What really helped YOU to thicken up your strands?

[Reecie]

I went from Fried, Dyed and Blowdried in May 2008 to this 14 Months Later.

What really helped my ends thicken were the following:

• ROLLERSETS (STAYING AWAY FROM FLAT IRONS AND BLOWDRYERS)
• WEEKLY/BI-WEEKLY HOT OIL TREATMENTS (EVOO)
• HARD PROTEIN TREATMENTS EVERY 6 WEEKS (APHOGHEE)

Also, you need to remember that stretching is great, but you did not mention how you are taking care of your ends. Stretching greatly benefits the hair closest to the scalp. Don't forget to baby your ends, the oldest part of your hair. Doing that is the most important step to ensure retaining/exceeding/lengthening your current hair.

 

[luckiestdestiny]

My hair has always been thick. With that said, I have noticed that with eating right and eating chlorella that my hair has gotten RIDICULOUSLY thick...at least for me.

 

[myronnie]

You should try not relaxing as straight. I saw in your album that you have a pic of your hair in 2008 where ur stylist used Silk Elements and it kinda underprocessed it. I think that is the texture that you want to achieve with the relaxer.
Your hair and my hair are pretty similar. What I did to thicken my hair is:
- Relax less straight. I still have curls and it looks a little 2c/3a. This adds a lot of thickness. Even when you stretch, you can still have thin hair if your are overprocessing.
- Henna and Indigo thickens my hair a lot. The 2 step seems to thicken my hair much more.
- Cut off the thin ends. From your photos you don't really have thin ends so you probably won't have to do this.

 

[kooskoos]

Thanks for the advice ladies!

I find it interesting that nobody has yet mentioned about types of relaxers they use, or using vitamins. Hmmm.... :scratchch



About henna...how does this product work? Does it just coat your hair and give it the "illusion" of being thicker? Or, does it actually DO something to your strands to make them naturally thicker?? In other words, if I were to stop using it, would the strands that had the henna on them revert back to being thin again?




Also...you ladies that use Castor oil on your strands...how do you all use it? Because I have a couple of bottles of some cheap CVS brand castor oil and it looks about as thick as molasses! I can't imagine putting something that thick on the strands of my hair. I think my fine hair would break off!

I absolutely cannot use castor oil on the strands of my hair. I tried and my hair definitely broke off!!!!! Lol, it was sad...

The lawsone molecule (the dye) in henna is what attaches to keratin in your hair and makes it thicker (@ least that's what I've seen in diagrams ). Supposedly it's permanent, but i find that if I go a month without it, my hair doesn't feel the same erplexed

 

[Crystalicequeen123]

I agree with the bold text. It has been my professional experience that lye relaxers are better on the hair regardless of the texture. However as Kini (and many others) have said they feel no lye is the way to go. So since you are not sitting in a chair in front of me...I say go with what you think is best for your hair, since you have tried both!

Oh, are you a hair stylist? What have you personally seen/experienced with your clients regarding lye and no-lye relaxers. Especially those w/fine hair like myself. Just curious...

I have to agree with this 200%

I have fine hair as well, and once I started doing weekly light protein treatments on my hair and using a protein-based leave in on my wash days, my hair has gotten considerable thicker.

In addition to that, other things that have helped me is:

• No direct heat
• Airdrying
• Stretching my relaxers (relaxing every 12-14 weeks)
• Switching to a Lye relaxer
• Not relaxing bone straight

I'm getting kinda curious about this Henna business though from reading these responses

I keep seeing this "switching to a lye relaxer" in order to retain thicker strands, but I'm not sure how lye gives you thicker strands.

I'm also getting really curious about this henna business lol. Is it a dye?

You should try not relaxing as straight. I saw in your album that you have a pic of your hair in 2008 where ur stylist used Silk Elements and it kinda underprocessed it. I think that is the texture that you want to achieve with the relaxer.
Your hair and my hair are pretty similar. What I did to thicken my hair is:
- Relax less straight. I still have curls and it looks a little 2c/3a. This adds a lot of thickness. Even when you stretch, you can still have thin hair if your are overprocessing.
- Henna and Indigo thickens my hair a lot. The 2 step seems to thicken my hair much more.
- Cut off the thin ends. From your photos you don't really have thin ends so you probably won't have to do this.

