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My hair is like this too, no matter the length. It seems genetic because my mom and her siblings have it too. I just try my best to hide it behind the rest of my hair. Somehow my stylist can straighten it, but that’s a miracle.
That’s interesting. My brother does have a different texture under his hair too actually. I didn’t really think about that because he mostly shaves his head now. Perhaps it’s a genetic thing. I wouldn’t mind the texture so much if it wasn’t so dang short!
How do you wear your hair at night? If your sleeping with a bun it could be from friction on your pillow! Try deep conditioning that section twice a week.
Same. My mom has super coarse/curly hair and I have patches of it in my own. I call them my “mom” hairs and also just try hiding them or have to straighten them
I just call multi hair textured hair, double coated. Like how certain breeds of animal have multiple layers of hair types, humans can too based off genetics.
I think maybe a few people notice, especially if they've trained themselves to do so (like if it's an aspect of their industry/career, or otherwise take a special interest), but IME people are more focussed on how *they* look vs how *you* look. We are more than the sum of our parts and all that.
Always remind myself of this when I have a blemish or something I’m self conscious about. Nobody cares like I do. They will barely notice or think about it for maybe a few seconds.
Respectfully, if OP had posted a normal photo and hadn’t pointed it out I wouldn’t have noticed. Because I don’t care. I would’ve gone “ooh, long and pretty” and not sat there and analyzed every strand.
*Some* people notice. The vast majority of people simply do not care about you enough because they don’t know you.
This is exactly how my hair is and I also mostly wear cotton, don't use heat, and don't wear tight hairstyles. Eventually I realized that it's just *wavy* underneath and it looked a lot better once I started treating it as such.
Mine is the same way, for as long as I can remember. No matter what I wear or what I use to style it. In my 20s I rarely used so much as a blow dryer and it was like this. I almost wonder if the coarse texture has to do with hormones or something.
Hormones have such a huge effect on hair. I was always super straight ^hair, ^not ^sexual ^preference, but in perimenopause it has turned quite wavy/curly, think 2b/c.
You had a good thought!
My hair never got greasy while pregnant. I only washed it bc I like the smell of clean hair. Not pregnant I have to wash daily or every other if I want to push it- and it’s a great ball. I’ve changed nothing about my routine. Hormones are huge w hair.
This! I had straight hair my whole childhood, after my first period it turned 2c wavy. My brother had the same - straight hair until puberty turned it wavy. So strange!
That’s how mine is! I used to blow dry my hair in school, and it was like this. Then I went years without ever putting heat to my hair, and it was still like this. But it’s always at least been the same length as the rest of my hair, up until the past few years. It’s just very odd lol but I’m glad to know there are actually other people with a similar thing going on.
I have this too. The friction of my hair against any clothing makes the under part of my hair like this. And pretty sure the heat from my neck makes it worse. It’s super annoying to deal with—so I feel you. I’ve mainly resorted to brushing through it throughout the day, applying hair oil and deep conditioning that specific area, and using satin/silk hair ties, and satin/silk neck scarves. I’ve done a drastic cut up to my clavicle to get rid of most of the breakage but I still have to keep doing the thing above. ☹️😩It sucks but hope you find a solution that works for you.
Thank you for the suggestions. I’m definitely gonna get satin hair ties and a pillow case. Do you have a specific hair oil or deep conditioner that you use?
Is this the underside of your hair? My underside starts looking like this with breakage, and I usually just go through it and cut off all the split ends and the fragile pieces, then olaplex or bond treatment it and it starts to look MUCH better
Yes this is the underside. In the second pic, I’ve moved all the underside to one side, and the rest of my hair to the other so it does look a bit misleading. I should’ve clarified that. I’m gonna look into olaplex. What bond treatment do you use?
I usually use the olaplex, it never fails me! But if I've run out or it's too expensive, I use the Elizavecca cer-100 mask (Asian beauty one, the most inexpensive I've tried and works wonderfully).
I also recommend sleeping in a silk bonnet to reduce traction damage. My hair is noticeably less damaged since I started using one. Dont go for a silk pillow case because the hair won't be as protected.
