Curly Hair that Won't Grow, Falls Out or Sheds Flakes

Dear Kirstin,

curly hair by nature is dry. Get a good deep treatment that will work from the inside out and strengthen your hair. (Check out products I suggest on this site.)

There are a few things you can do to help your hair grow faster. Eat a healthy diet, exercise, and try to minimize stress. Your hair is a reflection of what you feed it and how you take care of it.

You can also give your scalp a little scalp massage at night. This helps with the blood circulation on the scalp which could help in hair growing faster. Other than genetics, medications can have an effect on your hair. If your hair is fine it may be breaking off. That may be why it feels like it doesn't grow. Once you have strengthened your hair by doing the things I mention above, see if your hair grows faster. A "short inch" is extremely slow.

Anything faster than that will be an improvement!

Best wishes, Nicole

Dear Christine,

I think you'll find mixed reviews on how often to shampoo curly hair.

I have been doing a little research and here is what I think on the topic (short version):

Curly hair by nature is dry; shampooing can be drying to the hair. I figure the less you have to shampoo the better, because you are not exposing your hair to the chemicals as often. I usually recommend, to my clients, washing every three days. If they do not have oil scalp or other reasons for washing more often. I recommend the Deva Curl "No Poo" shampoo - it is a no sodium laurel sulphate shampoo I have found it to be very moisturizing.

Now, dandruff, according to the anti-dandruff website; you can have oily or dry dandruff and depending on which kind you have may be a hint to the underlying cause. Over active oil glands is another cause of dandruff because the overactive oil glands cause an increase of the natural skin shedding process, leading to dandruff. They also say dandruff can be from skin sensitivity. If this is the case I would definitely recommend a no sodium laurel sulfate shampoo, because SLS is a known skin irritant in large percentages. Take that out of the equation and see what happens!

Best of luck, Nicole

Hi,

This is interesting to me. If I understand you correctly you are saying your hair is dry and brittle. Mostly in the crown area? This area is common for people to have a different texture of curl. I usually see more wiry or coarse hair in this area. Occasionally, I'll see hair that is very fine and just breaks off about 4 inches from the head and it doesn't get much more length than that, because of the weak fine hair and friction.

If you have in fact tried the products I have suggested on this Q&A form and your hair is still very dry and brittle I would suggest seeing a nutritionist or doctor. You may be lacking some vitamins. With that said, it's also possible that medicine you're already taking may be a factor in how dry your hair feels.

Continue doing deep treatments as I often suggest to entries with dry curly hair.

Best of luck, Nicole

Hello again Terri,

First things first, throw out all the product under your counter.More than likely these products have been there longer than 6 months and have "expired". There is no sense in holding on to them. If you didn't like them the first time there was probably a good reason.

Second, don't feel bad about throwing them out. If the ingredients in the product have sulfates or synthetic ingredients then you don't want to use them anyway. These are not good for the hair or the body. They will only dry out your hair even more.

Now that you have tossed out the graveyard of products, invest in these 4 products:

The Deva Curl No-poo cleanser, The One conditioner by Deva Curl, the Ouidad deep treatment, and one gel from either product line.

I suggest these products because:

the Deva Curl is the most moisturizing cleanser on the market, and their conditioner is a leave-in or rinse out, so it has multiple uses. The Deva line is moisture, moisture, moisture. There are 7 botanicals that cleanse and moisturize the hair.

The Ouidad deep treatment is a protein treatment (start by using it every other week). Follow the directions on the bottle. Using these two product lines will get your hair on the right track to getting the balance of moisture and protein it needs to bounce and shine on its own.

These products are water soluble, which is key to choosing a curly hair product line. You want to avoid ingredients that build up. The build up creates a barrier on the hair, and this limits the nutrients the hair can absorb.

Use these Deva Curl and Ouidad products, and only these, for one month and see what happens to the condition of your hair. If in fact your issue with dryness is dehydration, it should improve tremendously.

I suggest a gel from one of these product lines because they are water soluble. There are many gels out there that are good for curly hair but be careful, because some other gels are full of synthetic silicones.

You can also check out other products I like on my website, strictlycurls.com.

For more information about product application check out other Q&A on this site.

Best of luck, Nicole

Pantene affordable miracle stuff

Pantene moisture SULFATE free line. I got the purple tubes and then the leave in conditioner for $5.99 each. You can bet on it ... miracle!

Great Product

There is a really great leave in product that is called Bio-silk. It's made with silk protein and it leaves your hair fortified and easy to comb out. It's a bit on the pricey side but it's worth it.

Been there

My hair was also very damaged and dry. Here's some tips.

Don't wash your hair every day. Try doing it every other day or every 3 days. The natural oils you produce that make your hair feel greasy are actually very good conditioning for your hair.

Don't do hot oil treatments.

DO go to a hair salon and get protein and other kinds of strengthening treatments. I get a treatment done at the salon once a month to keep my dry hair healthy.

When you can't go to the salon, do your own at home treatments. Invest in a good conditioner, like something from Chi, Paul Mitchell, Pureology, or Phyto Organics. Leave it in your hair and put your hair up in a shower cap. Leave it in the shower cap for 15-30 minutes, and every once in a while blow dry the shower cap (applying heat from the blow dryer while your hair is soaking up conditioner opens up the follicles, allowing your hair to absorb more of the conditioner). Then after 15-30 minutes rinse your hair in cold water. If you can't stand cold showers, rinse it in the sink.

I do at home treatments about once or twice a week. It's been working great so far. =)

Good luck!

Aw

Aww I sympathize! That must be a nightmare having nothing work. Have you tried other kinds of stuff, other than what you get in chemists, drug stores, etc.? Like specially for curly hair products that you buy online? I haven't tried these myself.

