Ladies that have overcome thinning edges, what WORKED??

Ms_Twana

New Member
A couple of years ago, I noticed that my hair was thinning at my right temple. When I asked my stylist about it, and told her that my mom's hair is like that (she is just about bald on both sides), she told me that there was nothing I could do if it is hereditary. Well, last night after I washed my hair, I put it up in a ponytail to do the baggie method, and got a big surprise. I could now see my scalp in this same area. I also noticed that I have a bald spot in the middle of my nape area.

I read a lot of threads here on thinning edges and nape area. Most of them were from last year, and ladies were talking about the products they were using at that time. So, I would like to know what actually worked. Please tell me what contributed to your thinning (hereditary, relaxers, braids, etc.), what you used, what your results were, and how long it took you to see results.

ANY help would be appreciated. Thanks!
 

PaperClip

New Member
Ms_Twana said:
A couple of years ago, I noticed that my hair was thinning at my right temple. When I asked my stylist about it, and told her that my mom's hair is like that (she is just about bald on both sides), she told me that there was nothing I could do if it is hereditary. Well, last night after I washed my hair, I put it up in a ponytail to do the baggie method, and got a big surprise. I could now see my scalp in this same area. I also noticed that I have a bald spot in the middle of my nape area.

I read a lot of threads here on thinning edges and nape area. Most of them were from last year, and ladies were talking about the products they were using at that time. So, I would like to know what actually worked. Please tell me what contributed to your thinning (hereditary, relaxers, braids, etc.), what you used, what your results were, and how long it took you to see results.

ANY help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Hello....

Since ending relaxers about 10 months ago, I have seen a gradual filling in of my edges/temples. I tried some of the topical applications, mainly the ORS temple balm (the one for natural hair). I saw more gradual fill in. I wonder if it was the actual product or the fact that I was stimulating the area when I was using the product. I neglected the area for a while, and while I didn't see any thinning, maybe the growth slowed a little bit.

Last week, at the recommendation and recipe of the sistah who runs www.motowngirl.com, I have been using a homemade spritz of water, peppermint and rosemary EOs (essential oils) and putting these on whenever I remember and actually brushing the area with a soft toothbrush and I believe that this has helped. Since my hair doesn't like oils, I didn't use jojoba oil or vitamin e, but these are helpful oils to use. I think the daily stimulation is a significant source of the growth process.

HTH!

Oh! I meant to add that I made this most recent batch of the spritz with rosemary tea bags instead of the oil.... let's see how this goes....
 

Ms_Twana

New Member
Thanks RelaxerRehad. I am about to start stretching my relaxers a bit, so hopefully that will help. I also have vitamin e at home, so I'll try that. That's one less thing for me to buy!!!:D

Oh, I was also going to get twist extensions, until I saw this. I read that a lot of people got braids but just didn't get braids on their edges. So, should I just skip over that area, or not get them all together???
 

PaperClip

New Member
Ms_Twana said:
Thanks RelaxerRehad. I am about to start stretching my relaxers a bit, so hopefully that will help. I also have vitamin e at home, so I'll try that. That's one less thing for me to buy!!!:D

Oh, I was also going to get twist extensions, until I saw this. I read that a lot of people got braids but just didn't get braids on their edges. So, should I just skip over that area, or not get them all together???

Ohhh... I still want some twist extensions, but I haven't found anybody to do them yet. I'm spoiled because my one sista-friend can braid off the hook but didn't learn how to do twists!

I wore weaves for a good while until I recently discovered half-wigs! :eek: :grin: They're great! But when I did get my hair braided, I made sure to say to not make the braids too tight around the edges. My friend noticed that she was able to grab more when I got the braids redone.... Although when I think back on that time, probably any kind of pressure or pull on that area can't be good, esp. over the long term....

Maybe it would depend on the positioning of the twists so that they could hang toward the face and cover the edges, and so then they wouldn't have to be braided/twisted.... The one disadvantage of that is that you wouldn't be able to wear the twists off your face or in an updo/ponytail....
 
Just about every female on my mother's side of my family has very little to no hair around their temples. I was the same way and thought that there was nothing that I could do about it.


Here are some of the things that helped me:
· When I found this site, I gave up brushing my hair and I noticed a huge difference.
· I rely on scarves to flatten the hair around my temples instead of a brush
· I used to always sweep one side of my hair behind my ear... I cut that out.
· I massage my temples whenever I think about it with castor oil or EVOO
· I never allow any direct heat to come near my temples
· My stylist applies the relaxer to my temples last since the area is so sensitive.

My mom has seen the benefits of the abovementioned as well. That’s all I can think of right now.

HTH
 

firecracker

Well-Known Member
My old stylist recommended some temple cream by the carrot and mayo people. I used to make sure I oiled my edges and nape with Du Sharme hair creme to ward off breakage. Heat isn't friendly to my nape and edges. My edges and nape area was always shorter and weak when I had a relaxer. When I had a texturizer and now that I am natural that isn't the case because of Jheri Juice moisturizer. :grin:
 

PaperClip

New Member
firecracker said:
My old stylist recommended some temple cream by the carrot and mayo people. I used to make sure I oiled my edges and nape with Du Sharme hair creme to ward off breakage. Heat isn't friendly to my nape and edges. My edges and nape area was always shorter and weak when I had a relaxer. When I had a texturizer and now that I am natural that isn't the case because of Jheri Juice moisturizer. :grin:

What's the Jheri Juice moisturizer? Do you mean like the old-school jheri curl stuff or something else?
 

firecracker

Well-Known Member
RelaxerRehab said:
What's the Jheri Juice moisturizer? Do you mean like the old-school jheri curl stuff or something else?

