Alopecia Update 26th November 2024

Yesterday, I removed the Flat-Twists at the front of my hair and detangle with a homemade conditioner. I cleansed my scalp with African Pride Black Castor Miracle Braid and Scalp Cleansing Rinse before washing the front of my hair with Hask Repairing Shampoo. The back of my hair was still in braids so I washed it with Better Braids liquid shampoo. I conditioned with Childs Farm Conditioner and Deep Conditioned with SheaMoisture's Manuka Honey and Marula Oil Intensive  Hydration Hair Masque. I used by Microfibre towel to absorb the excess water from hair, then I applied KeraCare Natural Textures Leave-In Conditioner to the front followed by Fantasia IC Brazilian Hair Oil Keratin Spray Treatment. I sprayed my scalp with Lavender Water and applied my homemade oil blend containing 3% Lavender Oil. I sprayed the braids at the back with Africa's Best Braid Sheen Spray and sealed in the moisture with my hair oil blend.

 I Flat-Twisted the front of my hair with Cantu Grow Strong Strengthening Treatment before unravelling the braids and doing Two-Strand Twists with the same product. I used Taliah Waajid's Style & Shine for the ends of my Twists and my edges. I wrapped my hair with a scarf and covered the scarf with a satin bonnet before going to sleep, which helped my edges to lay flat. I'm noticing a lot of new growth, so I want to retain the length that I'm growing. I'm planning on washing my hair once a week from now on. My Lavender Cream separated due to the emulsifuer, so I need to adjust the formula. For the time being I'll be using Lavender Water and my oil blend, which contains 3% Lavender Oil diluted in Sesame Seed Oil and Castor Oil with Vitamin E.

This is what my hair looked like after I used Taliah Waajid's Style & Shine on the ends of my Twists. I recently came across a post on Instagram by a user who goes by the name of @indigenous_strands. Her hair reaches down past her knees and she hasn't trimmed it in 11 years. She said that she retains her length by using Flaxseed Gel to clump her ends. I've watched some of her YouTube videos and she spoke about wearing Two-Strand Twists and head wraps as protective styles.

Alopecia Update 22th November 2014

Yesterday, I washed and Deep Conditioned the front section of my hair. The weather is very cold so I had an electric heater on in my room after I had finished in the shower. To my surprise, my hair dried very quickly so I didn't need to use a blow dryer. I applied KeraCare Natural Textures Leave-In Conditioner followed by an oil blend containing Sesame Seed Oil, Jojoba Oil Castor Oils, Vitamin E and various essential oils for fragrance. I used a separate oil blend on my scalp which contains Sesame Seed Oil, Castor Oil, 3% Lavender Oil and Vitamin E. I moisturised my hair with Cantu Shea Butter Grow Strong Strengthening Treatment and placed it large Twists until I was ready to go to bed. Before going to bed, I Flat-Twisted the front of my hair using Taliah Waajid's Style & Shine cream. I created a scalp cream, which contains 3% Lavender Oil and I'm hoping that it will reduce the chances of build-up between washes. I used Olive M as the emulsifier, but it often separates, so I might need to adjust the formula.

I've had a small bald spot in this area since June 2019, when my son pulled my hair while I was wearing braids. This type of hair loss is known as Scarring Alopecia. I've done some research and there doesn't seem to be any studies showing effective remedies for Scarring Alopecia. Thankfully, this bald spot is quite easy to hide when I wear my hair in loose styles. 

Alopecia Update 17th November 2024

This picture was taken after I blow dried my hair today. Prior to washing my hair, I detangled it with a homemade conditioner and placed it in Twists. I used As I Am Jamaican Black Castor Oil Water to pre-cleanse my scalp before cleansing it with African Pride Black Castor Miracle Braid and Scalp Cleansing Rinse. I washed my with Hask Argan Oil Repairing Shampoo. The As I Am Castor Oil Water helps to emulsify the oils on my scalp, but it runs down into my eyes and makes them sting. After rinsing off the shampoo, I conditioned my hair with SheaMoisture's Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Hair Mask. I like the fact that this Mask contains Hydrolyzed Rice Protein and Coconut Oil, but it doesn't help with detangling. 

I used a microfibre towel to absorb the excess water, then I applied KeraCare Natural Textures Leave-In Conditioner. This Leave-In Conditioner has wonderful slip, so it's an excellent detangler. Unfortunately, it doesn't contain much humectants, so it doesn't provide lasting hydration. I used John Frieda's Daily Miracle Leave In Conditioner contains heat protection and it has glycerin as the second ingredient  so I used it on top of the KeraCare Leave-In. I was shocked by the results. It felt like I was spraying styling spritz on my hair. There was no slip, and it made my hair tangle up. I sprayed my hair with Fantasia IC Brazilian Hair Oil Keratin Spray Treatment. It's a silicone based product, and Keratin is water soluble, so I doubt that there's much Keratin in the product. I used a diffuser attachment to blow dry my hair on low to medium heat.