Hi Amber,

hair growth is based on (but not limited to) factors like diet, stress levels and genetics. Average hair growth is 1/2 inch to 1 inch per month. My hair on the other hand grows more like 1/4 of an inch a month so mine is on the slow side.

Even if you feel like your hair grows slowly it is still good to get it trimmed. This helps to re-oxygenate the hair from the ends up, keeping the hair in good condition so it doesn't split.

Some people claim there are vitamins you can take to help your hair grow faster. I have yet to see them make a huge difference. Best advice is to be patient or get extensions. I like the clip in extensions - they tend to be more gentle on the hair.

Best of luck, Nicole

Hi Alejandro,

if in fact your hair is falling out because of your conditioner, I would hope you have stopped using it. You may be allergic to something in it.

If it is not an allergic reaction there are some other things to consider.

Average hair loss is up to 75 hairs a day. If your hair is long it can wrap around and around your hands and it may feel like a lot more hair loss than it really is.

Stress, diet, change in medication, season change and lack of vitamins can affect the hair.

If you are losing hair in clumps then I would suggest seeing a doctor.

Best wishes, Nicole

Unfortunately, fine hair does have a tendency to break. I have seen your scenario before, when working at the salon. Part of it is genetics, sorry to say. But there are a few things you can do to help the integrity of the hair.

The hair is an extension of what you eat, among other things, so eat a healthy diet. Keep the stress down and feed your hair a mix of protein and moisture through the products you use. I have found positive results in using shampoo without sodium laurel sulfate. Deva Curl makes a shampoo called "Nopoo". This is a great moisturizing shampoo to try.

On average a person can loose anywhere from 50-100 hairs a day. When your hair is long it feels like a lot more than that because the length can wrap round and around your hands; so it feels like you're loosing a ton of hair.

Stress can also affect hair loss. If you find you are losing handfuls of hair in big clumps, I would seek a doctor's advice; there could be something more going on than just stress.

Best wishes,
Nicole

Fine hair is fragile hair and needs a little love.

Start by doing a good deep treatment and working on the inner integrity of the hair. (Product: Ouidad Deep Treatment)

Eating healthy food and keeping the stress level low are two good ways to help your hair.

It might feel like your hair doesn't grow because it may be breaking off around the shoulder region. By feeding your hair the proper balance of protein and moisture you will build a stronger foundation for your hair.

When it comes to using styling products to control your frizz, application is the key. Always work your lotion into the hair from the root area all the way to the ends, in a raking motion. Section off your hair so you can focus on one area at a time.

You can also check other styling Q&A on this site for more tips.

Good luck,
Nicole

I wish I had a secret formula for getting hair to grow faster. Like yours, my hair grows at a snail's pace.

Some things to try:

• scalp massages - these help circulate the blood on your scalp
• eat healthy foods
• keep stress low.

Unfortunately, I think a lot of it is genetics.

However, try a no sodium laurel sulfate shampoo. I have been reading up on this ingredient in shampoo and it doesn't look like a good thing for the hair when used in large %. So, I recommend the Deva Curl "NoPoo" shampoo. This is a no sodium laurel sulfate product that I love.

As far as styles for your hair you came to the right place! I so happen to have written a book for styling curly hair up. It is called Strictly Curls and you can view some of the looks on my web site - strictlycurls.com. The book is full of pictures of curly hair styled up, as well as down.

Best Wishes,
Nicole

Keeping the moisture in can be a challenge, especially on the ends.

The ends of your hair are the oldest. Regular trimming of you hair every 6-8 weeks will help with the health of your hair. Also, try a leave in conditioner every day, focusing the conditioner on the ends. Best wishes,
Nicole

Ways to help control breakage when pulling your hair up would be:

• use a covered rubber band;
• avoid pulling the hair back when it is wet. Wet hair is more fragile and more prone to stretch and break;
• move the bun around - try a high bun one day, a low bun the next day, a side bun the day after that

I would also suggest cutting your hair to a more manageable length. Try around the shoulder blade region. This way your hair won't be so heavy in the bun.

Best Wishes,
Nicole

I took a look at your great curls! Definitely workable.

I have a question about the color. Is this sun bleached or chemically?

Either way the hair is weakened and will, if not properly conditioned, break off more easily.

I suggest getting on a good deep treatment regimen. Find a deep treatment made for curly hair.

Also, check out the Water Works shampoo by Ouidad. This shampoo neutralizes the chemicals in the hair and does not strip it of the essential oils your hair needs. This will be great for chlorine if you are swimming in chlorinated swimming pools.

Another tip when swimming: try wetting your hair (pre-pool), and putting in a leave in conditioner. This will help create a barrier so your dry, porous hair does not suck up the chemicals in the water (as much); or wear a swim cap.

Once your hair has the moisture and protein balance it needs, it will take on its own bounce and shine and will be stronger for you to try growing it out into a style.

To help with the "Afro" effect, try applying your water-soluble product from root to end, working it through section by section in a raking motion. Air dry or diffuse. Just don't forget to de-crunch the curl when it's dry. To de-crunch take your hands, palms down, and massage or pinch the curls to take out the crunch.

Good Luck,
Nicole

Hair loss can happen for many reasons.

Hormone changes, seasonal change, medication, stress, and diet - all of these can affect your hair.

The average person can lose 75-100 hairs a day. If your hair is long it might feel like you're losing a lot more than that because the loose strands will wrap around your hand many times over. Your shower drain may be full of hair after you wash your hair but really it may only be 100 individual hairs.

If you do not wash your hair daily then some of those hairs that would have come out in the shower are still in the hair and they come out once you wash.

If you are losing handfuls of hair and in clumps or a crazy amount that you know is not normal then I would suggest seeing a doctor or nutritionist. They may check your thyroid or suggest vitamins you may be lacking.

Best of Luck, Nicole