Depression - After all these years, my hair feels like straw

[tuffCOOKiE]

So, I know that I'm always coming out with these type of threads. I've been on the forum for about 3 years now? (Its gonna be 3 in Jan or Feb) and mt hair still feels like straw.

I feel like I've tried everything and everything seems like a temporary fix. I stopped using heat(I rollerset), use moisturizing conditioners. I cut my hair and started all over again and at this point, I don't even want long hair. I want healthy hair. It makes no sense to have long, dry hair.

I'd have great hair when I finish rollersetting but a day later, my hair is dried out. I tried co-washes but my scalp doesnt like that because my hair shedded and thinned out signifigantly. I seal with oil (coconut & castor mainly). I try not to get too excited about any product because it'll work until my hair is dry. I have no idea what to do and I'm tired of ppl asking me 'Why does your hair feel like that' or 'You need to moisturize and wrap' because, its what I do just no results.

I'm not happy and it's been a really sore topic for me for maybe the last year. I've been helping my sisters with thier hair and it's flourishing and mine is .. well, it's hay. I don't know if I should give it another try/start over again with a new hair cut or just accept the fact that my hair will never feel like hair.

The end.

 

[CurliDiva]

Here's a big Cookie!

OK....please share more about your regimen.

How often do youw wash? what shampoo? How often do you condition? deep condition? How often do you moisturize? with what products? How long are you trying "each" new product befroe you decide its not working?

Inquiring minds want to know.....

 

[pmichael52172]

I'm no expert and there are more health-conscious ladies on here than me but perhaps consider what you're putting or not putting inside your body too.

I don't know how old/young you are but as we age, the needs and conditions of our hair, skin, hormones, reproductive system, etc. change.

Like CurlDiva said, give us more detail about your regime and brands too.

 

[_belle]

in addition to what the ladies posted above. . . ever tried an acv rinse? it saved my hair. the pH was off, and no matter how much I moisturized it would get dry again. . . also, are you SURE you are using moisturizing conditioners and not those with protein (a little or a lot). . . because cowashing with a conditioner with a little protein, and then deep conditioning with something with a little protein and then applying a leave in with a little protein means a LOT of protein

 

[tuffCOOKiE]

I'm no expert and there are more health-conscious ladies on here than me but perhaps consider what you're putting or not putting inside your body too.

That's fair. I started taking EFA's but the taste is disgusting. One of my friends was taking an orange flavored one but I can't find it anywhere! I can't swallow pills let alone horse pills so I don't take multi's. I wish I could drink my health... It has to be tasty.

 

[tuffCOOKiE]

OK....please share more about your regimen.

In the last month, my regimine has been

- Pre poo w/ evoo or coconut oil (sometimes I skip this step) or when doing protein tmts, ORS Mayo (w/o the egg) or Aubrey's GPB
- Wash w/ Kenra color maintenance shampoo or CON. I think I used Aveda Damage Remedy once. I relaxed my hair last sunday and I used ORS Neut shampoo that day and my first wash after my relaxer.
- Deed condition with either Joico Moisture Recovery or Kenra MC or Honey Sucklerose
- Rinse w cool water
- Apply LTR seal w cocnut oil or WHGO then, rollerset (airdry, or under the dryer)

Then, during the week, I'll apply LTR and seal w coconut oil.. by maybe the second day my hair is dry by third, it's breaking and my ends are no longer smooth.

 

[Auburn]

Have you tried steaming, baggying, and/or adding salt water to you conditioners?

 

[Auburn]

In the last month, my regimine has been

- Pre poo w/ evoo or coconut oil (sometimes I skip this step) or when doing protein tmts, ORS Mayo (w/o the egg) or Aubrey's GPB
- Wash w/ Kenra color maintenance shampoo or CON. I think I used Aveda Damage Remedy once. I relaxed my hair last sunday and I used ORS Neut shampoo that day and my first wash after my relaxer.
- Deed condition with either Joico Moisture Recovery or Kenra MC or Honey Sucklerose
- Rinse w cool water
- Apply LTR seal w cocnut oil or WHGO then, rollerset (airdry, or under the dryer)

Then, during the week, I'll apply LTR and seal w coconut oil.. by maybe the second day my hair is dry by third, it's breaking and my ends are no longer smooth.

Do you use no lye or lye?

 

[tuffCOOKiE]

in addition to what the ladies posted above. . . ever tried an acv rinse? it saved my hair. the pH was off, and no matter how much I moisturized it would get dry again. . . also, are you SURE you are using moisturizing conditioners and not those with protein (a little or a lot). . . because cowashing with a conditioner with a little protein, and then deep conditioning with something with a little protein and then applying a leave in with a little protein means a LOT of protein

I'm not trusting myself to do an ACV. Seriously. last time i did it, there was too much ACV in the mix and I think I ruined my hair a little. I had to wash and deep condition twice in the same day. Scarred for life. I'll try it again... maybe.. I've been using Porosity control.. I don't really see a difference at all.

