Hair Grows Long then Breaks

(Los Angeles)

Hi,

I wore braided weaves for three years then one day I realized that my natural hair was as long as my weave so I began wearing my natural hair.

About two months later I notice some breakage and 5 months later my hair was just as short as it had been three months before.

The time between wearing my natural hair and all of my hair breaking off, I was a bit sporadic in taking care of it. I did keep the ends clipped but I stopped visiting my hairdresser regularly for conditioning.

Since then I've gone in and out of weaves and it seems that every time I start wearing my natural hair it only takes about 2 months for me hair to start breaking off again.

After learning my lesson the first time, when I wore my natural hair I keep the ends clipped, wrap it nightly, and get it deep conditioned but it still seems that it breaks off within 2 months of my wearing naturally.

I've recently taken my weave out and gone back to natural hair because it is as long as the weave was and now I'm just nervous. My hair is long and healthy but I don't know how to keep it that way. Every hairdresser I've spoke to about this is stumped about why I can't maintain my length. Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated.

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Nina's Response

That is an interesting problem that you have there.

I see one common theme: the wearing of weaves.

Are you wearing sew-in weaves or glued-in weaves?

I would suggest doing a trial of not wearing weaves. It seems like a pattern follows you and the weaves.

Try giving up the weaves for a year. It seems that you may go back to the weaves when your hair breaks again because maybe you are not comfortable with the length. If it happens again, get comfortable with the length and get through it and see what happens.

It's possible that while you're wearing weaves, your hair isn't receiving enough moisture or just isn't being cared for in the way that it needs - while wearing the weave.

Nina Dyoran, Editor, Long-Healthy-Hair-Advisor.com