Ruined Curl Pattern

janayeidk

From around September 2013 to December 2013, I straightened my hair on a daily basis. From then on, my hair is now straight aside from the new curly growth on my scalp. By the way, I am 15. So Since December to now, my hair has been straight and doesn't bounce back. To be 100% honest, I don't want my curls back and I'm kind of happy I have this new manageable hair. But now my hair is unbelievably thin, and I want to grow my hair out but it will look odd being half curly/half straight. I want straight hair to be my everyday hair style but I don't it to be flat and lifeless and thin. This is where I don't know what to do. I hated my curls and don't want them back. But my hair looks weird now and I can't even straighten it because its so thin! Not to mention I want to grow my hair out to be down to my back. I want my hair to look naturally straight. I grow so frustrated to the point of tears because of my hair. Help me please!

BotticelliBrit

If I were you, I'd cut off as much of your damaged / thin ends as possible, so you're almost 'starting fresh'.

Then, if straight hair is really what you'd desire, I'd suggest you go and get a chemical straightening treatment done. It's a permanent thing (that obviously you'll need to get done again every 6 months - 1 year, as your roots come through) and would mean you don't have to straighten it every day.

Also, plenty of deep conditioning and coconut oil treatments will help moisture and 'patch' the damage on your hair.

janayeidk

BotticelliBrit wrote: »

If I were you, I'd cut off as much of your damaged / thin ends as possible, so you're almost 'starting fresh'.

Then, if straight hair is really what you'd desire, I'd suggest you go and get a chemical straightening treatment done. It's a permanent thing (that obviously you'll need to get done again every 6 months - 1 year, as your roots come through) and would mean you don't have to straighten it every day.

Also, plenty of deep conditioning and coconut oil treatments will help moisture and 'patch' the damage on your hair.

My mom won't allow me to do that because my hair would fall out if I did that. But my MAIN issue i have here is what to do with my hair. Since it grows out curly, its curly at the top and straight the rest. If I cut the damaged ends and let it grow out, it will still be curly at the top and half straight. The only way I see myself growing my hair out is if I get my curls back. But, since I want my hair to be straight on the daily, I don't see how this would work. I wouldn't mind my hair so much if it didn't grow puffy and outwards more so instead of down like other peoples'. But it doesn't. I want my hair to look like Camila Cabello's (google camila cabello long hair). I just wish my hair would look like that but there is no way. I'm kind of going on a tangent but long story short, I just want advice on what I should do with my hair in this situation!

Blueblood

@janayeidk your hair will not fall out if it's chemically straighten properly.

In fact the heat damage has caused your hair to "fall out".

janayeidk

I wish someone would tell my mother that. She won't allow me to. I've asked multiple times.

Blueblood

janayeidk wrote: »

I wish someone would tell my mother that. She won't allow me to. I've asked multiple times.

You are just going to wait until you earn your own money.

chupie

I gotta tell you, I wish my hair looked like the attached. It doesn't. I struggle wanting curliER hair. Sometimes, you have to work to make your hair the healthiest it can be. It could also be, if you learned some techniques that made your curly hair as healthy as it could be, you'd like it better. And probably, even if you want to straighten it someday, you need to let it come in as healthy as possible so that it can take chemical treatment. ANd THEN when you get it straightened (which you'll be able to do on your own someday) you need to use many of the same techniques you learn keeping your curly hair healthy, to keep your chemically straightened hair in good shape. Keep reading here and around on how to let your hair coming in be its healthiest. By the time you are 18, you will have the hair to work with that *won't* fall out or break off (as long as you go to someone GOOD for a treatment) and you will have the experience to keep it from being too fragile. Mostly likely anyway.

chupie

(Forgot pic. This would be my dream hair. Never gonna happen for me.)

janayeidk

okay, say I wanted my curls back. how would I even do that? I don't want to have to cut any of my hair off. I know people sometimes just cut off the hair with the damaged curl pattern but if I did that I would legitimately have no hair left. are there any products to get it back?

Firefox7275

Sounds like you have significant heat damage and breakage. Sadly there is no way back from that except to cut it off and start over. Then with your new shorter hair you have the choice to embrace your curls with the Curly Girl method (they really do not have to be 'hard to handle', you just need to stop treating them like straight hair). OR to return to flat ironing your hair BUT way more gently.

