Is Breakage Inevitable If You Have a Relaxer?

[janeemat]

I believe it is and it just ticks me off. Last night while I was rollersetting my hair, I notice some short broken pieces of hair. This seem to happen every time I get my relaxer now. I don't plan to stretch past 12 wks anymore because this could be the culprit. Or maybe my stylist just can't handle 12+ wks ng. Granted, this last time I only let him leave my relaxer on for 15 min. It's not extreme, but I don't like seeing broken pieces of hair. Does anyone experience breakage like this?

 

[DreamLife]

I do...sometimes I walk around thinking my hair is all healthy, then after a relaxer I'll see these little broken hairs at the top of my head and I'm like ugh!!!!!!! I'm just going to boost up my DC and hopefully it will get warmer so I can start cowashing.

 

[janeemat]

I do...sometimes I walk around thinking my hair is all healthy, then after a relaxer I'll see these little broken hairs at the top of my head and I'm like ugh!!!!!!! I'm just going to boost up my DC and hopefully it will get warmer so I can start cowashing.

That's exactly what I mean. I'm carefully doing my DC's and moisturizing twice daily.

 

[ajoyfuljoy]

Yeah, I don't shed nowhere compared to what I used to before I started really taking care of my hair (everytime I combed my hair little pieces would fall out)

But I do still notice the hairs around my hairline are really tiny.

It kind of worries me and I think that maybe my hairline is growing back in after being gone for a while. I know it takes time for your hair to get back up to speed and my nape is the healthiest that it's been in a really long time.

I just relaxed yesterday, I think I will focus more on scalp massage with oils when I can and co-washing. The longer I'm in this hair game the more I'm learning that babying my hair as much as possible is best.

Even though I'm relaxed, I can't remember when is the last time I used my curling irons. I blow dryed once in the past year and a half (just about) and that was just to get a trim.

So those little hairs better be growing back in

Breakage is a part of hair life. But I will fight it and minimize it's impact on my hair.

 

[Napp]

i think breakage is just inevitable. when it comes to breakage i like to focus on damage control because damage is gonna occur at some point or another

 

[Evazhair]

It doesn't have to be inevitable. You have to know what your hair tolerates/needs and act accordingly. For me a relaxer+ color &/or direct heat means inevitable breakage, so I don't do any of those besides relax and I don't have breakage problems. Of course the ends are the oldest part, so they are most susceptible and their health must be maintained with trims and conditioning.

 

[janeemat]

It doesn't have to be inevitable. You have to know what your hair tolerates/needs and act accordingly. For me a relaxer+ color &/or direct heat means inevitable breakage, so I don't do any of those besides relax and I don't have breakage problems. Of course the ends are the oldest part, so they are most susceptible and their health must be maintained with trims and conditioning.

I don't do any of these things except for relaxer. I stop using the blowdryer in 2005 (except for 1 Dom blowout in Feb) and don't use direct heat. I rollerset twice a week. Like I stated, it's not severe at all but when you're rolling a piece of hair and then see a short piece it just makes you wonder. Like the other post stated, I guess it's all about damage control.

 

[It~Can~Grow]

For me, I don't really see short pieces but pieces that are about 80% the length of my hair and some a little longer, but almost none have the white bulb. So, I became concerned because that means they are not shed hairs, right?

If this is true, then I seem to not shed any hairs. I don't see any with white bulbs...this cannot be correct because every sheds daily, right? So, what am I seeing - shed or broken hairs?

I have read SistaSlicks article on Breakage 101 3 times so I don't think I need to read it anymore. I'm country sometimes, but not slow. What am I missing?

I did yet another wet assessment and it does seem to break seconds after pulling so that equals more moisture? That being the case, how much moisture can my hair take?

I DC twice a week with Kenra MC on Tuesday (+ honey and Castor/Jojoba oils) and Biolage Hydratherapie on Friday (+ honey and Castor/Jojoba oils).

Everything is always followed with a leave in and some say that's light protein? If that little dose of protein is too much, what other leave in is recommended w/ -0- protein?

I'm concerned about the breakage because I don't know if it's shedding or breakage and most likely I'm not treating correctly.

 

[Cleve_gryl]

^^If you're not seeing a white bulb, its a broken hair...sorry

I have small doses of breakage, and always have. I can cut back on my "shedding" but I always find a short hair or two after combing my hair. I also feel my hair is the most healthy its ever been, so what's the deal?!? I don't use direct heat at all, and for color I use semi-perm rinses.

But, in hindsight when I did use direct heat I'd see 10x more broken hairs...everywhere. On my shirt collars, on the bathroom floor. So, I'm not complaining...I'm just working with what I've got.

 

[poookie]

nah, i don't think that breakage is 100% inevitable if you have a relaxer. i'm relaxed, my protein/moisture balance is on point right now, and when i do see hairs, they all have the bulbs on the ends.

then again, i only ever fingercomb my hair. i might be seeing a few more broken hairs if i actually put a comb to my hair.

 

[It~Can~Grow]

Maybe that's it. erplexed

I don't see random hairs, I only see hair in the catcher when I wash and about 5 hairs in the comb after detangling.

