NISHJ!
Congrats to the winners! Get me your contact info ASAP!
Hola Chicas,
After reading through many of the comments from yesterday’s Argan Oil post, it seems that most of you are dealing with at least some amount of breakage or split ends. By now, I’m sure you’re aware that hair damage can’t be wholly prevented… just minimized and managed.
The question today is–
I’m still cleaning out my product stash, so today I have *400g of BAQ Jamila henna* for one lucky curly!
Respond below and be sure to describe your hair texture.
Tomorrow, at 5pm, I’ll randomly choose the winner.
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CN Responds;
Ugh. Split ends. I deal with splits way more than breakage.
*cue violins*
I remember a time, circa 2004, that I had every type of split end under the sun… the evil mid-strand needle holes, multiple splits on a single strand, and gasp, white dot breakage! My head was a mess and it seemed like no matter what I did (even frequent microtrims), things just got worse. Much worse. EVERY.SINGLE.STRAND.DAMAGED. For reals.
Chopping an inch or so every month, I finally grew it all out over the course of 2 years. Heat damage is real and can’t be ‘repaired’. Trust me.
Today, I find around 5-10 broken hairs per styling session (bi-weekly), and around 25 split ends per Search & Destroy mission (every 1-2 months). The broken hairs are those itty bitty ones from my tired old ends, and the splits are minor and only on the tips… occasionally, however, I’ll find a solitary shredded strand. It’s weird, I find much of the damage in the back of my head where I have tighter, coarser coils. This is up from when I frequently henna’ed, but still isn’t cause for alarm. I see far fewer, if any broken hairs if I remember to oil 20 minutes before detangling.
My fine, highly porous strands are extremely susceptible to mechanical damage so I do my best to (1) never be hurried while detangling, (2) opt for fingers as my primary tool, (3) utilize low manipulation styles, (4) keep my hair stretched, (5) stay moisturized and lubricated, (6) always sleep in a satin bonnet, (7) never skip a deep treatment, and (8) keep sharp and/or new hair scissors on hand at all times.
Since I haven’t had much time for henna (which really helped to reinforce my strands and prevent damage), I’ve also been experimenting with silk protein leave-ins as of late with good results.
What about you?!
I didn't know that. I am so lucky that I found this blog post. Now I know that there is still hope for my damage hair. I will follow everything in this article. I wish that it also work for my hair.
This is just a great blog to read.
My hair texture is 3c/4a. I recently learned about single strand knots and search and destroy from some natural youtubers and decided to do a thorough inspection of my ends. My! Was I amazed to find so many that I literally grabbed the scissors and began to clip away. I found no more than 3 split-ends though, which is most likely do to the fact that I am a no heat kinda girl. So after, I decided to take better care of my hair and ends by using tons of creamy moisturizing conditioner like Giovanni 50/50 applied to my hair after either co-washing or shampooing and then detangling very carefully in the shower and leaving it in. I then proceed to two-strand twist my hair all over to protect it. I spritz with water every other night and place a plastic shower cap on my ends to ensure they are kept moisturized and I apply oil to my ends everyday. I am on a mission for healthy hair. Curly Nikki, please consider me as the winner of the Henna giveaway. I've never tried it, but have been dying to. I would love to see the effects it has on my hair.
LaNolaBella
nhsexycrush@gmail.com
Hennnna me PLEASE!
For my 3c/4a hair, I consider everyday breakage the breakage I have/cause by manipulating my hair. Over the summer I've been experimenting with mini twists (2weeks with, 1-2 weeks without) when I have the twists in, i have 0-little breakage, and when my hair is out its 2-3 levels of breakage. Hmmmph,I'm still learning
Put yes! Hennnnnna me honey
Danielle
Dancan25@gmail.com
My hair type mostly 4b and some 4a in the front,tends to have that issue of SSK's along with dryness, which tend to cause breakage if i don't painstakingly try to unloose them. I also believe that just simply styling your hair a certain way regularly eg. tight up do's along with using different products can cause normal wear and tear on our precious tresses. So I have started a new regimen (Thanks to you and Naptural85 of you tube:) of daily moisturizing my hair with a leave in conditioner and sealing in that moisture with an essential oil mixture which has proven very helpful now that my hair has been flourishing( I have maintained new growth, and i now have strong shiny coils) along with longer Deep conditioning sessions on my wash days.
(P.S. I so have a HUGE hair crush on you LOL
Jennel
Jennel33@hotmail.com
Because of my hair type, I am a frequent finder of SSK's – which like to grab hold of other hairs and cause CHAOS! I try and keep my hair stretched – I don't blow dry often but will often braid prior to dry as a method of stretching, and only style on completely dry detangled hair. I have henna'ed before and noticed that I had less SSK's after – but I haven't been able to find a reliable place to purchase locally, so henna'ing has gone by the wayside lately… PLEASE HELP 🙂
Since I've kicked relaxers and heat I've notice a lot less breakage and split ends. I try to manipulate my hair as little as possible, and try to stick with products that work (water, shea butter, and coconut oil mostly). I've been debating about trying henna, I'm nervous about curl loosening and the color, but I've been hearing about the benefits and I don't know if I can continue to put it off
My type is 3C/4a. I would love to use the Henna for conditioning my hair and my daughter's. I made the mistake of damaging our hair with Keratin/Brazilian formaldehyde(?) over a year ago. We are living proof that these dangerous chemicals dig deep under the scalp to even damage future hair! My curls aren't as elastic as before and it totally changed my daughter's entire hair grade. What I'm most upset with is that coupled with intense Florida sun 24/7 our hair is DRY to the bone…but what I've been missing is a good routine so we are trying to resuscitate our manes by weekly co-washes and bi-weekly deep conditions..im using coconut oil and leave-in conditioners with healthy ingredients. I'm seeing positive change yet I need more time. My daughter's hair is not responding well which makes me fear that she needs another big chop! I feel so guilty doing a big chop on a little girl…I hated it growing up because I didn't want to be teased.
P.S. Wear and tear for me is using a comb and tugging…pony tails…and exposure to sun. my hair responds horribly to products that lack healthy ingredients like one big snub lol
Signed ovapublicity@gmail.com
I think that split ends and ssks as normal wear and tear. I have fine 4a,b,&c hair that i wear in w&g after co-washing twice a week which most likely causes my ssks. In order to manage them I am trying to wear my hair stretched more. Ive been playing with twist lately. I'm still pretty new at being natural and i'm still learning what to do about my spilt ends. I've been conditioning more and hopefully it will help.
My hair texture is a 3c/4a. Normal wear and tear for me is what I call straggly ends that are obviously split. I can tell when I am experiencing this when I twist my hair up and it forms knots at the end. I plan to get a trim and maintain trim consistency (evry 3 to 4 mos.). I think this will give my curls their bounce back.
I think normal wear and tear comes from combing,and everyday manipulation of the hair. I try to tame this by only combing with a wide tooth comb and when my hair is damp and has product on it. NEVER when it is dry. I also detangle once a week with my tangle teezer when I wash my hair. Also, try not to touch and play in my hair :0 I would love to win the henna becuz I tried it in May and loved it. I noticed that my hair was stronger, shinier and richer in color. It also frizzed less.
I have mitigated breakage by utilizing protective styles that I moisturize every night with a liquid leave -in and seal (QB AOHC). I DC at least once a week with a protein free conditioner and heat cap. Full Henna treatments once a month have further helped stop breakage. I don't comb my hair while its dry and if I have to, I wet it and coat with oil to detangle.
Because of the way I normally handle my hair (being lazy, leaving it out, putting too much product in it, touching it, touching it more, twirling it, and generally getting my hands stuck it) I consider normal wear and tear to be ssks and a few knots here and there. I try not to stress about it though. I only feel the need to take drastic measures (i.e. give myself a trim) when I feel the ends of my hair have become straw.
