The Cause of My Breakage

I have been meaning to write this post for weeks but have been busy with other things. I visited my stylist about three weeks ago for some routine maintenance and got a chance to ask her about the breakage I was suffering. As it turns out my theory was correct and the breakage was due to the buns I had been wearing. My stylist noticed that I had another area of breakage in the exact spot on the opposite side of my head, and there was a thin line of broken strands across the base of my hair - exactly where the ponytail holder would meet my strands. 

My stylist offered the following tips to minimize breakage:

Cut back on buns
Although protective styling can be beneficial for lenght gains, as with anything too much can end up having a negative effect. She suggested I bun 3 days out of the week or find other protective styles that hide my ends.

Make sure hair is well oiled & moisturized prior to bunning
I though my hair was moisturized given that I was bunning on freshly washed (or co-washed) strands, after applying leave-ins. What I was not doing was using a creamy moisturizer or heavy oil to seal. My stylist suggested the use of a quality creamy moisturizer and at least a dime sized amount of oil to seal.

Use Satin or Silk covered ponytail holders
I was using covered elastic bands without the metal as I thought this was enough to prevent breakage, this is not the case. From now on I will be using satin or silk covered elastics to secure my strands.

Overall the breakage I am seeing is quite small but it really got me thinking about my focus and my hair practices. For the past year my goal has been length retention rather than health. This setback was exactly what I needed to change my focus and remember what is important.

Have you experienced breakage from buns and ponytails? How did you bounce back?

Spring Wet Bun Challenge

I hate bunning. With a passion. The style is so...style-less to me and I always feel so plain and well, dusty when I am wearing a bun. For me buns are reserved for that last week of my relaxer stretch when my new growth is simply too unmanageable & my go-to styles just won't lay right, but desperate times call for desperate measures & in an effort to reach longer lengths by Summer I am instituting a Spring Wet Bun Challenge. 

Before I ever heard the phrases "hair journey" & "protective styling" I was rocking wet buns  out of sheer laziness. I literally wore a bun my entire Sophomore year of undergrad (hence the reason I disdain them now) and my hair was just past MBL before I cut it into a Bob as a means of forcing myself to style it. Since that practice worked so well I have decided to give it another shot in the hopes of retaining a few inches that I can proudly flaunt this Summer.

What is Wet Bunning?

Wet bunning is simply taking damp hair that has been freshly washed, conditioned, moisturized and sealed & securing it into a bun. 

The Benefits of Wet Bunning

Wet bunning decreases manipulation which in turn decreases breakage. This decrease in breakage should lead to length retention & the meeting of length goals. The bun secures the ends of your strands keeping them from exposure & damage. Hiding your ends aids in moisture retention as they are not exposed to drying elements such as wind, sun and the harsh fabric of your clothing.

Challenge Rules:

1. Keeping your current regimen or following the Summer Regimen for Damaged Hair regimen,  once your hair is washed, conditioned, detangled, and leave-ins are applied secure your strands into a bun of your choosing (i.e. high bun, low bun, side bun, braided bun, etc.).
2. Loosen bun nightly and apply a silk scarf to edges to maintain smoothness. Moisturize & seal as usual before applying either a plastic cap to ends (baggy method) or a satin bonnet.
3. To stimulate growth massage scalp with an oil of your choosing 3Xs each week.
4. Select one week of each month to wear strands free (for sanity purposes) but style must be low manipulation/ little-to-no heat (i.e. twist out, braid out, bantu knot out, roller set, flex rod set, roller wrap, etc.)
5. Challenge will run from April 1, 2015 - June 21, 2015.

30 Day Scalp Massage Challenge

 
If you have been following my blog for awhile you should have noticed I love doing hair challenges. For the past few months my challenges have focused on improving the overall health of my hair and  as a result my hair is the healthiest it has ever been. Although I will maintain the health of my hair, this month I am focusing on growth and implementing regular scalp massages into my hair regimen.
 
