Help: My Hair Feels Like Scrub Brush

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
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I have really fine hair on my head. If someone across the room sneezes, my hair blows out of place, kind of fine.

Lately, my hair feels like the bristles in a scrub brush. I'm thinking this condition is a result of the hard water and perhaps the chlorine in the pool as I do take a plunge 3 or 4 times a day. I have not been using any sort of conditioner on a regular basis so there should be no accumulated buildup from that. I do not use a hair dryer.

I have used 1/3 cup of vinegar with 2/3 cup of water a few times and that seems to soften things up for a day or two then needs to be repeated. I'm not sure how often I can pour vinegar on my head before I eat my scalp away. When I do use a conditioner, it doesn't seem to help.

Anyone have any ideas on the cause of the hair damage and a remedy? I'm a guy so have no formal training in hair care. I've always just shampooed and was on my way. I've been here for years and this is a somewhat recent development. If this is not a function of mineral buildup then it has to be dryness. I have not noticed any dandruff or scalp problems. Apart from the tactile roughness of the hair, I am not aware of any other effects.

Hoping the ladies will have some ideas I can try to help identify the cause and then restore a more natural hair condition.

Thx.
 

Neargale

Active member
Jul 4, 2013
347
67
28
Hard to tell what may be causing this. Here are some thoughts.

Sun will damage hair.
Salt water will damage hair.
Chlorine (pool water) will damage hair.
Pollution will damage hair.
Bad health can be reflected in hair.
Air conditioning dries skin so must dry hair?
I rinse my hair with fresh water immediately after coming out of the pool or the ocean, and I cover my hair with a hat whenever I go outside.
Try to use a shampoo for damaged hair followed by a bit of conditioner.
If that does not help after a couple of weeks, try baby shampoo.
Sometimes when my hair gets very dry I use a bit of "oil of Morocco" which is Argan oil treatment... just a bit before going into harsh environment like pool or ocean.

I dont have experience using vinegar on hair. I thought it would be drying?

Let us know what worked!
 

beeza

Silver
Nov 2, 2006
3,480
731
113
Shave it off!

I've been bald for years. Nil maintenance and the chics love it!

Downside is sunburn on my bonce when I forget my hat.
 
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melphis

Living my Dream
Apr 18, 2013
3,489
1,676
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I have the exact same issues. I keep it fairly short and use a half decent 2 in 1. It seems to work. Thought of doing the bald thing but just can't bring myself to do it. 
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
11,697
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I have the exact same issues. I keep it fairly short and use a half decent 2 in 1. It seems to work. Thought of doing the bald thing but just can't bring myself to do it. 

I did the almost bald look for a few years, but finally went back to a longer haircut because all the girls told me I look better with hair.

It's amazing how much cooler your head is without hair.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
I did the almost bald look for a few years, but finally went back to a longer haircut because all the girls told me I look better with hair.

It's amazing how much cooler your head is without hair.

Been thinking about that JD....

Bald head is Cooler , huh?
Not according to the girls...

Cooler as in ambient temperature... not as Steve McQueen

hahaha
 
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william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
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I found this old thread....

I have VERY hard water.... hair, towels... everything suffers

The vinegar & water thing works - I am doing it.

Wash normally.... spray on the vinegar water mix
======================================================
One do-it-yourself solution for protecting your hair against hard water is to use a vinegar rinse.Because vinegar is acidic, it works to remove the scaly buildup of minerals like magnesium and calcium from your hair. Distilled white vinegar will work; however, the preferred type for this rinse is apple cider vinegar.Jan 27, 2017
4 WAYS TO SAVE YOUR HAIR FROM HARD WATER -
https://www.atlanticbluewaterservices.com/4-ways-save-hair-hard-water/
====================================================================

The vinegar / water mix is not strong

Spray on and leave for a minute or two.... works fine
White or Cider vinegar....
\
No harm to your hair that I can find

Also works in the washing m/c.... add to the softener dispenser
================================================
How do I get rid of hard water build up in my hair?
A vinegar rinse will not only remove buildup from your hair, but also provide bounce and shine! Mix 1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar with 1 qt distilled water. First, shampoo your hair and rinse well. Apply the mixture, leave on for a few seconds, and rinse with cold water.
Hair Care | Ways to Beat Hard Water | Free People
https://www.freepeople.com/ways-to-beat-hard-water-hair/
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,671
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I solved the problem by getting a haircut that got rid of the damaged hair.

I now us a Pantene brand shampoo with conditioner and have had no recurrence of the conditions described above.
 

Derfish

Gold
Jan 7, 2016
4,441
2
0
I solved the problem by getting a haircut that got rid of the damaged hair.

