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Hair breakage

rachylou

Veteran

I think I've got hair breakage. Lots of little pieces sticking up and out. Could be new growth, but I have my doubts. I got my hair trimmed last weekend, so that part's done. I don't blow dry much and need product that's light on the petrochemicals and endocrine disrupters... Brilliant ideas? Advice?

General

27 replies

Latest reply was from ManidipaM

Helena

Veteran

I had great luck with coconut oil - just put it in at night and wash out in the morning (a bit of a mess, but it does work) - and the Aveda Damage Remedy product, which you can put in before styling.

Neel

Veteran

Being an Indian and being smothered with coconut oil every school going day of my life.... I cannot emphasize enough on how good it is for the hair :). Also, if you are used to washing your hair with hot water, that may need some tweaking too. Warm or cold is good :). Can't really advice you on any other products. I just use basic loreal shampoo and conditioner.

On the other hand, I think hair tends to shed a bit once a year. Happens to me .... When I find hair all over the house! It gets replaced by new hair I guess, else I would be bald by now

Liz A.

Veteran

is your hair very fine? If so, you could try adding protein to your routine. Either in your shampoo and conditioner, or I use this product. If you don't have fine hair, though, be careful not to overload the protein.

Golden

Veteran

I like onesta, it's supposed to be organic and the products smell great!

ManidipaM

Veteran

Another vote for warm coconut oil. Yogurt if you stand it too. Eggs work but will scramble if you use anything more than tepid water.

angie

(website)

Member

You could also use pure olive oil. Warm or otherwise.

MuseumGal

Veteran

I'm a big fan of Morrocan or argan oil - a bit expensive, but really lovely for both the face and the hair. Plus I like the smell much better than coconut.

Minnie

Using a silk pillow case helps limit hair breakage during sleep.
I think it's normal to have some shorter hair all over, seeing that there is always new hair coming in.

poirot0153

A big second on the Morrocan or argan oil suggestion.

Catnip

Veteran

I had hair problems until I switched to Kiehl's products about two years ago. Now my hair is in much better condition. If you go to their website at http://kiehls.com/ you will find help for different hair issues.

rachylou

Veteran

Thanks for all the tips guys!

I might have to steel myself for a silk pillowcase - I'm afraid I've never been a fan of them. So cool and slippery, lol. I don't think my hair is fine, but I've never understood the terms "coarse" and "fine." Is that like "thick" and "thin" (in terms of the individual strands)? My stylist *did* give me a shampoo for volume; supposed to be organic, but still perfumed like the devil.

Ok. But as you can see, I'm a complete hair dunce. How exactly do you use oil? Do you wash it out before leaving the house? Doesn't that defeat the purpose? And if you don't... Well, don't you look like you've dumped oil on your head? Do you have to invest in antimacassars?

rachylou

Veteran

Another thought - This is a conditioning task, isn't it? Like a shampoo solution is not enough...

neonginger

I am wondering if the brush you are using could be causing some of the breaking.

rachylou

Veteran

Oh... neonginger, that's revelatory. What should I know about brushes? Most of the time I brush hair with a styling brush - wide-spaced teeth. I have a soft-bristle brush that I use occassionally, but it doesn't seem to do anything... which I suppose is a weird comment. But it just seems to flatten the top layer of my hair down is about all.

LoriFLA

Another vote for argan oil. I can't live without it. Use it on towel-dried hair. A dime or nickel size, rub between palms and distribute from ear down. I have breakage (color treated hair with highlights) on top of my head so I put some oil all over to smooth down appearance of breakage. I think when my stylist removes my foils she isn't so careful and is snapping the hair on top of the head. If you use the right brand of oil you will not have greasiness. I like the Agadir brand, Jo Malone, and the Moroccan Oil brand. There are knockoffs that look like Agadir and they are greasy. Like this one. It does not compare to Agadir and is oily in a bad way and leaves my hair limp and greasy. I threw it out.

I would condition the areas with breakage every time you shampoo and baby it like crazy. You might want to purchase the Tangle Teezer. I have heard rave reviews and is supposedly much better than a detangling comb.

Liz A.

Veteran

Oh yeah I second the brush thing. I never use brushes anymore, just combs.

rachylou

Veteran

Mmm. If can use it to smooth down the fly aways, that would awesome. Tangle Teezer... hehe, looks like the brush I use for my doggie... But i wonder if that kind of handleless brush is gentler; think it could be...

carter

Veteran

If you go the coconut or olive oil route, here's what I do. once a month or so. I love the smell of coconut oil, so that's what I use. Scoop out amounts that are small enough to warm (and partially liquefy) in your hands, then distribute through your hair. I keep repeating until it looks really greasy. Wrap it up in a hair towel for half an hour, then shampoo as usual.

If I'm running behind on the coconut treatment, a drop or so of Moroccan Oil will smooth out the fly aways once your hair is dry. Just squish it around in your palms and run your hands lightly through your hair.

Stuti

Definitely coconut oil. Coarse hair is to describe each strand. Whether its thick rough coarse.
Fine is usually for the volume meaning number of hairs per square inch.
So hair can be coarse and fine at the same time.
I hope it makes sense

Liz A.

Veteran

actually fine hair means the individual strands. coconut oil helps your hair retain protein, so it can help fine hair as well.

Stuti

Liz a u r right.
I got confused. Fine or coarse is @ texture.
Thin thick @ density
So hair can coarse and thin.

amiable

Veteran

Thanks for this thread - I've developed this problem lately, and now I'm thinking that it's probably blowing it dry (and the occasional flat iron) causing the problem. I'm going to give it a coconut oil treatment.

ella

I agree - try morrocan oil as leave in conditioner, but sparse amount especially if you have fine hair to avoid making it look oily. Also, I think using ponytail holders a lot maycause the breakage. Do you often wear your hair in a ponytail?

ManidipaM

Veteran

Rachy, a wide-toothef comb is almost always kinder than a brush. And of course never try to brush wet hair.

But I also wonder... any safety headgear you use at work? Could that be the culprit?

anne

Veteran

I am appreciating this thread Rachylou, as I have had breakages too. Though in my cave I haven't had had a haircut since October, and am wearing my hair up a lot, both of which won't be helping. I had a co-worker last year with amazing hair and she used moroccan oil. I should try it (and/or other helpful suggestions from this thread)

rachylou

Veteran

Stuti & Liz - Ok, so Coarse & Fine refer to the thickness of individual strands; Thick & Thin refer to density. Did I get that right?

Carter - I appreciate the details! Otherwise, I'd probably just get some and get stuck...

Amiable & Anne - I appreciate the company & sympathy. I feel like this is a new thing for me, but perhaps I was just never able to diagnose it before.

Ella & Manidipa - Well, now that you mention it, I've started putting my hair up with these grippy rubber hairbands, so it will all tuck up more neatly under the "clean caps" for work. Maybe they're too grippy.

Why is it that one combs wet hair but doesn't brush it? I pretty much never brush my hair because brushes just glide over the surface of my hair - they don't do any brushing. Is that why?

I am such the hair dunce!

ManidipaM

Veteran

Wet hair breaks easily, and brushes are less gentle...