Hair Damage

Hi DM,
You are a good momma for asking. Some ideas (I have fragile hair that breaks often):

1. wash less often -- 1 or 2 times a week is enuf.
2. Comb hair in shower or when wet with only a wide tooth comb. from the ends up. Gently.
3. Leave in hair mask/conditioner in the shower for at least 3 mins to let hair soak it up.
4. put on a good leave in conditioner afterwards (paul mitchell and pantene have good ones).
5. don't use any product with alchohol!
6. Home products -- olive oil massage into hair before washing. Leave in as long as you want and wash out.

Hope this helps.
Jilly

It may be kind of expensive, but have you considered a Brazilian Blow-Out?
It's a hair treatment that smooths flyaway hair and lasts for up to several months, maybe then she won't need the flat iron so much.

I was tolod never to flat iron without spraying a heat tamer type product on each section as you go. Tresemmé makes O.. (I'm not a fan of their shampoos but the Heat Tamer is good.)
Also, I have used Chi Irongard and it is good as well.
But if it's breaking off, it's not going to "fix" it. Maybe a good product will prevent further damage though.
Is she using a ceramic iron?

The other option you should consider is a Keratin treatment versus Brazilian Blow Out. I've heard the Keratin option is better for damaged hair, as it's seen as a treatment, versus chemical straightener (and the results last a good few months). In terms of her hair iron, make sure she is using a ceramic iron and not a cheapy, and a hair cream before she irons - which will really help protect her hair. Regarding products, Moroccan Oil has some terrific and nurturing hair products (e.g. a hair oil that she can use as a treatment, and a fantastic shampoo and conditioner.) Also, Aeto Botanica has a fortifying hair oil that's amazing (in terms of treatment) and the other line that I'd recommend is Barex - most of their shampoos and conditioners also contain an spf to avoid further environmental damage (and their hair cream is phenomenal on wet hair out of the shower before she drys her hair with a dryer, or air drys it and then irons (its coat will prevent further damage when she irons.) OH and one last point, tell her to wash her hair at night and air dry it so she's just using the hair iron and not using the dryer too. May help prevent add'l damage. Good luck!

I had the Brazilian Blowout done and it's AWESOME. I too have wavy hair and after the treatment my hair was smooth and shiny. The treatment uses Keratin which is a deep conditioner and it lasts for about 12 weeks. She will need to use a special shampoo and conditioner to maintain it, but she will very likely not need to use a straightening iron. It's a fairly expensive treatment, but it looks pretty easy to do if you would like to attempt it at home.

I would think it would be time to stop with the flat ironing. Once the hair is so brittle and dry and damaged. Giving it a break would be great. If she could learn to accept her authentic wavy hair and take care of it with deep conditioning, hot oil treatments, fewer shampoos and no heat based styling. The healthier her hair would become.

I hope this helps. It breaks my heart that we all have to be so incredibly cookie cutter. God didn't make us all with straight hair.

i use pantene product frizzy to smoothe for medium to thick hair. have her try a hot oil treatment or aussie 3 minute mircle. also remember this rule of thumb. most all shampoo is the same. however with conditioner you get what you pay for.

Hi D.M.

You can go to my blog: http://www.yourlifevents.com/category/beautyhealthfitness/
and read 3 articles I wrote on color/sun damaged hair. One talks about the benefits of coconut oil (one being great hair conditioner), another post gives a great hair conditioning masque that you can make at home and another article gives tips on keeping your hair healthy.

I worked in a hair salon as a manager for 3 years and more importantly, I bleach the heck out of my hair and also use the flat iron. I have very healthy looking hair. One thing I may not have talked about in my article that is of utmost importance is regular trims - she needs to go in about every 8 weeks and get a regular trim or her hair will just get worse and worse.

Best of luck,
S.

