Hair Breakage 101-- just wanted to share!

[senimoni]

Maybe I'm slow but I don't get how over moisturized hair, which stretchs too much is bad....basically it stretches more than normal hair so if you are detangling it would take more force to break it then regular hair. Or are you speaking over time as opposed to on one occasion?

 

[Sistaslick]

Maybe I'm slow but I don't get how over moisturized hair, which stretchs too much is bad....basically it stretches more than normal hair so if you are detangling it would take more force to break it then regular hair. Or are you speaking over time as opposed to on one occasion?

The proper elasticity, in conjunction with the proper structural properties, are needed allow the hair to resist breakage. The stretching/elasticity power of the hair in and of itself cannot stave off breakage. In fact, the extra stretching weakens it. As the hair is stretched beyond its normal parameters, it compensates by thinning (across the cross section )and is considerably weakened internally. Your hair is already more elastic than usual while wet (which is why wet hair is longer than dried hair), and this extra elasticity is also what makes it more fragile and weaker than dried hair. The stress and manipulation of detangling at this critical point may cause you more problems without a balanced structural protein component there to resist the extra stretching, weakening, breakage-- and return it to normal once dried. So, extra stretchy hair will break easier than balanced hair because it is inherently weaker, wet and dry. Over-proteinated hair will break easiest of all because it does have much of the elasticity/stretch factor at all. The forces have to be balanced in order to fight and reduce breakage.

All stretching is not bad. Healthy hair will stretch because it is has natural elastic properties. However, there is a point where the stretching becomes too much for the hair to withstand. Recognizing this threshold is very important to protect against breakage. Super elastic, stretched hair is weaker than normal balanced hair. The more it stretches the weaker it gets, and the closer it ventures to the point of breakage. There has to be a healthy balance between the elastic and structural properties of the hair. When the hair is continuously forced to stretch beyond its normal range, either do a lack of protein structure or physical manipulation, it breaks. Before this happens though, there is usually a point where the hair will stretch and stretch without breaking. This is an indication that structural components of the hair are lacking, but are not to the point where the hair would break. This is a warning sign. You have to find that happy medium. HTH

 

[kreeme]

Sista...you are tha bomb girl!!!

 

[Sweetcoco82]

Well i tested my hair and some parts stretched for ever and others stretched then broke. Looks like i need some protein ASAP!!!! Now to figure out what to use.

 

[senimoni]

Sista you know I'm going to have to read that about 3 more times right.

 

[Sistaslick]

you know I gets (yes I said "gets" ) longwinded.

 

[macherieamour]

Thanks sooo much for this! It musta took u foeva!! WE soooooo appreciate it. I printed it out Its now in my HAIR binder,lol.

 

[planodiva]

what a brainstorm idea...a hair binder

 

[Cinnabuns]

Great post Sistaslick! This information is truly helpful and thank you so much for putting it together for us. You're the greatest.

 

[offthechainliz]

great info!

 

[cap9z]

thank you so much!

 

[mohair]

thanks alot. I was really feeling depressed about all the hair i have been loosing lately. This information gives me hope.

 

[*Happily Me*]

OMG, I think I know what my problem is!

Thanks Sistaslick!
*running to do a protein treatment*

Same here!

Thank you Sistaslick! You broke it down

 

[Sistaslick]

thanks guys, I really appreciated the feedback I'm glad so many are finding the info useful.


dsylla you are just so cute in your siggy pic. I always smile when I come across that picture

 

[SerenityBreeze]

Thank you sooooooooooooooooo much for posting this. I was almost to a point were I was ready to throw up my hands.

I revived my hair from a broken damaged state with routine treatemetns. I recently could not understand why my routine treatemetns were not working in my favour anymore...unitl you broke it down for me.

Now I know exactly what I am doing wrong -- I have to listen to my hair needs now and not overkill with routine treatments like before.

Aslo, I truly appreciate your advising which order to put on my products. This will help with maintenance.

You are the best! God Bless!!

 

[Catina72]

Thank you so very much. Lord knows I need all the guidance I can get. I was real confused on the protein vs moisture thing. I think I've got a grasp on it. My hair is doing okay with my regimen so I'll stick with it until I see those signs! You rock !

 

[BMoreFlyy]

thanks for this message

 

[Maahiyshah]

This is excellent. So helpfull. Thanks!!!

 

[SingingStar12]

Great post! Thanks for posting so much information!

 

[NessaNessa]

HI SS!!!

Quick question, If I am in need of more protein and I think I may have too much moisture, how do I go about moisturizing my hair without overkill? DO I still perform my deep conditioners or what? TIA!!!!

