Dandruff??

Hormones will thin your thick hair, the lack of them. Prenatal vitamins help grow thick hair and sturdy nails. That aside, the flakiness, go to Lush Cosmetics at Bellevue Square or Westlake Mall and get a tub of their Big shampoo. It's amazing. It will clean your scalp, it has a lot of salt in it, so you'll want to use a rich conditioner afterward, and they have several you can choose from. But the Big did wonders for my hair. Squeaky clean hair and scalp, no flakes. Shampoo at least every 3 days, condition well. They also have a shampoo just for curly hair called Curly Wurly. Give it a try. I just bought it, haven't used it yet. If it doesn't work for you, you can take it back. Or better yet, ask for a sample, they gladly provide them. Great bubble bars and bath bombs for those much needed Mom Moments.

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I use the generic version of head and shoulders and it works great and keeps the flakes away. Then you can choose whatever conditioner you prefer. Since it's not that expensive you might try it for a couple weeks and see what the results are. That way you can narrow it down if it turns out not to be dry scalp.

Have you had your thyroid checked?

It sounds like it could be build up--but I also have very curly, and still thick hair and these dry winters do a number! I use tea-tree oil shampoo and conditioner during the winter and that always seems to help. Nature's Gate makes a not-too-expensive product that works. It also helped the dry patches on my shoulders/upper arms.

If you problem really is dandruff, try Head & Shoulders Intensive Treatment (dark blue bottle). It's different than the regular Head & Shoulders and is the only thing that has worked for me. But, it's 100% gotten rid of my dandruff. It's not expensive, but I like how it makes my hair look - shiny but not greasy. :-) An easy, quick fix.

Shampoo badly dries out the hair. It's gotten so bad for me that I no longer use Shampoo. I use straight olive oil soap (which doesn't itch and doesn't dry out the hair - a trick the people from the middle east use) and I also use Castille Soap which comes in tea tree, natural, rose and almond scents. I switch between the two to stop the hair from getting used to one or the other. Tee Tree Castille soap also stops dandruff. However, without the problems dandruff shampoo causes.

Yay! no more dandruff, no more itching. I can't use dandruff shampoo because every brand makes my hair clump together so badly I can't comb it. My dad has always used dandruff shampoo - and now I suspect that he has the same problem I have. Shampoo is just too harsh. Even the organic shampoos without Laurel Sulfate gave me the same problem.

I also noticed that shampoo would cause my hair to break. I always found my hair all over the house - my husband would even comment on it! I also no longer have that problem even though I blow dry it with a brush after my shower.

My hair looks the same as when I used the other stuff. I don't really see much of a difference as to how my hair looked when I used shampoo. The GREAT difference is no more dandruff and no more infernal itching.

Have you tried one of the dandruff shampoos? I had dandruff in my 20's, used Selsun blue or something like that and by the time the bottle was empty so was the dandruff.

In my 30's I had flakes in my hair and discovered that they were flakes of the hair products I was using. Probably the hair spray. I know that not getting the shampoo and conditioner entirely washed out will cause dull, limp hair that may have flakes.

I've had no babies but my hair has thinned too. lol I've read in several different places to not use conditioner because it weights the hair down making you look like you have less. I do use a foam after I towel dry my hair. When I use just a small amount my hair is easier to manage but I'm not sure it actually adds noticeable volume. I've tried several products for volume and haven't found one, yet, that actually increases volume.

In some of the reading I've done on behalf of our patent pending nonslip hair barrette, I recall reading that dandruff isn't really due to having dry hair - it's due to having oily buildup. Opposite to what folks usually think. The oil keeps the layers of dead skin cells (which are constantly occurring) from sluffing off as they otherwise would normally do - so they become larger 'flakes' that, once your hair is washed, are loosened and ready to go, so to speak. Try washing your hair more than every 3 days and see how that cycle may benefit your situation. Also, I've heard that switching shampoos can also be of benefit, to keep from having 'buildup.'

Best of luck to you!
T. B.

Since you use a lot of product in your hair and only wash every 3 days, I would say it's all the product buildup. I would either use a lot less product, or wash your hair more often. Another thing you can do is go into any salon and tell the stylist your problem (you want something to thicken your hair, not weigh it down, not build up, not leave flakey stuff, that you don't have to wash everyday, etc) They are very good at recomending the correct products for what you want. My ex-SIL is the manager of a Fantastic Sams and although, I don't consult her much anymore (due to living in another state only), I do find that as long as I'm talking with someone licensed, that they normally tell me just what I need. I have very curly hair that is fine, but fairly thick. Curly hair tends to be dry, so perhaps you need something that is more for moisture. Another thing is that with very long hair, it should really have a good deep conditioning at least once a week (special moisture treatment conditioner that you leave on for about 5 or 10 min). One of my fav shampoo/conditioner/product lines is Matrix Curl Life. I switch between brands because it's better for your hair so you might just find another brand that does thickening and try switching between the joico and that, but a beautitian is probably your best bet for the best recomendation.

If your paying for Joico, try a product called Nioxin. I used to work in a salon as a receptionist... This stuff works great for thinning hair and has been known in a lot of cases to help in regrowth of hair and help nourish your scalp, which might help rid you of your dandruff. You can find it in pretty much any salon. I used to get it at Great Clips. Hope this helps!

My hair dresser told me I did not have dandruff, but that it was my scalp was dried out. She told me to moisturize my scalp. I didn't think of that before, but when my skin is dry it itches and flakes so why not my scalp? Try using a deep conditioner and work it into your scalp at night and wash it out in the morning.

Joico is known for allergic reactions, along with some other brands. I've used Nioxin before... they've found it helps with thinning hair as well. So it should help with both problems! =)

L.,
My husband had what he thought was dandruff. It turned out it wasn't. His dermatologist said dandruff is actually more yellow and thicker. His problem was the hair product. He was told not to use any hair products where alcohol was in the first four ingredients listed. He switched to more of a cream type hair product and he no longer has that problem. Hope that helps.

You have lots of good advice. I would recommend trying the Kiehls products - many excellent options. Also brush frequently with a nice natural bristle brush, esp if you are washing less frequently. It helps keep hair and scalp healthy and combined with a good hair care regime (e.g., Kiehls products that are right for you), you should see improvement.

It sounds like you have excessive product build-up. Try getting some Neutrogena shampoo and use it for a week. You'll notice a difference immediately, but the total effect takes a few days. You should always use something like that after every bottle of shampoo you go through, especially if you only use one kind of shampoo. You can get a leave in serum (ask at a salon) that wont add any build up if you are worried about frizz. If you can go without extra product, try. Use clips and bobby pins to put your hair up if you need them. Good luck!