I am newly natural and I am not sure about my breakage or split ends at this point. I do know that I have less breakage now than I did when I was relaxing. I use a wide tooth comb with conditioner in the shower to detangle and I try to be as gentle as possible. I am still experimenting to see what works for my hair. My mission is to be a henna head! Get me started please. Thanks! nubianyo@bellsouth.net
I think my hair is 3a/b. Still iffy about henna heard it takes your curl out but i would love to try it for the color. Still learning about what my hair likes and it likes Shea moisture and Carols Daughter. I am in the boondocks and dont know if i have split ends or not because i bc my hair myself. So i wash my hair condition deep treat then use kimmay leave in and twist with butter. After the gym before i leave i wet my hair to keep it from drying out. i have been checking the hair catcher and realize that after corn rows i shed alot. Dont drink milk but Nikki you Got henna? Rhonda
What do you consider normal wear and tear breakage/splits for your mane?
Those single strand knots are what gets it for me. I have 3c crown and 4a in the backand I find most of the single strand knots in the back. I can just be gently playing with my hair and once I remove my hand have a few that came out with it :/
How do you manage it?
I manage them by co-washing and making sure the conditioner is lathered in my hair (bubbles and all), really massaging my hair and scalp and rinsing gently.
What methods do you take to prevent it as much as possible?
I usually finger comb gently through my hair after every wash (be it co-wash or just rinsing my hair with water while showering), I then add my leave-in and seal my ends with tea tree oil.
I'll be a year in next month & am still dealing with different sections of my hair growing faster than other parts which makes twisting and braiding a pain. The fact that I love rocking my curly afro probably doesn't help cut down on the single strand knots either but…ahhh I can't help it! I love it curly!
Thanks!
Normal wear and tear for me is single strand knots with the occasional split end – triple the number of split ends if I've been wearing my hair out a lot. If I see a mid-strand hole, it's time to pull out the super-special-deep-conditioning-routine with a quickness. My hair is 3c/4a, coarse and THICK, so breaks are a fact of life.
My main ways of preventing breakage are deep conditioning, end sealing, and updos, updos, updos. I am a chronic hair twirler – if an end of my hair is loose, it's around my finger. I live with my hair in a bun unless I'm performing or out on the town. Keeping my ends safe from my hands is the only way I can keep my breakage down. Although a lovely strengthening henna treatment wouldn't hurt. 😉
i was just speaking on this subject the other day! no matter what i do, how gentle i am with my hair, there will be some breakage…. i do not know specifically how many hairs is a normal amount of hair to lose, but because i've taken the time to learn my hair, i know when there is too much… for example, if im using my denman to detangle, i expect to see a few curls in the brush afterward… but if i see a significant amount of hair in the brush after a detangling session, i know my hair must be experiencing some "not normal" breakage.
to manage this breakage, or keep it at bay, i try to make sure i keep my hair misturized. having moisturized strands and ends will keep ur breakage to a minimum. i apply a leave in and seal every night before braiding or twisting my hair… this has been working for me…. i have retained much more length in this year than last year since ensuring my hair stays moisturized.
What do you consider normal wear and tear breakage/splits for your mane? How do you manage it? What methods do you take to prevent it as much as possible?
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Normal wear and tear for me is single strand knots, split ends and tangled coils. The SSKs happen at the crown of my head, split ends in the front and tangled coils at the nape and on the sides. Grrrr! For those things I search and destroy as much as possible.
Dry ends and scalp are also part of my normal wear and tear. When the ends feel dry, I clarify and DC first to see if that helps and if not I trim (once I got over not wanting to lose length) when needed. When my scalp gets crazy I take a bit of Bragg's Organic Apple Cider Vinegar and a cottonball and dab it directly onto my scalp then gently massage it in. I let it sit for a few minutes then give my scalp and hair a gentle wash and good conditioning. My scalp feels like it can breathe afterwards as the vinegar gently cuts through all of the natural and synthetic styling product residue on the scalp and hair while massaging it in removes (exfoliates) dead skin (flakes). Remember hair follicles get clogged too – just like the pores on our face. And we all know what happens when our pores are clogged – unhealthy skin. The scalp is the same way. When its unhealthy, the hair as a whole suffers – stalled growth because the clogged follicles impede healty absorption of nutrients from the blood stream, excessive hair fall because the root bulb can't survive without proper nutrients, dull hair and dry scalp because the naturally produced sebum is trapped within the follicle. Then we add more and more, thereby exacerbating the problem.
Sidenote: I was treated for seborreah by my dermatologist for YEARS (topical corticosteroids, prescription shampoo). My scalp's balance of natural flora was off and running rampant until I went natural. Then the problem stopped. Occasionally I have a mild flare up depending on what I put on my scalp and my overall nutrition and lifestyle at that time. Red Palm Oil caused a horrible reaction yet I kept trying it because some curlies swore by it. It got worse and led to thinning all up and around my hairline. I literally had an epiphany one day. LOL! Anyway I stopped using it and treated my scalp with the AVC and decided to keep it simple. That's what makes my hair and scalp thrive.
Dang! I think I may have gone slighlty off topic. My bad! Anyway, PICK ME!!!! Thanks!
~April~
To me normal wear and tear on the hair is the necessary maintenance of the hair, washing, detangling etc. My hair is thick course and very curly therefore I get a LOT of tangles. While detangling I make sure my hair is drenched in conditioner and I keep my styling to minimum. I can get my wash n go to last week.
I suffer from breakage as well. I'm not sure what kind, as there are small coils that look like little circles. I have no clue if they are from my ends or the root.
Anyway, I try to prevent it with deep treatments with every wash and sealing my hair with a shea butter mix in the morning an night. I've slowly cut back on trims from every 2 months to now 3-4 months. Hope it helps!
Not sure yet what my future normal is. I am just starting my transition journey and my normal (which is a fair amount of shedding) has even changed since this past weekend. I am getting braids this week and did an oil treatment overnight then a DC the next day. Just in regular combing I did see a diff in the amount of hair that came out. It will be interesting to see what happens as I continue…:) Be Blessed!
"Normal" wear and tear is something I'm still learning. I'm doing a lot more with my hair these last several months, and that means I'm combing and manipulating it a lot more so I'm seeing some in my comb. I have thick-thick 4c hair, and I've been natural for many years. To avoid breakage as much as possible, I try to be as gentle as possible when I comb out — spray with water before combing, oil on my hands before untwisting or styling.
What do you consider normal wear and tear breakage/splits for your mane? How do you manage it? What methods do you take to prevent it as much as possible?
My hair is a mix between 3c/4a in the front and middle. The back left however is about a 4b/4c. That rogue area in the back left definitely gets on my nerves, but it also helps me to judge just how rough I may have been on my hair that week and the overall health of the rest of my hair. Normal wear and tear for that section is much different and definitely noticed first because of the extreme fragile-ness of it (which is saying alot since all natural hair is fragile anyways). That section shows single strand knots/split ends/general roughness from the split ends/white see-through ends/etc. first and more often in comparison to the rest of my hair. To combat the fraileness of that section (and the rest of my hair), I normally keep my hair up in a small bun and rarely wear wash n' go's anymore (Hair health and growth over ease and luxury I guess). Sometimes I even default for a phony-pony. Also, moisture is KEY. I try to over-moisturize that section (and thus the rest of my hair as well) and DEFINITELY stay away from heat. Of course, I detangle in the shower with conditioner as well. And while it took a while to figure out that that one section reacts differently and demands more gentle care, I can definitely say that after finally figuring it out, all of my hair (including the back left) is now thriving!!!
What do you consider normal wear and tear breakage/splits for your mane? How do you manage it? What methods do you take to prevent it as much as possible?
I have 4b hair that is super thick and shoulder length. As for breakage/split ends – I would say roughly 15 (maybe more) split ends is normal wear and tear for my hair when combing/styling. I could be way off tho since I never count/ keep track of these things. I feel that my hair suffers less from breakage when I'm more careful when combing and remember to moisturize my hair regularly.