 

[Sistaslick]

HI SS!!!

Quick question, If I am in need of more protein and I think I may have too much moisture, how do I go about moisturizing my hair without overkill? DO I still perform my deep conditioners or what? TIA!!!!

You can easily add more protein into your regimen by starting with your daily water-based moisturizers first. There are many that are protein based, and these are great for giving you a small daily protein boost. When I feel like a need just a bit of protein I'll use something like Cantu Shea Butter Break Cure or Profectiv Break Free. Thats one way to get more protein without washing your hair.

Now, If you feel like you need more lasting protein, you can simply do a mild protein deep conditioning with something like Aphogee 2 minute keratin reconstructor, Mane N Tail, ORS Mayo, or LeKair cholesterol. Just alternate your moisturizing deep conditioner with a protein based conditioner, and that should help you out some. HTH.

 

[NessaNessa]

You can easily add more protein into your regimen by starting with your daily water-based moisturizers first. There are many that are protein based, and these are great for giving you a small daily protein boost. When I feel like a need just a bit of protein I'll use something like Cantu Shea Butter Break Cure or Profectiv Break Free. Thats one way to get more protein without washing your hair.

Now, If you feel like you need more lasting protein, you can simply do a mild protein deep conditioning with something like Aphogee 2 minute keratin reconstructor, Mane N Tail, ORS Mayo, or LeKair cholesterol. Just alternate your moisturizing deep conditioner with a protein based conditioner, and that should help you out some. HTH.

Thanks a bunch SS!!!

 

[bbailey]

Hey everyone,

Just wanted to tell you girls about a product I have been using for awhile now and its working great. its called cher-mere hair food. its a caribbean product and its very popular in trinidad. the owner of cher-mere is a caribbean biochemist (so she knows what its like to have black hair - and she knows how to fix it). its all natural - no nasty chemicals

I have only seen it online. I bought it off ebay first, but now i see its available from a website: www.cher-mere.com

hope that helps
-BB

 

[SparklingFlame]

Thanks for the info! After giving birth to my daughter, it seems like my hair will never get enough moisture.

Me too! No matter what I do it feels so dry!!! Sista, what should I do?

 

[Sistaslick]

hey girl!

What types of moisturizers are you using? What's your washing and deep conditioning frequency? You can also pm me if you want, too

 

[Lovelylocs]

Thanks for the info, sistaslick!

 

[SparklingFlame]

hey girl!

What types of moisturizers are you using? What's your washing and deep conditioning frequency? You can also pm me if you want, too

You know what? My hair isnt really all that dry at all! I had been rocking a twist out and it appeared that it was dry but when my cousin cornrowed my hair the other day, it wasnt dry at all. I guess I'm just paranoid. Also I forgot to tell you that my daughters hair is fine without the use of Aphogee. I just put some Sebastian Potion #9 on it along with some mango butter and cornrowed it. The "breakage" (not sure if it was really breackage) stopped. Thanks for all your advice, o mighty hair guru!

 

[TwistNMx]

Thanks much!
I truly appreciate this. I've been so depressed about my hair.
I will save this info.
I've been in the battlefield with this hair of mine for a few months now.
As I write this, happen to be under an oil/protein treatment. My hair is thin but unruly when dry and my ends are super thin. I just chopped off 2 inches today.
So at least now I have something positive to try.

 

[mahogany66]

I am starting on my journal of healthy hair and your info is GREATLY appreciated.

 

[amorette]

thank all of you for your kind words! Just too sweet! This sincerely inspires me to continue on with entire body of work I'm planning. Thank you all.

Sista slick,
you are a gem to have done this thread, it is rich with great info....I have a couple questions: which moisturizers do you use? i just came on this site in february...and I had alot of breakage...when i came on the site and started the vitamins etc the breakage stopped, and my nails grew, and i got 2 inches of growth the first month...now i notice my hair is breaking again just a very little, and it does not seem to be growing...im taking all of the vitamins i have listed on my profile, DCing once a week with Nioxin DC, and aphogee every 6 weeks. My hair is corkscrew curly so it is hard to really tell the growth unless it is wet - 3b i think - and i workout every day so i rinse it or Cowash it daily, then follow that with nioxin leave in conditioner, a coat of castor oil, and then brush into a curly ponytail and airdry ... help - i am dissappointed because i thought the 1.5- 2 inches per month of growth would keep up - and maybe it is still growing like that but im just not retaining because of breakage...i especially notice that the middle of my head looks really short - because it is so curly unstretched it's probably 4 inches...yikes...while some parts on the sides and back reach etiher should or armpit...i want that short part down to my armpit unstretched... help help help