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Hair looks like shredded wheat. Help!

14 replies

Leicesterpiggott · 27/09/2017 08:34

On verge of shaving my hair off. I'm 45... it's shoulder length and highlighted. Used to be all swishy but over the past few months has got dryer and frizzier.. it's breaking up by my forehead... coming off in my brush and generally looks dull, ratty, dry and shite. I have been using Revlon uniq One for years... I was loving it but obv now need something a bit more hardcore as a product to put in after washing and before drying. What wonder products are out there that have transformed your hair? I'll spend whatever it costs! Thanks. 👵🏻

OP posts:
withlotsoflove · 27/09/2017 11:33

Can you go back to your hairdresser!
I think they might be able to suggest something to fix it? Especially the highlights issue.
Maybe a more protecting thing for your hair?

trappedinsuburbia · 27/09/2017 16:28

My hair is like straw naturally and I also love getting in bleached at the hairdressers.
Today my hair is all swishy and lovely !
I popped into semi chem yesterday and picked up a little bottle of coconut water which is actually an oil for your hair in a spray bottle for the grand total of £1.
My hair looks normal for a change!

Thingsiseeinmybathroom · 27/09/2017 16:31

Try either coconut cream or argan oil maybe?

greenhighlighter · 27/09/2017 16:36

Try redken protein spray, an intensive hair mask once a week and lay off heat as much as possible.

SmileInAWhile · 27/09/2017 16:39

A deep repair hair treatment like This will help with the condition. Try and stay away from heat as much as possible and treat it regularly.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 27/09/2017 16:41

Coconut oil over night and washed off in the morning- shampoo before wetting with the shower.

ProseccoMamam · 27/09/2017 17:27

Sounds like it's very dry, which is weakening the hair shaft causing it to break off. You need regular condition treatments at a salon plus daily oil on the ends of your hair. Moisturising shapooo and conditioner and (if you can) sleep in coconut oil once a week wearing a head wrap. Change to a silk pillowcase as this doesn't absorb moisture from the hair and doesn't 'snag' the hair and break it while you sleep x

TheBusThatCouldntSlowDown · 27/09/2017 21:18

Try adding more good fats to your diet (omega 3, salmon, avocado) or a hair, skin and nail vitamin. Superdrug often have Perfectil on offer.

Also, I got a deep conditioning hair mask from Lidl (!) last week and it's amazing . you shampoo, put the mask on (it says for 2 minutes but I patted my hair with a towel, applied the mask then wrapped it up damp for a couple of hours) then rinse out. It's called Cien Intensive Repair Mask and was super cheap.

iamapixiebutnotaniceone · 27/09/2017 21:20

I ruined my hair with bleach, a mask made up of mashed banana, an egg and olive oil once a week has worked wonders

TealStar · 27/09/2017 21:25

Your hair was my hair eighteen months ago 😬
My hair is soft, silky and in better condition than ever. Still growing out the broken layers though 😔

This is what I've done:
Accepted that I have fine hair that is losing pigment and aging so needs to be treated like a baby.
Stopped using bleach and started using a nourishing dye instead (it's a new formula - ask your hairdresser about it)
Used hair protector before straightening. This is essential.
Eased off on the straightening.
Taken biotin, a multivitamin and collegen supplements every day.
Once a week use a hair mask. PHilip Kingsley elasticiser helped to get it back into swingyness but I now use a regular high street deep treatment. (Temporarily forgotten which one)
Had two - three BIG trims in that time (one time about six inches had to go)

It takes time but does get there. You must start to look after it though!

Seeyamonday · 27/09/2017 21:28

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen

Coconut oil over night and washed off in the morning- shampoo before wetting with the shower.

THIS... I do it once a week, argan oil is too heavy for my hair but coconut oil is lighter, it's amazing stuff, give it a try.

user1493202565 · 28/09/2017 09:26

My hair has been every colour of the rainbow the past 15 years and has been almost completely burnt off more times than I can count. I have managed to turn it around every time and have it feel soft and healthy again in just a few weeks with this regimen:

Alternate olaplex 3 and oil treatment weekly (jamaican black castor with coconut oil is great for hair growth). Leave both treatments on over night with a shower cap/stretch foil.

Shampoo, mask and conditioner in the morning. Leave the mask in as long as possible too, at least 20 min.

Always use lukewarm or cold water on your hair, not hot.

Use a tangle teezer or something similar to detangle your hair without pulling it out.

Leave in conditioner after towel drying. Avoid heat styling (including hair dryer) as much as possible and air dry.

Avoid washing your hair as long as possible. Use dry shampoo in between and boar bristle bush to redistribute the oils from your scalp to your ends.

It doesnt work for everyone but trying switching to no shampoo method or cleansing conditioner if you want to be extreme. If your hair is super dry and doesnt get oily at all like mine it works wonders. You have to do a normal shampoo after opaplex or oil but my midweek washes are all with conditioner (co-wash)

Trim the burnt ends and if there any completely fried to the root bits that are unrescuable cut them off ONLY if it will not be noticable. I have crazy thick hair so if I cut off some parts from in between my layers you can’t see it all, obviously you can’t do this with short hair. If you are not 100% about this, don’t do it or have a proffessional do it, its only a last resort and I only do it because my hair has been fried so many times that I know exactly what parts will never get better and only keep making my hairbrush get stuck on them and pull out the healthy hairs around them.

Stop bleaching if you can. If you absolutely have to bleach, use a bleach bath to do it gradually. Im on my mobile so I can’t explain a bleach bath right now but it is easy to google. Basically you mix bleach with conditioner and put it on over coconut oil mask to diminish both its bleaching and harmful effects greatly and protect your hair. Doing this a few times to gradually get the shade you want is a lot less damaging than bleaching it all at once.

To give you an exampel, exactly a month ago I bleached my hair white for the 4th time this year, dyed it pink then 2 days later bleached it again, dyed it red then a week later put henna on in it and then bleached the roots and dyed it copper. Half my hair fell out from the roots. Touching it felt like touching sandpaper and there were these dried bits that stuck together that I couldnt even put my fingers through after drowning them in oil/conditioners.

Now a month later after doing the above my hair feels super soft and the awful bits are completely gone (only cut off a few at my neck because I never put my hair up). Its still falling out a lot but a lot less, especially if I am gentle with washing, drying, combing etc. I will probably be an idiot in the future and burn it all off again at one point (I am addicted I think) to get a crazy colour for a week. And it might catch up to me at one point but so far especially the olaplex/oil combo has worked every time for many years.

Sorry for the wall of text and if there is any crap spelling. I hate typing on mobile. I really hope some of this helps you, I know how awful it feels to have your hair burn off but don’t give up hope you can get it back! Just don’t be like me and burn it off again like me once you do Grin

Leicesterpiggott · 28/09/2017 18:11

Thanks al of you for some brilliant advice!! Off for a chop 💇🏼 and to buy some coconut 🌴 oil.

OP posts:
ViserionTheDragon · 29/09/2017 00:58

Another coconut oil recommendation here. Hope your hair manages to recover OP.

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