Why is my hair snapping so badly?

[24kPalamino]

I’m 46 years old and I don’t really do very much with my hair apart from use semi permanent dye.

I hit peri menopause and suddenly my hair has just been getting really bad. As seen in the photo. It feels a lot dryer and whilst it’s not falling out, it’s snapping right along the hair shaft. You can see it in this picture.

I use OlaPlex products. I use masks regularly. I use Moroccan oil as well and heat protector. I wash it every other day. I do straighten my hair and also use the irons for curls, and I have been trying to reduce the amount I use this, but it doesn’t matter what I do my hair quality is just not improving.

The biggest thing I’ve noticed though is it seems to have stopped growing altogether. My hair is an identical length to what it was when I had it cut back in October. In fact, I’ve delayed having it cut again multiple times because it’s just not growing, so I don’t want it shorter…. But at the same time, not having a trim is exacerbating the dry feel.

I’m going to start HRT in two weeks and I’m really hoping this might make a difference, but I really need some help to understand why my hair is not growing and why my hair is snapping. Up until this point my hair has always been super thick, super shiny and good condition. It is making me feel so sad. This has been happening over the last six months I would say.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I’ve heard Olaplex can actually cause hair breakage. I stopped using it myself as I thought it was making the condition of my hair worse.

Oh wow. Ok. That’s not good!

Could you try a hair supplement? There are loads on the market.
Could you be low in iron/ferritin? That can really affect hair. i had hair loss when young because of it.
Normal olive oil is very good for hair; I leave it on for a couple of hours and then apply shampoo before water to ensure it's removed properly. It leaves it silky and soft.

...you can buy ferritin tester kits in Boots.

I found as I got older, and started colouring my hair more, my hair changed from greasy/ normal, to dry, and I always have to use conditioners now.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-64662934

Article about Olaplex.

Sorry, I should’ve said that I do take biotin and cod liver oil. I’ve had my iron and ferritin levels checked and they’re all good. I will give you olive oil trick to go though that sounds promising, thank you!

Thank you for this. I’ll give it a read and perhaps layoff the Olaplex for a while.
My hair is definitely changing with my age. I can’t believe how different it is in just six months though.

Sounds like too much protein in your routine, they can make hair brittle and dry. Lack of growth is a separate problem, this might be a hormonal imbalance or some kind of deficiency (iron, ferritin or both - ferritin is your long-term storage of iron). If it’s been 6 months, did something happen 9 months ago, have you been on an extreme diet for example? It usually takes 3 months before your hair react to changes.

Mine is the same, it did get better on hrt but it’s getting a bit snappy again lately so I think things need reviewing.

My hair was in a terrible condition after using Olaplex. Breaking, felt thinner. Stopped using it and it did recover but took time. There’s a whole load of FB groups complaining of the same thing and hair loss

I’ve been on Mounjaro since April last year. I don’t think it explicitly stops hair growth. But I have lost about 6 stone.

I hope HRT makes a difference for me. Sorry it’s no longer improving your hair and fingers crossed you find a solution.

That’s shocking! I will put the OlaPlex away for a while and use an alternative. Thanks.

Oh it's very likely the Mounjaro. Well, not directly, but weight loss frequently causes telogen effluvium. It will grow back. Absolutely loads of people have had it on the WLI board. About 1/3 of my hair fell out (nobody else noticed in my case as my hair is mad thick).

You can overload your hair with protein; no harm in reducing the amount of Olaplex. Worth assessing the actual properties of your hair. https://www.byrdie.com/protein-vs-moisture-for-hair-8714577

In general usually the answer is to reduce the amount of stuff you put on your hair and reduce the amount of battering it takes, rather than adding more. Wash it a bit less. When you wash it, use a shampoo brush (cost about £3), shampooing the roots twice and detangling the length with conditioner on your fingers, gently in the shower. When you dry it, press it dry in a microfibre headwrap instead of vigorously towelling. Don't sleep on wet hair. Don't use heat so much, and when you do, use a lower heat.

Opalex absolutely knackered my hair. I had the big bottles and I’d finished them before I realised it was the opalex. I thought it,was just my age.

You say you do not do much to it but you are dying it and using straighteners. If you are dying it a darker colour, you could try ‘it’s pure’ henna and see if that makes a difference.

https://itspure.co.uk/collections/100-organic-hair-dye?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23404930537&gbraid=0AAAAApQBpEhaDc1_NboE4c4rwg7wwV-M_&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyumqmbCrkwMVD4BQBh0PQCCMEAAYASAAEgKoePD_BwE

Yep Olaplex is the problem. Ruined my hair for years. It was great to start with then all these similar problems came out

In general usually the answer is to reduce the amount of stuff you put on your hair and reduce the amount of battering it takes, rather adding more. Wash it a bit less. When you wash it, use a shampoo brush (cost about £3), shampooing the roots twice and detangling the length with conditioner on your fingers, gently in the shower. When you dry it, press it dry in a microfibre headwrap instead of vigorously towelling. Don't sleep on wet hair. Don't use heat so much, and when you do, use a lower heat.

Thos is pretty much what I did. I’ve started using Faith in Nature now, one of my dc was using it anyway as she has multiple allergies to chemicals that are in products. So I knew there were less chemicals in it than other hair products anyway. And I use coconut oil as an intensive conditioner once a week.

The growth stop will be caused by the weight loss then, the timing is also right - it takes 3-4 months for hair to react to a change/event.
If you have been eating less and your diet wasn’t really varied to start with it’s very likely that you are deficient in some nutrients.

Hair react to iron deficiency. Your body also needs for instance folate to make new cells and if’s a very common deficiency with diet that not varied enough.

Hairstylist here !
It could be your hormones but I would cut back on all your hair products just use a nice moisturisering shampoo and conditioner nothing that says fixes or strengthening because these contain proteins and can make hair brittle (Protein overload ) wear a silk bonnet at night and baby your hair don't comb hair when wet this is when most damage occurs and at its most fragile do not rub or dry hair with towel wrap it up and pat redken leave in concentrate treatment the bonding one is excellent x

Drop the OlaPlex - often destroys hair rather than helps it. Check iron levels.

Also remember just shampoo the scalp itself - just run the soap down the rest of the hair & don’t rub it in. Select the conditioner for the type of hair (dry).

Just seen this !! This can definitely effect hair growth and not having enough goodness in your diet will 100% affect hair are your nails affected in anyway ?

My silk pillowcase has made a huge difference to the feel of my hair. Take it everywhere with me now and love getting up tangle free in the mornings.

Google olaplex lawsuit

No, my nails grow at the speed of light! I’m cutting them every five minutes and they are solid as a rock. They’ve always been this way though.

Semi-permanent dye wrecks hair, I use it and my hair is terrible.