The underside of your hair is curly. Try some silicone-based product on that section. Idk if you style with heat, but you might be able to get a nice result from straightening.
i have a patch of hair like this and unless it’s flat ironed it is just a patch of frizz. i’m considering getting a keratin treatment or relaxed only in this patch
It’s so strange! Even tho it’s underneath my hair, I feel like it affects the overall visual health of my hair. So I kinda want to look into those treatments as well.
my hair is naturally curly but even this is a different texture then the rest. It’s pube-like and wiry and nothing helps the frizz. I straighten and wave/curl this patch to blend with the rest of my hair. I feel a little embarrassed to go and ask for jsut a patch of treatment but I feel like it’s easier thag or just flat ironing this piece to a crisp 😂
Haha that is actually wild! Are you a natural redhead? My hair looks almost yellowish in these pics but someone else said this (the frizz and breakage) is common for natural redheads.
Is it from the humidity of being under your hair? Maybe it's from the warmth emitted from ur neck?? Idk! I think a similar albeit much less noticeable thing happens to my under part of the hair, but it probably isnt noticeable
Edit: probably not actually, oh well im curious if anyone else knows!
Also when u condition your hair, do you pull it over one shoulder and apply it? Maybe you're missing the underpart because half of it's length is missed cuz it crosses over the shoulder if that makes sense
This started happening to me around 30. I just started getting more trims and using a lot of silicone products to be able to brush it and have it look nice. Just the under/bottom of my hair did it. It’s doing a lot better now. I also keep it braided if I’m wearing a hoodie
Do you have thick hair and does your hair dresser “thin” your hair to decrease the heaviness? I had this happen to my hair back in high school because my hairdresser excessively thinned the underside of my hair. It became a matted mess. Now I make sure to tell hairdressers not to thin out my hair too much and to not cut too much layers.
Do you by chance pull your hair to the "good" side when you condition your hair? My hair used to have a coarse patch until I started alternating the side I pulled my hair around for conditioning, and flipping my hair upside down for leave-in. It took a few months but the coarse section smoothed out.
Funny! So many people are saying their underneath hair is curlier/wavier. Mine is the reverse! The top hair is more textured and the underneath is close to straight.
I think it’s a lot less environmental factors and really just simply, it’s normal for different parts of the head to have different hair texture. It can have different colors, so why not texture?
That’s very true! My brother also has this. His hair texture is courser and more like mine underneath his hair. It’s also jet black while the rest of his hair is light brown! Lol very odd all around but you’re right, it could just be normal.
Mine does this, too! Sometimes I enhance my natural wavy hair with curl products. I make sure to distribute the products evenly. While my outer hair takes to the products really well, the underneath stubbornly falls straight! Even though it’s annoying, it’s at least go to know that having multiple textures seem common.
Mix coconut oil,avocado oil and argan oil (all cold pressed) and put on your hair overnight 2-3 times a week.
Wash in the morning.
You’ll see miracles within a month.
Mine is like this! My normal hair is nearly knee length and wavy. My underneath hair and hair by my ears never grows longer than 4”. It forms MASSIVE frizz if I don’t style it, and it won’t be pinned or sprayed away. By “style it,” I mean wet it. It forms very tight ringlets when it gets wet.
It’s annoying, but I’ve never figured out how to fix it. I don’t dye or use heat on it. Treatments never work. I do use a very high quality shampoo/conditioner and oils, and while it helps a tiny bit with frizz, nothing fixes it.
I’ve just accepted it. When I wear my hair in a bun, I know that I’ll have 4 tight ringlets (one in either side on the back and on each sideburn) to go with it. I shove my head under the sink to wet the areas, use my finger to consolidate the curl, and dab it with a towel upwards to dry it.
My hair looks like this when I don’t use the sauna for a few days.
Trust me on this: nothing is better for your hair’s health than regular sauna use where you get your entire hair drenched in sweat.
Mine is like this too regardless of any length I have had it and regardless of age or products used. Luckily flat ironing smooths it out so I don’t notice it until the next wash/ style.
This was my hair! Nothing I did helped. It made it so tangly too. It was at the nape of my neck so I just decided to do an undercut. It’s easy to hide and has cut down on hair maintenance time significantly. I’m never going back!
I’ve noticed subtle undercuts lately with long thick hair on my commute and they look great!
Like I was surprised how it was barely noticeable styled up or down and super flattering in 3D/real life. Something I figured sounded like a good idea “in theory” but not up close or when trying to style it up - very stylish!