Turn the heat down on your flat iron, do not iron daily, don't do too many passes, ALWAYS iron on bone dry hair (ideally air dried the night before), use scientifically proven heat protectant ingredients not just silicones.
THE NATURAL HAVEN: Straightening Facts :How hot is too hot?
THE NATURAL HAVEN: Heat on Wet Hair = Bubble Hair
How to protect your hair from heat damage
Brightest Bulb In the Box: Beauty for Critical Minds: The Science of Hairstyling Heat Protection Products
Science-y Hair Blog: Product List By Category

Learn no heat methods of stretching out or loosening your curls such as wet wrapping and sock bun waves from YouTube. Patch repair minor damage with proven ingredients like coconut oil, hydrolysed protein, ceramide, 18-MEA and panthenol.
List of Products Containing Ceramides and/or 18-MEA

janayeidk

See, the problem with that is I would literally have to shave my head. There wouldn't be any short hair or hair at all. Not only do I not want to do that, my mom would not allow it. My mom is happier with my new hair than I am. I know i'm sounding like a spoiled child ("I don't wanna!"), but that's just how I feel I guess. I guess I'll just leave my hair the way it is if there is no other way to fix it aside from shaving my head. Here is a picture of my hair back in January-February. 762.jpg And here is a picture now: photo.JPG You can see it got curlier at the roots and is now looking a mess! I did the egg, mayo and oil mask today for the first time to try it. I don't know if these pics will help at all but here they are!

Wildfox

If your concern is losing length than I would cut about one or half an inch of the damage every month as your roots grow out. It will take a long time but is an alternative to doing a big chop. Would a braid out or a twist out help the two textures blend a little better in the meantime?

janayeidk

No, I don't have that type of hair. I have never been able to wear any hair styles like that. When my hair was curly it was always out or up in a ponytail or bun! I really do like your advice though. I'm blessed that my hair grows so fast, I cut it last july up to my shoulders and by october 2013, it was longer than it is now! I'm going to start taking biotin again to make the growth even faster. I will have to talk to my hairdresser about cutting it and straightening it w/o permanent damage. Thanks!

Wildfox

Then I think if I was in your position I would keep it in a bun and slick the edges back so it matches while doing frequent protein and deep conditioning treatments. I would try not to straighten it if possible, at one point a couple years ago my hair was so fried from a flat iron that it started breaking off in little pieces all the way up the shaft. Now that I've been taking care of my curly hair I can straighten occasionally with little to no harm.

janayeidk

I don't really have a problem with the way my hair looks down (it looks worse in the back than the front haha), would it be a problem if I just left it down as it grew? Also, do you have any protein and deep conditioning treatments to recommend along with how often I should do them? I've also read online about the inversion method, where people grow their hair up to 4 inches a week, do you know anything about that? I think I might do that while continuously getting it cut until the damage is gone. From the pictures above, do you think you could guess how long it will take to get rid of all the damage? Thanks a lot!

Wildfox

Leaving it down shouldn't be a problem, especially for the new growth. Personally I use aphogee 2-step protein treatment from Sally's once a month and I'm also using kinky curly stellar strands deep conditioner at least once a week. However, I would check the different forums and try to get an idea of your hair properties so you have a better idea of what might work for you. I've never tried the inversion method but 4 inches a week is extremely doubtful. I believe the average hair growth rate is 3/4 inch per month and your hair looks quite long so to completely grow it out would likely take at least one-two years.

chupie

Do you live near any of these stylists? If you do, I think they could really help you learn what to do with your hair and make it healthy How to find a Curly Hair Artist in your Area - Krista Leavitt - Curl Specialist

janayeidk

I do live near one of those specialists! Are they expensive? What exactly do they do?

janayeidk

Wildfox wrote: »

Leaving it down shouldn't be a problem, especially for the new growth. Personally I use aphogee 2-step protein treatment from Sally's once a month and I'm also using kinky curly stellar strands deep conditioner at least once a week. However, I would check the different forums and try to get an idea of your hair properties so you have a better idea of what might work for you. I've never tried the inversion method but 4 inches a week is extremely doubtful. I believe the average hair growth rate is 3/4 inch per month and your hair looks quite long so to completely grow it out would likely take at least one-two years.

Yeah, I agree that 4 inches a week is quite a stretch. I think I will try it anyway because it won't cause any damage so what is there to lose? I'm also glad that if I had to make this mistake, I made it young. Between the two pictures, which are about 6 months apart, do you think my hair has been curling up or it's just new growth? It could be the protein treatment I did as well but it looks like I have less straight strands. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx5ZB4EoMis&list=UUaYcVNj7C_NNnUSlGXi7iBg

chupie

THis is a group of stylists who have banded together to share techniques for taking the best care possible of curly hair, share the best styling and cutting techniques. They are professionals who LOVE and UNDERSTAND curly hair. Frankly, if you are near one of them, I'd try getting an appointment and working with them on a plan to restore your hair to the best it can be. You might even start liking your hair. A lot of their work is displayed here https://www.facebook.com/curlyhairartistry and if you can find a facebook page for the one near you, they may also have examples. These are the kind of stylists who will work WITH you on a real plan.