Bad Hair Problems

by Kenneth

Hi, I really do not know what is wrong with my hair. As you can see from the pictures, my hair is coarse, very dry, lacking color (should be dark black), frizzy, puffy, not able to be styled, no shine, breaking although it is very short. I don't understand why this always happens to my hair because I don't think I do anything to have my hair damaged.

Even right after getting my hair cut, it's not in good condition. I have tried Razzamatazz products for a couple weeks now which is supposed to help dry hair but they aren't really helping. I don't use too much of the products which is what they recommend and shampoo with moisture every 2 days. I eat very healthy and exercise often.

I have also tried deep conditioning once a week, hot oil, shampooing only 1-2 times a week, home remedies, pretty much all the advice found on the internet, etc. I don't ever blow dry, color, perm, straighten, or chemically damage my hair. I let my hair air dry.

I am a college student living at a dorm so it can't be anything from the environment since no one else seems to have hair trouble like me. My hair troubles started late elementary school years and early middle school years as I had slightly dry hair, but it became a lot worse when I used a lot of Garnier gel during later middle school/early high school. I stopped using those hair styling products a couple years ago and my hair is short as I get it cut every month.

My family also doesn't have a history of problems with dry hair although my dad and brother have straight hair so they have no troubles and my mom has slight wavy hair but her hair is in good condition, so I don't think its a genetic problem either.

My hair used to be nice when I was very young. I have also tried numerous other things such as organic products or products without alcohol/SLS and many other things I can't remember off the top of my head to help my hair but nothing seems to work. Can you think of anything that might help?

Thank you very much,
Kenneth

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It sure sounds like you have done so many things right Kenneth and it sure sounds like a real dilemma.

A couple of ideas:

It could be a nutritional deficiency, even though you eat healthy foods. First thing to look at are food cravings. Do you crave certain types of foods? If so, they may be key in the nutrients your body needs more of. (For example, women need extra Magnesium around the time of their periods. Many women crave chocolate when they menstruate because of the Magnesium in chocolate.)

It might help to start taking hyaluronic acid supplements and/or Super Biotin supplements. Both are inexpensive to buy (even for a college student) and might help. Both are geared towards hair health and both help with hair problems. Your body may also be lacking necessary Omega 3 fatty acids. These supplements might be worth a try too.

If these supplements don't help, you may want to be checked out by your family doctor if possible. You may have a thyroid or pituitary gland problem that has gone undetected.

I am not a big fan of hot oil treatments for added moisture. Coconut oil or Camelina oil works so much better if you want to try a different oil. Leave it in overnight for best results. (Wrap your hair in a towel.. I don't think using a cap would go over too well with the guys in your dorm!) Also, leave in conditioners might be something worth checking out too. There are a lot of good ones on the market to choose from.

Also, cholesterol treatments are very good for extremely dry hair. They too, are inexpensive to buy at your local Beauty Supply store.

I am not sure how long you've been in the dorm you're in but the water in the dorm might be something that's affecting your hair. Try buying some bottled water and doing a final rinse with spring water, right before you get out of the shower. Its worth a try anyway.

Please let me know if any of these things help you after you've tried them. Also, let us know which things you actually tried! Best wishes!