Help with 2 hair!

lvenok · 07-22-2012, 09:25 PM

Hi, I am new to Naturally Curly and the CG program. I have either mostly 2b hair and over the past year my curls and waves have been disappearing. I am not sure what the problem is and how to fix it.

I am starting to transition into the cg method of not using shampoo/washing my hair less and using an argan oil deep conditioner once a week and dry shampoos in between washings. I have noticed that my hair is shinier and softer with the argan oil, but is not curlier and it gets greasier faster and my scalp has also been drier than it ever has been over the past two years. Most days my hair is a battle between dry scalp and greasy ends, and no curls to be found.

I have very thick hair but it has gotten thinner. Two years ago I could go three days before needing to wash my hair and now it gets greasier the day after washing.

I have been using the same stylist for the past year and a half and I am starting to realize that she does not know how to cut for curly/wavy hair and I think she has been thinning out and "texturizing" my hair.

Also, I went off of birth control three months ago and I have read that birth control can contribute to hair thinning/hair changes due to hormones.

I think I have low porosity based on the test, and I don't know what kind of shampoo or conditioner I should be using, since moisturizing a lot helps my scalp but does not seem to be helping my curls come back. I have been trying this for the past year:

Redken Curls shampoo (I have been phasing this out)
Redken Curls conditioner (I have been phasing this out)
Aussie Moisturizing shampoo
Organix Moroccan oil treatment in lieu of conditioner (once or twice a week)
Batiste dry shampoo for brunettes for days in-between washings
Combing my hair in the shower when it is wet (this does not seem to be helping)

My Questions:
-How do I get my curls back?
-Is this all because of birth control or is there something I can actively do to get my curls back?
-Should I keep growing out my hair or should I get a curly haircut? (It is currently just past my shoulders and I have not cut it since January.)
-What products should I be using?

Sorry if I sound really stupid - I am new to this website. If someone else posted a similar issue and there is already a thread started, I would really appreciate a link.

Thank you for all the help.

jeduende · 07-23-2012, 12:31 AM

I noticed a few things right away. Your shampoo contains sulfates, which some people find drying. You could try cowashing (washing with conditioner), or using a shampoo with milder surfactants.

Also, the Moroccan oil treatment contains silicones, which can build up on the hair shaft and block out moisture. You need sulfates to remove non water soluble cones. So, if you want to try the CG method, the first step is to cut out the cones.

If your scalp is dry, the oil on your hair probably isn't caused by sebum. So, the oil treatment might be the culprit. I also have low porosity hair, and products take a long time to sink into my hair. If I use a lot of heavy oil, it just coats my hair shaft and makes it feel greasy.

If your hair is fine, you might need to incorporate protein into your routine. It helps strengthen the hairs.

As far as thinning, are you noticing shed hairs or breaking hairs? Shed hairs will have a white tip on one end. Are your hairs breaking when you comb? Are you using a wide tooth comb and combing while your hair is loaded with conditioner? That will give you more "slip" and allow the comb to pass through more easily.

This article will definitely help you get started.

The College Curly: Laura Lee's All In One Guide to Going CG: Now Revised and Updated!

HTH

lvenok · 07-23-2012, 10:25 AM

Thank you so much. This article is super helpful. My hair was dry scalp/oily ends before I started using the Moroccan oil, but I will definitely move away from silicones/sulfates.

lvenok · 07-23-2012, 10:27 AM

Also, I have not noticed shedding more than usual or split hairs. But then, as I have very thick hair I shed a lot normally.

jeduende · 07-23-2012, 12:41 PM

It's supposed to be normal to shed 100 hairs a day. If you are not styling everyday, you will be seeing the hairs that have accumulated from however many days it has been since you detangled.

If the thinning coincided with going off birth control maybe it is b/c of the hormonal changes. Your body might need time to adjust.

Does your scalp feel dry or do you have white flakes? Flakes could be product buildup.

Also, if you're unhappy with your stylist, you can use the salon finder on NC. There are also reviews. Hopefully, you can find a good curly stylist in your area. Look under salons at the top of the page.

kstan · 07-23-2012, 06:32 PM

I'd also try to lay off the dry shampoo. they're usually just starches (rice/corn) and alcohol. They soak up all the oil on your scalp and can leave it super dry.

I use plain corn starch when camping for my 3/4 day hair, but that's my personal exception. it only works so well for me cause of my light blonde hair.

lvenok · 07-23-2012, 06:38 PM

No I don't think I am over-shedding at this point. I think the thinning out happened when I was still on birth control. My scalp is dry and itchy and sometimes there are flakes, but dandruff shampoos didn't make any difference. Some days my scalp feels fine and other days it feels worse. It definitely feels dry, though.

If it is due to build-up should I use a clarifying shampoo before I transition to cowashing? Or should I just transition the regular way by using a sulfate shampoo, then cowashing and then only using clarifying shampoos rarely? I am also not sure if it will be too much for my hair to use a sulfate shampoo, then cowash, and then add the moisturizing conditioner all in one wash. Should I spread them out to make the transition better for my hair?

lvenok · 07-23-2012, 06:42 PM

Yeah, I would love to use a more natural dry shampoo, but since I have dark hair, the residue shows up more and makes my hair look greyish, powdery and dull.

kstan · 07-23-2012, 07:00 PM

you could always just water wash on those days in stead. just jump in the shower and give your scalp a good scrub.

and you can just just use your regular sulfate shampoo as your last shampoo before transitioning (assuming its cone free). You don't have to co wash after you poo, just use a rinse out with a silicone free conditioner. You can get a low poo to use as needed for build up or oily scalp. Co washing also works really well once your hair has adjusted. My first few weeks I had to shampoo every other day due to my oily scalp.

