” Nikki, I love your blog! I have a question: I’m wondering if it is possible to repair damage done to my hair. I’ve used permanent dye, and heat, and my ends are splitting, and breaking. I also have white specs on the ends of my hair. I’m really scared, and I don’t want to start over again. What products can I use?“
Unfortunately, there are no products that can ‘repair’ damage. What’s done is done. Products that claim to heal or fix split ends are simply a temporary solution. They hide the damage by sealing your ends together- usually with silicones or other plastics. In order to truly fix your damaged hair, you need to get a trim, and baby those ends. You can use protein treatments to fill in some of the holes on the length of your hair shaft, but if you have splits and “white dots” on your hair, you may need to cut off the damage to start over. Now, if you are like me, only cut off what you can stand to lose. My colored and heat damaged hair was the source of great stress over the past 2 years. I’ve been growing out my highlights for what seems like forever. It takes time, dedication and lots of trial and error. But the bottom line is, you need to start trimming. Oh, and weekly deep treatments won’t hurt either! I’ll touch on the White Dot phenomenon tomorrow.
Pretty hard for black people to get lice, their hooks that they use at the end of their feet to grip the hair aren't shapped to properly hold on to curly hair, espcially our type of curly hair. It's not impossible, but it's difficult. Lice like naturally super straight hair types, that's what the are best suited to live in. Check out some science journals on it sometimes.
Lice! Yikes!
nikki, thanks so much for posting about this!
i’ve been blog stalking for a moment and LOVE your blog too! i was feeling a bit down as this weekend i had to cut 1.5 inches of damaged hair myself. that’s in addition to my 2 inch cut i had at the hairdresser’s a month ago.last aug i had a botched blow dry/combing experience at a crap hair dresser’s which i think started all of my problems. in nov i went to another HD and while blow dried she trimmed 2 in. i went back for another trim in jan but my hair was visibly damaged (holes/bubbling/knots/DRY/rough) i think the HD must have turned up heat to get it sleek. it was CUTE for the week, but ooooooh…when i washed it :=( the ends of the back and front of my hair remained straight the center is curly but not so much. i frantically washed, DT’d and did my flat twists and they looked ok for 5 mins and then my hair turned into a frizzy frizz ball :'(. this weekend i had to end up cutting straight and slightly straitened curly hair. yes i used the twist/clip method. i learned too late). so yes. to the writer. cutting is the only way to get your hair back to some semblance of normalcy. i can say, as much as i HATED to cut. it just didn’t make sense keeping the “crap” hair. i started a routine of DT’ing every 3 days, moisturizing and keeping it covered at night and outside in the cold. also i’m waiting for some anita grant and qhemet items as i need something GREAT for moisture.
writer, i’m sorry but it’s start over time for me and i suspect the same for you 🙁
D
I don’t want to scare anyone but white specs on the hair can also be lice. Be careful and do thorough inspections!
http://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Head_lice
i wonder what texture her hair is…
I’ve never heard of white dots…that sounds serious
white dots?? are you going to explain that tommorrow…I’ve never heard of white dots.
I’m having the same problem as far as the heat damage goes since I never had a perm I don’t want to BC. I’ll have to trim again the last time I did was the end of December. Thanks for the advice!
Well said Nik