may1787

Okay, so I feel like I am prematurely aging here (but I am only 22).

When I use all my products the way I have learned (condish, leave-in, gel) I tend to get some curls that leave me with areas of scalp showing, as in, they are tight and the area around each scalp curl is bald. I hope I explained that well enough for you to understand.

Any suggestions, solutions, tips?

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No-'poo since 28 Apr 09!
2c/3a, fine to medium texture, low to medium porosity, normal elasticity, medium density.

Cleanse: Deva Lo-Poo or Kinky Curly Come Clean
Condition: Kinky Curly Knot Today or Suave Naturals Coconut
Stylers: KCCC, BRHG, Moroccan Dry-No-More oil, Mister Right

NO: bad 'quats, 'cones, 'xanes, drying alcohols, sulfates, or petrochemicals.

Heather0kay

I totally understand the bald thing. I am careful not to use lots of heavier products or strong holding gels when I am scrunching product in soaking wet hair. Oils/ butters can clump into greasy tight curls or ringlets, strong hold gels can glue everything together and make it impossible to SOTC. I use a little conditioner as a leave-in at the ends and a jelly like Aubrey Organics Mandarin Magic, and maybe spray a little gel over that so things will dry crunchy but not too crunchy. When completely dry I SOTC with my hands and gently rub underneath the curls at the roots to volumize and the hide the bald spots. If you have black hair( or any color) and ugly white scalp like me you can use DermPatch to cover any problem areas and it works! I also love Komaza HoneyComb Treatment for volumizing; it makes the hair thicker so you do not get as much scalp showing.

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Type: 3a, fine, thin, low porosity Water/Climate: soft/ marine Washes: water w/washcloth Condition: Style:Seamollient, Miracurl, Gel-les'c, CK, ; rudeechick's super soaker method; blot, air dry 30 min; diffuse DT:CHS Protein Hair Loves: Komaza HoneyComb, Cocoveda oil, Seattle rain, shikakai
Please check out my handmade hair sticks : ) http://etsy.me/mciM7F

PrettyMedusa

I've had this issue for as long as I can remember and as far as I can tell, I'm not balding/losing hair! I think that parting your hair in the shower (I like down the middle) also definitely helps combat the scalp spots.

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Fine, porous 3a with some 3b...
Co-wash: Suave Tropicals Coconut Conditioner (with shampoo bars 2x a month) Rinse-out: L'oreal Vive Pro Nutri Gloss Leave-in: Lustrasilk Styling: CK, Pink Boots, KCCC, AOMM, HESMU, BRHG, CJ Aloe Fix Gel Post-Styling: Apply product to wet hair, scrunch out water with Curls Like Us, diffuse for 5-7 minutes Treatments: Vatika coconut oil, Kama Brahmi oil

izzytart

My hair looks like this when it's wet:

http://www.7thsign.com/~izzy/gallery/cg/022309a

A combination of thin, fine hair and over-enthusiastic root curl, it seemed at first like there was nothing in my product usage that could help it. But these things work for me, and you could try them:

- Put as little product directly on your scalp as possible. I apply some leave-in/KCCC/gel right-side-up and then run some water over my head. This seems to diffuse the product. Then I flip, and apply as much product as I can upside down.
- When you're done with all product and ready to let it dry, take a cheap plastic pick (but a brand new one with no frayed plastic) and gently slide it into your hair, horizontal to the plane of your head. Very slightly, with teeny, tiny little motions, rub the pick back and forth to lift the very scalp-plastered hairs just off the scalp. Do not pull away from your head until you have stopped the rubs. Carefully pull the pick back out of your hair. Repeat in the next really bald area.
- and/or use teeny, tiny claw clips to lift hairs off the scalp while the shape is setting. Sometimes just 10 air-drying minutes can help me in this regard.
- plop for as little as humanly possible to gain the curl you want. I find that plopping, again, flattens the hairs against the scalp. Then I have to get the pick out (see above )
- as someone else said, once dry, after scrunching, insert fingers through upside-down hair to scalp and gently rub in the same way you would with the pick. Just your finger tips, softly on your skin, can help release the hairs from your scalp

There's something else but it's late for me. These tips may not work for you but who knows! I hope it helps.

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"when I sleep, my curls crush flat, like a slinky that's slopped sideways"
Gone 'girly. Last 'poo 10/18/08
Current experiment is Co-Wash and Condition: V05 kiwi lime clarifying conditioner
Then KBB super silky, KCCC, then L'Oreal Melting Gel with a bit of GF Super Stiff mixed in.
Pre-toweling, post-toweling, pre-plop and post-plop. The jury is not out on the plopping thing. I think my hair is too fine.
fine / non-porous / thin aka 3"abba" / oh so Fine / just barely ii