I call all curl activator Jheri Juice. :lachen: I use s curl for texturizers in the grey and blue bottle because it doesn't drip or rub off on clothes, hands etc. Great stuff.
 

Lovelylocs

Well-Known Member
Did you try the olive oil and garlic treatment that stops shedding? That worked for me, but I think my hair was thinning b/c of chemicals. I am in my early 20s. I was relaxed and dyed. Plus, I used surge like right before my touch up. The garlic worked like a charm. Problem solved.
 

PrincessScorpion

Well-Known Member
Lovelylocs said:
Did you try the olive oil and garlic treatment that stops shedding? That worked for me, but I think my hair was thinning b/c of chemicals. I am in my early 20s. I was relaxed and dyed. Plus, I used surge like right before my touch up. The garlic worked like a charm. Problem solved.

Can you give me more information about the olive oil and garlic treatment? Please.:)
 

nychaelasymone

Well-Known Member
I went to the dermatologist who prescribed Topicort and then I will undergo some Cortizone injections. So far, with massaging and babying my hairline, it's coming in quite nicely. HTH
 

ChocoKitty

Well-Known Member
Things that have helped me
-Surge, MTG and not using gels.
-Keeping my temple area clean.

I believe my issue is hereditary along with not knowing how to properly care for my hair.:)
 

sassyhair

New Member
profectiv anti-thinning stuff....it improves circulation...and clarifying that area good after using that stuff twice a day everyday.
 

keylargo

Active Member
I have this problem too. I stop wearing my hair pulled back in buns and/or ponytails for a while in order to see improvement.
 
When you get your relaxers make sure your temples are the last area that is relaxed. This way, this section of you har receives the least amount of processing. Its actually a best practice for everyone's hair.
 

Ms_Twana

New Member
keylargo said:
I have this problem too. I stop wearing my hair pulled back in buns and/or ponytails for a while in order to see improvement.

Yeah, and I JUST started the Hide Your Hair Challenge. Pulling my hair up into a ponytail was the reason I paid attention to the spots in the first place. Go figure!!!
 

Ms_Twana

New Member
For everyone that actually used a product, oil, etc., has the hair in those areas grown back in???
 
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Ms_Twana

New Member
ChocoKitty said:
Things that have helped me
-Surge, MTG and not using gels.
-Keeping my temple area clean.

I believe my issue is hereditary along with not knowing how to properly care for my hair.:)

What's MTG??
 

kbody4

New Member
Ms_Twana said:
Thanks for all of the replies. Has anyone tried ORS Fertiliing Temple Balm???
I just bought ORS Fertilizing Temple Balm back in June. I can't tell if it's working, but I'm not giving up yet. The right side is more thin than the left for me.
 

Ms_Twana

New Member
kbody4 said:
I just bought ORS Fertilizing Temple Balm back in June. I can't tell if it's working, but I'm not giving up yet. The right side is more thin than the left for me.

Have you heard any reviews about it from others??? In the older threads that I was reading, a lot of people talked about it. I can't seem to get any of those people that used it to chime in on this thread though.
 

Blu217

Well-Known Member
I have this very problem; it's hereditary in my family as well. The hereditary thinning is so different from that caused by improper care, tight hairstyles, etc. Follicles genetically inclined to wither are very different from otherwise healthy follicles that have been overstressed.

I have tried a number of treatment applications:
rosemary oil
Surge
MTG
A variety of vitamins
I wish I could tell you these brought back the hair, but I think they did help for a while to slow the problem. Now, however, I noticed it is thinning further again. I am noticing short hairs along my edges as well; I am not sure if this is hair growing in from my efforts, but I suspect it is follicles slowing down and broken hair--I don't know for certain yet.

Right now I'm trying Nioxin Follicle Booster, about which I've heard very good things, but it's been only a couple of weeks. I am also doing my best to avoid stress, which I think accelerated the problem.

Trying to fight genetics with topicals and treatments is VERY difficult. I would definitely avoid any hairstyle that could in any way stress the area and accelerate what it's already inclined to do on its own, so I would think carefully about the twists. I'm still fighting this myself and am doing everything I can to get any result possible. If and when I find something that works (cause I am trying it all!) I will post it in a few months.
 

Lovelylocs

Well-Known Member
Prince3 said:
Can you give me more information about the olive oil and garlic treatment? Please.:)
I just mixed like 3 or 4 cloves of crush garlic with some olive oil, Warmed it up in the microwave, applied it to my scalp, and then to the length of my hair, then I put a plastic bag over it and a warm towel. I let it sit for 30-60min. Then, rinsed and shampooed. Then, conditioner. etc.
 

kbody4

New Member
No, I haven't heard any other reviews before I bought it, It was something I just wanted to try on my own. It would be nice to hear if other ladies have used this.
 

Ms_Twana

New Member
Thanks Blu. Have you ever seen a dermatologist about it?? I'm wondering if that's a route that I should take.
 
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