I'll admit, I have no idea what I'm doing with my hair. My hair's been breaking off steadily and no matter what I try to it nothing seems to help. I know the water here (I'm away at college) is much harder than my hair is used to. I must be doing something completely wrong because when I was younger my hair was down to my shoulder blades. Now it's just at my chin. Here is my usual hair regimen.

I wash my hair twice a week because it really helps my scalp feel better.

Shampoo with:

Head & shoulders

Biolage Ultra-hydrating shampoo

Then condition with:

Biolage Ultra-hydrating conditioner

Silk Elements Mega cholesteroal conditioning treatment

After that I towel dry my hair and put Kera Care Essential oils onto my scalp and on my hair, but not too much. I try to let my hair air dry for the most part, maybe blow dry for a minute.

Then I spray with Mizani Therm-Elastic, let that dry a bit, and flat iron with a ceramic flat iron.

I don't moisturize daily, usually just brush a bit and I use the Therm-Elastic before I flat iron, which is usually every other day. And I sleep with my hair wrapped in a silk scarf (but that comes off a lot during the night).

I know this is a lot of information but I would be SO grateful if ANYONE could tell me what I'm doing wrong.

I also get Olive Oil relaxers done (by my mom) about every 2 months and usually get my ends trimmed professionally just afterwards. However, whenever I get my ends trimmed it seems like they cut off anything that's grown. I miss my long hair  and I can't seem to find a website that will help me out or a forum with my specific problem. Any help will be GREATLY appreciated. Thankyou so much in advance.

Hi JenJen21! Welcome to the forum. It's sounds like you may be using too much heat and not enought moisturizer. Moisturizing your hair everyday will help to not only keep it hydrated, but also elastic, and help it ward of brittleness. It's good that you use a heat protectant befor you flat iron but your hair may be crying for moisture. I like to use Organics Shea Butter Moisturizing Lotion, Cantu's Shea Butter Strengthening Moisturizer. Oils are good for the hair and can be moisturizing, but in many cases it is not enough...especially with the cooler months ahead.

A good protein treatment every few weeks may help your hair to stay strong as well. Many women on this forum love Aphoghee Treatments or Nexxus Emergencee.

And if possible, stretching your relaxers past 8 weeks can be beneficial as well and is easier to achieve with daily moisturizing and protective styling (buns, braids, bantu knots,etc.). I use to think I had to relax at 8 weeks but before my last relaxer I stretched 14 weeks!!

Using a satin or silk nightwrap and silk or satin pillowcase will help prevent snagging while you sleep as well.

I hope I could be of some help. I may have forgot a think or two, but everyone on this forum has wonderful advice and you'll learn alot.

Honeydoo- Thankyou so much for replying! I was having a dramatic hair moment and lamenting my lost locks.

I have a hair lotion called BB Oil moisturizer. I never use it because I thought I was giving my hair enough moisture with the oils and the conditioning I do and I read that using moisturizers will clog up your hair and make it not grow. I never thought about my hair being sadly dry. It usually looks shiny and healthy, it just never grows! I will definitely look into the products you suggested.

I've also been searching like a madwoman for a satin pillowcase but apparently it's the hardest thing to find ever. But I will keep searching!

I also used to get relaxers done every 4 weeks because my hair is so thick and coarse, but it's been cutdown to ever 2 months because that's how often I can get home. I think I will try and stretch the one I have now for a while and see how my hair reacts. Thankyou so much for you help. I'm learning a lot reading other people's posts as well. Thankyou!

Hello,

  How often doyou use the head and shoulders? Instead of using it both times you wash during the week, try using it once a week. When I was relaxed, head and shoulders shampoo actually seem to make my hair feel different (not exactly sure how to explain it) and I noticed more hair shedding or breakage when I used it. 

Also, how doyou wear your hair...usually wear it down? Have you every tried updos that may help to keep the moisture in your strands and retain length. Also, try styles that last longer than 2 days without heat...there is a section at the top of the forum called hair techniques. There, you can go and try the styles yourself without using all the heat that you previously used.

Honeydoo gave you some great advice too.

cmesweet - Thankyou for responding! I have been thinking about cutting out the Head and Shoulders completely because I don't like how it feels on my hair when I wash. I think I will just use the little bit I have left in the bottle and then not buy more.

I wear my hair down in a bob b/c it's so short and I keep the ends bumped for a little curl. I can't really wear updos because my hair is shorter around the edges and look stupid when I put it up. I wrap my hair every night, but something the ends will lose a little curl and I will use the flat iron just a little to bump it. I flat iron all of my hair after I wash it because otherwise I will look like nap-city! But I try not to have it on too hot and not to go over the strands too much. I will look into some of the other hair techniques. Thanks again!!!