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I notice quite a bit now when I pull my hair back for a half ponytail (which I still can't get a good one quite yet) that there are a lot of shorter single hairs here and there sticking up through the pulled back hair. Is this from breakage throughout the head?
I honestly think I don't get enough moisture into my hair and I believe this is my hairs problem. After shampooing and conditioning my hair looks full and rather healthy, but since I only shampoo and condition roughly once a week, after about three to four days my hairs seems to be in a somewhat greasy but brittle state. When I run my fingers through my hair it snags real easy and makes snapping noises as I do this finger combing. This is especially evident when I use a comb or brush. Is this causing breakage and what are the long term effects of this if it goes on?
Is it benificial to just wet my hair daily or should I totally get my lazy rear in gear and start shampooing and conditioning more often? I rarely have dire questions here, any advise would be greatly appreciated... (HairReligion?, Bill?, Fitmus?, Nyghtfall? ... anybody?) ! Peace!
I would, in fact, shampoo less often. You needn't wet it EVERY day but give it a good scrub every few days (with no shampoo). The greasiness that you feel will go away on its own due to your hair readjusting to it's own natural pH. I have a friend in the UK who has incredible waist-length hair and he swears he only shampoos once every few months. He works in a fancy salon and people always comment on how great it looks then they get all grossed out when he tells them he washes it twice a year...LoL.
I too, notice the shorter hairs that stick up and I find that they are more noticeable when I shampoo more often. I think this is due in part to some of the chemicals and detergents in most shampoos opening the cuticle and promoting roughness and flyaways. Shampooing less often lets your scalp's sebum have time to move down to the ends of your hair, and since your pH is now adjusted and your hair more lubricated by your sebum, then the hair appears shinier and smoother and any shorter hairs will blend in. These shorter hairs are all part of a steady cycle of events that all hair goes through...growth, fall and replacement (anagen, catagen and telegen). The short hairs are new growth that replaces ones that have fallen out. Phew! Hope this helps a bit??!! OM for peace!
I have a lot of those too. I've always thought that they are new hairs just starting their growth cycle. They stick straight up because they don't have enough weight to make them bend and lay flat. Every hair that falls out will start growing again after the hair folicle has a rest phase.
Don't worry about it, hairs are constantly leaving your head and being replaced...everywhere.
You'll know if there is a truely dire problem.
I'm not entirely sure where those shorter, single hairs come from, but I have experienced the same phenomenon. Nothing to fret about.
Slow down and work the tangles out with your fingers. Don't pull on them till they snap. I'm pritty sure that is the sound of a tangle being yanked out real hard, but doesn't necessarily mean the hair broke. I try to work out ever tangle I can with my fingers, then use a big wide toothed comb. Sometimes I think I use to much shampoo and my hair gets too dry. Whenever that happens I don't even try to untangle it, I just wait till the next day so it has some time to build up some oil. It sounds like you might need to shampoo a little less often and condition a little more. But I'm prity sure about slowing down when you untangle. I think those snaping noises are bad.
...my friend! Happy holidays to ya! As far as the flyaways, I don't think it's anything to worry about. I remember having to spray a little something in my hair to keep those guys down during the day when I wore a tail to work. I also think I remember there being less flyaways as it got longer. I'm right there with you, too...about not being able to even get a good half-tail yet. I tried a couple of times, but then gave up because, like you, I was concerned that maybe I was breaking some of the hairs by trying too hard to pull my hair back. Oh well, a few more months, right?! Chow!
Your youngest hair strands will not reach your hair tie. That is a problem all of us have. Don't cut them off. They are your mane's future.
You actually CAN wash your hair every day if you do it most days in COOL water. No shampoo or other product, just water. Just soak your scalp enough that all your hair gets completely wet and water is dripping drops steadily off the ends (but not be running a steady flow). Massage your scalp as you do this so the oil that is on it is taken up in the water in your hair.
Wetting your hair will help you get the short hairs to lay down. It will also help you with the tangles because it has lubricating oil from your scalp in it. Combing your hair while it is wet AND LUBRICATED should not damage it at all, so long as you comb carefully. Don't fight any tangles; work them out gently.
Good luck!
I've noticed a similiar problem, its most noticeable at your hairline at the front when you pull it back. I wear my hair in a half tail quite often and this worried me a bit at first.
My first reaction was: Damn, pulling my hair back in a half tail is damaging my hairline with the tension. Then I got caught out in a really windy day and I noticed all across my head there were now little hairs peaking out.
So not likely breakage, just new growth. Bill is right!
My Advice: Use a bit of water on your finger tips to smooth down the stray hairs, they'll stay mostly in place as they dry, unless you get really windswept. The other tip is to not pull your hair back too tight and never sleep with your hair tied back tight. (Learnt that the hard way... passing out drunk and woke up with noticeable broken hairs on my bangs.)