Newbie Hair Emergency

[jaxkat]

Hi ladies

I am a newbie who has lurked for so long browsing/reading this forum I decided to subscribe so that I could have access to everythioard. I have gained a knowledge of information on everything from hair care to skin care on this board, however I am so and at my wits end that Idk what to do..

My hair has started to thin from the bottom up and in the middle of my head only. I have no idea of what is causing this nor do I know when it started as I have had my hair in braids for the two months. It itches and I do scratch it alot in this area and maybe that could be the cause of it.

Idk rather to consult with a derm that maybe specializes in AA hair or just cut it off from the thinning area and just start over.

You can see the difference by looking at my pictures

Here is my hair a couple of months ago

Here is my hair after taking out my braids yesterday The only thing that I did after taking out my braids was condition and shampoo

Anyone have any ideas/suggestions on what I can do to correct this

 

[poookie]

first of all, welcome to the board!!!!!

couple of questions for ya.

i can tell that, from the difference between pic 1 and pic 2, your hair has grown a lot. your color seems to have moved down a bit... but something seems to be wrong with your retention rate.

1. what kind of braids were you wearing? micros, individuals, box braids, cornrows?? if they were the kind where your real hair was poking out, that may have been the cause of your setback. the same thing happened to me 2 years ago when i'd get individual braids. my hair would be left out in the ends, and i didn't know how to care for my hair while it was in braids, and my ends would look broken off and frizzy.

2. can you describe how you handle your hair in a typical week? or in this case, what you did after you took the braids out?

did you use a comb to comb out the hair extensions, or your fingers?
did you make sure to detangle your hair properly before washing for the first time?

tell us as much as you can about how you handle your hair, so we can try and help you find a solution!!

 

[msa]

I just wanted to say welcome!

I don't have any advice really. The only thing that jumped out at me was maybe your colored ends are breaking off. Since you've been in braids, maybe they didn't get the amount of moisture that they needed.

Anyway, I'm sure some other people will chime in to help.

 

[Finally Free]

Welcome Newbie!

:welcome3:

 

[HoneyDew]

Welcome!!!!!

I had a similar problem, J.

I see your hair is colored/highlighted. Is is possible that there could be some over processing?

I had my setback/emergency because of relaxer overprocessing. I, too could not pinpoint what it was or when it happened initially.

Then one time after relaxing, I decided to use another neutralizing shampoo. One of the ones that has the color coding. I swear it took 7-8 lathers before there were completely white suds. I was so upset with myself. For my last 2 touchups, I only did about 3 lathers after rinsing. So I think I failed to neutralized properly and lost a lot of hair as a result. It was not immediate - just gradual hair lost and it was just the way yours has done. I changed my shower filter and the water pressure is not as stong and I think I underestimated my hair needs after that.

We may not have the same problem, but some time the chemicals really do us in.

 

[SouthernTease]

1. Stop wearing braids
2. Stop using shampoo
3. Stop brushing your hair
4. Stretch your relaxers (at least 12 wks)
5. Stop coloring your hair
6. Try Co-Washing 30 days straight and see what happens
7. Many women have had success with Mega Tek perhaps you should try it

 

[so so chic]

How long have you been wearing braids? If you were wearing them before this last time, I would say that it is definitely the braids causing the breakage, due to the fact that I see in your before pic your hair was beginning to get thin in the middle. After you recently took your braids out, the problem just got worse...and in the same area. I really think you should not get any more braids.

If you are concerned with the look of your hair, you could get the ends trimmed some, but if they aren't split then it wouldn't be necessary. I think moisture should be your best friend. If you use shampoo I would say once a week is enough and then dc under heat for at least 30 minutes. Try co'washing during the week sometime or exclusively. Get a good moisturizer. You could do a pre-poo with evoo or coconut oil. Also protective styling would be a good idea. Baby your ends by keeping them protected and moisturized until they are better. HTH

 

[jaxkat]

first of all, welcome to the board!!!!!

couple of questions for ya.

i can tell that, from the difference between pic 1 and pic 2, your hair has grown a lot. your color seems to have moved down a bit... but something seems to be wrong with your retention rate.

1. what kind of braids were you wearing? micros, individuals, box braids, cornrows?? if they were the kind where your real hair was poking out, that may have been the cause of your setback. the same thing happened to me 2 years ago when i'd get individual braids. my hair would be left out in the ends, and i didn't know how to care for my hair while it was in braids, and my ends would look broken off and frizzy.

2. can you describe how you handle your hair in a typical week? or in this case, what you did after you took the braids out?

did you use a comb to comb out the hair extensions, or your fingers?
did you make sure to detangle your hair properly before washing for the first time?

tell us as much as you can about how you handle your hair, so we can try and help you find a solution!!

Thanks for the welcome.


I was wearing individuals pulled back into a bun.

2. can you describe how you handle your hair in a typical week? or in this case, what you did after you took the braids out?

I applied conditioner all over and used a wide tooth comb to gently detangle my hair after which I was ready to shampoo. After shampoo I applied moisturizer and let my hair airdry.

I noticed you mention something was wrong with my retention rate, exactly what does that mean.

 

[jaxkat]

1. Stop wearing braids
2. Stop using shampoo
3. Stop brushing your hair
4. Stretch your relaxers (at least 12 wks)
5. Stop coloring your hair
6. Try Co-Washing 30 days straight and see what happens
7. Many women have had success with Mega Tek perhaps you should try it

Yeah I think that I will lay off the braids...I am just getting back into working out and wanted something simple and easy for my hair.

