Frustrated And Getting Desperate With My Hair

M

Meira

New Member
I've been lurking on this forum for almost 7 years. 5 years ago I decided to go natural because I was encouraged by all the beautiful coils & self acceptance that seemed to bloom that came with the process. The first few years were great.

My hair type is a mix of 4a/4B, though heavily favoring the 4B texture. My ends coil when washed but from the scalp to about 3" from the ends is just a frizzy mess.

But for the past 2 years I have been struggling non-stop with split ends! However they are not "True" split ends.. they are the type where my hair has bubble "holes" in the shaft. I have seen up to 7 of the bubble holes on one strand of hair! I do not know where they come from. I do NOT use heat, except for once a year at most.
7-8 months out of the year I will protective style with wigs just so I don't get depressed about my hair. I flat twist it away and hope it will recover somehow. When I'm not in wigs, I DC 3x a week, I cowash, and detangle with a denman and wide-tooth comb. I will go crazy with protein, and then I will switch to heavy moisture. Nothing stops them. I continually trim and trim and trim and sacrifice my desire for length. I am barely APL now; however I feel like I need to do a mini BC and start over. But my fear is that the bubble splits will re-appear and my hair will just keep getting shorter and shorter.

Has anyone else have this issue? How did you fix it?
 
A

almond eyes

Well-Known Member
Hello, I am sorry you are encountering problems with your natural hair.

You may have to do a Komaza analysis to tell you what is going on and what is causing those bubble holes. You said that the first few years were great and then what happened. Remember with heat all it takes is one bad blow dry and/or flat iron and your hair can be destroyed.

You could be doing way too much to your hair like using the denman and the co washing three times a week. And the flat twisting sounds like over manipulation which isn't good if you have fine hair.

Also, your scalp seems not to be breathing much from it being constantly covered in wigs. My best girlfriend wore wigs and weaves for seventeen years and last week was the first time she let her own hair out to breathe and let me tell you there was a lot of major damage. When you hair has the wig how do you protect your hair underneath. What types of products are you using on your hair.

Protein overload could also be taking a toll on your hair.

For now, I will say get your analysis. But for me, what I think creates problems for many naturals who remain at the same length is that they do way too much or they get used to protective styles with wigs, weaves and extension braids and don't pay attention to the effect it can be on their hair and scalp. You may have to so some mini trims and then figure out the best products and the best low manipulation hairstyles to get you through.

As you know with our hair, it is not an over night process to grow healthy hair but if you are doing the right things (unless you are on medications or unwell), it will grow healthy.

Best,
Almond Eyes
 
mzteaze

mzteaze

Pilates and Yoga Kinda Gal
Times like this makes me miss @Nonie who had talked this subject many times in previous posts.

Here is one decent article about it:. http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/2012/07/mid-shaft-splits-cause-and-prevention.html

You will need to change your technique for detangling along with your tools. You will likely need to trim out as much as you can stand (preferably by a professional) and follow up with ceramide rich oils to help lubricate your strands and encourage them to glue together as much as possible.

This is also the time that is more important for you to pay close attention to your protein moisture balance. Take an inside/outside approach as well because what you eat is just as important as what you put on your hair.

ETA:. You might want to incorporate "hair oiling" into your reggie as in previous threads it was mentioned as something that helped.... Just backing up what I said above about using a ceramide rich oil.
 
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M

Meira

New Member
Colocha said:
I can also vouch for the Denman causing bubble splits. If your individual strands are fine you might be especially susceptible to it.

It ripped up my strands even after I modified it.
Click to expand...

Okay.. I can give up the denman. But I should still be able to use a wide-tooth comb, right? I actually gave up the tangle teezer too because I thought that was causing the splits!
 
M

Meira

New Member
mzteaze said:
Times like this makes me miss @Nonie who had talked this subject many times in previous posts.

Here is one decent article about it:. http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/2012/07/mid-shaft-splits-cause-and-prevention.html

You will need to change your technique for detangling along with your tools. You will likely need to trim out as much as you can stand (preferably by a professional) and follow up with ceramide rich oils to help lubricate your strands and encourage them to glue together as much as possible.