I picked up all of my CG friendly products from Kroger for under $10

low poo: organix tea tree mint (not overly thrilled, but good for my 1st low poo. it does have Dimethicone Copolyol in it, but that is water soluble, so generally ok)
co wash: Vo5 clarifying conditioner, Kiwi
RO: Tressume naturals (i also use as my leave in)
and a wide tooth shower comb.

suave naturals are also good RO conditioners.

i really think you should give cg a try.

week 2-3 will give you a really oily scalp while you're adjusting, but i think its worth it. I'm 4 weeks in today. Here are my day 1 and week 3. I think it could really help to bring out your waves again.

jeduende · 07-23-2012, 07:19 PM

Quote:

My scalp is dry and itchy and sometimes there are flakes, but dandruff shampoos
didn't make any difference. Some days my scalp feels fine and other days it
feels worse. It definitely feels dry, though.

Dandruff shampoos will only make dry scalp worse. Dandruff is caused by oily scalp, not dry. Most people who think they have it really are suffering from the opposite problem. The dry shampoo is probably just exacerbating it.

Dandruff vs Dry Scalp

You can clarify with a final sulfate shampoo. Just be sure it doesn't contain silicones. One you clarify, be sure to avoid all non water soluble cones.

See how your hair feels after shampooing. If it's very dry, you can deep condition. Otherwise, just use a regular rinse out.

Some people cowash exclusively, but some of us continue to use a non sulfate shampoo. Just do what is best for your hair.

Also, try to determine whether or not you need to incorporate protein.

Protein vs Moisture « Pittsburgh Curly

poof queen · 07-23-2012, 07:26 PM

if you notice the thinning continues or becomes excessive you may want to have your thyroid checked. this is often an over looked cause of hair loss in women and your thyroid can change as you age so you can never be too certain. its probably nothing just wanted to point it out in case it may be a problem.

lvenok · 07-23-2012, 07:35 PM

That was actually something I considered too. I have had all my thyroid levels checked over and out because I have a benign thyroid cyst! However, the cyst is supposedly not messing with my thyroid levels, according to all of the tests, but I have had my suspicions...

Should I try to start styling immediately or should I wait a week or so to give my hair a break from all the buildup and new things? Will it make a difference? I just went to CVS and got a suave naturals conditioner with no silicones or sulfates, and a l'oreal mosturizing sulfate and silicone free conditioner for deeper moisturizing. I've used it before and my hair seemed to like it.

Is Garnier Fructis clear gel okay for my hair? I couldn't tell a difference between the natural one and the regular one. They have a new natural one that is biodegradeable etc. and it says it is silicone-free but it has silicate in it. Is that a silicone?

Rimi · 07-23-2012, 10:47 PM

No need to wait to start styling! Yes, the Garnier Fructis Style Pure Clean Styling Gel is CG.

Here is a list of CG friendly products...it should help!
CG Friendly Product List!!

kstan · 07-24-2012, 05:42 AM

don't get discouraged if you have a string of bad hair days starting out.

you'll have an oily scalp phase and then i'm sure you'll play around with protein. This can go really well or really poorly. I've had frizzy hair for 3 days from suave naturals. lol.

My hair looks an inch shorter now because my curl has gotten so much stronger.

lvenok · 07-24-2012, 09:02 AM

Is an oily scalp usually a sign of too much or too little protein? Also, I am having a hard time identifying if my Redken curls shampoo has silicones AND sulfates in them or if they just have sulfates.

Lastly, is the L'Oreal Moisturizing Sulfate-Free conditioner line silicone-free?

Thanks for all of your help, everyone!

earthnut · 07-24-2012, 09:34 AM

Don't detangle/comb/brush your hair when it's wet with no product. Wet hair is fragile and prone to damage. You want to always put conditioner in your hair before detangling/combing/brushing. You'll get less hair loss that way.

Protein has no bearing on scalp oiliness/dryness.

Silicones end in -cone, -xane, -conol, but the ones with PEG in front are water dispersible and CG friendly.

---
2c, F/M, ii, med porosity, good elasticity, APL, silvery dark brown.
Love coconut oil, olive oil, and Everyday Shea!

raindear · 07-24-2012, 12:05 PM

When you get an oily scalp at the beginning of going CG it is because your scalp is used to producing oil in response to the drying chemicals you used to use. It takes a while for your scalp to recognize that you aren't drying your hair/scalp out with those chemicals any more and to adjust the oil output to the new requirements.

lvenok · 07-24-2012, 12:41 PM

So when starting CG, how often should I wash my hair to counterbalance the oil but also to prevent over-washing?

Rimi · 07-24-2012, 12:49 PM

^^ that's kind of up to you to figure out. Some people co-wash daily and wash weekly, some only co-wash daily, some was every other day, etc.

earthnut · 07-24-2012, 05:42 PM

Most days I water wash and just use my condish as a LI. If my scalp feels too greasy, then I'll use a tiny amount of my mild shampoo I open the bottle completely and invert it on my palm, then back again. This gives me a light gloss of shampoo on my hands.

---
2c, F/M, ii, med porosity, good elasticity, APL, silvery dark brown.
Love coconut oil, olive oil, and Everyday Shea!