Dry, Shedding Locks

About six months or more ago I began noticing more than normal shedding when washing my hair. The ends seemed ragged with lots of little balls on the ends. I had gone through the "balls on the end" stage already and didn't know why this was occuring. I thought it was just another part of the locking process.

When I went in for my retightening in April, Gigi said my ends were in bad shape. She suggested that I let her trim them. I agreed.

Here's the shedding after several washes back in March '08.

I also noticed that the highlighted locks were coming undone, the ends apparently damaged. I've since learned that highlighting is very harsh because the locks are bleached. If you'll recall from earlier posts, Gigi isn't a proponent of color or highlights, but I was hard headed. My locks seemed to do well with the initial set of highlights. But my colorist convinced me that I should get them done again before my wedding. Against my better judgement, I listened.

At first I wasn't all that concerned, but I began to see more and more shedding each time I washed or ran my fingers through my hair and it seemed brittle and dry. One evening after washing my hair and being disgusted with the unraveling, unsightly bleached ends, I started cutting them off. I just wanted them out of my head!


At my last retightening, Gigi wasn't so happy with me taking the scissors to my locks. She suggested that I moisturize more and assured me all would be well again in time.

I've used color successfully before and since locking so I really can't attribute all of my hair concerns to the color. I only noticed issues after the bleaching (highlights). Additionally, the last six months have been hectic and stressful with the move, new marriage, new home, new job, new state, new husband, not being able to maintain my locks as consistently as I have because I'm out of state from my consultant and not drinking my wheat grass smoothies. I'm certain all of those things combined have added to the stress not only in my life, but on my tresses as well.

But all's not loss. I've been using the Sisterlocks Moisturizing Treatment, twice a month. I've stopped coloring and I'm using a rinse instead. I'm trying several different natural moisturizers which I'll highlight and share with you in an upcoming post.

My locks already look and feel better and although I'm still shedding, there's noticeably less. I washed, conditioned and moisturized tonight. Here are tonight's shedding results, much less than previously.

I still trimmed some ends that were irritating me.

Here's what some of the ends that I've trimmed look like. I'd much rather have this than the unsightly, damaged highlighted ends. And I have so much hair I can easily hide the cut ends among all the other hair. Or just curl them when I style.

But hey, no worries! My locks overall remain fairly healthy, especially the ones in the back where there were no highlights. I would be doing an injustice to those contemplating locking or newly locked if I only showed pictures of pretty, perfect locks and never talked about the challenges one might encounter. Afterall, this is Natural Awakenings. We learn and grow along with our locks. Besides, I grew them once, I can grow them again. I still LOVE MY SISTERLOCKS!!!

If anyone has suggestions on other products I can try, please feel free to write.

Click on all pictures for greater details.