Normal wear and tear for me has been whatever hair comes out in the comb while I detangle (which is NEVER a lot). For the most part my hair is either doing what it wants or it's in twists because I started playing in it. Whatever one or two knots I find in the week I take care of when I condition or whenever I spray my hair in the morning with water and coconut oil.
I take care of my hair by keeping my hands out of it! When I start playing in it too much, I just twist it to style/give me a reason to play in it. =)
(I want to try henna, but if this doesn't work I may just have to save up some money and try the Lush bars)
Normal war and tear to me is the damage caused by the washing/detangling/styling process that is impossible to avoid completely even when being careful to be kind to your tresses. While this damage cannot be prevented altogether, I have found that it can be minimized by using my fingers to help detangle as much as possible, keeping my hair moisturized and sealed, weekly deep conditioning, protein treatments, and only using a comb when my hair is sopping wet with tons of conditioner. Low manipulation styles and just giving your hair a break is key too. When I do notice the splits, I begin by dusting but if that doesn't do the trick, move on to trimming.
brmmommy1
According to the hair typing system, my hair is 3C/4A. I prefer to call it "Sister, Sister" hair lol, very reminiscent of Tia & Tamera's early years on the show. My hair is easier to detangle when wet but also easier to break. It snaps easily when wet and as it drys it tangles because my hair "curls up" on itself, causing knots and snarls. I often get broken hairs even when I try to be gentle. I've always had split ends so that hasn't really changed.
Although I'm still learning how to deal with hair I have learned that detangling/styling my hair while damp is best. It still gives me the slip I need to detangle with products but also dry enough to not cause my hair to tangle up TOO much. I also stopped using the tangle teezer and denman because I noticed more broken hairs with these tools so, instead I use my widetooth comb and fingers. So basically, leaving my hair damp and using only 1 tool besides my fingers has helped a lot.
I've been natural for three years. I have not been able to get my ends mosturized enough to grow my hair passed my shoulders. I just started henna treatments and have been keeping my hair in twists longer that I usually do. I love wearing twist-outs, and I do love wash n gos too, but I don't wear them as often. Most of my curls are 4a, they are all cute and special. So far I love henna, and I hope to see the results of the treatments soon! -Karima
I've done 5 henna treatments on my TWA and I can already feel the difference in my hair. I started with 2 treatments a week but because of the volume of school work, dropped to one treatment per week. To make up for that I'll be going on a 3 times per week spree next week.
What do you consider normal wear and tear breakage/splits for your mane? How do you manage it? What methods do you take to prevent it as much as possible?
I consider normal wear and tear to be a small amount of shedding and even (yikes) breakage that occurs when I wash my hair, and comb/detangle it. If I am having breakage in between wash/detangle days, like during styling, I know my hair needs a henna, deep conditioner, and a little rest in a protective style. I am very gentle in handling my hair. My daughter and I like to say we have to try our hair like a "newborn kitten". 🙂
Normal wear and tear would be any amount of shedding and split ends that is less than what i experienced befor i began my natural hair journey. I've been natural for 12 years but began learning how to care for my natural hair 2 yrs ago. I've seen improvment in length retention, split ends and overall condition. -Naturally Starlet
I'm predominantly 4a with segments of 3a in the back and front. The problem I deal with the most is shedding, which is actually quite normal for my mane apparently because it's not getting thinner. The only problem is that since my hair is super curly/coily the shed hair has a tendency to catch unto non-shed hair, leading to tangling and some breakage when I attempt to detangle. My hair is still growing ;o) Just finding new ways to detangle. I've found that conditioner strips my hair, so I now soak my hair with oil and detangle in the shower before shampooing.
Normal wear and tear for my hair is shedding. My hair sheds a lot. To manage it, I wash weekly and deep condition. I make sure to keep my hair moisturize and I never brush my hair and I only use a comb when I detangle. I try to keep my hair in some kind of protective style and if I wear it out I make sure that my hair is moisturized.
Hi, my name is Tatyana Rush. The texture of my hair is thick, full, and soft. I get split ends if i wear my hair in wash n gos or don't braid or twist my hair at night . To get rid or maintain split ends/knots, I cut them and wear my hair in twist or braid outs.
I am a newly natural. I BC'd about 2 months ago. I really do not know the texture of my hair. It is very curly right now i guess. It's not really think, but it is not thin either. I guess as time goes on I will find out the texture of my hair. So far I haven't had any split ends (or any that I can see). And I haven't had any shedding at all. So, I guess I'm being good to my hair; I don't know. I'm still new at this.
My hair needs help. I have no idea what my hair type is…I'm thinking 4b with 4a tendencies. Whatever the case my hair is super super dry and tangled. Honestly it takes me close to two hours to wash my hair alone. It then takes another hour to condition and detangle. I have strands that are significantly shorter than the others and cause knots. SSKs are extremely common in my hair and the whole idea of a search and destroy is intimidating. But now I'm easing myself into deep conditioning treatments to aide in my heat damaged patches. I haven't witnessed anything significant but on my tight budget the Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque is all I can afford. I'm still hanging in there because the whole reason why I went natural was to experiment with color and styles. I always wanted to henna after seeing the vibrant reds and shine in hennaheads!
I know wash and go's make my hair tangled. For this reason I stick to twistouts. Moisturizing products help me with knots. I also use a rosewater mix with oils to retwist at night. Always, go to bed with a silk scarf or bonnet. I recently have used henna. This makes a big difference in my hair.
Stretching doesn't really work for me. I have learned that the key to keeping my hair damage free is to stop touching it. This summer I have been wearing jaw length 4b coils in a wash-and-go out of laziness – just as an experiment. And I have not seen any hair loss because I am less likely to play with it since it's in a fro.
I also have a bimonthly washing and detangling routine. Pre-poo, section, shampoo scalp in section(if itchy or if I've been using products), condition with a creamy moisturizing conditioner in sections, detangle with denman with conditioner in hair, rinse and go. Maybe some aloe vera and olive oil sealant. I would like to try henna to see how repeated use will affect my growth. I tried some in January and my hair was definitely stronger and thicker. I have also learned that pre-pooing will reduce breakage when I detangle.
I know that I cant stop single strand knots on my ends, and my strands are so coily and thick that they will always tangle. But I also know that patience and a creamy conditioner will slip the tangles out. I havent seen any shredding, white bulbs or needle holes in my hair but I use heat 2 or 3 times a year. My only real threat is manipulation.
normal wear and tear is a everyday thang like abuse from weather,sun and wind.Thats why it is so important to keep hair moisturized and free from heat and harsh chemicals.
For me I consider normal wear and tear breakage/splits from manual manipulation. I (which I am sad to say) suffer from HIH syndrome (hand in head). I am one of those people who, if my hair is out 9 times out of 10 my hands are in it. What I have done to minimize breakage and spits is protective styling and proper sealing of my strands. I have noticed that if I keep in braids, twists, or a weave my hair does 100 thousand trillion (not a real number but you get my point) times better. While I have my braids I take my favorite leave-in, oil, aloe gel/juice, and water and make a nifty little spray for my hair. It keeps my hair moisturized and the oil helps seal in moisture. I also coat my finger tips and rub my twists, braids, and scalp with oil. I also make sure that I try to avoid getting my hair in tangles by slowly detangling my hair as well as styling in ways that would not invite knots and tangles in the long run. I have combination hair its both fine and course, thin and thick, 4A/4B type hair so time and patience is key, that and keeping my hands out my head.
-Brandee P.
Normal wear & tear for my 4a/4b curls are the strays I find hanging out the shower drain after a weekly DC & detangling session. Keeping my hair in chunky twists (wrapped with a silk scarf, usually under a tam or beenie), and spritzing it with water twice daily has significantly reduced the amount of split ends I see. Also alternating between full strength henna treatments and henna gloss' have made my fine hair SUPER STRONG!!!
