Coarse Hair, Long Hair is now...

Coarse Hair, Long Hair is now...
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My Growth and Setbacks 2003-2010

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Recent Excess Shedding: Seasonal Change or Minor Setback?

Last week I shared a mini update on my hair about how I experienced excess shedding. At the time I wasn't too concerned about it, but after I deep conditioned again this weekend, my hair felt very different. I washed and deep conditioned with my staple products, according to my normal routine. However, this time my wet hair looked and felt much straighter almost as if I lost the bulk (for lack of a better word) in my hair.

For the past few weeks, I've been using the Mane 'n Tail Detangler to help me detangle my dry hair before I washed. This is the first time I've used this product, but read great reviews on it and I planned to write my own review. The first time I used it, I lightly sprayed my dry hair but didn't notice any improvement with detangling. So the second time I used it, I sprayed much more than before, and experienced the excess shedding. This was also the same time that I went 2 weeks without combing or washing, so I initially figured the shedding was the result of 2 weeks worth of normal shedding.  I'll post a detailed review shortly.

Below is a picture I took of the hair lost after I detangled my dry hair and before I washed.  After I washed, I lost an equal amount of hair, but I was running late for an appointment, so I didn't take another picture. 

 Half the hair lost (sorry for the poor quality, I took it quickly with my cell phone)

Then earlier this week, my friend emailed to ask me about my thoughts on shedding due to seasonal change. I never really paid much attention to how my hair responded to seasonal changes.  So I honestly can't say whether the shedding was product induced or the result of the upcoming change in seasons from summer to fall.  In any event, I will stop using the Mane n' Tail and I plan to return it to Sally's Beauty Supply.

Do you experience increased shedding due to seasonal change?

8 comments:

Mrs. Me aka PrettyMe said...

aw man. that is a lot. you have a lot of hair, so i don't know! Maybe a protein treatment will help?

Unknown said...

Don't stress it looks like shedding over the time you was not detangling or washing... Even when you follow a low manlipulation regi the hair still sheds like normal ... I'm not telling you anything you don't already know..hahahaha

MsKibibi said...

LOL Thanks Traycee. I thought the same thing also at the time, but now my hair feels less bulky and thinner on the ends.

Unknown said...

Im new to your blog and I would like to say I absolutely love what your doing for ladies with coarse hair seeking long hair. To comment on your recent post on breakage I do believe its the season b/c Im going this as well. It was all of a sudden out of no where I see these big chunks in my comb similar to your picture. I have the same texture as youra but mines is just now getting pass shoulder length. I decided to wear Senaglese Twist until next summer, the shedding has really freaked me out...Im determined to have long, beautiful hair like yours ;) So...a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do! We're going to make it! For you waist length...for me bra strap length! And it will have "the bulk"!lol

Anonymous said...

Yes, I do notice seasonal hair shedding going from season to season. And when you have longer hair strands it looks like more, even when you go without heat products for styling. I've noticed more shedding in the past 2 weeks myself and I chalk it up to that very reason. I just plan on being extra gentle and taking more precautions to lesson combing and doing more conditioning to get the "slip" I need for detangling. But I'm not telling you anything you don't know. Thanks for the Mane N Tail haul, because I thought about trying it, but not anymore. I plan to try the Kenra Conditioner soon too. Thanks for sharing!!

Anonymous said...

I had the same amount of shedding I posted a picture on my Hairlista page..I did nothing different I figured it was due to me being 17 weeks post but I have never seen the amount of shedding I saw. I assume it is seasonal I have not washed since due to fear but I feel better now that I know it was not just me. BTE..I love your site! Benetta

Mattie said...

MsKibibi, I've been using the Mane N Tail detangler for about 2months and I never experienced any shedding, but right before the fall began to come in I started seeing lots of shedding and I kind of got worried as if I had done something or use a product I shouldn't have use but I noticed I didn't use anything different that what I usually use. My hair has been shedding bad so I did a protein treatment followed up by a moisturizing conditoner but next wash it shedded again. But today I cowash and my hair didn't shed as much as before thinking it the seasonal change.

NaturalHairMojo.com said...

I always get crazy shedding around October/November. I first noticed it in 2008, my first autumn as a natural, and since I was only running a shower comb through my TWA every 2 weeks, I also noticed a little matting....this is when I realized my hair was long enough to start PSing. I still chalked it up to a rookie mistake, until the fall of 2009 when it happened again. I kept my hair in chunky two-strand twists and began using garlic supplements, but I still had all that shedding! This year, I straightened my hair for the month of October, and sure enough, I still had huge hair balls sitting on the edge of the sink at the end of each detangling session. To make sure it wasn't breakage from possible heat damage (I am BSL now, so I couldn't go through each strand) I upped my protein treatments. This verified that it is in fact shedding. Now that I know for sure, all I can do is make sure I stay on top of my detangling sessions to prevent my hair from getting matted and keep my hair as moisturized as possible.

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