Brushing my hair is a no no according to my stylist so I try not to do that. I usually go between 10-12 weeks for my relaxers and I have not relaxed since the end of June.

The color was only highlights and was done in Feb of last year for my birthday. I will search the boards for Co-washing and Mega Tek threads..


Thanks for the advice..

 

[KAT25]

maybe you can do co-washes and bun, you hair is thin but your ends look good so I will not cut and do some tlc and do protective styling and in a couple of months you should be back on track

 

[jaxkat]

I guess I will just go back to my roller sets which is what I normally wear and hopefully my stylist will be able to get me back on track.


Thanks for all the replies Ladies I am most grateful.

 

[naijamerican]

I guess I will just go back to my roller sets which is what I normally wear and hopefully my stylist will be able to get me back on track.


Thanks for all the replies Ladies I am most grateful.

Good luck Jaxkat! You have a lovely head of hair and I'm glad that you've made the decision to return to roller sets. Personally, as soon as I read the word "braids" I felt that that was what was responsible for your setback. I have learned to not underestimate how much the extra hair steals moisture from one's real hair.

 

[poookie]

Thanks for the welcome.


I was wearing individuals pulled back into a bun.

2. can you describe how you handle your hair in a typical week? or in this case, what you did after you took the braids out?

I applied conditioner all over and used a wide tooth comb to gently detangle my hair after which I was ready to shampoo. After shampoo I applied moisturizer and let my hair airdry.

I noticed you mention something was wrong with my retention rate, exactly what does that mean.

oops, let me explain.

by retention rate, i meant how much hair you hold on to as it grows out.

for instance, on average, hair grows about half an inch per month. so in a typical year, their hair would have grown around six inches.

based on how the color in your hair appears to have "moved down" in your second picture, you've obtained several inches of new hair. however, because of the breakage, your retention rate has been decreased, because even though your hair has grown, you didn't retain the length you gained.

i hope that made sense

the use of a wide toothed comb is good. stay away from fine toothed combs when dealing with the length of your hair. also, you shouldn't be using boar bristle brushes on the length of your hair, either.

and another factor some people don't take into account-- the speed with which they're using a tool to detangle / brush / comb your hair. are you raking the tool forcefully through your hair, or gently pulling it through?

treat your hair like fine silk-- treat it gently, don't be too rough with it, and stay away from shampoos with sulfates in them. get into the habit of reading through the ingredients on all of your shampoos and conditioners. greases tend to contain bad ingredients like mineral oil, petrolatum, and mineral jelly. they do little more than clog your scalp, and cause dandruff. alcohol denat., found in styling products, can dry out your hair, making it easier to break off. sulfates, harsh chemical detergents, over time can damage the hair shaft if not used properly with a moisturizing conditioner.

all these things i mentioned above are probably things that go against how you've been taking care of your hair. the thing is, a lot of what we've been "taught" to use isn't healthy for our hair at all!! take the advice of all posters who reply to this thread, and also, take the time to look through the board, and read through the topics. you'll soak up all the info you need in no time!!!

one more thing-- what brand(s) of shampoo / conditioner are you using?

 

[Barbara]

Glad to have you join us

 

[jaxkat]

oops, let me explain.

by retention rate, i meant how much hair you hold on to as it grows out.

for instance, on average, hair grows about half an inch per month. so in a typical year, their hair would have grown around six inches.

based on how the color in your hair appears to have "moved down" in your second picture, you've obtained several inches of new hair. however, because of the breakage, your retention rate has been decreased, because even though your hair has grown, you didn't retain the length you gained.

i hope that made sense

the use of a wide toothed comb is good. stay away from fine toothed combs when dealing with the length of your hair. also, you shouldn't be using boar bristle brushes on the length of your hair, either.

and another factor some people don't take into account-- the speed with which they're using a tool to detangle / brush / comb your hair. are you raking the tool forcefully through your hair, or gently pulling it through?

treat your hair like fine silk-- treat it gently, don't be too rough with it, and stay away from shampoos with sulfates in them. get into the habit of reading through the ingredients on all of your shampoos and conditioners. greases tend to contain bad ingredients like mineral oil, petrolatum, and mineral jelly. they do little more than clog your scalp, and cause dandruff. alcohol denat., found in styling products, can dry out your hair, making it easier to break off. sulfates, harsh chemical detergents, over time can damage the hair shaft if not used properly with a moisturizing conditioner.

all these things i mentioned above are probably things that go against how you've been taking care of your hair. the thing is, a lot of what we've been "taught" to use isn't healthy for our hair at all!! take the advice of all posters who reply to this thread, and also, take the time to look through the board, and read through the topics. you'll soak up all the info you need in no time!!!

one more thing-- what brand(s) of shampoo / conditioner are you using?

Thanks for all the useful information and it did make sense.
I use pantene relaxed/natural for women of color when I have to shampoo my own hair but normally I go to the salon and have no idea what she uses.

BTW your hair is just gawjus..

naijamerican
Thanks for the compliment.


You ladies have been helpful as I was not really expecting any replies, nevertheless thanks

 

[foxieroxienyc]

Yeah you may want to watch out for those Pantene Shampoos. They contain 4 types of Sulfates - Ammonium Lauryl AND Laureth Sulfates AND Sodium Lauryl and Laureth Sulfates. They can be VERY stripping for the hair if used regularly.