*SHALA MONIE*
shalamonie@gmail.com
Normal wear and tear for my hair consists of fairy knots and splits ={
I have cut down on them by ceasing to wear wash n go's. They used to be a staple but now that my hair is over 6in (yep, I measured..not bad for almost 9mo post BC!)
Attempting to protective style and sporting two strand twists while at home has helped reduce the amount I find in search and destorys; WINNING! Braidouts have become my summer fave, but I do twistouts when I feel lazy.
I'd like to win this giveaway because after seeing you & other blogger/vloggers RAVE about its benefits, I've been DYING to try it, but alas, henna is hard to come by at home and where I attend school. Cannot order online on my broke-out-of-state-university-attending behind! ={
Peace & Blessings!
I have very fine strands (4b) that easily break with lots of ssk. But keeping my hair moisturized and in protective styles helps keep breakage to a minimum.
Normal wear and tear breakage/splits for me are losing a few strands of hair. Sometimes I get a few knots when I am detangling my hair after a few days old twist out. I find that my two stand twists have become knotted and I have to take those out in the bathtub. The easiest detangling routine I have come up with is to section my hair into 4, and lie back in a tub of clean water until my hair is completely submerged. I will co-wash my hair by smoothing the conditioner through. I use a wide tooth comb, and start detangling the sections starting from the back.
I let my hair drip dry and I apply my leave-in conditioner on damp hair. For a leave-in I use Suave Naturals Coconut conditioner, and water it down. This works for me because the slip is great, it adds shine and it doesn’t get flaky or leave residue in my hair. I use a protective style (usually two strand twists, flat twists or cornrows), and I use Jamila of College Curlies Shea Butter recipe to seal my ends. The shea butter is also great for conditioning and shine.
My hair type is 3c in the front, 4a in the middle, a mix of 4a and 4b in the back and thick all over. I big chopped on July 4, 2011 after almost 14 months of transitioning. I haven’t seen any split ends yet (fingers crossed 😀 )….
*I like to (try) to wear two strand twists for at least a few days, then do a twist out until I co-wash
*I use shampoo once a month with Suave Naturals Shampoo
*I co-wash twice a week with Suave Naturals Conditioner
*I deep condition my hair once a week using Jamila of College Curlies DC recipe
*My leave-in conditioner is suave conditioner watered down, when I don’t use a leave in I will use my mixture of oils (avocado oil, sweet almond oil, EVOO, EVCO)
*My sealant is again Jamila of College Curlies shea butter recipe
*I sleep in a satin scarf, and in the daytime if I wear a knit hat, I will keep my scarf on under the hat to keep my hair from snagging
*I haven’t used heat since June and my hair has never felt better, I also see less breakage
I have breakage but it has decreased over time with better care. I found when I used BAQ Henna from Jamila, I get much better results. PLEASE send it to me, as I have been henna'ing for a while, and just realized how superior the foil packaged henna is to the cellaphane wrapped henna….I have seen the light!!
I dont really have breakage either. But i have lots of single strand knots, but i think that the number has been increased. But every night i sleep with a satin scarf. I do also always moisturize my hair and seal the moisture in. I do also like stretched hair styles(braid out and twist outs and so)that helps so my hair dont tangle a lot with each other. Indian herbs, like kalpi tone, methi, amla and etc. have also helped me with that and shedding to name some benefits. They really strengthens my hair, couldn't live without them now! 🙂
I have 4a, medium course hair all over and 3c curls at the nape of my neck… I usually find shed hairs in my hair on wash and cowash days and if I don't get rid of them promptly, they'll cause tangles. When I try to work the tangles out I sometimes hear… gasp… Snapping sounds… and have mid- shaft breaks… So CAREFULLY detangling in the shower with conditioner loaded hair is a MUST… My Denman brush left me with horribly shredded ends, so I find that using just my fingers and a super wide shower comb on occasion is the only way I detangle… I prevent split ends by keeping my ends moisturized and oiled… So a combination of all this has helped me retain half and inch each month… Yay!
wavy curly and kinky somewhere between 3c and 4a. I only get breakage around my edges becuaase of my love for ponytails i deal with it by oil my edges with caastor oil and massage it, i also refrain from my favorite hairstyl :/ and put my hair in protective styles where i dont need to brush or sleek down the edges
My hair is fine in the front, coarse in the back with regular-low porosity all around…LOL! It's not very dense either.
Normal "wear and tear" for my hair is loosing the average 50-100 strands of shed hair per day. I only detangle once a week, and the shed hair and slits are minimum. Here's how I manage/maintain my hair:
~I get my ends professionally trimmed every 6 months
~I do a S&D every month
~I wash my hair weekly and finger detangle and then use the T.T with lots of conditioner and under the stream of the shower
~I do a prepoo prior to every wash and a DC after each wash
~Once detangled, I use my fingers to detangle if necessary during styling
~Once styled, I very rarely do any other detangling/re-styling during the week. I try to select styles that can last the whole week without re-twisting, detangling, etc
~I try to keep twists in for as long as possible during the week before taking it out to do a T.O
~I avoid WnG's like the plague…I can count on 1 hand how many times I've done a WnG in the past year!
~When I do detangle for restyling, I mist my hair with water then use Qhemet's Cocoa Tree Detangling Ghee and gently finger detangle.
~Sleep with satin bonnet.
~I never use heat in my hair
~I drink lots of water (I swear I see a difference)
~Monthly henna treatments have helped strengthen my hair so I contribute that and proper moisture and protein balance to keeping splits and breakage away!
What do you consider normal wear and tear breakage/splits for your mane? How do you manage it? What methods do you take to prevent it as much as possible?
I know a lil hair is going to come out so I dont freak out about a couple of strands. When my comb is full then I have an issue. Right now im only 7 months post bc some I am still learning my hair. The whole detangling thing is new to me.
I HAVE BEEN DYING TO TRY HENNA, BUT WAS SO CONFUSED ON WHERE TO GET IT AND HOW MUCH TO USE, MY HAIR IS A BIT KINKY I GUESS 4C I THINK YEAH 4C
Curly,damage,split ends that's my hair.I don't see normal wear and tear anymore.because they are chemically damaged to that level.I go for hair trimming every now and then that helps for a week before split ends reappear again .I use castor and coconut oil mix only at the ends which helps them ,but really nothing helpful left for my hair .I use extensions to hide my damaged hair and wait for them to regrow which will take it's time eventually .
Normal wear and tear for me is when I wash and detangle my hair in the shower full of conditioner I would usually see two/three broken strands in my comb. I manage breakage and split ends by doing the search and destroy method whenever I get a chance. To prevent unnecessary breakage on my fine strands I only comb when I wash my hair, I always pre-poo before I shampoo and never forget to deep condition every week. I also stretch my hair before styling and seal my ends after moisturizing.
paulalawrence90@yahoo.com
I think my hair is mostly 4a/4b with a random section of 2c on my front left side (drives me crazy!)
I usually section my hair in 8 twists before I wash. If I can take out one of those twists and find less than 5 split ends then that's just normal wear and tear. When I do find a split end I try to get my scissors and cut it out (though sometimes I can't resist immediately pinching it off with my nails). I try to wear my hair in protective styles to prevent breakage, but I just perfected my twist out this past weekend so I think I'll be wearing my hair out more 🙂
I detangle my before I wash. I noticed a lot more breakage in the shower, so I decided to tangle before. 1) I finger detangle (separate) my curls with conditioner on my dry hair. I apply the conditioner I would normally use in the shower while I use a wide tooth comb to detangle. 2) After detangling each of the 4 sections, I twists and put in a lose knot. 3) I rinse my hair with cold water (the conditioned hair still in the detangled knots). Style as usual. I've seen a lot less breakage in the past two months and healther ends.
