Hair troubles (damage!)

[Pixipoppy]

Can anyone who is good with hair please help me here! I’m going mad

So I have longish hair, down to my boobs. It’s naturally straight and fine, it’s natural colour I’ve not dyed it for years, I blow dry maybe only once a week at most and I use lots of conditioning treatments (olaplex, oils, hair masks etc). I do everything right - eat a healthy diet, take vitamins, don’t put my hair up too much and yet it’s an absolute state. It’s covered in flyaways and the entire top layer is just short pieces that stick up. Why the hell is it so damaged when I’ve not done anything to it! I’ve tried everything. It looks ok when it’s first washed but by the end of the day it’s just a matted mess and even though it’s straight I have a weird halo of frizzy broken hair .

It was better condition when I used to saturate my head with bleach every 4 weeks and then fry it with straighteners

 

[Penguinandthepinecone]

I’m no expert but maybe it’s got a natural curl and you just done realise. Let it dry naturally from wet and scrunch a little and see what happens.

 

[Pixipoppy]

I’m no expert but maybe it’s got a natural curl and you just done realise. Let it dry naturally from wet and scrunch a little and see what happens.

Nope it’s poker straight I wish that were the case though as I’d love wavy hair, I have to fight to get it to hold a curl!

 

[Prefrontalmedialcortex]

Do you wear your hair up a lot? It could be the hair brush you are using when brusing your hair or when styling it. I used to use a round brush which had plastic bristles and would snag on hair, causing breakage and frizz. I’ve now switched to a different one and it is much kinder on the hair.

 

[Pixipoppy]

Do you wear your hair up a lot? It could be the hair brush you are using when brusing your hair or when styling it. I used to use a round brush which had plastic bristles and would snag on hair, causing breakage and frizz. I’ve now switched to a different one and it is much kinder on the hair.

Ooh I hadn’t thought of that, I use a plastic paddle brush and sometimes a “wet brush” or tangle teezer. What sort do you find better? I was thinking a bristle brush may be more gentle.

 

[Onepotatotwopotato]

Yeah it could be the brush or does it rub against anything like a bag or pillow? Maybe you need some anti static serum or spray to keep the frizz down?
One thing I will say is that getting regular trims has been amazing for the health of my hair

Ooh I hadn’t thought of that, I use a plastic paddle brush and sometimes a “wet brush” or tangle teezer. What sort do you find better? I was thinking a bristle brush may be more gentle.

I find tangle teasers are really bad for hair, I used to hear Mine actually making snapping noises when I would brush.. I love the boots professional brushes

 

[1001 others]

It sounds like you're perhaps doing a bit too much or not using the best products for your hair type.

I'd book in with a salon for a trim (or cut), and to ask for recommendations as to products that would best suit your hair.

Never brush wet hair - always comb it with a thick toothed comb first.

I have poker-straight hair; when I want volume, I pop a few velcro rollers in and leave them for a bit rather than using hot tools on my hair; that keeps it looking good as when I used to use tongs it would look fried. I also only ever wear snag-free hair ties (a bit more expensive but worth it).

 

[Prefrontalmedialcortex]

Ooh I hadn’t thought of that, I use a plastic paddle brush and sometimes a “wet brush” or tangle teezer. What sort do you find better? I was thinking a bristle brush may be more gentle.

I have been using the Biofriendly brush - I have one in the shower that I use when hair is wet and I also have a second one that I use when hair dry. They are only £2.49 from Savers. To style my hair (with a hair dryer) I use a wooden round brush and again find this to be much more gentle on the hair to metal round brushes.

 

[Pixipoppy]

Never brush wet hair - always comb it with a thick toothed comb first.

Ah I do use the wet brush to brush my hair after a shower but I just thought because it says “wet brush” it was fine . I have a thick toothed comb so will change to that for sure!

Also do need a trim, what with lockdown it’s been a good 5 months since my last one! I usually go somewhere pretty cheap and it’s more of an “in and out” jobby so I’ve never thought to ask the hairdresser for advice. I will maybe book a proper salon next time!

 

[Notorious PIG]

Do you live in a hard water area? If so, invest in a shower head attachment that softens the water. I use Aquabliss and it makes my hair much better.

 

[Prefrontalmedialcortex]

Ah I do use the wet brush to brush my hair after a shower but I just thought because it says “wet brush” it was fine . I have a thick toothed comb so will change to that for sure!

Also do need a trim, what with lockdown it’s been a good 5 months since my last one! I usually go somewhere pretty cheap and it’s more of an “in and out” jobby so I’ve never thought to ask the hairdresser for advice. I will maybe book a proper salon next time!