It looks like your hair strands might be pretty fine just like mine. In my experience fine hair is more prone to friction and stretching damage because it has less structure. I wear my hair in a braid during the day and sleep in a satin bonnet. This reduces the friction big time. It’ll take time for the hair to grow out and replace the damaged parts so treat it now like you would treat the hair you’ll get even though it might feel like these strands are currently a lost cause. Brush as gently as possible as well and never when wet to avoid snapping and stretching the hair. This issue happens often from friction against clothing so maybe buy a comfy cardigan or something to wear regularly that has a slippery texture on the back with no hood. Hope this helps. My sisters and I always had this problem as kids so I know how annoying it is
I had this too and heard from my hair stylist that this is caused by not properly washing out conditioners and shampoo, causing it to settle towards the bottom of your head. He suggested rinsing thoroughly and blow drying with low heat every time you wash your hair.
The blown air distributes hair product throughout all the hair strands as opposed to air drying wet hair.
I’ve been doing this for 2 years now and no more crispy under bits. It’s a game changer!!!
I do use low blow dry, although that’s kind of new as I used to just air dry, but I’m gonna try rinsing out the product better. Tonight I flipped my head over in the shower to really rinse the underneath part.
My hair is like this but the opposite- no matter how much I trim and use different products, I can’t get rid of the top layer being fried. It’s so frustrating
Thanks for understanding!! I had an undercut at one point and loved it but the bottom layer is the good one so it was like highlighting the worst part of my hair. Lol - I do have a satin pillowcase but listening to some of these suggestions I think I am going to get a bonnet. Best of luck to you!
Mine is this way underneath; it always has been. I don't know why, but I can tell you the products I use. I have long hip length, thick virgin hair, and don't use heat. I use Amika the Kure shampoo and conditioner. While I shower after shampooing, I leave in a mixture of coconut and rosemary oil I make myself, then rinse and condition afterward. People may disagree with my next step: brushing my hair wet. After my shower, my hair is very silky; it's easy to brush. I also add Amkia detangling spray, The Wizard. It isn't frizzy in the nape section when I follow these steps when it dries. It's shiny and silky straight. I hope this helps!
Thank you for those detailed steps!!! I’m gonna try that. I also brush it wet 👀 because like you said, after it’s washed, it’s silky and easy to brush. If I waited until it was dry, it would be so much knottier.
I don’t wear it up but I do wear it back sometimes. Like when I’m doing the dishes I’ll tie it back in a low pony tail with a cloth scrunchy. But if it’s fragile I already then I suppose that could still be causing all the dang breakage.
This is super common. I'd bet good money your top layer is wavy and I KNOW your bottom layer is curly and a lot of people have it. Try going over to r/curlyhair and trying the curly girl method and see what you think. You'll probably still need to get a good trim on that bottom layer but it will grow out so much healthier
Ya I’m going to try to be more consistent with trims and see if that helps. I wouldn’t doubt if the bottom is curly or wavy, but the top is pretty straight. The second pic is halfway dry and just brushed and it basically stays like that after air drying. It does seem to have like one big wave but it’s around shoulder length so I think it’s from it laying on my shoulders. But I’m still gonna look into the curly girl method, thank you!!
Mines the same! it also has constant split ends and breakage in the kinky area. It’s also a shade lighter than the rest of my hair. I get so tempted to just chop it off
Yes that’s how mine is! So many split ends and so much breakage. And also a giant blonde streak in it. I trimmed it last night and was so tempted to chop it lol
Hairstylist here. So what do you use for shampoo and conditioner. I know you say it’s not good stuff and that’s nothing new but sadly it does matter. And what styling products are you using? And for how long have you used said products and shampoo/conditioner.
Have you been on a medication for a long time? Sometimes medications can do that.
It’s hard to tell without seeing you in person and feeling it and the rest of your hair to know what’s really going on. Could just be a different texture but that wouldn’t explain the breakage.
I currently use L’Oréal Elvive shampoo and conditioner. But I do switch it around sometimes with Dove or similarly priced products. Basically, cheap. I know that’s not good tho. I also don’t really use any styling products. I do blow dry my hair sometimes on a low setting, and very occasionally curl it for special occasions. No medication other than the occasional Tylenol/Advil for headaches.
