Oiling scalp without weighing hair down
Printed From: HairBoutique.com
Category: African American Hair
Forum Name: African American Hair
Forum Description: Devoted to the special needs of African Americans.
URL: https://talk.hairboutique.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=61066
Printed Date: July 22 2025 at 10:56pm
Topic: Oiling scalp without weighing hair down
Posted By: shaniaisha
Subject: Oiling scalp without weighing hair down
Date Posted: May 18 2008 at 3:39pm
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Please read my story! Okay, when I was younger, I had natural hair with no chemicals. My hair was very thick and long. My parents divorced and my dad would always have trouble finding someone to do my sister and I's hair when we were at his house. His idiotic girlfriend took us to some bootleg beauty shop on the west side of Chicago, got us perms (I was around 8), it was pretty for a little while because it was very long and easy to style to them. Our hair broke off kinda bad and ever since then I've been wanting my hair back long.
I'm 17 now, it was doing sort of well about 4 years ago. But my beautician says my hair breaks off as it grows. She said it's definitely growing but it breaks off as it grows. It's very frustrating. It recently broke off again (noticeably this time). It's really saddening and I'm tired of this(people who have had their hair break off know how this feels )
 I really wasn't oiling my scalp at ALL... I know that contributed. But how do I oil my scalp without over saturating it? Which makes my hair look greasy. What oil do you suggest for my scalp? How often should I oil it and when?
I still get relaxers by the way. So what do you suggest?
Here are some pictures...
this is when I was 3 (I'm on the right)
 This is Summer 2007 (my ball doesn't even look half as big as that now
) This one is Summer 2007 as Well:
 This is in January 2008
 This is in February 2008
 This is Now (May 2008)
 This is another pic of the side (May 2008) (sorry about the goofy picz...they're from senior week and they're really the only ones I have for now that show how much my hair has broken)
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Replies:
Posted By: shaniaisha
Date Posted: May 18 2008 at 3:42pm
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Or can someone just tell me how to make my hair healthy again and stop it from breaking!
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Posted By: shaniaisha
Date Posted: May 18 2008 at 6:26pm
bump!
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Posted By: Curlygirl11
Date Posted: May 18 2008 at 8:54pm
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You're probably going to have to leave the relaxers alone and find a natural style that you like. I also permed my hair all throughout high school with gentle relaxers and it wouldn't grow very far past my shoulders. However, while I was in college I stopped putting relaxers in it and just wore it natural and the growth took off. It's been down to the middle of my back for over 10 years now. I usually keep it trimmed to about 18" or 20" long.
Even though I was using gentle relaxers it was weakening my hair and causing it to break off just as fast as it was growing out so I never saw any progress. Also I think putting that chemical on my scalp every couple of months was slowing the rate at which my hair grew cuz it seemed to start growing faster once I stopped putting chemicals on it. ------------- 2Cor 12:8-9 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness". |
Posted By: Tea4Two
Date Posted: May 19 2008 at 12:33pm
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Yeah, I would agree with cutting down on the relaxers.
Try to stretch it as long as you can or just go natural.
Also, MOISTURE is the key to keeping your hair healthy with less breakage whether you relax or not.
Just buy a good moisturizing shampoo & conditioner. Put a leave-in on your hair and a little shea butter if you have it. Seal in the moisture with an oil (jojoba, coconut, olive oil, etc.). If you're into hair growth, try SuLu Max GRO on your scalp.
Throughout the day spritz your hair lightly with your diluted leave-in or use any braid spray. A very light mist is fine; the hair does not have to get wet. And, of course, drink lots of fluids during the day.
------------- http://public.fotki.com/Tea4Two |
Posted By: shaniaisha
Date Posted: May 19 2008 at 6:56pm
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Thank you all for replying to my question! I really appreciate the useful info you provided.
Would it be safe to probably wear braids for about a year or so? Just to let the perm grow out?