Your hair is at its most fragile when wet and towel drying it (if too rough) can cause damage and frizz. Not sure if this is something you do but if the hair is rubbed too excessively with a towel it will certainly not do any favours for the condition of the hair. Instead it is better to gently squeeze the excess water out with hands and then with towel.

 

[Jelly Bean]

I found a tangle tweezer wrecked my hair. I had the same problem - long hair but top layer short and frizzy and would not grow.
I switched to a plastic wide toothed comb, just a Denham one from Boots, and was generally at lot more gentle ie as suggested above I see, no rubbing of hair with a towel when wet, using a hair mask a couple of times a week, rarely tying back or using heat appliances. I also give my scalp a good but gentle massage in the shower every time I wash it which seems to help hair growth.
It took a while to get better, but it did.

 

[Jodo]

I do the wide tooth comb too, I put my conditioner on in the shower and then comb, starting at the bottom first.
Washing my hair less has worked for me, I also wear it in a loose bun most of the time.

I don’t leave mine wet either, my hairdresser advised drying it due to how fragile it is when wet. I always use a heat protector.

what about a supplement too?

 

[Pixipoppy]

I do the wide tooth comb too, I put my conditioner on in the shower and then comb, starting at the bottom first.
Washing my hair less has worked for me, I also wear it in a loose bun most of the time.

I don’t leave mine wet either, my hairdresser advised drying it due to how fragile it is when wet. I always use a heat protector.

what about a supplement too?

I do leave mine wet and sleep with it wet too ... maybe that’s actually worse than blow drying it! I take biotin and collagen supplements already, along with my usual mutltivitamin so there probably isn’t much else I’m lacking (hopefully!)

 

[The Devils Arse]

Can anyone who is good with hair please help me here! I’m going mad

So I have longish hair, down to my boobs. It’s naturally straight and fine, it’s natural colour I’ve not dyed it for years, I blow dry maybe only once a week at most and I use lots of conditioning treatments (olaplex, oils, hair masks etc). I do everything right - eat a healthy diet, take vitamins, don’t put my hair up too much and yet it’s an absolute state. It’s covered in flyaways and the entire top layer is just short pieces that stick up. Why the hell is it so damaged when I’ve not done anything to it! I’ve tried everything. It looks ok when it’s first washed but by the end of the day it’s just a matted mess and even though it’s straight I have a weird halo of frizzy broken hair .

It was better condition when I used to saturate my head with bleach every 4 weeks and then fry it with straighteners

I could have written this post, I too have that weird halo frizz. Can't offer any solutions I'm afraid, so going to have a good read of the advice!

The lovechild of Hagird and Brian May.

 

[Onepotatotwopotato]

I do leave mine wet and sleep with it wet too ... maybe that’s actually worse than blow drying it! I take biotin and collagen supplements already, along with my usual mutltivitamin so there probably isn’t much else I’m lacking (hopefully!)

I don't think sleeping on it wet would help things, are the short bits where you would lay on it at night?
Also have you had any hair loss in the last year? I lost loads of hair after being pregnant and when it started growing back I had a lot of shorter looking frizzy hairs

 

[allforthegram]

Absolutely agree with the comb when wet brush when dry.
Could you be tying your hair up in the same way all the time? That can cause damage if you imagine the same pieces of hair always taking the weight of the hair and band, also your hair bands... are they old do they have plastic or metal on that can get caught? Are you pulling them out to harsh when you take your hair down. All those things can contribute.
Also the flyaway could be your product, trychange them all up?
Also you could just have some new hairs growing!

 

[Platformcrocs]

I have a similar issue (not getting a haircut for about 6 months probably hasn't helped) and also use a tangle teaser... going to ditch it for a wide toothed comb. I had no idea!

 

[Jelly Bean]

I have a similar issue (not getting a haircut for about 6 months probably hasn't helped) and also use a tangle teaser... going to ditch it for a wide toothed comb. I had no idea!

As I said earlier a tangle teaser wrecked mine - my hair seemed so smooth after brushing with it I thought it was a good thing - but it was just yanking tangles and therefore the hair out. With a wide tooth comb it forces you to slow down and untangle tangles gently.

 

[littlepup]

Avoid skinny hair bands, where possible go for a satin scrunchie or those smooth plastic ones that look like an old telephone cable/spring. Made a world of difference to my fine, long hair.
Mason Pearson brushes are the nuts, massively expensive but really good. Denman do similar bristle brushes, I really rate their tangle tamer too (nothing like tangle teezer). Bristles are better to not snag the hair and distribute the natural oils evenly allegedly - seems to be true, I get much smoother results with the Mason Pearson or bristle brush than using a classic denman.