Hair getting to a certain length, then breaking off?

[Ipanema]

I'm trying to get my hair to grow past it's "break off" point. It's 4b and quickly grows to BSL, but at that point, it usually starts getting unhealthy, breaking off, and knotting up. Then I usually do something drastic like try to perm it or cut it all off. Last time, I locked it, then cut it all off. Right now, it's BSL and getting knotted. I've been wearing yarn braids and co-washing with Suave weekly. I feel like doing something drastic. My hair is long, but it shrinks up to neck length. I want to show it off! The twists and bends in my hair seem to be a source of breakage now, and I wonder if I should start wearing it straight. Maybe heat training it now?

Does anyone have experience with their hair growing to a certain length, getting unhealthy, but then you were able to grow it past that point?

 

[bunnie82]

hmmmm.....what's ur regi??

If your hair catches u slippin, best believe it'll start breaking off...OKAY *snaps fingers*

 

[havilland]

APL was my sticking point. I had to go hard core. Deep condition one to two times a week. Dust my ends every month. Wear my hair up and stretched. Stop texlaxing. Take hair vitamins.


I find that the older your hair is the more you have to protect, provide and perfect.

 

[prospurr4]

... My hair is long, but it shrinks up to neck length. I want to show it off! ...Does anyone have experience with their hair growing to a certain length, getting unhealthy, but then you were able to grow it past that point?

I am 4b, texlaxed and currently WL. I struggled for YEARS trying to get from BSL to WL. I finally reached this length by trimming more often (every 2-4 months as opposed to every 18 months ) and protective styling 99% of the time.

The "bolded" area is one reason why I am texlaxed. My heat skills are awful.

Of course, this is what worked for me. I wish you success in finding your solutions.

 

[Ipanema]

hmmmm.....what's ur regi??

If your hair catches u slippin, best believe it'll start breaking off...OKAY *snaps fingers*

I rub coconut oil on my hair & scalp daily, and co-wash with Suave coconut conditioner weekly. I wear yarn braids (actually, they are twists, which are easier to undo). I only shampoo after taking out the yarn to redo the hair (every 2 months). This has helped my hair grow to BSL, but my hair towards the ends are bent, twisted and hard. They were color treated when I had a TWA, so are more fragile, but they choose BSL length now to start breaking off. Something happens every time I get to this length. Oh, and I deep condition with Aussie 3 minute miracle moist after shampooing.

 

[ChocolatePie777]

Are you triming your hair regularly? Because with long hair triming is very important

 

[Ipanema]

Are you triming your hair regularly? Because with long hair triming is very important

I have not trimmed at all since I started growing out my TWA. Not even once.

I thought a trim would just slow me down from getting to my goal (waist-length), and that leaving them alone in protective styles would be enough. I guess I"ll have to start now.

 

[ChocolatePie777]

I have not trimmed at all since I started growing out my TWA. Not even once.

I thought a trim would just slow me down from getting to my goal (waist-length), and that leaving them alone in protective styles would be enough. I guess I"ll have to start now.

Guuuuuuuurrrrllllll....you better trim them ends no point of having damaged ends and long hair.....that ish ain't right (swats you on hands)

 

[JuicyyCouTuree]

I rub coconut oil on my hair & scalp daily, and co-wash with Suave coconut conditioner weekly. I wear yarn braids (actually, they are twists, which are easier to undo). I only shampoo after taking out the yarn to redo the hair (every 2 months). This has helped my hair grow to BSL, but my hair towards the ends are bent, twisted and hard. They were color treated when I had a TWA, so are more fragile, but they choose BSL length now to start breaking off. Something happens every time I get to this length. Oh, and I deep condition with Aussie 3 minute miracle moist after shampooing.

The yarn braids may be drying to your hair. It's not the same texture and yarn is very dry material. So it may not be that your hair is unhealthy, the protective styling you're using most if the time have major role in the breaking you receive. Try something different.

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[koolkittychick]

^^^I concur. The yarn is absorbing any moisture you apply to your hair and the older ends (which are about 2-4 years old based on your length and growth rate) cannot handle the damage. And granted, I am not a trim junkie either (I think the last professional one I got was in late October), but getting one at least every six months does help keep your ends and hair in order.

Also, you may want to start incorporating deep conditioning with heat into your regime, That's what helped me get from below shoulder/collarbone length (where I was stuck for two years) to APL length in less than a year, and my retention has improved greatly.

Good luck!

 

[BonBon]

I have not trimmed at all since I started growing out my TWA. Not even once.

I thought a trim would just slow me down from getting to my goal (waist-length), and that leaving them alone in protective styles would be enough. I guess I"ll have to start now.

I really think you should try trimming. After examining your ends of course for stragglies, or splits.

They can really start to get tangled up, kinda like velcro. Then its hard to comb without breakage.]

BTW 4b BSL well done =D Want to see a pic

 

[HoneyA]

I agree with JuicyyCouTuree and koolkittychick It may be the yarn braids. One of my friends wore yarn twists for a while and when she took them out, she had to cut her hair off from the breakage. Granted you do seem to be moisturising more than she might have been. She had worn normal braids before and her hair hadn't broken off like that but the yarn made her cut back to a TWA.

 

[Mande30]

Before my HHJ, My hair would reach shoulder level and then break. When I learned to properly care for it: weekly DC, keep it moisturized, learn to trim/dust myself, treat it very gently, always sleep with a satin/silk scarf or bonnet (even with a satin pillow case you still need to tie it up to keep the friction down between the strands) ect........is when my hair made a turn around. And like another poster said, I know if I slip an inch, my hair will pay for it. I am toooooo far in to be lazy and careless .

 

[Funmiloves]

Also, I would suggest adding protein to your reg - maybe added when you take off your braids, followed by a DC.

*I learned the hard way with adding protein - I was under the impression that because I was now natural and 4b, I didn't need proteinerplexed

 

[Ipanema]

I'm surprised by what some of you are saying about yarn braids. They seem to be less drying than the synthetic hair, and more matching to my texture.

I've decided to trim (It's been 2 years, BTW). It's going to set my timeline back a bit, but the color-treated part is killing my growth retention. How can it just start breaking off all at once? What if my whole head of hair was color-treated?

I'll be paying more attention from now on--regular trims, DC more often, wearing the silky bonnet, just overall babying the hair.

 

[jbwphoto1]

I'm surprised by what some of you are saying about yarn braids. They seem to be less drying than the synthetic hair, and more matching to my texture.

I've decided to trim (It's been 2 years, BTW). It's going to set my timeline back a bit, but the color-treated part is killing my growth retention. How can it just start breaking off all at once? What if my whole head of hair was color-treated?

I'll be paying more attention from now on--regular trims, DC more often, wearing the silky bonnet, just overall babying the hair.

In terms of the yarn, when I've done my yarn braids or yarn twists, I prep the yarn by washing and conditioning just like hair. I let it dry overnight on a cotton t-shirt. I continue to spray and moisturize the yarn after my install.

 

[Ipanema]

jbwphoto1, I agree with prepping the yarn. The last time I didn't do it because I was in a hurry to get them done, and I guess it does make a big difference.

I have my yarn prepped now for the next install. I cut it, tied each end, let it soak in soapy water for about 20 minutes (the water was greenish afterwards), and then washed it. I dried it in the dryer. Then I mixed conditioner with safflower oil in a cup, and rubbed the mixture into all of the yarn. Then I hung it up to finish drying. My yarn is super prepped!