Yeah to be honest my hair was really thick when the First silk elements relaxer didn't take. I LOVED the thickness, but I didn't love the upkeep. It was TORTURE!!! That picture (believe it or not) was taken just 2 weeks post! My newgrowth should not be that curly after only 2 weeks post! It did a number on my hair. It was hard to wash and detangle, difficult to style (since the roots were so thick), and I found that I ended up using more direct heat on my hair than I wanted. Plus, when I would get rollersets my stylist would have a hard time getting the hair straight enough to fit around a roller. Not only that, but I ended up getting another touchup around 9-10 weeks. I just couldn't wait any longer! My hair was THAT unruly!

I dont' want to have to be forced to get another touchup earlier than 12 weeks, so even though I enjoyed the thickness, I'm not sure in the long run it would be that advantageous for me.

 

[Chevelure618]

aphogee keratin and green tea restructurizer

 

[Aggie]

aphogee keratin and green tea restructurizer

I just started using the bolded and I have to say, I really like it.

 

[locabouthair]

I think the poster that suggested not to use no lye, maybe said it because for a lot of people no lye straightens better than lye, so if your strands are thin, not relaxing bone straight might help.

Just a guess.

 

[joytimes10]

I'm also a fine haired 4a. My ends are always in excellent condition, I roller set every week. However, I've always wanted thicker hair.

I didn't really believe all the claims about henna until I tried it, I'm so glad I did. I noticed a difference immediately in the thickness of my hair. It's not 10 times thicker but enough to make me happy and keep using henna.

I love it!

ITA! Henna has taken m hair care success to WHOLE NOTHER LEVEL!
I am even feeling confident about transitioning since I henna'd and I've only done it 1x. I can wait to see what my strands will be like the 2nd time around.

 

[Long-n-Strong_Naturally]

Castor Oil (Palma Christi)

I gently hand squeeze (no wringing and no towel) as much water out of my hair as possible after getting out of the shower. I put my open palm over the opening of the bottle and turn the bottle over, tip the bottle back and set it down. I rub my palms and fingers together and gently massage it into my scalp. I tip the bottle again, this time I lightly run my palms over my hair from the top of my head down to about my neck (not to the ends). Then I tip the bottle a third and last time bring my hair to one side and focus on the part where I stopped before (around my neck) to my ends, bring my hair to the other side and repeat this last part. Each time I rub the Palma Christi between the palms of my hands to warm it up and distribute the oil evenly on my palms and fingers. Then I air-dry. I only use the Haitian kind though or the Heritage brand.


CG

 

[aa9746]

Low manipulation and castor oil

 

[SmartyPants]

I absolutely cannot use castor oil on the strands of my hair. I tried and my hair definitely broke off!!!!! Lol, it was sad...

The lawsone molecule (the dye) in henna is what attaches to keratin in your hair and makes it thicker (@ least that's what I've seen in diagrams ). Supposedly it's permanent, but i find that if I go a month without it, my hair doesn't feel the same erplexed

I use the castor oil as a pre-poo hot oil treatment once a week. That way I am actually washing the castor oil out. Otherwise, the castor oil is waaaaaaaaaaaaaay to thick for my hair.

 

[joyous]

My hair has always been thick. With that said, I have noticed that with eating right and eating chlorella that my hair has gotten RIDICULOUSLY thick...at least for me.

I have to agree with diet. I recently started eating really healthy to lose weight and it has benefited my hair tremendously, it has thickened significantly.

 

[vkb247]

I'm also getting really curious about this henna business lol. Is it a dye?

Yes and No. Henna, or Lawsonia inermis, is a tree or shrub. The leaves of the plant contain a red/orange dye molecule so it will stain the hair but the stain is transclucent so it isn't very obvious on darker hair. Henna is also a natural hair conditioner. It can make hair, heavy, thick, and shiny. Some users say it makes their hair like doll's hair. It has helped me retain moisture like never before. But it isn't for everyone.

You can read more about henna at www.hennaforhair.com

http://thenaturalhaven.blogspot.com/search/label/Hair Science - Henna Great info written by a natural scientist who cites sources for her posts including the fact that hair dyed with henna becomes measurably heavier.

There are two long henna threads here and you will also find threads at LHC and NC.

 

[HoneyA]

My hair has got a lot thicker since I started my journey and I think that's due to:

Combing 1x every week or two
Applying coconut oil and castor oil
Stretching my perms
A good HSN

 

[Geminigirl]

Oh Henna! I like my natural hair color is their a way to henna without the color rinse or whatever. I think I need to research this. This is something I am def going to try in the future.