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Posted By: shaniaisha
Date Posted: May 21 2008 at 9:29am
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Posted By: Curlygirl11
Date Posted: May 21 2008 at 11:08pm
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Braids are fine as long as they're not done too tightly. If your scalp hurts or you have a headache after getting your hair braided then they're too tight and you will likely devolope traction alopecia over the years which could result in permanent scalp damage and permanent hair loss around your hairline. If you know how to braid do them yourself. If not make sure that whoever braids your hair for you understands that you don't want them done too tight. ------------- 2Cor 12:8-9 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness". |
Posted By: shaniaisha
Date Posted: May 25 2008 at 1:49pm
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thank you! ^_^ |
Posted By: Divavocals
Date Posted: May 25 2008 at 6:45pm
It would help if we knew more about your haircare routines.. Relaxers aren't for everyone, but I don't think they are the sole source of your breakage issues.. In addition to relaxers, what is the REST of your haircare routine?? How often to you use curling irons, blow dryers, hot rollers?? What kind of shampoo do you use?? What kind of conditioner?? How often do you wash and condition?? What is your washing and conditioning routine.. ------------- Check out the 5th So Cal offline luncheon?? For more info: divahairtalk.overthehillweb.com/lunch.html Links to my fav vendors & hair albums + Weave 101 information: divahairtalk.overthehillweb.com |
shaniaisha wrote:Posted By: shaniaisha
Date Posted: May 26 2008 at 11:08am
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Okay... I get a touch up about every 3-4 months
In between that time, I wash and condition my hair every 1-2 weeks. When I wash it, I blow dry it and flat iron it. Most of the time I don't put anything on my scalp either because I liked how airy and bouncy it looks when I don't (which was bad). Then it started breaking off after doing that for a while. & about my stylist...I started going to her after my hair broke off the first time when I was young. It started to get healthier... But as I got older, I was wondering why hasn't my hair grown back to it's natural length? Which was really long. I asked myself the same...she always says how my hair is doing...but never tells me what to do... :(
I just don't know anymore :(
I really want to to stop getting relaxers... It just doesn't seem right...when I didn't have a perm...my hair was doing well...ever since that first perm and first damage...it never really grew back... :-(
more about my routine.. I wash my hair with that elucence shampoo and conditioner... I was using that from spring 06 up until like february this year 08...when I noticed my hair was breaking off.. Now...I use optimum care anti breakage therapy shampoo and conditioner when i wash it...
& whenever I get it washed, I always get it blow dried and flat ironed...(I know that isn't good... but I don't know what else to do after I get it washed...)
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Posted By: Divavocals
Date Posted: May 26 2008 at 12:09pm
Okay.. so that's your weekly/monthly routine.. What's your DAILY routine?? (We need the WHOLE story girl..  )And as for your current stylist.. here's my opinion... any stylist who can only IDENTIFY your problems without giving you remedies to RECTIFY them should be a FORMER stylist IMO.. If you are paying her to help care for your hair, she should be able to assist you when your hair is in trouble as well as when it is healthy.. It does not sound like your current stylist can/is doing that for you.. ------------- Check out the 5th So Cal offline luncheon?? For more info: divahairtalk.overthehillweb.com/lunch.html Links to my fav vendors & hair albums + Weave 101 information: divahairtalk.overthehillweb.com |
Posted By: shaniaisha
Date Posted: May 27 2008 at 12:12pm
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Oh no... :-(
Okay...Daily... I never really do anything to it. I wrap it at night ad if it's looking a little dry I MIGHT put some of this stuff http://www.softsheen-carson.com/_us/_en/products/haircare/optimumoiltherapy.aspx - http://www.softsheen-carson.com/_us/_en/products/haircare/optimumoiltherapy.aspx ? on it... (I'm being honest here..so don't criticize me please...I now see that what I've been doing is definitely not enough ...)
I unwrap it in the morning...comb it ...& that's it...
:-(
Then at the end of the week or 2 weeks I get it washed and conditioned...