I usually don't see splits, just broken strands. Majority of the strands are broken at a knot, so I don't see it as the worst thing in the world. To help decrease breakage, which is actually working for me, I have stopped using protein packed products, but I do henna every 2 months; DC weekly for at least 30 min with honey, olive oil and condish; finger style/comb 90% of the time, and low manipulation 85% of the time. This has helped my hair greatly. Oh, and I have very coars 3c/4a/4b/and a little bit of 4c hair.
Thanks, nhappyjackie
Normal wear and tear is usually caused by detangling in my opinion. Even though I'm EXTREMELY careful, I just feel as though I'm roughing up my hair a bit. To keep the damage at a mimimum I ONLY finger detangle before washing unless I find a knot and make sure my hair is lubricated. My hair has many different curl patterns; wavy/loose in the front, coily towards the crown, and curly/ loose in the back.
My hair is definitely a more 4b-4c texture (I'm not really sure when it comes to the hair scale). I compare my hair with prettydimples from the YT. To keep my hair from breaking when it's not in mini twists I wash every week at least once. I'm still finding out different things about my hair because unlike others I transitioned the entire time. I commend those who has done the BC. I also try to keep it in protective styles most of the time.
Normal wear and tear on my ends would be very frizzy ends that snap and snarl every time i brush or comb. I manage it with the search and destroy method
To prevent it i avoid putting shampoo on my ends. i concentrate conditioner on my ends and also make sure to moisturize and seal in every styling session.
Normal wear and tear on my ends would be very frizzy ends that i manage it with the search and destroy methodsnap and snarl every time i brush or comb.
To prevent it i avoid putting shampoo on my ends. i concentrate conditioner on my ends i also make sure to moisturize and seal in every styling session.
Hair Texture: highly textured/tightly coiled (tightest coils at crown and loosest coils at nape)
Hair Length: collar bone length
Normal wear and tear is what occurs during the washing and styling process (provided one is gentle). To minimize breakage and splits, I do the following:
–use coconut oil as a pre-shampoo treatment
–finger-detangle damp, stretched hair before shampooing
–shampoo in twisted sections
–moisturize with a leave-in conditioner containing glycerin
–wear stretched styles (braid outs, flat twist outs, bantu knot outs, etc)
More Information:
–Benefits of coconut oil in haircare: (http://thenaturalhaven.blogspot.com/2009/04/coconut-oil-knowledge-from-our.html).
–Glycerin and breakage prevention in afro-textured hair: (http://thenaturalhaven.blogspot.com/2010/03/moisture-issue-glycerin-is-your-friend.html).
What do you consider normal wear and tear breakage/splits for your mane? How do you manage it? What methods do you take to prevent it as much as possible?
I find that I get the most damage from knotting. As much as I love wearing my hair out I find that it knots very easily. As a result when I detangle I pull the knots out and my ends become rough. Right now, I'm working on wearing my hair up or in protective styles so that it won't knot so often and I won't get so many split ends.
thompcha@indiana.edu
In my opinion, I consider normal wear and tear as that caused by styling tools, clothing, and general lack of care. I say lack of care for me because I have very thick 4b hair over 90-95% of my head. I find myself getting frustrated while detangling. I see many people say they finger detangle first. This is great and I have tried it but as soon as my hair is set free, I can kiss the finger detangling good bye. My hair wraps upon itself at every chance so I find that I lose hair and I mean quite a bit of hair with each detangling session no matter what I do. I have accepted this as a way of life for me. I now though deal with the split ends as well. I will do the search and destroy method but due to the length of my hair, I only find the ones that show up in the front and a few on the sides. I won't find the ones in the back because I just can't see them. I have been wanting to henna for quite some time now but even though I have done research, I am still leary on just what to purchase afraid I won't get it right. So, a giveaway would be perfect right now… 🙂
Brenda
a.k.a Silkee
SilkeeRR@gmail.com
What do you consider normal wear and tear breakage/splits for your mane? How do you manage it? What methods do you take to prevent it as much as possible?
I consider normal wear and tear when I do my nightly routine. Twistout/Braids Co Washes, DC. I have 4C hair and have only noticed a little bit of splint ends. I do have sheds, but to me that is normal. I pamper my hair with Henna treatments, DC, Co Wash weekly and with low manipulation by wearing puffs or buns. I detangle with my hands and not a comb. My hair is getting healthier by the day. 4 Months natural. 12 Months relaxer free!
laster9423@msn.com
(forgot to add my email address)
What do you consider normal wear and tear breakage/splits for your mane? How do you manage it? What methods do you take to prevent it as much as possible?
I consider normal wear and tear when I do my nightly routine. Twistout/Braids Co Washes, DC. I have 4C hair and have only noticed a little bit of splint ends. I do have sheds, but to me that is normal. I pamper my hair with Henna treatments, DC, Co Wash weekly and with low manipulation by wearing puffs or buns. I detangle with my hands and not a comb. My hair is getting healthier by the day. 4 Months natural. 12 Months relaxer free!
I haven't really started a routine to manage splits – I do cut them when I find them
Lenci B
I have thick 4a/4b hair. I think its porous but now sure. I do know that it likes protein. keeping my hands out of my hair and manipulating it as little as possible is what works for me. Also, now that my hair is longer, its starting to reach that stage where it tangles and I get ssks. So I had to adjust my tools from the Denman to a wide tooth comb for detangling. My beloved brush has been demoted to a smoother only. Also,the Ouidad double detangler changed my life for combing through my hair in the shower.
My hair type is fine, normal porosity, normal density, 4a. I suffer from dryness, but i have found the ingredients that help balance that with protein. I get sooo little shed hairs compared to when i was relaxed – which then, i believe was she hairs AND breakage. i mainly do wash n gos and i find that weekly deep treatments and gentle detangling are what keep my ends in good condition. however, it is important to get a trim twice a year i believe.
I have very fine 4a/4b hair and I ALWAYS have split ends. I have just come to accept it (though it annoys the crap outta me). A normal split end for me is when the tips of my hair are split. When I have splits running up the length of my strands or "mid-strand needle holes" (absolutely HATE those) I know something isn't right. As far as breakage, I never consider it to be a "normal" thing for my hair. It's usually caused by something I've done (washing my hair with regular ol' shampoo) or failed to do (not moisturizing on a regular basis). I manage my split ends by keeping my hair in some sort of updo or bun and wearing a satin scarf or bonnet at night. I also try to clip my splits as soon as I notice them. I prevent breakage by making sure that my hair is well moisturized. I also deep condition my hair overnight before I wash it, which is every 2 weeks.
I haven’t figured out normal breakage/split for my hair. To prevent split end I moisturize my hair (Shea Moisture Organic Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie) the day before I plan to detangle it. Then I gently hand detangle. Right before I detangle I moisturize my hair again, then I detangle with a comb. I try to pull out any tangles/knots with my hands. I also try to keep my hair as moisturized as possible. I love Shea Moisture Organic Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie, I discovered it before I started reading curly Nikki. It’s the only thing I have tried that keeps my hair moisturized and soft.
I'm a 4a (with some random 3c and 4b) and I always find split ends-not excessive but if I check I'll always find a random split end. I don't make a big deal and chop all the time because I know some form of damage is inevitable but it still kinda sucks. So i try and keep my hair in some kind of protective style and try not to grab scissors *shrug*
Hey, today is my first day on the site! Wonderful info. After being natural for over 10 years, I can finally say, I have not noticible split ends. Whereas, during my relaxer days, I was always told …"your ends are damaged!" ugh. My hair is 4b,c and I am ready to take the henna plunge after days of research!!!!!!!!!!
My story is about identical to yours, CN! the difference being I have pen sized curls with medium density and high porosity. Nevertheless, the damage I see is identical. I have actually Bren on the fence about henna-ing my hair as a solution. I see the least damage when I don't use all of those detangling brushes– my hands, Ouidad and seamless comb do just fine. I always get tempted to go back because the brushes get all of my shed hair an I sed A LOT! Eh, who knows… Life could be worse than ssk and splits…
I would have to say that I have thin breaking hair…I have thryoid issues and believe this maybe one of my problems.I don't really know the texture of my hair though.I am actually getting The Science of Black Hair book, so that should help. I wear wash and goes and twists but I am just loosing alot of hair. I am willing to try anything…maybe henna will work. Thank you for the giveaway.