I now us a Pantene brand shampoo with conditioner and have had no recurrence of the conditions described above.

Try using real poo in your hair instead of Sham poo!
Derfish
 

Twogunz

New member
Dec 1, 2013
10
1
3
I have really fine hair on my head. If someone across the room sneezes, my hair blows out of place, kind of fine.

Lately, my hair feels like the bristles in a scrub brush. I'm thinking this condition is a result of the hard water and perhaps the chlorine in the pool as I do take a plunge 3 or 4 times a day. I have not been using any sort of conditioner on a regular basis so there should be no accumulated buildup from that. I do not use a hair dryer.

I have used 1/3 cup of vinegar with 2/3 cup of water a few times and that seems to soften things up for a day or two then needs to be repeated. I'm not sure how often I can pour vinegar on my head before I eat my scalp away. When I do use a conditioner, it doesn't seem to help.

Anyone have any ideas on the cause of the hair damage and a remedy? I'm a guy so have no formal training in hair care. I've always just shampooed and was on my way. I've been here for years and this is a somewhat recent development. If this is not a function of mineral buildup then it has to be dryness. I have not noticed any dandruff or scalp problems. Apart from the tactile roughness of the hair, I am not aware of any other effects.

Hoping the ladies will have some ideas I can try to help identify the cause and then restore a more natural hair condition.

Thx.
Use Mane and Tail Shampoo and conditioner. It is a US product made for horses, but is very good for humans. It deep cleans so much hair starts to grow back. The conditioner is superb. Available in one liter bottles about 7 bucks Cdn. You will not regret it.
 

user123

Active member
Aug 16, 2017
369
238
43
35120-home_default.jpg

This (or any other virgin coconut oil) is all you need, your hair will be like silk. 100% natural and cheap. Use it on your face too.
 
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user123

Active member
Aug 16, 2017
369
238
43
Use Mane and Tail Shampoo and conditioner. It is a US product made for horses, but is very good for humans. It deep cleans so much hair starts to grow back. The conditioner is superb. Available in one liter bottles about 7 bucks Cdn. You will not regret it.

Do you use the conditioner as leave-in or do you rinse it out right away? Thanks.
 

Auryn

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2012
1,551
1,121
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Gringo- I think you need to use a hair mask. I’m not a stylist, but your best bet would be a stylist used to dealing with this type of hair that visits or works in a Caribbean climate.
My hair is very fine and there is a lot of it.
I wouldn’t use vinegar because I think that would dry it out even more.
Salons there gave me heavy conditioners that worked at first, but then just weighed down my hair and made it greasy due to build up.
It sounds like your hair is getting dried out.
Try mashing an avocado with 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil. Cover your head with a shower cap or plastic bag. Seal it so the mixture doesn’t drip down. Leave it on your hair for 30 minutes, and rinse it well. It should help. Do this once per week.
You could try a professional mask product like Joico K-Pak, but that’s expensive and avocados are not.
 

Meemselle

Just A Few Words
Oct 27, 2014
2,842
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Hoping the ladies will have some ideas I can try to help identify the cause and then restore a more natural hair condition.

Thx.
Well, first of all, if you don't use conditioner, you're crazy. If that Y chromosome makes it too difficult to wash AND condition your hair, you can get shampoos that have conditioner already mixed in. You may want to try using a clarifying shampoo (like Neutrogena: sorry, dude, I had to buy it from Amazon. Never saw it here) to get all build-up off, and then wash & condition. You can also do what the Dominicanas do and take an over-ripe avocado and smush it up and put it on your head and wrap your head in a plastic bag or saran for a few hours. It's not an attractive look, and you may want to wash it off outside bc it's sort of gross in one's own shower, but it certainly does work. I have done it, and as we know, I have the most beautiful hair in the whole country. Good luck!
 

Auryn

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2012
1,551
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Be careful not to over condition or fine hair will be gross.
My hair was past my shoulders when I lived there and too much product made it stringy and lifeless.
If you use a conditioner (like Meems suggested) and you get stringy, greasy hair, try to use it daily on the ends and not so much on the roots.
 

Meemselle

Just A Few Words
Oct 27, 2014
2,842
383
83
Awright: end of discussion. I possess, through the grace of genetics and much attention, THE most gorgeous head of hair on the entire North Coast, if not the whole island. It is thick; it is long; it is healthy; it is red. And just a tip from my former social strata in NYC, we don't use the word "drapes." That signals an arriviste. We say "curtains." But in this case, yes, the "drapes" match the rug.

Any further hair-related questions should be PMd directly to moi.