Benefits of Scalp Massage
Scalp massages stimulate blood flow which feeds the hair follicles helping to prevent hair loss and restore healthy hair.  Scalp massage also conditions the scalp while enhancing the strength of the roots and reducing feelings of stress, all of which contribute to the follicle's ability to grow hair.

How to Massage the Scalp

1. Starting at the hairline by your forehead, make small circles with your fingertips. Work your way around to the sides of your head and then to the back, still making the same small circles.
2. Once you are at the back of your head, work your way back up to the front, making circles with your fingertips.
3. Do this for about 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes at night.
4. Be consistent.

Scalp Massage Using Oils
The use of oils during a scalp massage can condition the scalp, hair root, and hair shaft while reducing conditions that can interrupt the growth process such as dry scalp and dandruff. Regular use of oil during with a scalp massage can reduce the chances of hair strands becoming split, brittle, and broken.

I have noticed my hair growth is at its highest during from weeks 12-16 of my relaxer stretch, as a result I am leveraging this extra growth by adding in daily scalp massages. I am approximately 2 inches from my goal of MBL and I would love to make it there by December 1st; it may be possible with daily scalp massages.

 

Have you tried scalp massage for hair growth?

30 Days of Protein and Moisutre: Final Results

For the month of October I set a goal to maintain my hair's protein/moisture balance (or elasticity) by using both a protein and a moisturizing conditioner with every wash. This month flew by and I am honestly glad that it is over because I am dying to institute a new challenge!

Challenge Results

• Elasticity is still perfect! (i.e. hair does not stretch too far or snap when pulled)
• Hair is stronger
• Hair is softer
• Drastic reduction in split ends
• Drastic reduction in breakage/shed hairs (left in brush/comb)

The last result came as a great surprise to me because I honestly did not expect to see a change in the amount of hair I lost while combing/brushing/manipulating my strands. Another added bonus is the fact that I feel extremely confident about my upcoming relaxer; knowing that my hair is at such an optimal level of strength from the additional protein treatments gives me a sense of relief in knowing that my hair can withstand the harsh chemical process.

I used a number of different protein/moisturizing conditioners and shampoos throughout this challenge and that was honestly the best part: trying out (buying :-) new products and figuring out which protein/moisture combinations yielded the best results. My goal is to not only retain length and reach my length goals, but to reach an optimal level of healthy hair as well. I would also REALLY love to color my hair by Spring (if not before then), so I am doing everything I can to ensure the process will leave me with a head of healthy hair should I decide to take that leap.

Moving forward I will continue to use  both protein and moisturizing conditioners on my wash days, and I will continue to monitor the condition of my strands to ensure that I remain proactive rather than reactive in the prevention of setbacks.

What were the results of your Protein/Moisture Challenge?

30 Days of Moisture & Protein: Mid-Challenge Update

At the beginning of this month I tested my hair's protein and moisture balance (or elasticity) and found that my hair was in balance. As I said in my moisture/balance post I am taking a proactive approach to my hair care rather than a reactive one, so I challenged myself to 30 days of both protein and moisture with every wash. I am at day 15 of the challenge, and did a second elasticity test to examine my progress thus far.

Mid Point Results:

• Hair is still in balance
• Hair feels softer
• Hair seems less susceptible to breakage
• Fewer split ends ( in area prone to extreme splitting)

For the past few wash sessions I have experimented with different ways to apply protein conditioners:

• Protein as a deep conditioner (sitting beneath a heat source for 15 minutes)
• Protein as a quick conditioner (rinsing after 2-5 minutes)
• Protein as a pre-poo treatment (apply conditioner to dry hair, cover with conditioning cap for 15-30 minutes)

Thus far the protein pre-poo has yielded the best results. I used my protein conditioner as a pre-poo for the past two wash sessions and my hair has been amazingly soft (even after applying styling mousse). I am so in love with the results of this method I have decided to use protein as my pre-poo in place of hot oil for the duration of this month's challenge. I will weight-in again on the 30th of this month for final results.