I don't see any split ends on my hair…..or I just don't know what to look for. But my hair is in the 4 category and I only detangle once every couple weeks. I'm mostly in twists and then I wear twistouts for a few days. I do regular henna treatments (once a month). I guess I don't manipulate my hair very much.
I consider normal breakage to occur from basic maintenance (combing, detangling, protective styling). I minimize breakage by getting my hair professionally done and put into protective styles that do not require me to comb my hair daily. My hair texture is 4a.
kianorman@yahoo.com
Either I'm completely blind, or I have no split ends. I deal with breakage more. My 3b/3c/4a hair has a tendency to get overmoisturized, especially with all the humidity that's in the summer air. I avoid deep conditioning and moisturize very little when this is the case. I also use either a reconstructor or light protein treatement weekly to repair the protein/moisture balance. I'm seriously considering the Aphogee Two-Step Treatment right now. It's that bad! I avoid styling at all when it's like this, because more hairs will break/shed if I do that. Oh, and lots of coconut oil! Coconut oil is my best friend in the summer.
I am always seeing tiny hairs when I go to detangle and style my hair. I am guessing this is normal because I have done protein treatments, kept my hair moisturized, and gently finger detangled and I still see them. I have also noticed them when doing my kids' hair. I now just try to do protective styles that last at least a couple weeks so I'm not manipulating the hair as often.
I consider normal wear and tear shed hair, tangling which occurs as I am washing my hair and styling and wearing wash and go's.I only detangle when my hair is wet and saturated with conditioner, deep condition every week and do a protein treatment one a month, being gentle when i style my hair, keep my ends moist and protect my hair at night with a satin bonnet or satin pillow. I dont have any kind of problems with breakage, single strand knots or split ends. My type or hair is 3B-3C.
Normal wear and tear is combing, styling, ponytails, wind, sun, washing etc. the list can go on and on. with that in mind i had to step my game up. I started wearing mini twist in the last couple of months and it has been heaven. Its so low maintenance and convenient for me and my hair. I really have been trying to get into the deep conditioning thing, But I'm a college student on the go and on a budget. I really want to try henna so this must be a sign that i should start. my hair is fine/ medium mostly 4a and looser curl in the nape area. my hair is extremely prone to single strand knots and I realize it was from all the twist outs. I just try and make sure that anytime my hair is being manipulated/combed it is moisturized and i have a product on it that gives major slip, like shea butter with a little gel.
Forgot to give my hair type—4a to 4b
I've only been natural since I was a little over 15 starting in Nov. 2009. Therefore, I'm not even two years natural yet. However, when I first began I had a lot of breakage because I wasn't used to my natural hair. My hair texture seemed to be 4b. I hennaed a couple of times and started trying styles. My twists seemed to make my hair tangled so I usually ended up just wearing a puff. Now that I'm a year and 8 months natural I learned that I can dramatically minimize my hair breakage (tiny hair ball) by finger detangling my hair in 8 -10 sections. As I'm finger detangling I add conditioner and water (both in spray bottle most times) to prevent from causing knots and I twist to keep the sections separated. After I'm done, I create two big sections on each side and put one into a very loose pony tail. I then wash and condition my hair one side at a time in cold water which makes it very shiny and makes it feel more moisturized which I believe helps prevent breakage. Sometimes I just co-wash depending on the shampoo because some of them dry out my hair. I use suave naturals conditioner and it works wonders for me and my hair stays very shiny. If I feel the need to ever comb or brush my hair, I use a wide and long tooth comb and any type of brush (honestly) and I work my way up from the ends (about 1 cm from the bottom when I start) until I reach the roots. Which definitely keeps my ends from knotting and being pulled out and adds curl definition. And now my hair is 3c in the very front and very back and 4a every where else. And, my twist outs are better.
To close my new routine to prevent breakage is basically to 1) detangle, 2) wash and condition or just co-wash, 3) air dry or blow dry the front on high, but while pressing the cool button so that there's no heat drying my hair too much, 4) put small two strand twists in the front, 5) do a twist out on the back (air dry) 6) take it down and rock it that way for a couple days. I protect it with a satin scarf (for the edges) with a satin bonnet underneath. I'll spritz with a moisturizing spray (oil or some water or something in a spray bottle). After the couple of days I'll wear my satin bonnet underneath (sometimes I don't but the bonnet) a beanie and just let my two strand twists show until I'm ready to redo the back. This allows me to have a break with styling and keeps me from combing daily which prevents knots and split ends. Also, you don't have to take the back twists down right away you could just wear a beanie over it for a few days, then take it down after a few days, and then wear the beanie again if you want it to last even longer. Hope this helps.
If you want to know any more tips that I use, or share some back. My email is moniquea.dorroh@yahoo.com ^_^
Thanks so much Nikki for your help on posting! My hair damage consists of single strand knots and a few splits that I noticed just last night. I am a senior curly-55-and not ready for the gray hair. I have had severe damage with coloring my color-resistant edges in front so henna would be the way to go for me. I'd love a free sample of henna! Thanks again. beachgirl56
MOSTly 3c (maybe slightly looser in the front (although this could be due to heat damage) or slightly tighter in the back)
nose length to shoulder length (getting longer and longer towards the back) curly [BSL (in the back) straight] LAYERS for DAYS & lovin' em 🙂
What do you consider normal wear and tear breakage/splits for your mane?
A few broken hairs (small ones, no more than a inch or so, half the strand shouldn't be breaking off) and the occasional split here and there; if so many strands are split that "it's time to get a trim" then that's beyond normal wear and tear.
How do you manage it? What methods do you take to prevent it as much as possible?
Try not to be rough with my hair, I don't treat it like fine lace but I'm always gentle. I try to sleep on a satin pillow case and satin bonnet (if it accommodates my hairstyle). Also, OIL on my scalp and hair (focusing on the ends then going up) often (probably about every other day).
Also, I actually do henna myself and have been trying to keep up with it (but it's expensive) Also I've been trying new amla/brahmi (I get those on the ground from my local indian grocery) pastes/rinses
Normal wear and tear for me is usually 5-10 broken strand during styling sessions. As for shedding maybe I want to say I loose about 100-150 hairs per styling session. I look at this as a good thing because if I am suppose to loose 100 hairs a day and I only detangle hair twice a week I'm doing good of losing only 300 hairs instead of 700. LOL To prevent this all I try to do as little as possible to my hair. I also recently bought an extra pair of scissors to battle SKS's and split ends on the go.
Normal wear and tear to me is having split ends that needing no more than 1/2 inch to be trimmed every 2-3 months. I try not to manipulate my hair so much and just be as gentle as possible. I am currently looking for more protein treatments.
tiannamae.blogspot.com
with my mostly 4a/some 3c hair, normal wear and tear to me is about a thumbnail size hairball during each wash and detangle session (about once a week). it used to be waaayy more than that before i figured out how to manage it. i get a ton of SSKs, much more so than any split ends, especially at my crown/middle of my head.
i started using a deep conditioner with protein regularly several months ago with great results. i've been dying to try henna! but as a broke college student, my budget doesn't allow for that kind of spending at this moment lol.
Besides protein DCTs, i always detangle with my fingers first followed by a wide-tooth comb, always sleep with a satin bonnet and/or on my satin pillowcase, keep my hair stretched, and of course, moisturize and seal! lately, i've been keeping my hair in 2 simple french braids as a protective style on weekdays and then taking them down for each detangle session. it's been great for length retention but i haven't noticed a significant decrease in SSKs yet :/
Breakage is inevitable for my 4a fine strands. When I first went natural I loss so much hair because I rushed through the detangling process and did not use the right products for ny hair. Now I know my hair loves sweet almond oil, coconut oil, and Shea butter. I use those three items religiously with my hair steamer and my breakage has declined a bit. Normal wear and tear for my hair is about a palmful of strands per detangling session which I dont think is a lot considering I onlycombmy hair once week. Now that i have started detangling with my fingers first and using knot today, I'm losing less hair. Would love to try henna for its strengthening properties.
