I have very thick hair.... that is, I have many, many thin strands of hair that, all together, make up a huge bunch. This hair is maddeningly curly and cannot stand to be brushed when dry, straightened, or anything except washed, conditioned, combed, and air-dried as it sees fit. It takes almost 24 hours to dry out completely.
THAT SAID... anyone found a trick to taming hair like this? No special conditioners I've tried thus far have worked, and straightening irons of two kinds have failed. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Ok, there's a little more to it than that, but conditioning IS the key. many of the everyday things two which we subject our hair cause negative effects. Blow drying, curling irons, flat irons, wind, pollution, swimming pool water, ocean water, overexposure to the sun, and even sleeping all have the potential to damage the hair in some degree. These activities raise or swell the cuticle layer of the hair, and leave the hair feeling rough and straw-like. In this state, the hair is also vulnerable to loss of moisture and exposed to things that can damage the hair's structure.
If you feel that your hair is "abused" by your daily routine and environment, the first thing you want to do is use a deep conditioning treatment. There are many brands and varieties available, but make sure the one you choose has high moisture content and a protein-building formula. Apply the treatment according to the directions on the package, and use the product once a week.
The next thing to do is take a good look at your shampoo and conditioner. Your shampoo should be a gentle, moisturizing formula, and the conditioner needs to be moisture-rich as well. This becomes especially important the more frequently you shampoo.
Finally, if you use blow-dryers, curling irons, flat-irons or if your hair is exposed to the elements as part of your daily routine, you should also use a leave-in conditioner for extra protection.
Of course, all this applies only if you have "normal" hair. Those with coarse hair may find they need to use deep conditioning treatments more often, while folks with fine hair may find that daily use of an after-shampoo conditioner leaves their hair lank and lifeless and that they do fine with just a gentle shampoo and leave-in conditioner
Damn, good info! Okay, I think I got it. I always use the conditioners that say "intense" or "deep moisturising," but I've never tried an actual conditioning treatment... can you suggest a good one that wouldn't be to hard to find at the supermarket or a local salon?
Also, "protein building" is a new keyword for me. I'll be sure to look for it from now on. Thanks!
About air drying in cold weather... I know irons and hair driers are bad for brittle hair, but is air drying in the cold worse? I live in a house with no central heating, and before I go to sleep, I have to turn off the kerosene heaters, so at night (generally when I let my hair dry), the room gets cold in the range of about 15 to 20 degrees F. Is this bad?
i cant recoomend u any conditioners , as i don no wat u get in ur supermarkets in japan , its wuld be better if u ask ur japense frendz 
Ah, Japan has pretty much everything America and the UK have as far as beauty products... but no problem, I'll go bug my students for brand tips.
...anything about the cold weather effect...?
wow I have this exact same problem
My advice is, don't try and keep it too under control, hair like that is a babe magnet
But anyways, I use a giant pick comb while I'm in the shower that keeps ur hair from tangling in itself, then use a regular brush once ur out but your hair isn't dry
I also use a product called Foaming Pommade from Paula Mitchell, you put some in your hands, rub them together until it turns kinda foamy, then run it through your hair and let it dry on its own, it keeps your hair from getting frizzy and makes it easy to maintain I have this kind of hair growing out of my nose. What you need is a mini-maxi hair and fluff cutter and trimmer. What you do is actually throw away the fluff cutter and trimmer because its a piece of sh*t. You take the specialized nose and ear trimmer witch really gets the job done and you put that baby to work. It works for me, good luck!