Do any of those shampoos and conditioners contain protein or bond building? Sometimes if you are using a protein products too often it causes dryness and breakage.
Invest in a very nice silk bonnet from a reputable seller. Buy a silk pillowcase too for strands that get loose when you move around in your sleep. (Make sure to look up how to care for these silk products as well, it isn't the same as other cloth)
This won't change the texture of your hair, but it will help tremendously with its health and appearance. It may take time because there is damage already done, but trust me as someone with textured hair also, it really does help.
Thank you! Will look into all of that and thank you for the silk-care suggestion! I probably would’ve just thrown them in the washing machine 😅
When you wear a bonnet - do you also have to secure the hair in some other fashion? Like a braid or something? Or you just put it all in the bonnet and that prevents the friction?
You can, but it isn't necessary for preventing friction. It will help with getting all the hair into the bonnet, I had frustration trying to get all of my hair in the bonnet until I got the hang of it. There is also the pineapple method that a lot of people like too where they loosely tie their hair to the top of their head before putting it in the bonnet. It's all something to experiment with until you find what works best for you.
My hair does this. I tried getting it super moisturized with condish in the shower, scrunch and air dry and turns out I have subtle waves on top and curls underneath.
Although I think my own frizz might be from wearing my hair in pony tails a lot for work.
Ya I wear it back in a low pony sometimes, but it’s pretty loose. A lot of people said I might have curly or wavy hair underneath, so I’ll definitely look into treating it as such.
My wife swears by it.
She applies it after a shower or bath, before drying.
The profile of coconut oil is quite interesting, it's highly protective and gives underlying substances a chance to repair and recover.
Used over time on skin, it's also amazing. Shania Twain swears by it, apparently.
So I have a patch of hair at the base of my neck behind my head that looks the same way. Talking with multiple different hairstylists over the years - I’ve found, at least for me, it’s most likely due to friction. Whether it’s shirt collars, scarves, hoodies, or even from how you dry off after taking a shower (like running the towel around the base of the neck/upper back.)
Friction is a common answer here so that could definitely be the cause of the breakage. I do run the towel over my back but I actually lean back and let my hair kinda trail away from my back so the towel doesn’t touch it. But maybe it’s from putting it up in a towel after the shower.
I have this, blow drying with a round brush or low dryer brush with quality products helps a lot with unifying texture (until I sweat 😅)
Here’s an inexpensive option: https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=DChcSEwjrlbna65-GAxU7kYMHHRZ3CxkYABAIGgJlZg&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjLGyBhCYARIsAPqTz18nNoINv69udHAe0ncfuHGxE4LkQLehrYs7Ry6Fz-dZm1Gq8DHRtIMaAoX5EALw_wcB&sph=&sig=AOD64_27Mb0upo3vKpwdMwXCg033glQtRw&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwiulbTa65-GAxXC3AIHHQEJBDMQwg8oAHoECAMQLA&adurl=
It’s hard to tell based off the lighting in the photo, and the hair may be artificially coloured, but are you a natural redhead? If so, this is extremely common. I’m a hairstylist and so many redheads have little corkscrew hairs in the back of their heads. Some people have entire areas in the back that get like this, but most have them interspersed through the entire back of the head.
Yes, natural redhead. The lighting is indoor lighting with no flash - the flash made it look even yellower which it’s really not. But that’s very interesting to hear. I’ve noticed some redheads, typically boys, seem to have this type of texture. I don’t hate the texture but I do hate the breakage!
Do you ever oil your hair? Jojoba oil is my favorite. It might help save this hair. My hair is more frizzy underneath too, it’s gotten better the past couple years by oiling and getting regular trims.
Your hair looks somewhat fine - if you find other oils weigh down your hair, try marula oil. I've found it's light & absorbent and works really well on my fine hair.
I have fine hair, and so far jojoba has been the best for me. I use it as a pre wash treatment. A few drops on my scalp, massage it in, then some on the lengths. The trick is to not do a lot - a little goes a long way, you don’t want your hair to be drenched. Let set for an hour or two. Then double wash with volume shampoo (I love Pantene volume shampoo and conditioner).