I don't split hairs (ha!) about how much hair I lose. I judge the health of my ends by feel when it's dry, and dust the ends or schedule myself for a professional trim (sans heat) as needed.
It's normal for me to see a lot of shedding and breaking on wash days, ESPECIALLY BEFORE I started using mayonnaise on a weekly basis. Ever since I started using mayo + honey + conditioner a few weeks ago, I've seen a dramatic decrease in the amount of hair I lose. My hair is thick and fine, and ranges from 3c on the back and sides to 4b at the crown. I am kicking myself for not using mayo sooner…
What do you consider normal wear and tear breakage/splits for your mane? How do you manage it? What methods do you take to prevent it as much as possible?
I have accepted that fact that with natural hair you will have breakage and you will have split ends. So with that being said I make sure that my has moisture and is in some from of protective style 80% of the time. Wearing my hair out means a tangled mess that I don't want to deal with. Also for me the less I do to my hair the more it thrives.
I'm still trying to tell the difference between normal wear and tear and breakage. It feels like every week it's a new story. I have mostly 3c hair with a little 3b on the sides and a fun patch of 4a at the crown. since I have such a weird combo I find it hard to manage. I've tried twist ant twist outs, which almost always turn out horrible. I also deep condition bi-weekly and wash and co-wash once a week and de-tangle at that time. I really have been wanting to try henna and this would be a great opportunity.
Honestly, I started doing the S&Ds and it's way too anal for me. Sorry, not meaning to offend anyone. I've just got better things to worry about. I just practice good healthy hair habits (DC, 3 weekly Henna, Finger detangling, protective styling, oiling and avoiding certain product ingredients) and let what will be….BE. I'm sure there's a split somewhere in there but the beauty of it is, my hair is still growing and it's stronger than ever thanks to Henna! That's good enough for me. I'm on track for bust length hair by end of 2011 so I'm happy and split ends be damned LOL. OK poor choice of words but you get my drift.
I consider normal wear and tear for my hair split ends (although not all over) and shedding of hair. I don't consider breakage normal at all..which I've been dealing with lately. I deal with it by protective styling, protein treatments, deep conditioning and lots of moisture. Also hennaing helps keeps my hair shaft smooth, and easier to detangle.
What do you consider normal wear and tear breakage/splits for your mane? How do you manage it? What methods do you take to prevent it as much as possible?
I am 4a/3c/4b combo and I consider normal wear and tear when I wash my hair and during detangling sessions. I detangle in sections. I repeat I detangle in sections under running water with conditioner HE or Giovanni and then why I style I only comb through with leave in in my hair and saturated with water/oil combo or water/conditioner combo. I try not to manipulate my hair much after a wash day but sometime find it extremely difficult. I have co-washed for the last two weeks and have not Deep Conditioned (I know GASP!!!) during that time. However, I am doing a hot oil treatment, protein treatment, and deep condition to make up for lost time. Henna has become my best friend and I changing my regiment to include henna like I use to perm my hair ever 8 to 12 weeks a full treatment on this transitioning hair.
Keep God First
Toya from beauTfuldiscovery.blogspot.com
I am newly natural. I did my big chop in march, and stopped relaxing my hair in september. I feel like my hair is very strong, but I do notice that my hair is probably ready for a trim. I am learning so much thanks to this site, and youtube. I would love to henna my hair, to see how it would strengthen my hair.
@10:24 am I don't like the number system either. I like how u put it a mixture of coils, kinks and spirals and that's me. I will remember to use in the future.
Normal wear and tear for me occurs during washing and detangling, to minimize damage, I make sure to use a deep treatment, and a conditioner with a lot of slip as well as detangling under running water. During the week I keep my hair twisted for 1 week then I wear a twist out for a couple of days!
I see little to no breakage and less shedding when I use a sulfate free cleanser, I deep condition using my trusty heating cap, two strand twist w/shea butter and olive oil, and stretch my hair with Deva Curl Set It Free (of all things). My hair just oozes with moisture when I do the above! By the way Im 4a.
Fairy knots! I try to get them out with out breakage but thos suckers can be stubborn… I notice them more when I'm taking out my twists and I believe they are happen because sometimes I don't take the time to make sure the sections are even when twisting and I end up borrowing from other sections and when I go to take them out its a mess. Also, I've recently noticed short hairs near my scalp is this normal? Idk but I make sure to spend more time w scalp care and also being more gentle with my hair while in twist which is 89 percent of the time. And keeping up w my dc's Oh and I have 4a/4b hair
My hair is a mixture of 3C and 4A, and I'd love to try henna!
Anywho, I can tell when my hair has normal wear and tear or breakage by the roughness of my ends and the frizziness of my hair. My hair tends to frizz a lot more when my ends are split and need some repairing. I usually tackle this by search and destroy missions, a trim every 4-6 months, and frequent deep treatments. I am also a fan of low manipulation and try to only comb my hair about once a week with tons of conditioner!
I have very fine hair which makes breakage impossible. By viewing Curly Nikki's site I have gained a ton of do's and dont's when it comes to combating breakage. I use lots of conditioner when detangling which helps alot.
chicarrajones@hotmail.com
My hair is a mixture of types (tightly coiled in the front, "thick mess" in the middle, loose curls in the back). Before this past weekend, I feel I had a lot of breakage. Was it all breakage? Probably not. I'm sure there was some of my normal shedding mixed in there. When I would detangle I would see a lot of hair (I use a wide tooth comb and if I'm twisting I'll go thru with a tangle teezer). I always saturate my hair with conditioner when I detangle but it still seemed like a lot of hair to me. This past weekend however, I used less condition and I took my time. LESS BREAKAGE. So for me, if I don't manipulate my hair that much during the week and take my time detangling, I have less breakage, so simple!
I am mainly 4A with 3c at my nape and a weird wavy section in the front. I have random spit ends that I usually catch early. I also get some fairy knots. My crown area has been feeling really ruff lately. I have been spending more time detangling and putting oil on the ends. I have only been wearing pony puffs and buns since it has gotten so hot. I have been thinking henna lately…
a way to tell is by how many ssk's, shredded looking ends, and the rough feel of the ends. in order to combat that i try to mosturize my ends with oil, and shea butter and wearing protective styles. its hard though because my 4c hair and laziness to mosturize daily leaves my hair looking not so healthy.
Normal wear and tear for my mane consists of a small to minute amount of shedding while detangling. I have a mixture of fine to medium dense strands. If shedding or breakage increases I re-evaluate my regimen, decrease my Denman usage (which is what I am dealing with now), and take care to be extra careful in handling the hair, root to tip. I am moisturizing regularly and babying my ends, because rough handling can tear the ends if you are not gentle enough. I also s/d and trim as needed. Learning from others also helps.
Hi Nikki, thanks for the giveaway!
What do you consider normal wear and tear breakage/splits for your mane? How do you manage it? What methods do you take to prevent it as much as possible?
Well, my TWA is about an 1" and a half long and I constantly see little curly strands landing in my product containers. I'm really not sure if this is normal shedding or breakage. I think that my 4B/ fine strands would definitely benefit from henna treatments. Currently I co wash my hair 2 times a week and shampoo once a week with a sulfate free shampoo. Whether I co-wash or shampoo I deep condition my hair with Shea Moisture Deep Conditioner Masque and honey. I would love to get my hands on some henna.
