Hi,

I've had small amounts of breakage throughout my natural hair journey (almost 3 years) no matter what I did to balance the moisture and protein. The breakage never completely stopped. Despite the breakage, my hair has grown from 3" to BSL and is very healthy. However, it also has low porosity so I have to force the moisture into my hair. Oh, the hair I see are little Cs so I'm pretty sure it's breakage. Also, it doesn't matter if my hair is wet or dry I'll see the little Cs and no matter how gentle I am with it!

I'd really like to see the breakage stop because I'm noticing short pieces of hair at the root and different lengths throughout my twists. My weekly routine consists hot oil treatment w/ EVOO, coconut oil, & JBCO; cleanse my hair with a sulfate free shampoo, & deep condition w heat using a mixture of oils, honey, & Ayurvedics. I do a protein treatment with mayo & eggs usually every 8-10 weeks or when I see more breakage than normal.

After cleansing my hair I always apply my LIC (a mixture of Cantu Shea Butter & KCC Knot Today), a cream based moisturizer, and seal with an oil. This method works better for my hair due to low porosity. I put my hair in twists and wear twist outs for the most part. I moisturize my hair at least 3x week by putting little water on the hair to dampen it and reapplying the cream moisturizer & sealing with oil. I rarely blow dry my hair, and if I do I use the tension method. I never, ever flat iron!!

I handle my hair very gently and only de-tangle when I cleanse my hair and only under running water with my wide tooth comb. This is done only once a week.

Any suggestions to stop the breakage? Anyone else with this problem? If so, what did you do to stop it?

Do you think I should use a more aggressive protein treatment? Or, should I simply continue to make sure the roots are oiled daily?

Thanks for your help!

You haven't mentioned trimming - do you trim? If so how often?

I've got into the habit of dusting my ends lightly every 6 weeks instead if trimming twice a year like I used to - this keeps breakage and rough ends at bay

I'm having the same problem with breakage. At first I thought it was my ends but I get them clipped often. It's like my hair is shedding and idk how to stop it. Should I braid it and use a certain type of product?

Hmm I've been hearing a lot of people worrying about shedding. Unless its excessive shedding like literally falling out in clumps and leaving bald patches, there's no need to worry. Shedding is natural and it makes way for new growth. And the hair sheds no matter if you handle it a little or a lot - that's why when people protective styles they usually have a backlog of shed hairs that need to be removed.

Just make sure you can recognise the difference between shedding and breakage and you'll be fine

Coating your scalp with coconut oil can help reduce shedding. It worked for me and Cipriana of UrbanBushBabes on YouTube. Hope this helps!

Coating as in pre-poo or coating as in greasing the scalp and leaving it on?

Ah I didn't know that, you learn something new every day!

Add a teaspoon of molasses to your deep conditioner. It helped my shedding. It's worth a try.

As in melting it down, applying it to your scalp and leaving it there. Make sure you don't coat your scalp to heavily though. Let me know if this helps at all!

I agree, hair's gonna shed. Hair is also gonna break if you handle it in any way shape or form. If your hair is retaining length, you have nothiiing to worry about. It's impossible not have have any breakage at all, whoever says they don't is not being honest or not seeing it, if you handle your hair it will break.

The short pieces of hair at your roots are new hair that are growing. We do not stay with the same strands for decades and decades...strands actively grow for about 5-7 years, after then the root is released and the hair comes out on its own or you easily pull it out (afterwhich new hair grows in its place which is what you're seeing). These are shed hair, you will see the root (white bulb) with it. There's also no way to stop this process, coconut oil won't reattach the root, so it won't prevent shedding but it'll help with breakage.

Breakage is also normal to a certain degree. You should only see breakage when you handle your hair. So if you wash often, brush often, touch often, then expect some breakage when you do those things. If you're seeing breakage when you're sitting pretty doing nothing, that's a problem. If you're seeing pieces of hair on your shirt, floor, anywhere where you haven't handled your hair, that's a problem. Prepooing with CO like CurlyJamerican said above helps reduce breakage while washing...but if the breakage you're seeing while handing the hair still annoys you, handle the hair less. It's really the only way.

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Last perm: April 2, 2012 ... I'm Transitioning!
Wiry texture, SO pattern, mostly sharpy-sized and pen-sized curls
Low porosity, coarse strands, high density, normal elasticity

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