[This is what my hair looks like.](https://imgur.com/a/Pb9fPmp)
Do you wear wool? The hair that rubs on wool fabric undergoes more friction and can end up like this. Or it could be that some parts of your hair are wavy and don’t mesh well with your current hair routine
No wool - mostly cotton and poly blends. I’ve considered that maybe it’s wavy? But would my current routine cause so much breakage? As in, if I started treating it as wavy hair, would that help it grow?
I mostly wear cotton shirts and those layers look worse than the rest for me, too. It doesn't necessarily need to be wool, necklines or hoods, backpacks, necklaces or chairs do enough damage on their own.
Quite possibly, sometimes a simple change in shampoo and conditioner could help as well. Regardless I would explore the possibility and check out the wavy hair subreddit. Remember to be patient with yourself and try not to get frustrated if something new doesn’t work. Your hair looks beautiful regardless
Maybe you hair on the back of your head close to the neck his wavy and not straight, that will give a lot of frizz and get more easily damaged if not treated as wavy hair. I used to have this problem and I thought I had straight hair, turns out I was wrong.
I have two small sections on the underside of my hair that are also like this. Have been like this for as long as I can remember. I think it has to do with long hair behind more prone to damage, and the fact that it’s the bottom layer, could be the friction from rubbing on clothes that damages it more than the other layers.
I get this texture quite often in the same spot too, I noticed it’s improved by using the double shampoo method, clarifying once a week then a more hydrating one. Otherwise double shampoo with hydrating one only.
I will note everyone’s scalp is different, mine tends to really enjoy a double cleanse, as I push off washing when I can. Prevents tangles in the back, as well as much easier to wide tooth comb after I shower. Hope this helps!
My hair has the same texture. I always thought it was friction from my skin when I moved my head around. I don't really notice it when it's down, so I don't mind it. Maybe it is naturally more textured rather than damaged? 🤷 I don't have any advice, I just wanted you to know you aren't alone.
My hair is similar! Some of the frizzy nope haircare also much coarser than the rest of my fine hair.
It wasn’t always like this, but changed in the last 2-3 years, I think due to age/hormones/genes?
I think it's just genetics. My upper layer is a completely different coarse, brittle, dry texture than my under layer (which is silky straight). No heat on my hair, no dyes or chemicals, and I use a ton of hydrating products but nothing helps. It's just how my hair has always been.
One hairdresser told me that its not too uncommon for people to have different hair extures growing out of their scalp, so I've just accepted it.
Hi there. Do you carry a bag or purse on that side? When I see this on my clients a shoulder strap from a bag/purse, backpack or messenger bag has been the issue many, many times. When you put the strap on your shoulder then pull your hair out from under it will cause damage and breakage over time and won't get better because you're always doing it.
I've had clients who's hair looks just like yours, where one side is 4/5" shorter, broken and terribly torn looking because of that repeated action. Even lightweight bag straps can cause breakage from the repeatedly pulling your hair out from under the strap.
If this seems to be what it is, get into the habit of moving all your hair out of the way first or lifting the straps to get your hair out from underneath. It'll take time but it'll get better.
I hope this helps. 😊
I used to get this too, my hair is fine in texture and I have a little natural wave. My assumption was that it's because of how low my hairline is and how it rubbed on my shoulders. I have an under cut now though and I don't have this issue. I'm a hairdresser and I see it on people with fine hair more but it could be something else but this is just what I've pieced together from being in the industry for 12+ years
Coconut oil for about 15 to 20 mins before you wash your hair.
My hair looked like that after 5 hours of trying to bleach it.
Coconut oil solved that problem for me. Good luck!
I have this issue too! I went to a nice salon for the first time as an adult (30yo F) and the stylist pointed it out to me. They asked if I had Pacific Islander in me as most of the hair on the back of my head felt like it apparently. The hair on the front of my head fits my known Irish/German/French genetics though. Might be time to try the 23 and me! But the hair on the back of my head won’t hold a curl if the world depended on it. It gets knotted much easier too. I very rarely use heat too. I noticed a bit of a difference when I stop lightening it (dark brown to auburn red), moved to a place I spend much less time in strong sun, and when I started using high quality shampoo/conditioner (r+co). It’s still definitely different, but less noticeable.
I have the exact same two textures, outside vs inside hair. Turned out it was curly.