This is also the time that is more important for you to pay close attention to your protein moisture balance. Take an inside/outside approach as well because what you eat is just as important as what you put on your hair.

ETA:. You might want to incorporate "hair oiling" into your reggie as in previous threads it was mentioned as something that helped.... Just backing up what I said above about using a ceramide rich oil.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the link! I always assumed I was being gentle, but I guess not. The bubble splits start at the ends and work their way mid-shaft. My ends are also extra tangled, which is also part of the problem I believe. I did buy some grapeseed oil the other day, which I believe has ceramides in it.
 
mzteaze

mzteaze

Pilates and Yoga Kinda Gal
You can use a seamless comb. Most of the nicer ones are on the expensive side but worth the purchase.

You also may need to work with smaller sections and use a product with "slip" to help with detangling. It should get a lot easier as you get rid of split ends as that's a larger reason why you are "fighting" with your hair.
 
Bunnyhaslonghair

Bunnyhaslonghair

Ebonics Queen
Meira said:
Omg, I've been using all of these tools throughout my natural journey! :( However, I definitely do not have fine hair. It is courser than course. Are there any other tools I can use, beside finger detangling? That would take me atleast 6+ hours, unfortunately.
Click to expand...
I love the wet brush. I don't like finger detangling either. Maybe give the wet brush a try and along with a seamless wide tooth comb. I've heard good things about that seagman (SP?) comb too.
http://m.target.com/p/the-wet-brush/-/A-14942743
 
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Colocha

Colocha

acne cream and afro dreams
Meira said:
Okay.. I can give up the denman. But I should still be able to use a wide-tooth comb, right? I actually gave up the tangle teezer too because I thought that was causing the splits!
Click to expand...
With care, and provided your strands are strong you can still use a wide toothed comb. I wouldn't use one right now because you already have midshaft splits, but once you cut them out and your ends are feeling a bit better you should be okay. Right now I used a seamless bone comb from Hairsense. Trust me, you'll notice the difference if you switch to seamless tools. :)
 
M

Meira

New Member
mzteaze said:
Mason Pearson or Hermann Caveman are two names that come up frequently. I have a Mason Pearson which I like.

But you can find a number of them searching by seamless combs on Amazon or even Sally's Beauty
Click to expand...
Thank you! Hopefully I can find one that ships with Prime...:look:
 
Victoria44

Victoria44

Well-Known Member
Nothing will fix your bubble splits besides cutting them off, but if you're gentle enough you can still retain length while slowly cutting them off. I developed those bubble splits 2.5 years into my hair journey. I switched over to finger detangling and I was able to grow my hair to waist length. However the splits will continue to break your hair, just slower than if you continue to use brushes and combs with seams. After 6 years I had very thin ends and ended up cutting them all off, but by then I had a lot more healthy hair that had grew out since I switched to finger detangling.

I never figure out what caused the initial burst of bubble splits all over my head, but that's definitely something to think about, so it doesn't happen again. My guess was from blow drying with the heat too high, and my hair too wet, and the water within the strands burst through.
 
M

Meira

New Member
@Victoria44 , I completely understand! I guess I should have worded it more like how to prevent them from coming back. I've trimmed off several inches and my "new" ends has the bubble splits like a month later. So sometimes it felt like and endless cycle.

Also, to be more clear when I saw mid-shaft, I really meant approx 2 inches from my ends going up...not exactly middle of my hair strand.
 
luckiestdestiny

luckiestdestiny

Well-Known Member
Meira said:
Okay.. I can give up the denman. But I should still be able to use a wide-tooth comb, right? I actually gave up the tangle teezer too because I thought that was causing the splits!
Click to expand...
Sorry hun. I have 4a natural fine hair and my strands were destroyed when I tried the denman. I had a major set back and had to cut back. I side eyed the tangle teaser and waited luckily on that (and then saw many say they had damage). I just know that for fine strands (no matter how coily or dense [the amount of strands you have] your hair may be)...these types of tools just destroy the hair. A wide tooth comb and slow detangling will work just fine.
 
luckiestdestiny

luckiestdestiny

Well-Known Member
Meira said:
I just bought a magic rake comb! Can't wait for it to arrive
Click to expand...