I don't notice any bulbs on the hairs from the comb and I do pull and clean the hair from the catcher so that I can examine. So, it is possible that I'm not seeing bulbs on the hair lost during washes??

Thanks for your feedback

For me, I don't really see short pieces but pieces that are about 80% the length of my hair and some a little longer, but almost none have the white bulb. So, I became concerned because that means they are not shed hairs, right?

If this is true, then I seem to not shed any hairs. I don't see any with white bulbs...this cannot be correct because every sheds daily, right? So, what am I seeing - shed or broken hairs?

I have read SistaSlicks article on Breakage 101 3 times so I don't think I need to read it anymore. I'm country sometimes, but not slow. What am I missing?

I did yet another wet assessment and it does seem to break seconds after pulling so that equals more moisture? That being the case, how much moisture can my hair take?

I DC twice a week with Kenra MC on Tuesday (+ honey and Castor/Jojoba oils) and Biolage Hydratherapie on Friday (+ honey and Castor/Jojoba oils).

Everything is always followed with a leave in and some say that's light protein? If that little dose of protein is too much, what other leave in is recommended w/ -0- protein?

I'm concerned about the breakage because I don't know if it's shedding or breakage and most likely I'm not treating correctly.

 

[janeemat]

nah, i don't think that breakage is 100% inevitable if you have a relaxer. i'm relaxed, my protein/moisture balance is on point right now, and when i do see hairs, they all have the bulbs on the ends.

then again, i only ever fingercomb my hair. i might be seeing a few more broken hairs if i actually put a comb to my hair.

What I'm talking about is short pieces of hair on the head, not on the floor and in the shower. My hair is very healthy also, but if I'm rollersetting and see short pieces of hair, that mean it broke off at some point and time.

 

[mrsalittle]

I have to be honest...EVERY TIME I get a relaxer I have breakage that takes me about 2wks to stop. I dont know what to do. I read some where that you should do a protein treatment right after you wash out the relaxer (before the shampoo)(don't quote me). So I was gonna try this next time I relaxed. I know sheading is normal but BREAKAGE isn't. Its so frustrating..I wish that I could build up enough nerve to cut it all off and go naturalerplexed

 

[MissLawyerLady]

I've noticed the shorter hairs in the crown and I contribute that to relaxer application. As long as I don't get too many, I can deal.

Even though my stylist is very gentle and only uses her fingers to smooth in the relaxer I think that its going to just happen sometimes- unless she goes super slow and that wouldn't be too cost effective (for her business).

I've also noticed shorter hairs that are a result of me combing from scalp to end (I know I shouldn't but I can't help it). To combat this, I only comb from scalp to end once per day and I start at the ends and detangle all the way up first. I also don't comb from scalp to end, beginning around six weeks until my next relaxer, unless with condish under the shower stream.

One of the best tips I've picked up was from Sistaslick and that is to brace my hair with my hand as I comb it to reduce some of the force on the hair shaft. This has really worked for me.

 

[MizAvalon]

Doesn't everyone have those little short hairs at the top of their head and around their hairline? I see women of all races, some with chemically altered hair and some without but everyone seems to have the shorter hairs.

I thought that was just the way it was for everyone whether you put chemicals in your hair or not?

 

[It~Can~Grow]

Doesn't everyone have those little short hairs at the top of their head and around their hairline? I see women of all races, some with chemically altered hair and some without but everyone seems to have the shorter hairs.

I thought that was just the way it was for everyone whether you put chemicals in your hair or not?

Don't quote me but I think some of this is damage (flat iron, curlers, pulling, chemicals) and some of this may simply be new hair?

When I was stretching I thought "man is my hair jacked" erplexed. Once I smoothed my hair back for my bun, I saw hairs at varied lengths sticking out all over.

One day I was in line, and noticed a little girls hair in french braids (I hate that I've become a lurker every where I go). She looked to be about 4, beautiful long, nature with mucho waves.

On closer, "lurker" inspection, I noticed she had little hairs sticking out in between the braids.

So, I think some can be lumped in the damage, and others in the new hair growth categories

 

[Tootuff]

Don't quote me but I think some of this is damage (flat iron, curlers, pulling, chemicals) and some of this may simply be new hair?

When I was stretching I thought "man is my hair jacked" erplexed. Once I smoothed my hair back for my bun, I saw hairs at varied lengths sticking out all over.

One day I was in line, and noticed a little girls hair in french braids (I hate that I've become a lurker every where I go). She looked to be about 4, beautiful long, nature with mucho waves.

On closer, "lurker" inspection, I noticed she had little hairs sticking out in between the braids.

So, I think some can be lumped in the damage, and others in the new hair growth categories

That's what I thought too. Hair shed so that new hair can grow. The new hair growing is not going to be the same length as the old hair so it make sense that you will have some short hairs. In fact if it is normal to shed 50 to 100 hairs a day that means that there is probably always that many new hairs growing so there should be various lengths of hair on you head.

Im not an expert this is just my opinion.