Arbonne has great products for damaged hair and for wavey hair as well. My oldest daughter has always had issues until I gave her some of the Arbonne Products she fell in love with them. If you would like more information I am also sending you a private message with my contact info.
Kay

For a long run I'd get her on fish oils. It's the only way I can keep my hair under control and healthier. I generally have really great hair, but if I don't condition the heck out of it, it will dry out FAST. So I started taking fish oils and I only have to condition my hair once a day. (Yes I had to do it twice a day with leave in conditioner to make it manageable)
And I second Kimberly's post. Let her know that her natural curl (which my hair is that beach wavy hair, and hated if for the long time since it wasn't straight or curly), I'm much happier now cause I know that I only have to brush my hair out and go and it's done! Yay!

I have lots of suggestions.

As an alternative, you could try a Brazilian Blowout. A FB friend of mine just posted before & after pics. I hope they come thru for you: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/album.php?aid=2059384... and I just happened to get a coupon in the mail for a place in Beverly Hills https://tippr.com/offer/sylve-image-la/?utm_source=Tippr&...

Instead of using a flat iron on dry hair, have her use a wet/dry straightener on damp hair. It's not as damaging. I use this cheap one: http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?product...#

And the biggest problem - putting hairspray in your hair before using the flat iron. The iron basically melts the hairspray to your hair. Use a flat iron spray - like this http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?product...#

And believe it or not - MAYONAISSE!!!! It's a great conditioner - http://www.cosmeticsdiary.com/hair-mayonnaise.htm

If you can get her to take a break from straightening, see if she will try my daughter's trick. Around age 17 she decided it was taking too long to straighten her hair every morning. Her hair is long and just a little bit way. She would wash it in the evening and then put it up into a bun to sleep in. In the morning she would let it out and it would have loose curls. She'd use a curling iron to touch up and then go. Curls would vary depending on tightness of bun.

Good luck!

have her get a brazilian blow out. it can be done at a salon. it lasts for a while. so much healthier!

I like the Fructis Smooth and Straight line of products. There's a shampoo, conditioner, and a deep conditioner for weekly use. It helps me get my hair straighter before I even dry it.

I've also used the Suave Sleek and Smooth line that's modeled after the Matrix line. It has shampoo, conditioner, a smoothing cream to use before straightening and a hairspray.

When I was that age, I got chemical straightners done at the hairdresser's. They were a little pricey, but they helped me so much. They usually lasted about 3 months.

Does she use any product DURING? I know I used to use the garnier fructise heat protection spray whenever I straitened my hair... I also liked the conditioner you put in right before straightening that Victoria's Secret makes (cant remember what it's called, comes in a deep R. tube... I only liked it so much because it smelled AWESOME...)

This is a prevalent issue especially among kinds of African descent. Girls like their hair straight but nature made it curly so many of them start quimically treating their hair at an early age by using a hot iron to make it straight. I know this because I'm partially of African descent and so are my children. My oldest girl approached me twice before to get permission to straighten her hair. I loved to be included in her decision and explained the pros and cons. There are more cons than pros. Once kids start treating their hair they seldom stop because they like the temporary 'high' of altering their natural appearance. In time kids see results that are less than appealing such as dry, dead, and lifeless hair that takes ever more upkeep to look descent. First I told my girl that her hair is beautiful and it absolutely is. I also told her to please only straighten her hair on very special occasions if she had to, so as not to become a slave to her own hair. It has worked for her and her younger sister. They still keep their "little girl hair" and only straighten it on occasion. I think they're happy with the result and so am I. In answer to your questions I must say that there are great but expensive products out there for severely damaged hair but you have to keep on using them for an ongoing effect. Best thing to do is to have a short hair cut and start anew (not appealing ha!!) Please explain your daughter that if she keeps straightening her hair, this will be an ongoing problem but if she stops her hair may go back to its original state and be less of a burden.
Good luck!!

Ditto on the Brazillian! Love it... you can wash it less... stays straight, conditioned and healthy! She will just need to blow dry it no flat iron. My hair is wavy/ poofy / frizzy... Had mine done 6/1 and it still looks good... wearing off a bit... but still is good. I used the "special" shampoo until it ran out... and seems to be doing fine with "regular" Pantene shampoo/ conditioner now. In our area you can get this done for ~ $ 150.00 and up... expensive I know... ( I am cheap!) but honestly can say WELL worth it for the 3- 4 months of no flat iron, I can dry my hair in 5 min! ( used to take like 30 min) and it stays looking great.