Thank you for replying to my posts like you've been doing. I'm assuming you can be of help!! ^_^
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Posted By: Divavocals
Date Posted: May 28 2008 at 11:54pm
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So no heat between salon visits right???? It sounds like your relaxer may be the culprit.. The question is WHY.. I know that opinions on this run rampant, but here's my take.. I am not in the "blame the relaxer on the breakage" boat. There are many reasons why relaxers can contribute to breakage including:
Anyway my point is the relaxer may be contributing to the problem, but I also think your stylist is failing you as well.. She has acknowledged that you have regular breakage, but has offered NO solutions or remedies.. I find that very telling.. IMO, I think its time for you to find another stylist.. One who is not gonna take "sides" in the relax vs no relax war  .. A stylist who is going to look at YOUR HAIR, and KNOW what to do to remedy YOUR breakage problems.. Now, when you find the RIGHT stylist, he/she may indeed recommend that you do need to stop relaxing, or he/she could discover that your current stylist has been over processing your hair, or not doing the right follow-up treatments or paying attention to other factors that affect how your hair behaves.. You will not know until you find yourself a stylist who is going to help your REALLY care for your hair.. My suggestion is that until your find a stylist who will not only IDENTIFY the issues but CORRECT them (or better yet make sure she PREVENTS them), you need to stop letting this particular stylist apply chemicals to your hair.. JMHO..  ------------- Check out the 5th So Cal offline luncheon?? For more info: divahairtalk.overthehillweb.com/lunch.html Links to my fav vendors & hair albums + Weave 101 information: divahairtalk.overthehillweb.com |
Posted By: shaniaisha
Date Posted: May 29 2008 at 10:50pm
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o...
well...
that's most likely not going to happen for a while....
Initially...I really wanted to know what I could do to care for it on my own. I can't afford going to the stylist like I need to. I have college coming up in the Fall...I'm sure there are other ways to make my hair healthy again other than going to a new stylist...
but thanks anyway though...
:-(
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Posted By: Divavocals
Date Posted: May 30 2008 at 2:09am
There are absolutely other ways to make your hair healthy again on your own.. The ladies here gave you some great suggestions and product recommendations.. My point simply was that IMO your stylist is clearly not the right stylist if she is unable to offer solutions to your breakage issues.. I also believe that it's very likely that she could be a contributing factor to your breakage issues.. The easiest way to determine this is to do one of two things:
------------- Check out the 5th So Cal offline luncheon?? For more info: divahairtalk.overthehillweb.com/lunch.html Links to my fav vendors & hair albums + Weave 101 information: divahairtalk.overthehillweb.com |
Posted By: shaniaisha
Date Posted: May 30 2008 at 10:13am
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Thank you
^_^!!!! I actually did talk that over with my mom about not getting relaxers anymore. She agreed and I told her what you all have suggested for me.
I have a sew in as of now that I plan on keeping for a while and maintaining my own hair with this. I got a style for prom and the lady said it would give my hair a break...which was very needed...for the past few years all I've been getting are relaxers, flat irons, blow dries..etc...constantly...
I'm gonna see how this goes though...going natural... growing the perm out...if it works for me.
Hopefully it will.
thank you ^_^
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Posted By: blackhoney112
Date Posted: May 30 2008 at 11:12am
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It looks like you got awesome advise from the other posters...I just wanted to direct you to www.growafrohairlong.com so that you can maintain your sew-in or braids. As mentioned it is important to maintain a balance between moisture and protein for healthy hair and with the advise you rec'd I am sure you will be on the right track. ------------- http://public.fotki.com/blackhoney112/hair_album/101505_.html - Hair album pw:Romeo |
Posted By: shaniaisha
Date Posted: June 02 2008 at 9:57am
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Thank you all so much for this advice!
Ever since my hair broke off really bad I never really got any good advice from anyone that I really felt good about trying and I think this is one of the best decisions I've ever made by joining this forum...
thank you all so much ^_^ I'm going to pay lots more attention to my hair as well....
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Posted By: Jamgurl
Date Posted: July 01 2008 at 12:17pm
I find that Africa's Best Herbal oil is great for oiling the scalp without weighing the hair down or leaving heavy build-up.
Extra Virgin Coconut oil is also great.
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Posted By: roots126
Date Posted: July 14 2008 at 12:23pm
| First of all, stop the blow drying...This is what is drying your hair out. Sit under the dryer with a leave in conditioner (infusium 23 is the best and cheaper than most of these others). You need to build up more protein in your hair. Start using deep conditioners (pantene makes an excellent conditioner for women of color) and also watch how you pull on your hair. Some people are heavy handed and impatient with their hair. |