I just looked some of them up and it looks good and seamless.


 
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Victoria44

Victoria44

Well-Known Member
Meira said:
@Victoria44 , I completely understand! I guess I should have worded it more like how to prevent them from coming back. I've trimmed off several inches and my "new" ends has the bubble splits like a month later. So sometimes it felt like and endless cycle.

Also, to be more clear when I saw mid-shaft, I really meant approx 2 inches from my ends going up...not exactly middle of my hair strand.
Click to expand...

Yea I completely understand what you meant ... That's how mine was too. Endless splits even after trimming. There's no way to get past that unless you just cut as far up the shaft as necessary past all the bubbles. I just took care of my split hair, and let it grow with splits. The magic rake comb is a great investment.
 
KiWiStyle

KiWiStyle

Realtor & Foodie
Off to throw both of my denman brushes out...I recently started using it again but I'm done for real now, it's just not worth it. Fine and super coily hair gal checking in.
 
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Fhrizzball

Fhrizzball

Well-Known Member
On top of all the good advice here, bubbles can be a result of hydral fatigue in the hair from all the moisture and wetting. Prepooing with coconut oil if your hair likes it, is a way to mitigate all the expanding your hair does when in a wet state. Look into a gentler protein treatment as well as your regimen doesn't have to be all protein or all moisture. Elasticity hair treatments and protein reconstructures are a nice middle ground for that. Sometimes I just add some neutral protein filler into a DC of my choice and that works out for me.
 
happycakes

happycakes

Well-Known Member
Try changing your detangling methods. I had the same problem while using the Denman brush. Now I detangle my hair without brushes or combs.

What worked for me now is to apply Tresemme Undone Conditioner to dry hair and letting it sit for about 30 - 60 minutes (under plastic bag), then wash with a non silicone shampoo, then I immediately apply the same conditioner and let it sit for 30 minutes (under a plastic bag) then rinse out.

This process leaves my hair soft and detangled under my protective styles.

I repeat this process once a week and I try to condition wash at least once a week (note do not put the conditioner on your scalp, only on the hair). Basically your scalp should get water washed, while your hair gets conditioned washed.

Here are some helpful detangling methods that don't require a comb or brush.



I hope this helps.

#Tryingtohelp_ourgirls_staynatural

Meira said:
I've been lurking on this forum for almost 7 years. 5 years ago I decided to go natural because I was encouraged by all the beautiful coils & self acceptance that seemed to bloom that came with the process. The first few years were great.

My hair type is a mix of 4a/4B, though heavily favoring the 4B texture. My ends coil when washed but from the scalp to about 3" from the ends is just a frizzy mess.

But for the past 2 years I have been struggling non-stop with split ends! However they are not "True" split ends.. they are the type where my hair has bubble "holes" in the shaft. I have seen up to 7 of the bubble holes on one strand of hair! I do not know where they come from. I do NOT use heat, except for once a year at most.
7-8 months out of the year I will protective style with wigs just so I don't get depressed about my hair. I flat twist it away and hope it will recover somehow. When I'm not in wigs, I DC 3x a week, I cowash, and detangle with a denman and wide-tooth comb. I will go crazy with protein, and then I will switch to heavy moisture. Nothing stops them. I continually trim and trim and trim and sacrifice my desire for length. I am barely APL now; however I feel like I need to do a mini BC and start over. But my fear is that the bubble splits will re-appear and my hair will just keep getting shorter and shorter.

Has anyone else have this issue? How did you fix it?
Click to expand...
 
M

Meira

New Member
Victoria44 said:
Yea I completely understand what you meant ... That's how mine was too. Endless splits even after trimming. There's no way to get past that unless you just cut as far up the shaft as necessary past all the bubbles. I just took care of my split hair, and let it grow with splits. The magic rake comb is a great investment.
Click to expand...
Yes, my comb arrives Friday! *praise hands* I can't wait to try a detangling session with it :)
 
M

Meira

New Member
@pinkopulence, thanks for the videos. I feel like my hair has the potential to look like the 2nd video if it wasn't so frizzy. Unfortunately, I feel like whenever I finger detangle my hair gets even MORE tangled, especially at the ends :/
 
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