I'm so upset about my hair

[NutellaEllaElla]

I don't know if anyone has any advice. The top layer of my hair has broken off at about 5 inches long. The rest is shoulder length. I think it's from when it was really hot and I tied it up a lot, I even slept in a ponytail. I've dyed my hair for many years and in the last year I have blow dried and straightened it a lot too. I know it feels worse than it is but I feel like it looks like a mullet. I'm devastated. I'm using Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate shampoo, conditioner and leave in treatment but my hair doesn't like it, I can shampoo it 3 times and it's still greasy. I've just done an Olaplex treatment for 2 or 3 hours. I'll probably buy the Olaplex shampoo and conditioner as well.

My hairdresser says I just have to wait for the short bits to grow back and of course that's true but how do I improve the health of my hair please? 😞

Stop abusing it! Sleeping with dyed and sun damaged hair in a ponytail was never a good idea!

If it was me I'd go cold turkey on dyes etc. Get a short cut and leave it the hell alone to get better.

Good luck.

Can you get a shorter cut to try and blend the layers in? Mullets are actually back in fashion now - Google wolf cut and see if that would work for your hair

Yep! As above, get it cut short if your facial structure can take it and lay off the dyes.
My hair did exactly what yours has done after my first baby was born. It wasn’t dyed but broke off terribly on the top of my head. I had it cut short and left it to “rest” until I could tell it was grown out & stronger. It might help if you try something like that?
It’s so demoralising but it’ll improve over the next six months so chin up. 😉

See a better hairdresser for starters, a good one should be advising you on protection and treatments. Get a good, shorter hair cut with a nourishing colour and you will feel amazing. Make sure you are giving your body what it needs in terms of nutrition, perhaps pop into a health food shop and ask about good supplements.

I agree, get a shag mullet, make the best of it and leave it alone for a while.

Get it cut shorter into a layered bob type style and give your hair a break from all the colouring, washing 3 times, blow dries and straightening. And you silly thing sleeping in a pony tail, I think that's what's finished it off...
Mine has never looked better since I gave up colouring it and went natural, it suits my skin tone much better which makes me look better overall. It's strong and shiny without any outside assistance

You are very kind, thank you. Funny my hair does have the wolf cut vibe about it.

I don't know what you mean about finding a better hairdresser to be honest. I already go to expensive salons though the staff are very young. The only other salons in my area are Toni and Guy so I don't think that would be an upgrade.

I had no idea tying it up was going to damage it. I've never had problems before but I've learned my lesson now.

Sleeping with your hair in a pony tail doesn't necessarily make it fall out on its own. I've always slept with mine in a ponytail and it's never snapped like this.

You need to stop with the colouring, dye, heat styling and everything else you're doing to it. No amount of expensive conditioner can truly repair damaged hair. I have naturally curly hair and just need to leave it the fuck alone.

Secondly, what is your diet like? How are your nails? If your hair is this brittle, make sure you haven't got any other underlying health issues causing it.

Olaplex. I don’t use the shampoo/conditioner but I have Olaplex 0 and 3 and put these in once a week over night. I’ve found that just a few hours don’t make much of a difference, but overnight definitely does!

I've got low iron, I take supplements but still get postural hypotension. G.P. doesn't seem interested in why.

Just leave it. Get a few layers cut in to disguise the breakage a bit, put a semi on it if it needs colouring so that no peroxide is going anywhere near it and stop drying/straightening it at all. Get a wide headband and wear it 60s style at the front of your head if that helps to disguise the breakage (it does on mine).

Then I’d load it with silicone for a few months personally. Nothing like a bit of temporary plastic coating from some Pantene to help it feel (superficially) better. Use olaplex if you think the breaking will continue but be careful not to overload it with protein since that can also cause damage and breakage.

Do you do anything to stop it just getting absorbed into your pillow?

You need to use a heat protecting spray before straightening, or don't straighten. If it's dyed then it will need conditioner with more protein in to help it repair.

I just put it on early in the evening so that it's dry when I go to bed.

I’ve read loose plait is the best way to sleep with long hair - no pulling on the strands and a silk pillowcase. Olaolex 3 is the repair treatment - it won’t feel better but apparently does the repair.
I didn’t like that redken one either. Try and only wash 2/3 times a week.

This happened to me. I lost so much hair due to illness and when it grew back it was so uneven.
Like you, the top layer seemed so much shorter than underneath but just didn't seem to grow!
I've had it cut several times over the last few months to try and even it out.
I also take strong vitamins which seem to be encouraging my hair to grow.

Don’t leave olaplex on overnight it gave me sebhorreic dermatitis and I’ve lost 3/4 of my hair
the stuff burns and stings . Go more natural and have a good cut and get lots of the right vitamins

Glad it's not just me not getting on with it. Have you found shampoo that works better for you?

Olaplex 2 is the one you really want to get your hands on. Olaplex 3 is a weaker version of olaplex 2.

I'm throwing everything at my knackered thinning hair. Olaplex 0 and 3, Elasticizer, Perfectil supplements etc. I'm seeing a bit of improvement with Pureology strength cure but it's going to take time to resurrect it.

0 and 3 is the regime used at the salon, albeit in a more dilute format.

That would be surprising. Most salons use 2 and sell you 3 for home use

Make sure you’re using a moisturising treatment in between olaplexs.

get some headbands to hide the broken bits

Try Viviscal supplements. They have really improved both the condition and density of my hair on several occasions and you can see a difference after 3/4 weeks.

Olaplex 0 is effectively a primer. 1 is then mixed in with colour, 2 is the bond perfector.

3 is a weaker version of 2 to keep up the bond strengthening