When I had finished blow drying, I placed my hair in sections and applied my oil blend to my scalp. I hydrated my hair with S-Curl "No Drip" Curl Activator Moisturizer before moisturising it with Cantu Shea Butter Grow Strong Strengthening Treatment and my Conditioning Balm. I placed the back of my hair in braids and Flat Twisted the front. Androgenetic alopecia doesn't cause hair loss at the back, so there's no need for me to oil the scalp at the back of my head on a regular basis. I want the back of my hair to be long enough to pull up into a high ponytail, so I'm planning to wash it less frequently than the front of my hair. 

Alopecia Update 15th November 2024

  I've noticed lots of new hairs sprouting up, but I've also noticed shedding of the fine velus hairs that grew this year. Thankfully, my new hairs look normal, so they're not impacted by androgenetic alopecia. Pumpkin Seed Oil made me break out in a spot, so I won't be using it on my scalp. My mum has androgenetic alopecia, so I gave my Pumpkin Seed Oil to her to use. She rarely breaks out in spots after using comedogenic products.

I clarified my scalp with Better Braids liquid shampoo and washed my hair with Hask Argan Oil Repairing Shampoo. The shampoo contains film forming ingredients, so I don't use it on my scalp. I conditioned my hair with a homemade protein conditioner and followed up with a moisturising conditioner.

I applied KeraCare Natural Textures Leave-In Conditioner to my freshly washed hair, followed by Cantu Shea Butter Grow Strong Strengthening Treatment. I followed up with L'Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Super Blowdry Cream, before placing my hair in Twists. I blow dried my hair on medium to low heat using a diffuser until my hair was semi-dry, then I allowed my hair to air dry over-night. When I woke up in the morning, my hair felt quite dry so I applied the Cantu Avocado Hydrating Curl Activator blend that I made a few days ago. I Flat-Twisted the front of my hair and pulled the rest into a low ponytail, covered my hair with a scarf and allowed it to dry.

When I unravelled the Flat Twists and took out the ponytail my hair was covered in flakes. I think the Cantu Avocado Hydrating Curl Activator is incompatible with the L'Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Super Blowdry Cream. I massaged my scalp with my oil blend and sprayed my hair with Cantu Shea Butter Hydrating Leave-In Conditioning Mist before placing my hair in two cornrows (see top picture).

Afro Textured Bob

On Monday, I washed my hair with Johnson's Top-to-toe wash and conditioned with my homemade conditioner. I used a cotton T-Shirt to soak up the excess water. When my hair was no longer dripping wet, I applied KeraCare Natural Textures Leave-In Conditioner followed by my homemade Conditioning Balm. In a previous post I mentioned that the curls at the back of my head are larger than the rest of my coils and they hang down more, so I thought I'd take a picture. I haven't flat ironed my hair and I rarely use heat on it, so my looser curl pattern isn't due to heat damage. The follicles at my nape produce more sebum than the reat of my follicles, which leads me to believe that the follicle structure is different.

On Tuesday, I twisted the front of my hair with Cantu Shea Butter Grow Strong Strengthening Treatment, followed by my Conditioning Balm. I wanted to try Cantu Avocado Hydrating Curl Activator again, but I didn't want to use it on the front of my hair, for fear of breakage. I got an empty container and added 5.5 grams of Strawberry Seed Oil, 0.3 grams of blended Melissa Essential Oil and 0.3 grams of Vitamin E along with 94 grams of Cantu Avocado Hydrating Curl Activator. I mixed it together and applied it to my hair (apart from the front). I stretched my hair using large braids and twists and allowed it to dry overnight. When I unravelled the Twists on Wednesday morning, the back was still slightly damp, so my natural coil pattern was visible. 

Last night, I placed my hair in large Twists with braided roots and covered my head with a satin scarf and bonnet before going to bed. If I leave my hair out without twisting it, I would wake up to knots and tangles. When I unravelled my hair in the morning, it felt soft and moisturised. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and covered it with a satin scarf and cap before dropping my son to school (it's very cold outside, so I keep my head covered when I go out). When I took my hair out of the ponytail, I had this cute afro textured bob style. 

Pumpkin Seed Oil

A study found that Pumpkin Seed Oil was effective in treating androgenetic alopecia in women, so I applied some to my scalp before going to bed last night. I'm planning to wash my hair in these Twists this morning. Pumpkin Seed Oil is heavier than my usual scalp oil, so I'm only going to use it the day before I wash my hair.

 I've been doing more research into androgenetic alopecia, and it's important to start treating it early. Once it gets more serious, it becomes harder to regrow hair. As I'm going to be washing my hair more regularly, I may experience some breakage. My focus is on getting thicker roots, so, I'm willing to sacrifice my length in pursuit of thickness.

Day 4 of My Modified Wash and Go

 

My hair was feeling dry at the end of Day 2, so I applied my peppermint water and Cantu Shea Butter Grow Strong Strengthening Treatment before Flat Twisting it back. I changed my parts to avoid causing tension in the same areas. I sprayed the Flat Twists with my Peppermint water and used my hair and scalp oil on Day 3 and 4. I removed my Flat Twists at the end of Day 4 and my hair felt soft and moisturised. I'm planning to wash my hair tomorrow morning, so I placed my hair in large Two-Strand Twists in preparation for Wash Day.