Thick thick thick hair, what works?

[Darkestseasonofall]

My hair is making my life a misery, I've battled it for years now and I'm unwilling to accept I'll never have decent hair.
The strands are not coarse or thick, they are quite fine, but there is SO much of it. It's porous and takes an age to dry, so I end up air drying it, it's reasonable for a day then explodes into frizz.
It's curly at the back and straight at the front, I HATE it.
I feel like I've tried every cut, product and method known to man, but I'm willing to keep trying.
Has anyone got any suggestions or tips please, I'm really at the end of my tether.

Keratin straightening.. kit from amazon or hairdressers.

@sozbabes I had that done twice at a a salon, I wasn't desperately impressed at the time, maybe I should try again at another salon?

Undercut! Removes the weight, makes it so much more manageable, was a revelation to me.

@queenoftheiceage I had an undercut for a while with a short bob, it certainly was liberating. Now I'm trying to grow my hair a bit longer I find the undercut looks absolutely dreadful with my hair up (I'm a nurse so unless it's really quite short it has to be tied up) so that's out too.
I'm not being oppositional, I really have tried everything I can think of

If you're open to chemicals - permanent straightening. The "thermal reconditioning", "Japanese straightening" kind done with ammonium thioglycolate (thio) and hot tools. The result is straight, silky, flat hair.

You can get it done at a salon but it's expensive due to the time it takes. It's pretty easy to DIY if you can get the kit, I use Matrix OptiSmooth for resistant hair and leave it on for the max time. Only needs topping up every 3-6 months as roots grow out, it doesn't wear off the lengths.

It's been magical for me, I can wake up every day with the same hair!

According to my hairdresser I have the thickest hair she has ever seen. I cannot stand the weight of it. I have now embraced the pixie cut with slight undercut. I couldn't go back.

My hair is insanely thick also. For years I straightened, chemically straightened, and had an undercut. It took so much time and money. Now I grow it as long as possible, and the weight pulls it down. Once a week I wash it and use a good conditioner. It's magic!

I have super thick hair too, these are the things that I've found work for me after a lifetime of trying...
Thinning scissors and lots of layers cut through by my hairdresser
Sulfate free shampoo (Cantu) followed by a silicone free conditioner and a lot of leave in conditioner (also silicone free).
Air dry hair and brush it as little as possible (when wet and when dry)
Almond oil on the lengths and the ends in the evening to stop the frizz (looks greasy that night but absorbs throughout the night)
Plait or twist hair into a bun most of the time, it looks lovely soft and wavy when I do take it out of the plait/bun, but still has plenty of volume.

I too have super thick hair, and need to tie my hair up.
Currently (best solution I've found!) I have shoulder length hair, with undercut. I can tie my hair back at the nape of my neck, when I do that you cant tell I have an undercut. But when my hair is loose the undercut takes weight out and prevents me looking like a mushroom!
Btw I hate layers with a passion, if you tie your hair back bits are constantly falling forward in your face. Hate it!

@Darkestseasonofall - My hair seems similar to yours (loads of it) and while practical, I didn't like my undercut for the reasons you describe. I grew it out and my hairdresser removed the weight/volume by romping into the section at the back of my head around eye level. The top and bottom layers are unaffected so looks good down or up. It isn't as short as an undercut but it's a fair bit shorter than top/bottom and has reduced drying time and bulk considerably.

@AnotherFuckingUsername I want that!!! Apparently it's called internal layering and is amazing on hair like ours, but I can't for the life of me find a hairdresser who can do it. I've phoned around, had numerous consultations etc, and not a dicky bird. I've been after having it done for ages. How did you find this amazing hairdresser of yours?

@Ulelia

My hair is insanely thick also. For years I straightened, chemically straightened, and had an undercut. It took so much time and money. Now I grow it as long as possible, and the weight pulls it down. Once a week I wash it and use a good conditioner. It's magic!