 

Have you tried protein as a pre-poo?

 

 

Keeping My Balance: 30 Days of Protein & Moisture

I am on a mission to mid-back length and as a result I am taking every precaution when handling my hair and being proactive rather than reactive in my hair care journey. A major part of being proactive is monitoring the condition of my hair on a weekly if not daily basis to prevent set backs before they occur. This proactive approach lead me to try something new: an elasticity test.

What is Elasticity & How Do You Test It?
For those of you who may not be familiar with an elasticity test it is simply a test conducted on a single strand of damp hair to measure the hair's ability to resume its normal shape after being stretched. Holding both ends of the hair strand I gently pulled each end; the strand stretched but resumed its normal shape without snapping or over-stretching.

Why is Elasticity Important?
Elasticity is a great way to measure the moisture/protein levels in you hair. The rate at which your hair stretches, resumes its normal shape, and whether or not it breaks when stretched will determine whether you need more moisture or protein in you hair regimen, or if you moisture-protein levels are in balance.

Interpreting the Results:

Too Much Moisture
When conducting your elasticity test if you hair stretches when pulled and remains stretched once free, not returning to its original shape, your hair has too much moisture and a protein conditioner or treatment should be added to correct the balance.

Too Much Protein
If your hair stretches when pulled and immediately snaps, or if you hair does not stretch at all during your elasticity test, you may suffer from protein overload and should use a moisturizing conditioner until the balance is restored.

Balanced
If, like mine, your hair stretches easily but returns to its normal shape without snapping or over-stretching your protein-moisture levels are balanced.

Since overcoming my bought of dryness a few weeks ago my hair has been in possibly the best shape it has been since I relaxed last November. I did an extreme search and destroy session last Friday and with the exception of one particular area I noticed only a few split ends; additionally my hair has not been breaking, snapping, or showing any common signs of unhealth. Although my hair is already balanced it is my goal to maintain this balance as long as possible (if not permanently), and as a result for the next 30 days I will use both a protein conditioner and a moisturizing conditioner with every wash. I will also use a combination of protein and moisture based leave-ins.

It is my hope that using both protein and moisturizing products will retain my hair's moisture-protein balance while strengthening my hair to prevent splits, breakage, and other damage that may cause set backs in my hair journey.

Have you tested your hair's elasticity?

Fall Hair Goals: Mission MBL

In May of this year I set a Summer hair goal to reach BSL, I actually sat down and wrote out my goal on paper. I didn't have a specific plan to get there and basically switched up my regimen every month for three months trying different methods and routines hoping to see results. Fast forward to August 1st (Relaxer Day) when I relaxed and flat ironed my hair after a looooooong 16 week stretch, and was pleasantly surprised to find I had met my goal. 

Once I reached my goal of BSL I started thinking about attaining MBL, but until today I had not sat down and wrote out my goal. Unlike the Summer, this time around I also included the following sub-goals and plans to achieve my goal:

Reduce Dryness

For the past six weeks I have been plagued with unusual dryness which I narrowed down to four possible causes:(1) change of climate (2) not enough moisture; (3) inadequate moisturizers; and (4) too much protein. To combat all four possible causes of dryness I have instituted weekly hot oil treatments both as a pre-poo and post-wash DC treatment. 

Reduce Split Ends/ Breakage

I say reduce and not eliminate split ends and breakage simply because I do not believe it is possible to completely eradicate either. Hair, like anything else, gets worn and damaged no matter how well we care for it so it would be unrealistic of me to expect it not to wear and tear. My goal is to drastically reduce the number of splits I am seeing and eliminate some of the weak-points on my strands that frequently break and snap. One thing I have skimmed on lately is the process of moisturizing and sealing; I did this daily during my Summer stretch and did not see nearly as many splits or broken hairs on the floor as I do now. I also believe washing my hair twice a week (every three days) really helped keep my hair moisturized.