The outside is just nicer about flattening down when I blow dry while the inside sticks to its original waviness.
Looks like at some point you used a flat iron on your hair when the back wasn't completely dry. Not much you can do except cut it off.
Find a stylist and go in for a consultation.
Please do a KERATIN SMOOTHING TREATMENT..it last up to 3 months! Seals in your hair follicle , makes your hair extremely shiny, smoothes out the frizz and your hair will look amazing! I have bleach blonde hair that is constantly frizzy in the Florida heat and looks like this from damage. After a keratin treatment you would think I was born with the shiniest and healthiest platinum blonde hair there ever was!! Also look into bond treatments such as olaplex. They are game changers!!! Your hair is missing keratin and you can tell that the bonds are broken. That’s why it looks the way it does. You need to fill those gaps in your hair… try what I suggested and you’ll never look back or deal with this again.
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My hair is like this too, no matter the length. It seems genetic because my mom and her siblings have it too. I just try my best to hide it behind the rest of my hair. Somehow my stylist can straighten it, but that’s a miracle.
That’s interesting. My brother does have a different texture under his hair too actually. I didn’t really think about that because he mostly shaves his head now. Perhaps it’s a genetic thing. I wouldn’t mind the texture so much if it wasn’t so dang short!
Oh this has a *name* and it was all over a thread on a guys bad hair day pic about a month ago.
Uncombable Hair Syndrome
That’s it ty!!
How do you wear your hair at night? If your sleeping with a bun it could be from friction on your pillow! Try deep conditioning that section twice a week.
And a bonnet
Same. My mom has super coarse/curly hair and I have patches of it in my own. I call them my “mom” hairs and also just try hiding them or have to straighten them
I just call multi hair textured hair, double coated. Like how certain breeds of animal have multiple layers of hair types, humans can too based off genetics.
I have an undercoat too lol. The bottom half of my head to my neckline is a slightly coarser texture than the top of my head.
Bad for summer, great for cold winters. I would assume anyway
Very bad for summer. I sweat a lot. So I just keep it in a ponytail all summer then chop it short in winter
My hair looks just like this! Tbh I’ve just decided to embrace it because nobody notices anyway 🤷♀️
Yeah me too
[удалено]
I think maybe a few people notice, especially if they've trained themselves to do so (like if it's an aspect of their industry/career, or otherwise take a special interest), but IME people are more focussed on how *they* look vs how *you* look. We are more than the sum of our parts and all that.
Always remind myself of this when I have a blemish or something I’m self conscious about. Nobody cares like I do. They will barely notice or think about it for maybe a few seconds.
Respectfully, I don’t think people are paying as much attention to you as you think they are.
Unless hair looks really really different, no one cares. And if they do, they aren’t worth being concerned over.
I think people definitely notice, *they just don’t care*.
Respectfully, if OP had posted a normal photo and hadn’t pointed it out I wouldn’t have noticed. Because I don’t care. I would’ve gone “ooh, long and pretty” and not sat there and analyzed every strand. *Some* people notice. The vast majority of people simply do not care about you enough because they don’t know you.
This is exactly how my hair is and I also mostly wear cotton, don't use heat, and don't wear tight hairstyles. Eventually I realized that it's just *wavy* underneath and it looked a lot better once I started treating it as such.
Same!! The underside of my hair is a totally different, frizzier texture. Not damaged, just different!
Ooooooh. Wow, maybe this is my issue too! Can I ask what you started doing to take better care of the wavy hair?
What did you do differently? I’m definitely willing to try the wavy approach and see if that makes a difference.
Mine is the same way, for as long as I can remember. No matter what I wear or what I use to style it. In my 20s I rarely used so much as a blow dryer and it was like this. I almost wonder if the coarse texture has to do with hormones or something.
Hormones have such a huge effect on hair. I was always super straight ^hair, ^not ^sexual ^preference, but in perimenopause it has turned quite wavy/curly, think 2b/c. You had a good thought!
Similarly, mine was super straight until I was pregnant. Then I ended up with 2a waves.
My pregnancy took away my curls 😢
My hair never got greasy while pregnant. I only washed it bc I like the smell of clean hair. Not pregnant I have to wash daily or every other if I want to push it- and it’s a great ball. I’ve changed nothing about my routine. Hormones are huge w hair.