 

[Crystalicequeen123]

I think the poster that suggested not to use no lye, maybe said it because for a lot of people no lye straightens better than lye, so if your strands are thin, not relaxing bone straight might help.

Just a guess.

Really? That's interesting because I've had the opposite experience. So far, the no-lye relaxer my stylist puts in my hair doesn't get my hair bone straight as much as a lye relaxer did, and my stylist is using the reg. strength formula. Then again, she never puts the relaxer in my hair for the full 20 minutes. Usually I have her rinse my hair out after 15 or 16 min.

Castor Oil (Palma Christi)

I gently hand squeeze (no wringing and no towel) as much water out of my hair as possible after getting out of the shower. I put my open palm over the opening of the bottle and turn the bottle over, tip the bottle back and set it down. I rub my palms and fingers together and gently massage it into my scalp. I tip the bottle again, this time I lightly run my palms over my hair from the top of my head down to about my neck (not to the ends). Then I tip the bottle a third and last time bring my hair to one side and focus on the part where I stopped before (around my neck) to my ends, bring my hair to the other side and repeat this last part. Each time I rub the Palma Christi between the palms of my hands to warm it up and distribute the oil evenly on my palms and fingers. Then I air-dry. I only use the Haitian kind though or the Heritage brand.


CG

Thanks for this info about your personal regimen with castor oil. At least now I have a general idea how others use it on their hair. I think castor oil might end up being a bit too heavy on my fine strands, so I may have to do the "hot oil" type of castor oil treatment and rinse it out of my hair.

I have to agree with diet. I recently started eating really healthy to lose weight and it has benefited my hair tremendously, it has thickened significantly.

Yeah, I've been seriously slacking off on my diet/eating healthy lately, and I have the gut to prove it! What types of foods do you eat/or things do you incorporate in your diet that helps YOUR hair?

 

[jaded_faerie]

biotin! My hair made a drastic change in 2 months. I have before & after pictures in my blog in my siggy.
Also MTG worked too, but the smell was not so yummy.

 

[djanae]

oh yeah...i HAVE to add that once I stopped relaxing my hair, it got a lot thicker.

that really should have been first...

I just got all caught up while raving about my coconut oil. lol

 

[Ms_CoCo37]

I actually stumbled onto a product from the Ojon line. My hair is already thick so I don't need any help in that area. I needed (and still need) moisture. Anyway, I was trying to order their Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner set. When the product came I completely overlooked the word Thickening on the bottle and hopped my happy tail in the shower and shampooed/conditioned.

I felt the difference right away. My hair felt a lot thicker and of course this was not my objective. I do think it would benefit someone looking to thicken up a bit.

 

[Qurlyqt]

1. When I went natural
2. Henna

Recently, I've been wondering whose hair is on my head! My hair has NEVER been as thick as it is now. I it again.

 

[FluffyRed]

Fine hair here - I like the feel and condition of my hair better after a lye perm, but no-lye gives better control. My hair would feel straight after a lye, but then when I washed, it would not be relaxed enough.

I read that calcium buildup accounts for the drier feel after no-lye, so I just use a vinegar and water rinse after neutralizing, since vinegar gets rid of calcium buildup.


My hair has gotten thicker looking by:

• coating the ends of hair during a touchup
• not relaxing bone straight
• adding protein conditioner and leaveins to the moisture regimen
• reduced heat, no more than 1x a month. any more and I start seeing little broken pieces
• low manipulation - I never "comb through" my hair.
• sleeping on silk or other low friction surfaces - VITAL

HTH

 

[mstar]

I'm brand-new to this hair game, so I haven't seen any results yet, but this is what I'm doing to thicken my hair:

1) Henna
2) Boundless Tresses
3) Jamaican Black Castor Oil
4) Gelatin capsules
5) Protein leave-ins every other day (CHI Keratin Mist/Mane n Tail Strengthening Spray)
6) Protein conditioners
7) Hot oil treatments
8) Protective styling with braids/kinky twists

I was taking biotin faithfully, but it made me break out so bad. I took a break, then switched to a smaller dose, and the zits started popping up immediately. So this weekend, I gave it up for good.

 

[remilaku]

I don't know about getting thicker but stronger, Oh Yes! Eggs. I put eggs in my hair and my hair is stronger. I use eggs as a protein treatment and I use an egg hair wash sometimes.