That would also be my tip - don't wash it too often. And you can ask for invisible layers at the hairdresser - that takes some of the weight off but doesn't affect the length.

I have taken to washing it less (with non sulfate shampoo) and co-washing inbetween. Its certainly a bit easier to manage. But you have my sympathies, my hair only really ever looks nice when the hairdresser has blow dried it.

@Darkestseasonofall ooooo, I now know the name for it . On the off chance Edinburgh is doable, happy to share his details. If not, have you got a cautious and careful friend you could trust? Actually, bugger that - having spent an age growing out the undercut I'm not sure I would go for that option.

@AnotherFuckingUsername I wish I was, I'm in South Wales! We must be a decade behind in hairdressing techniques .
I used to hack into my own hair like that in my 20s when I wore it long and wild, now I'm pushing 40 I want to look a bit polished and grown up (fuck I'm getting middle aged).
Thanks for all the tips about washing, I wash when absolutely needed so every 4 or 5 days, my hair usually looks good on day 5 after 4 days of frizz, shame it's filthy by then!

My hair was terrible when it was a Bob and shoulder length, it sprung out like a triangle. Now it is longer the thickness works well with layers at the bottom. I wash 2-3 times a week, leave to dry naturally and heat style when nearly dry.

A woman I knew swore by, instead of an undercut, having small (c. 2mm)horizontal, parallel lines shaved into the middle area of her hair. They didn't go all the way around her head and were completely hidden in her crazy thick hair. You couldn't tell at all when her hair was all up and when she did something like half up she parted it along one of the lines and it just looked like and extremely clean part.

Unfortunately I haven't talked to her in ages so I can't get more info for you. And this was in Hong Kong, so I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't a 'thing' in the UK!

That sounds like my hair. The only thing that works is getting my hair cut every eight weeks and having the hair dresser take huge chunks out with the thinning scissors. That means it hangs so much better and is far less bushy. I also avoid blow drying it from wet and only finish it off with the hair dryer when it's damp.

My hair is like yours. I got a steam pod straightener and it is really really good. You can fit a lot of hair in it at once and it's not too damaging. On the rare occasion that I wear my hair down, I just do the top section and it calms it down enough to look presentable

@AnotherFuckingUsername Edinburgh is doable for me .
Would you share your hairdressers details with me please if you dont mind ?

I’d love to get this thick mop under control..

@babbi no problem - it's Alan at Caldow near Haymarket Station. I am very loyal to him and his scissors. He's managed to tame mine without use of thinning scissors which caused a great big dogs breakfast with a previous hairdresser.

I have v similar hair except my strands are many very coarse and wiry. I've never been able to grow it long (longest was at primary school and even then barely below my shoulders). As I've got older, it has become curlier and with a bit of effort, can look half decent. However, it curls at a really random place, so no matter how many layers and thinning, it still mushrooms mid head plus I'm not one for products or spending time on it.

I'm growing said layers out and am going to discuss the keratine treatment with my hairdresser. Thought about an undercut over lockdown but can't be arsed with the upkeep. My hair looks healthier and is easier to manage when it's chin length. For those of you who have suggested growing it so it is weighed down, is this as well as thinning etc? Because I'm not sure I could cope with it - just so much of it, it doesn't look healthy or shiny, takes ages to dry etc.
When I was in my early 20s, I was lucky enough to have the Yuko straightening treatment during a trip to Malaysia. It was relatively new then and a fraction of the price over here. Oh my. My hair was the softest and smoothest it has ever been. Perhaps a bit too straight but I didnt8even have to comb it, it would just dry and hang beautifully. My mum (reason for my crazy hair) nearly cried when she saw it.

My only regret was how short my hair was at the time, I think it would've looked lovely a bit longer. Ahhh, nearly 20 years ago!

I have naturally thick, heavy hair which is waistlength. I have a razored long shag, not a pair of scissors goes near it and the lack of weight brings out the natural wave. Wash, sea salt spray, scrunch dry, done.