Protective Styling

During the Summer months while I worked towards my goal I wore my hair in protective/low manipulation styles for 95% of the time. This included cutting the heat and roller setting my hair and rocking my hair in either a ponytail or a bun. I am not a fan of roller setting/air drying because I found it to cause a great deal of breakage and shedding (especially deep into my relaxer stretch); and I found that my hair needs the structure blow drying offers from both the heat and tension. For the Fall I am opting for a full-head clip in install leaving out only a small section of my hair to blend/hide the extensions. My hair will be braided beneath the clip ins and I will remove them nightly to moisturize and seal. I can also wash, condition and air dry in the braids weekly before re-braiding.

Meeting my Summer goal of BSL has made me extremely confident, and I believe keeping my hair moisturized while protected beneath my clip ins will help me reach MBL this Fall.

What are you hair goals this Fall?

30 Days With Flex Rods

Now that I have mastered the art of the flex-rod install I am completely obsessed! So obsessed that I have decided for the entire month of September the only style I will rock will be the flex rod set.

It has been three days since I set my hair and the curls are still holding up fairly nice considering I didn't use a styling product or anything with hold. Another mishap with my curls was removing one rod before it was completely dry then re-rodding it, this caused the curl to drop dramatically so on the first day it looked like a third day curl and today it is basically a loose wave. Fortunately these two missteps have not had much of a negative impact, and to perfect my future sets I plan to do the following:

• Garnier Fructis Curl Sculpt Mousse - this will be used to add a light hold and shine to my curls
• 1.5 Hours under the dryer - when I set my hair Monday I sat beneath the dryer for one hour then removed a rod to see if my hair was dry, this resulted in droopy curls. This time I will stay under the dryer for at least 1.5 hours and let my hair air dry for another 30-45 minutes before removing the rods.
• ORS  Oil Moisturizing Hair Lotion - In place of my normal light weight leave-ins I am planning to use my ORS hair lotion to add an extra boost of moisture since my curls will remain all week and any additional moisturizing and sealing will cause the curls to drop. This will also serve as a buffer between my strands and the Curl Sculpt Mousse since I have never tried it and it may be a bit drying.

Benefits of Flex Rod Sets

• Save Time - when I blow dry and flat iron it takes a minimum of three hours and Curlformers usually take about an hour to install. I can flex-rod my entire head in about 30 minutes, add in time beneath the drier for deep conditioning and drying and that makes for about a 2.5 hour TOTAL wash day.
• Long Lasting Results - using the proper hair products for moisture and hold along with the pineapple method my curls should last for at least five days. My Curlformer curls typically last one day (if not a few hours) and when I flat iron I have to roll my hair every night (or ever other night) to maintain the curls.
• Low Manipulation - since the curls will last five days without my needing to roll my hair again each night I can go a full week without touching/manipulating my hair.
• Versatility - Depending on the size of the rods used and the method used for rolling I can rock anything from a cute faux curly afro to retro waves. I can also style the curls different ways such as high buns, ponytails, textured pin-ups, and banana clip up-do's just to name a few.
• Bad Hair Days Are Impossible! - with flex rod sets as long as you install them correctly (and even when you don't) it is impossible to have a bad hair day. If the curls start to drop simply pin them up or put them into a cute textured bun; however you choose to style them they are always cute.

Hopefully I won't tire of the curls and I can find new and interesting ways to style them each week, but for the next 30 days Flex Rods will be the only styling tool I use.

What are your styling plans for this month?

The Seven Day GHE + Inversion Method Challenge

For the past six days I have participated in a seven day GHE/Inversion Method Challenge. The idea of the challenge originated from a long haired blogger I follow who got amazing results using these two methods (she actually gained two inches of hair in seven days) and quadrupled her growth rate. Since the health of my hair is already at an optimal condition I am purely focused on maintaining health and achieving longer lengths, thus my participation in this challenge.