 

[Auburn]

You need products that contain ceramides. I recommend that to EVERYONE.

 

[tuffCOOKiE]

Do you use no lye or lye?

Lye. Mizani Butter Blends for fine textured hair. My hair is coarse but not very resistant. I dint want to get my hair really straight and, this got my hair Straight. See this is the thing, the week i got my relaxer, my hair was really soft. Even after drying.. it was amazing! I was like THIS IS IT!!!. Lol, I want to relax my hair just to get that feeling back

 

[Choklatekiss79]

That's fair. I started taking EFA's but the taste is disgusting. One of my friends was taking an orange flavored one but I can't find it anywhere! I can't swallow pills let alone horse pills so I don't take multi's. I wish I could drink my health... It has to be tasty.

Are you getting enough water? Eating enough protein and healthy fats? How is your vegetable intake? For me, eating large amounts of sugar and slacking on the H2O results in dry skin and hair.

 

[Auburn]

Lye. Mizani Butter Blends for fine textured hair. My hair is coarse but not very resistant. I dint want to get my hair really straight and, this got my hair Straight. See this is the thing, the week i got my relaxer, my hair was really soft. Even after drying.. it was amazing! I was like THIS IS IT!!!. Lol, I want to relax my hair just to get that feeling back

no mam!

 

[natstar]

Could it be hard water?

 

[Isis77]

I cannot and will not say that this is the cause of the dryness, but I know that for me personally, pre-pooing with oil always leaves my hair feeling dry afterwards. (maybe I'm doing it wrong tho....) but perhaps that might be a small factor compounded with others? (I'll leave it to the more experienced ladies here to decide) I just wanted to offer a little help.

Don't worry though, with all the knowledge and combined effort of the lovely ladies here, your hair will be back to bangin' in no time!

 

[Auburn]

Could it be hard water?

Ah! I didnt think of that.

 

[tuffCOOKiE]

Have you tried steaming, baggying, and/or adding salt water to you conditioners?

I've tried baggying. it was successful until I'd take off the baggy and my hair was crunchy. I was thinking it was doing more harm than good. Also, when I sleep in a baggy, my hair gets wet from my bodyheat/sweat (I know, Ew). Lastly, my ends were feeling better temporarily w the baggy but my hair was breaking where I'd put in my pony tail holder. the hairs from the front of my head would all fit in the ponytail holder and the ends would break off. Now I do this other baggy method. When I get home, I lightly moisturize, then put on a showercap. I don't sleep in the showercap though. I think that helps for the most part until I take tha baggy off/leave my house. but no, I dont baggy all day/night.

Salt water to my condish? I've actually never heard of that. What does the salt do? TELLL MEEEE (lol)

I've tried steaming at home, I dont have a steamer but I do the thing where you have two towels and go under a heating cap. I mean, it worked, there was steam maybe I should do this longer? Ive only tried it with 3 or 4 washes this summer I didnt really see a difference.

My problem really isn't getting the right conditioner (or maybe it is) it's getting the conditioner to stay in my hair.. does that make sense?

 

[tuffCOOKiE]

You need products that contain ceramides. I recommend that to EVERYONE.

I honestly don't even know what that is. I try not to do too much with my hair.. Seriously. Just pre poo, shampoo, dc, and rollerset.. now you talkin all this ceramides nonsense

JK JK, I've heard of 'ceramides technology' in conditioners. I haven't put forth much effort to finding out what this means. I think what turned me off to the whole thing was I read a thread and it said Chi Silk Infusion had ceramides and my hair hates that. I may have been using it incorrectly, however. ( I used it on dry hair, before I applied heat) Wanna school me?

Like, how do I know its in my conditioner? What are the benefits? Will it coat my hair/make it dry? lemmie knooowww

 

[tuffCOOKiE]

Are you getting enough water? Eating enough protein and healthy fats? How is your vegetable intake? For me, eating large amounts of sugar and slacking on the H2O results in dry skin and hair.

Ummaahhh.. I drink 64oz's of water a day.. sometimes (I weigh about 120 on a bad day)

I admit I don't get enough protein. I'll go a week of eating really good proteins (fish) and another without. I'm not really sure I know how much I should be eating. I try to get them from beans, which I love, but I'm not sure if that's enough. I can't eat meat all the time because it makes me 'slow' and lethargic (no joke) I love burers but..:no no:

Healthy fats? I want to say I get enough from my diet but i'd like to start taking EFA supplements. But, I can't find one that tastes good.

