Hair mysteries - totally baffled

[avobelly]

For the last 10+ years, I've had my hair cut with NO layers (I always specify this with the hairdresser). I have naturally curly hair but used to straighten it 2-3 times/week pre-Covid, less so now. It's neither thin nor thick and was shoulder-length pre-Covid, after which I let it grow a few inches longer.

About a year ago, two weird things started happening:

1. layers have mysteriously appeared in my hair. I assumed this was because I'd been straightening it too much, but two different hairdressers have told me that although I have heat damage, it won't have resulted in layers like this - apparently it looks like someone purposely put them in. However, I genuinely don't recall any haircuts where this happened - surely I would have noticed?

2. previously when I straightened my hair, I'd get a good 2-4 days of straight hair out of it. Now, I'm lucky if it lasts more than a few hours. However, I don't think the ghd itself has gotten any weaker, as it takes me the same amount of time and effort to straighten my hair initially it just doesn't last as long...

Does anyone know what could be going on?

Fwiw I only jump around different hairdressers as job/partner/family mean I am constantly traveling between different places - not being unfaithful, it's just not practical to go to the same person consistently.

PS I am prepared to be told I am nuts as anyone I've mentioned this to irl has been very skeptical, but I just don't understand what's going on and how I could have missed the this - seemed like a very gradual change with the layers as opposed to an overnight one

Have you had Covid at all over the last year or so? It could have been some hair loss and then re-growth?

Has your diet changed?
Have you been suffering from stress or similar?
Could it be hormonal - thyroid/post-partum/perimenopause?

@lesgalettes

Have you had Covid at all over the last year or so? It could have been some hair loss and then re-growth?

I didn't know that Covid hair loss was a thing, but I just googled... definitely could be, had it twice... thank you, that's a really interesting lead

Menopause?

@WhoppingBigBackside

Has your diet changed? Have you been suffering from stress or similar? Could it be hormonal - thyroid/post-partum/perimenopause?

Yes to the diet and stress - lots of work stress and lockdown led to very unhealthy eating habits that I haven't been able to shake... thank you, hadn't even occurred to me that this might be connected...

As someone who regularly straightens my own curly hair, I think the straightening is damaging your hair TBH. I really had to cut down how much I was straightening mine because it wrecked my hair, despite all the conditioning and heat protection products.

How old are your straighteners? Once mine started dying they didn't get as hot and my hair didn't straighten as well. So they could be on their way out. But I wouldn't rush to replace them TBH because it sounds like your hair needs the rest.

@Bunce1

Menopause?

Yeah, I blame everything on bloody perimenopause!

@WispaBurgerbites you're right, it definitely needs a rest... I just wonder if there's something else at play, since two different professionals said they could see the heat damage but didn't understand the "new" layers. I've had this straightener probably for about 3 years now, do you think that's too long? Any other tips for curly hair? I hate how unpredictable it is...

@Bunce1 @RestingMurderousFace not this time, but I appreciate that's another obvious answer!

Hi, I had long hair during the Pandemic but then caught the virus. My hair broke so much that it looked as thought it had layers in - it then, unfortunately, started to come out at the roots. I had it cut short as soon as I could get to the hairdressers and have had to start again. It was my hairdresser that told me of "Covid Hair". Also, definitely the texture of my hair changed - not sure if that was Covid or just old age :) Not saying you should have your hair cut short, but maybe change products to help. I moved to shampoos that were silicone free and put coconut oil on my hair one night a week (leave in overnight). This has seriously helped and now may hair is in the best condition it has ever been and is growing back nicely. I hope that helps because there will be light at the end of the tunnel.

@TopSec

Hi, I had long hair during the Pandemic but then caught the virus. My hair broke so much that it looked as thought it had layers in - it then, unfortunately, started to come out at the roots. I had it cut short as soon as I could get to the hairdressers and have had to start again. It was my hairdresser that told me of "Covid Hair". Also, definitely the texture of my hair changed - not sure if that was Covid or just old age :) Not saying you should have your hair cut short, but maybe change products to help. I moved to shampoos that were silicone free and put coconut oil on my hair one night a week (leave in overnight). This has seriously helped and now may hair is in the best condition it has ever been and is growing back nicely. I hope that helps because there will be light at the end of the tunnel.

Thank you so much - this is super helpful and I feel much better knowing I'm not the only one!