Tonight will be my last official night of the challenge, but due to the results I am seeing I may actually extend the challenge to 30 days, maybe even three months. Here is what I do:

1. Oil scalp with Africa's Best Herbal Oil 
2. Massage scalp thoroughly for a few minutes
3. Lie on the couch with my head hanging over the edge for four minutes - massage scalp some more
4. After four minutes slowly raise head to prevent dizziness
5. Place a silk scarf on hair 
6. Follow with a plastic grocery bag or shower cap
7. Follow with a bonnet
8. Leave on for at least 6 hours (I usually let it stay on from 4:30-10:30)
9. Remove and allow hair to air dry
10. Style hair as usual

Based on the little research I could find the creation of a sauna or steam-producing environment on the scalp releases toxins, improves blood circulation to the hair follicles, and increases the production of the scalp's natural oils which travel down the hair shaft providing protection to the strands. This increase in the flow of sebum is what strengthens and moisturizes the strands allowing for greater length retention, while improved blood circulation stimulates increased hair growth. What happens with our hair and scalp is similar to what happens in the earth's atmosphere.

I followed the above steps for the first five days of the challenge, but on last night I did not apply any additional oil to my scalp due to some itchiness I was experiencing, and I do not plan to add any more oil tonight - I will simply follow steps 2 - 10 above.

The affects of the GH Method on hair are literally immediate - once you remove your coverings and the plastic cap you will notice that your hair is damp, this is from the steamy environment you created. Although I cannot attest to any additional length at this point (I have not measured my hair & I still have one day left), I have experienced the following results:

• Moisturized hair: I have not applied any moisturizer to the length of my strands since my wash day July 12; my hair is still thoroughly moisturized.
• Softer new growth: my new growth has frizzed a bit, but it is not nearly as curly as it would be at 12+ weeks post
• Itchy scalp: the use of oil for 5 days has caused some itchiness to my scalp. Moving forward I will not apply any oils, simply let my scalp's natural oil do the job.
• Reduction in breakage and shedding: although I mostly credit my lack of shedding and breakage to the use of heat styling tools to seal my cuticles on my last wash day, I realize that this reduction may be due in some way to the GHE. I will be back to air drying, but continuing the GHE so I will know for sure in the next week.

Aside from the promise of longer hair the GH Method appears to live up to the hype and it is something I believe my hair can benefit from, especially since I will be back to air drying and roller setting. My hope is that the GHE will keep my hair's moisture levels optimal and prevent the shedding and breakage that air drying seems to cause for me. 

Have you tried the Greenhouse Method?

Revisiting Old Habits: Shampooing Every Two Weeks

Remember back in the day when you used to only wash your hair every two weeks? Then came the internet and hair care journeys that said hair needed to be shampooed or co-washed weekly for best results. I admit, washing my hair on a weekly basis (or better yet, every three days) is a new development for me. Up until four years ago when I cut my hair into my cute little Halle Berry cut I washed my hair on a bi-weekly basis, it was just the way things were.

Looking back, before I started playing in my hair and doing everything everyone else was doing or saying I should be doing, my hair was at its healthiest and longest. I unconsciously had a healthy hair regimen; I washed, conditioned and styled my hair every two weeks without fail. I was stretching relaxers without knowing it (I only relaxed on holidays when I could go home from college), and I was a chronic protective styler  (I wore a bun so much that I forced myself to get my hair cut into a bob so it was too short to put into a ponytail).