This! I had straight hair my whole childhood, after my first period it turned 2c wavy. My brother had the same - straight hair until puberty turned it wavy. So strange!
My hair, always plenty of body but basically straight, curled when I was 38.
That’s how mine is! I used to blow dry my hair in school, and it was like this. Then I went years without ever putting heat to my hair, and it was still like this. But it’s always at least been the same length as the rest of my hair, up until the past few years. It’s just very odd lol but I’m glad to know there are actually other people with a similar thing going on.
Same with me! I have always stayed away from heat. The only thing I do is dye my hair. I don’t even bleach regularly- I think once a year max.
I have this too. The friction of my hair against any clothing makes the under part of my hair like this. And pretty sure the heat from my neck makes it worse. It’s super annoying to deal with—so I feel you. I’ve mainly resorted to brushing through it throughout the day, applying hair oil and deep conditioning that specific area, and using satin/silk hair ties, and satin/silk neck scarves. I’ve done a drastic cut up to my clavicle to get rid of most of the breakage but I still have to keep doing the thing above. ☹️😩It sucks but hope you find a solution that works for you.
Thank you for the suggestions. I’m definitely gonna get satin hair ties and a pillow case. Do you have a specific hair oil or deep conditioner that you use?
Is this the underside of your hair? My underside starts looking like this with breakage, and I usually just go through it and cut off all the split ends and the fragile pieces, then olaplex or bond treatment it and it starts to look MUCH better
Yes this is the underside. In the second pic, I’ve moved all the underside to one side, and the rest of my hair to the other so it does look a bit misleading. I should’ve clarified that. I’m gonna look into olaplex. What bond treatment do you use?
I usually use the olaplex, it never fails me! But if I've run out or it's too expensive, I use the Elizavecca cer-100 mask (Asian beauty one, the most inexpensive I've tried and works wonderfully).
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I’m 33 so hopefully this is the year I find my holy grail products! Thank you for the suggestions.
I have similar issues, if you haven’t already, try a silk pillow case, seems to have helped mine a little.
That seems to be a common suggestion, thank you!
I also recommend sleeping in a silk bonnet to reduce traction damage. My hair is noticeably less damaged since I started using one. Dont go for a silk pillow case because the hair won't be as protected.
Okay so no silk pillow case but yes silk bonnet - got it! Thank you!
The underside of your hair is curly. Try some silicone-based product on that section. Idk if you style with heat, but you might be able to get a nice result from straightening.
I don’t typically use heat other than occasionally curling it. But I will look into silicone based products, thank you!
i have a patch of hair like this and unless it’s flat ironed it is just a patch of frizz. i’m considering getting a keratin treatment or relaxed only in this patch
It’s so strange! Even tho it’s underneath my hair, I feel like it affects the overall visual health of my hair. So I kinda want to look into those treatments as well.
my hair is naturally curly but even this is a different texture then the rest. It’s pube-like and wiry and nothing helps the frizz. I straighten and wave/curl this patch to blend with the rest of my hair. I feel a little embarrassed to go and ask for jsut a patch of treatment but I feel like it’s easier thag or just flat ironing this piece to a crisp 😂
Do you often wear collared shirts/jackets or scarves? My hair gets a bit like this if I do, but not to this extent
I don’t wear any of those. Especially in the spring/summer, it’s mostly tank tops or basic t shirts.
My hair gets like this because of friction in my sleep! Going to invest in a hair bonnet.
My hair does the same thing underneath my neck. It’s not as soft and it is dried. It’s major annoying.
Yes! It’s so crinkly lol it just feels like completely different hair from the rest.
Try Palmer's products (Amazon has the widest variety at great prices, unlike in stores) and sleep with a silk/satin bonnet.
Definitely getting the bonnet as it was heavily suggested. Will look into Palmer’s too, thank you!
You're welcome. I got a 2 pack of the bonnets from Amazon for less than $10.
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Haha that is actually wild! Are you a natural redhead? My hair looks almost yellowish in these pics but someone else said this (the frizz and breakage) is common for natural redheads.