Thanks Nikki
Brandy
smithbrandy73@yahoo.com
My hair is prone to splits,breakage..single strand knots…you name it! I never had this problem when I was getting my hair flat ironed every two weeks. *le sigh* I deep condition once a week and I cuddle my hair as if it were my first born but yet I can't figure It out! Maybe a protein treatment will save me……….(wishful thinking)
My hair is a mix of coils kinks and spirals.I don't care much for the number system. Id say my biggest issue is single strand knots.I don't get a ton of splits..just knots.I keep it moisturized and sealed,dc, and practice protective styling. I just figure my hair is super friendly with itself and keep hair scissors at hand.
I wear my hair in twists a lot just to help reduce the amount of SSKs I get. I have found that to be helpful, however, when I do get SSKs I just cut them as I find them. I try to keep scissors near because I will pick at the knot until its gone. When I detangle to do my wash and condition (about every other week) I do get a lot of shedded hair, however, I have found that I do not have as much breakage since I keep my hair twisted or in protective styles. As for the type of hair I have, its all over the map, I have thick, fine, course, wavy, curly, tightly coiled…all on one head. 🙂
My hair is very very very light and weak, great elasticity and its really soft but it breaks easily so I try to keep my hands away from my hair (which is really hard cuz I love playing with it) I use protective styles most of the time to keep me from messing with it and this way its easier for me to oil my ends. I use ether coconut oil or shea butter and this really helps me retain the little growth I get.
My thoughts on split ends? Prevent them! Protect your ends from sun and wind damage, always always always seal with an oil or butter and if even after this u still c some, cut them off immediately. The longer you leave them the worse the damage becomes. I cut my ends once or twice a year cuz since I baby them, they don't split easily =)
Normal wear and tear is shedding. Fist you have to learn to tell tell difference between shedding and breakage. I remember I used to freak out a lot about my hair "falling off", but now that I understand the difference and that shedding is normal I'm much happier with my strands and since I stopped messing with my hair it no longer breaks as much as before and I don't freak out about the shedding cuz now I know it's normal for hair to shed.
Next step for me now is to get my strands stronger. I heard henna really helps, heard wonders about this Jamila Henna, can't wait to try it =)
Mena Mai*
Like NishJ, I too have fine to medium strands that become dry easily. The last 1.5-2 inches of my strands are noticeably thinner than the rest of my hair, primarily, I think, because of significant heat damage done about a year ago as a result of a flat-iron hairdo gone wrong. I do my best to maintain the fragile ends by only wearing protective styles, but comb-outs after washes tend to do me in–even though I take the known precautions, i.e. combing gently with a wide-tooth comb, detangling in the shower, etc.
My hair is prone to lots of splits. I have fine to medium strands that are hard to moisturize. It's very frustrating but I try to remind myself that all damage can't be prevented or stopped. It's encouraging to see other naturals with the same problems.
My hair is a densely packed, porous mix of thick and fine strands. To keep fairy knots and raggedy ends at bay I make sure I pre poo or deep condition before every wash. And I henna every 3 to 4 months to keep the frizzies and tangles under control
For me normal wear and tear is tangling which occurs as I am prepping my hair to be washed. I combat this by using a generous amount of conditioner with great slip and water as a pre-poo or before I co-wash. Also during these summer months I have experienced dryness along my edges and on the tips of my hair. I use a lot more water and water based products and overly moisturize these areas and I am sure to seal with a good oil. I also moisturize more frequently during these warmer months or when I know I will be outside in the sun
I have a mix of 4s on my head. normal wear and tear for me is shed hair. For a while I didn't have any breakage and still dont really have split ends but as my hair gets longer and thicker i have less patience so I am getting more breakage now. I also have breakage around the hair line that for some reason I can't seem to get under control no matter what I do. I'm about to conclude all this breakage is because of this new detangling tool I've been using. I need to write a blog post on it lol. But yeah, I would love to win that henna, never tried henna yet
I have been natural for 4.5 years and for the first 3.5 I had little to no damage. I would do deep conditioners once a week, keep heat to a minimum and get trims every 3 months. Last September I decided to get color becuase I wanted a change. BIG mistake! Ever since my hair has been shedding and my ends split all the time. I have even considered cutting off all of the color and starting over. I want to try Henna treatments to see if that can save my locks before cutting them off 🙁
whenever i twist my hair there are some ends that like to get tangled up in each other so there are the little tangles that i end up with but nothing major. i'm twisiting my hair right now and i've noticed that my ends are even and each twist has the same thickness from root to tip so no major signs of breakage.
as far as split ends are concerned,when i was relaxed, i would always see them in my white friends' hair but never in mine and after i cut off my hair i honestly didn't think splits were something i had to worry about.i had locs for a bit but i cut them off a little more than a year ago and left my hair unstretched for a year(don't judge me! i was young and didn't know any better)trying to comb my hair without product resulted in those mid shaft splits and wispy ends. but after seeing the light of detangling with slippery conditioners, regular deep treatments, sectioning my hair before washing and monthly get-togethers with my hairboo henna breakage hasn't been an issue:)
as far as my hair type is concerned, i think my ma said it best:"Girl you got that can't ya, don't ya hair."
that's:
-Can't you comb it?
-Don't you dare!
it used to break the teeth off combs.
thick,coarse,low porosity ish
What do you consider normal wear and tear breakage/splits for your mane? How do you manage it? What methods do you take to prevent it as much as possible?
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I guess normal wear/tear is relative. I'm currently transitioning, so a little breakage comes with the territory. Fortunately, I've not had too much breakage, just a some shedding. I would consider shedding 50 or so hairs a day normal. Although some days I have almost no shedding.
I try to manage breakage/shedding by being extra gentle with my hair, since I'm dealing with 2 textures. I detangle with conditioner. Having patience while detangling is hard!!
I try to prevent breakage/shedding by deep conditioning and keeping it moisturized with oils. My favorite oils are: Argan, Coconut, Jojoba, and Jamaican Black Castor Oil. All of these are readily available in most beauty supply or health stores. I also only wear protective styles: roller sets, buns.
I detangle wet hair (which sucks because my shrinkage is serious) but I'd rather it appear short than making it shorter due to cutting.
I consider normal wear and tear is shed hair because your hair is supposed to do that.I have a lot of split ends and single strand knots and im not sure why but the way i will take care of that is start doing more deep conditions and get a trim.
I have tighter curls in the front and much looser in the back. Just discovered my hair is fine and very porous. I try my best to apply moisture to my hair daily, and comb only when wet but I still end up with single strand knots, its so fustrating at times it seems like they are everywhere.
I consider normal wear and tear from the weekly treatments of detangling my hair, styling, and really only consistenly wearing wash and go's (they last me about 8 days)…but i only detangle when hair is saturated with conditioner and water..i deep condition my hair every week..being gentle when i style my hair and making sure i have my silk pillow at night….
Because my hair is type 4A AND because my hair is on the finer side, my amount of breakage is out of this world. I would say that I lose about 30-50 strands every styling session, and maybe millions when I wash my hair!!! No matter how soft and gentle I am with my hair my breakage is unreal because of it's sensitive nature. As far as split ends, I try my hardest to keep my ends very moisturized. I use castor oil as a sealant, concentrating at the ends and working my way up. I try to style my hair once or twice a week to avoid breakage and I definitely keep my hair stretched or in a style that requires low manipulation. Keeping breakage and damage to a minimum is the only thing I can do. With my hair texture it seems that breakage (a lot of breakage) is inevitable.
What do you consider normal wear and tear breakage/splits for your mane? How do you manage it? What methods do you take to prevent it as much as possible?
I manage my single strand knots by being gentle in ghow i detangle. Also, unlike other curlies who are steadfast in only using their fingers, I have to use a comb.
What do you consider normal wear and tear breakage/splits for your mane? How do you manage it? What methods do you take to prevent it as much as possible?
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Normal wear and tear happens when you wash your hair, and comb/detangle it. I manage it, and control it by taking my time with any task that I'm doing with my hair…whether it be washing, combing, detangling, styling…I remember something I read on a blog, and I just think about that when I'm touching my hair…it said "treat your hair like a cashmere sweater" lol!!..