I eat a lot of veggies (I LOVE SPINACH) but I also eat a lot of carbs.. I'm Haitian. I seriously eat enough carbs for a lifetime in one meal (Rice, beans, lasagna, plantains, mashed potatoes). I also eat a lot of Indian and I eat a lot of breads..

I guess I should get on track with that as well. Also, I don't exercise really. Maybe the 1 or 2 30 min workouts on exercisetv.tv. Only becasue my gym membership expired and its codl in NY, I'm NOT going outside.

 

[Auburn]

Salt
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=262381&highlight=mojo

Ceramides
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=131270&highlight=ceramides
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=296489&highlight=ceramides

 

[tuffCOOKiE]

pre-pooing with oil always leaves my hair feeling dry afterwards. (maybe I'm doing it wrong tho....) but perhaps that might be a small factor compounded with others?

Wow, get outta my head. I know that oil doesn't moisturize so why do ppl prepoo with oil? I never understood that. But I know the first time I tried it, I used ENTIRELY too much oil and yea, your hair dries out. maybe it's the amount you used?

I might skip the oil prepoo bc I may have derived all the benifit I could from it. Because I do seal afterwards and my shampoos don;t contain any SLS or ALS.. hmmm

 

[Carrie A]

Have you had your thyroid gland checked? Is your skin also dry?

 

[tuffCOOKiE]

Could it be hard water?

Girl, I dunno. Linens and things is going out of business so I might get a showerhead. When I looked at the map, I didnt see anything saying that my area had hard water. It's def a possibility but, not likely. I put it on my list of things to try though!

 

[tuffCOOKiE]

Have you had your thyroid gland checked? Is your skin also dry?

Yes, my skin is dry. I actually just developed a patch of dry skin on my thigh i think, in the last 5 or 6 months. But my hair's been like this for a lot longer. You think there might be a correlation (well, obvi there is) but I thought they'd be independent of each other since they didnt happen at or around the same time.

The thyroid thing, is this something you need to specifically ask for? I went for a checkup and my MD never mentioned anything.

 

[Irresistible]

I've tried baggying. it was successful until I'd take off the baggy and my hair was crunchy. I was thinking it was doing more harm than good. Also, when I sleep in a baggy, my hair gets wet from my bodyheat/sweat (I know, Ew). Lastly, my ends were feeling better temporarily w the baggy but my hair was breaking where I'd put in my pony tail holder. the hairs from the front of my head would all fit in the ponytail holder and the ends would break off. Now I do this other baggy method. When I get home, I lightly moisturize, then put on a showercap. I don't sleep in the showercap though. I think that helps for the most part until I take tha baggy off/leave my house. but no, I dont baggy all day/night.

Salt water to my condish? I've actually never heard of that. What does the salt do? TELLL MEEEE (lol)

I've tried steaming at home, I dont have a steamer but I do the thing where you have two towels and go under a heating cap. I mean, it worked, there was steam maybe I should do this longer? Ive only tried it with 3 or 4 washes this summer I didnt really see a difference.

My problem really isn't getting the right conditioner (or maybe it is) it's getting the conditioner to stay in my hair.. does that make sense?

dont do the salt it will strip your hair , it kind of clarifies it

 

[Carrie A]

Yes you should ask for a TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) screening test. Many MDs don't screen for it until a certain age. Some other symptoms are feeling cold, depression, fatigue, unexplained weight gain in addition to dry skin and hair. I'm sure you're ok, but just to make sure I would have it checked.

 

[Irresistible]

ok so I have read through some of the suggestions

too much protein, hard water, all of the above mentioned could be playing a part

you need to find a way to get your nutrition in you and those EFA's and Protein

you need blood work, thyroid checked and Iron and such, a full work up

try overnight oil treatments

 

[AtlantaJJ]

ok so I have read through some of the suggestions

too much protein, hard water, all of the above mentioned could be playing a part

you need to find a way to get your nutrition in you and those EFA's and Protein

you need blood work, thyroid checked and Iron and such, a full work up

try overnight oil treatments

Excellent advice right here.. Flax Seed Oil is my new best friend...

 

[tuffCOOKiE]

ok so I have read through some of the suggestions

too much protein, hard water, all of the above mentioned could be playing a part

you need to find a way to get your nutrition in you and those EFA's and Protein

you need blood work, thyroid checked and Iron and such, a full work up

try overnight oil treatments

Gracias!

 

[tuffCOOKiE]

Question, I know all hair is different, but does everyone do overnight oiling on dry hair? or damp hair?

ETA: I do it anyway, but I don't see how it helps to do it on dry hair since oild doesnt moisturize, right? And my dry hair is a dessert, so it wouldn't make sense to put it on dry hair, huh? Maybe I'll try it on damp hair and see what's good.