Since I have been on a mission to find the perfect hair regimen I have been rethinking old habits, particularly shampooing on a bi-weekly basis. Before I jump into another experiment I took some time to develop a list of pros and cons for bi-weekly wash sessions:

Pros

• Less Heat Usage: Because I prefer to heat style my hair shampooing bi weekly will allow me to cut down on the number of times I am in contact with direct heat. Instead of using heat four times each month I will only be using heat twice. Less heat = Less dryness = less breakage
• Less Manipulation: I typically only style my hair on wash days, which means I basically only touch my hair on wash days. Less manipulation = Less breakage
• Forced Protective Styling: My wash days usually leave me with such beautiful hair that I want to wear it out and free. Eliminating two wash sessions guarantees that my hair will be in a bun/protective style for at least two weeks out of every month.
• Longer Product Life: Washing less = less product usage = fewer purchases
• Prolonged Smoothing/Keratin Treatment Results: I plan to do a smoothing/keratin treatment on the 31st and from what I have learned frequent washing shortens the life of your keratin treatment. Less washing = longer keratin life
• More Exposure to Natural Oils: when we wash our hair we rid it of the natural oils it produces which help moisturize and protect the hair. Washing less will allow my hair's natural oils more contact with my hair for an extended period of time.
• More Free Time: Fewer wash sessions means more free time to spend on other activities.

Cons

• Potentially Dry Hair: For me moisturized hair starts on wash days and I attribute my hair's moisture levels to the use of moisturizing shampoos and conditioners without adding additional moisturizers between washes. Fewer washes = dry hair
• Forced Protective Styling: This is both a pro and con for me because I hate protective styling.
• Less opportunities to play with my hair: Because I only style my hair on wash days and generally leave it as is in between wash sessions, moving to a bi-weekly schedule will only afford me two opportunities to play in my hair.
• Fewer wash sessions: This is a con simply because I actually like washing my hair, I look forward to my wash days.
• New Schedules: I currently clarify once per month to remove build up and start with a clean slate, this schedule makes sense for weekly wash sessions but may not be necessary for bi weekly washing so I may have to come up with a new plan.
• Potentially Itchy/Flaky scalp: now that my hair is used to being shampooed frequently this my have an adverse affect on my scalp in the form of dryness and flakes.

As you can see the pros and cons of switching from weekly washing to bi-weekly washing are pretty even. Washing my hair weekly has become a habit for me, a part of my weekly routine and I imagine it will be difficult to break but this seems like a worthy experiment. Because I am still in the middle of my summer hair experiment (washing hair and conditioning twice per week) and want to see how this affects my hair's growth and length retention I will not be starting this new routine until August. Wish me luck!

Have you considered bi-weekly shampooing?

#TeamNoScissors

I have decided to stop cutting my hair [insert pause for dramatic gasps]. I was perusing YouTube a few days ago and saw a video from a young lady titled #TeamNoScissors. I was immediately interested by the title and proceeded to watch the video. This YouTuber who just so happens to have hair about an inch past her tailbone, explained her hair journey and how she has not cut her hair in five years. Having been taught to believe that split ends will cause breakage once the move up the hair shaft I questioned how she could go that long without cutting and still have such great lengths?

Then it occurred to me that if the goal is longer lengths why would I cut my hair? Isn't that counter-productive? I thought about the last time I inspected the ends of my hair (five minutes ago, lol) and if I had ever seen a split that had moved up my hair shaft? I had not; nor had I ever experienced breakage from infrequent trimming....so maybe she had a valid point. As the video continued she issued a hair challenge for her followers: no cutting or trimming the hair for as long as you can stand it -  be it three months, six months, or 2 years - until you reach your goal length. As a caveat she recommended trimming any damage first, then proceeding with the challenge to make sure you start fresh.

I cast my lot and I am in! For the next six months I refuse to cut, dust, or trim my ends in the hopes of making it to MBL. I am however, completely obsessed with the health of my ends so I will be stepping my game up a few notches to ensure that my ends remain in tip-top condition during this time. 

Game Plan

• Protein treat the ends (last three inches) of my hair using protein leave-ins (Organix Coconut Milk Serum)
• Apply deep conditioner in sections focusing on the ends
• Search and Destroy more frequently if needed
• Keep those ends tucked! Buns and fishtail braids will be my new best friends

Are you #TeamNoScissors?