair while wet. Did not comb hair again until in the shower a few days later co-washing. Whenever I rollerset, I must use my rattail to get a good rollerset. Of course, I can't use the rattail if I'm co-washing and bunning. I did not examine the hair to see if bulbs were on it. It's just that as I was rollersetting each time I combed a piece of hair, hair came out. It looked more that normal to me.

 

[msa]

I always comb in the shower with a conditioner in my hair. I used my shower comb and detangling comb. Added some leave in and braided my hair while wet. Did not comb hair again until in the shower a few days later co-washing. Whenever I rollerset, I must use my rattail to get a good rollerset. Of course, I can't use the rattail if I'm co-washing and bunning. I did not examine the hair to see if bulbs were on it. It's just that as I was rollersetting each time I combed a piece of hair, hair came out. It looked more that normal to me.

Next time, you should definitely look at the strands and see if there's a bulb (it may be small) on the end. If it does have a bulb then it's just shed hair and it's fine.

Humans lose 50-100 strands per day. We have over 100,000 strands on our heads. Unless you are losing so much hair that it is creating bald spots or severe thinning, then what you are experiencing is normal.

 

[janeemat]

Next time, you should definitely look at the strands and see if there's a bulb (it may be small) on the end. If it does have a bulb then it's just shed hair and it's fine.

Humans lose 50-100 strands per day. We have over 100,000 strands on our heads. Unless you are losing so much hair that it is creating bald spots or severe thinning, then what you are experiencing is normal.

They were long strands so maybe they were shed hairs since I had not used a fine tooth comb. My hair alway seem thinner when I get around 7/8 wks post, so that makes it hard to tell.

 

[PeanutButterandHoney]

I know I don't agree with with allowing wet hair to "sit" in one style for a week. For me, it causes my hair to lock up. I think that you should try and "refresh" your plait by taking it out , finger sectioning it, reetting it (preferable with a water/oil/glycerin/condish) concoction and rebraid.

 

[Nice & Wavy]

Maybe you should try a stronger protein treatment, followed by a really good moisturizing DC. That should help you with the shedding.

 

[Jazzmommy]

I'm just recovering from a slight set-back due to over moisterizing. So, perhaps you can do a wet assessment to determine if you need more protein if it's not regular shedding.

 

[msa]

They were long strands so maybe they were shed hairs since I had not used a fine tooth comb. My hair alway seem thinner when I get around 7/8 wks post, so that makes it hard to tell.

Well of course, with more shrinkage your hair is going to appear a bit thinner because it's being pulled up by the natural roots.

By severe thinning I mean you start losing bulk from your hair. Believe me, you would know it if you had it. Anyway, since they were long strands I'm sure you don't have anything to worry about but next time check just to be sure and have peace of mind.

Maybe you should try a stronger protein treatment, followed by a really good moisturizing DC. That should help you with the shedding.

How will that help with shedding? Shedding is an internal process and I'm pretty sure conditioning the length of the strands won't affect what's going on underneath the scalp.

 

[Christelyn]

It also depends on the texture of your hair. If you have fine hair the co-wash and the wet bunning might be detrimental.

Best,
Almond Eyes

This was my exact problem. I can't do this with my hair...it just snaps.

 

[**SaSSy**]

It sound like normal shed hair, if you're so worry take 1000mg of garlic pills. But this still won't prevent total shed hair.

 

[CurlyMoo]

Sounds like shedding to me. Did you notice any small broken hairs?

 

[janeemat]

I know I don't agree with with allowing wet hair to "sit" in one style for a week. For me, it causes my hair to lock up. I think that you should try and "refresh" your plait by taking it out , finger sectioning it, reetting it (preferable with a water/oil/glycerin/condish) concoction and rebraid.

Yes! My hair seemed as if it wanted to lock. I may have to take it down or partially dry it first.

 

[janeemat]

Maybe you should try a stronger protein treatment, followed by a really good moisturizing DC. That should help you with the shedding.

I'm going to skip co-washing the rest of the week and do an aphoghee treatment on Sat. I did use Alter Ego on yesterday along with my Nacidit Olive Oil cond.

 

[janeemat]

Sounds like shedding to me. Did you notice any small broken hairs?

The strands seem long. I'm hoping it was not at the line of demarkation.

 

[The Princess]

Maybe you should try a stronger protein treatment, followed by a really good moisturizing DC. That should help you with the shedding.

So protein treatments help with shedding?

 

[Miamori]

I detangle with a fine tooth comb once every few weeks. I otherwise use a wide tooth comb and oil or condition my fingertips and then run my fingers through my hair to pull out shed hairs.

Once I get around to detangling with a smaller tooth comb, I lose a LOT of hair. IMO, you should not change your regimen, becaause my guess is your hair is "balanced" and doing so will only mess up a good thing, with the exception of detangling more often if it really worries you.

My mothers hair was FALLING OUT for a time. Though I gather a LOT of hair in my comb once I finally detangle well (meaning beyond what I do in the shower with a wide tooth comb), there is a BIG difference in the amount of hair we shed.

I agree with the others who have said it is highly unlikely you are losing an abnormal amount of hair. You would "KNOW" (meaning, you would be in tears, not calm or rational, crying, freaking out, holding the hair in your palms, etc., or doing whatever version of SEVERELY freaking out that would be more appropriate for you, depending on the type of person your are). I am a very calm person, and I doubt that if I were using a seriously unnatural amount of hair, my hair's condition would still be good enough that I would not be a mess over it, or that I would be curious or questioning over frightened.

I think your hair is fine. Like I said, if it really bothers you, style in a way that requires more detangling, or you can continue what you've been doing and observe your hair more. That is how I figured out the effects of not combing as often and thoroughly on my hair.

I hope your hair remains healthy.

 

[msa]

So protein treatments help with shedding?

No, they do not.

Shedding is a part of the hair's life cycle which is an internal process. Doing a protein treatment on the length of the hair is not going to somehow stop shedding from occurring.

 

[janeemat]

Maybe I'm just paranoid after a setback in March. I want to co-wash so I can be WL

 

[Miamori]

So protein treatments help with shedding?

I don't know how everyone else will respond, but IMO, protein treatments help with BROKEN HAIRS, not true shedding.

Garlic treatments help with shedding, as in hair that has come out from the root (which IMO, should only be a concern if thicker hair is desired, or the hair is thinning).

Amla oil, and other Indian and Chinese oils and herbs also help with hair fall.

I do know my mother was given a cinnamon treatment for her ABNORMALLY thinning, falling out hair, and she said it helped. She was told to use it on the bald spots. I believe it helped because it helps stimulate the follicle so the hair would regrow in the balding spots... I am not sure whether it prevented the hair from falling.