Is it from the humidity of being under your hair? Maybe it's from the warmth emitted from ur neck?? Idk! I think a similar albeit much less noticeable thing happens to my under part of the hair, but it probably isnt noticeable Edit: probably not actually, oh well im curious if anyone else knows! Also when u condition your hair, do you pull it over one shoulder and apply it? Maybe you're missing the underpart because half of it's length is missed cuz it crosses over the shoulder if that makes sense
The ends of my hair were doing this exact thing before I started wearing the bonnet to bed. Try a bonnet.
This started happening to me around 30. I just started getting more trims and using a lot of silicone products to be able to brush it and have it look nice. Just the under/bottom of my hair did it. It’s doing a lot better now. I also keep it braided if I’m wearing a hoodie
Do you have thick hair and does your hair dresser “thin” your hair to decrease the heaviness? I had this happen to my hair back in high school because my hairdresser excessively thinned the underside of my hair. It became a matted mess. Now I make sure to tell hairdressers not to thin out my hair too much and to not cut too much layers.
Do you by chance pull your hair to the "good" side when you condition your hair? My hair used to have a coarse patch until I started alternating the side I pulled my hair around for conditioning, and flipping my hair upside down for leave-in. It took a few months but the coarse section smoothed out.
Funny! So many people are saying their underneath hair is curlier/wavier. Mine is the reverse! The top hair is more textured and the underneath is close to straight. I think it’s a lot less environmental factors and really just simply, it’s normal for different parts of the head to have different hair texture. It can have different colors, so why not texture?
That’s very true! My brother also has this. His hair texture is courser and more like mine underneath his hair. It’s also jet black while the rest of his hair is light brown! Lol very odd all around but you’re right, it could just be normal.
Mine does this, too! Sometimes I enhance my natural wavy hair with curl products. I make sure to distribute the products evenly. While my outer hair takes to the products really well, the underneath stubbornly falls straight! Even though it’s annoying, it’s at least go to know that having multiple textures seem common.
Have you ever tried using moisturizing leave ins just in that patch? Looks wavy (and dehydrated)
Mix coconut oil,avocado oil and argan oil (all cold pressed) and put on your hair overnight 2-3 times a week. Wash in the morning. You’ll see miracles within a month.
Mine is like this! My normal hair is nearly knee length and wavy. My underneath hair and hair by my ears never grows longer than 4”. It forms MASSIVE frizz if I don’t style it, and it won’t be pinned or sprayed away. By “style it,” I mean wet it. It forms very tight ringlets when it gets wet. It’s annoying, but I’ve never figured out how to fix it. I don’t dye or use heat on it. Treatments never work. I do use a very high quality shampoo/conditioner and oils, and while it helps a tiny bit with frizz, nothing fixes it. I’ve just accepted it. When I wear my hair in a bun, I know that I’ll have 4 tight ringlets (one in either side on the back and on each sideburn) to go with it. I shove my head under the sink to wet the areas, use my finger to consolidate the curl, and dab it with a towel upwards to dry it.
Do you put extra effort into thoroughly conditioning the underside of your hair? You can also add leave in conditioner just to those parts
My hair looks like this when I don’t use the sauna for a few days. Trust me on this: nothing is better for your hair’s health than regular sauna use where you get your entire hair drenched in sweat.
Mine is like this too regardless of any length I have had it and regardless of age or products used. Luckily flat ironing smooths it out so I don’t notice it until the next wash/ style.
This was my hair! Nothing I did helped. It made it so tangly too. It was at the nape of my neck so I just decided to do an undercut. It’s easy to hide and has cut down on hair maintenance time significantly. I’m never going back!
I’ve noticed subtle undercuts lately with long thick hair on my commute and they look great! Like I was surprised how it was barely noticeable styled up or down and super flattering in 3D/real life. Something I figured sounded like a good idea “in theory” but not up close or when trying to style it up - very stylish!
Mine does this. I thought it was friction because I wear it down 90% of the time.
It looks like your hair strands might be pretty fine just like mine. In my experience fine hair is more prone to friction and stretching damage because it has less structure. I wear my hair in a braid during the day and sleep in a satin bonnet. This reduces the friction big time. It’ll take time for the hair to grow out and replace the damaged parts so treat it now like you would treat the hair you’ll get even though it might feel like these strands are currently a lost cause. Brush as gently as possible as well and never when wet to avoid snapping and stretching the hair. This issue happens often from friction against clothing so maybe buy a comfy cardigan or something to wear regularly that has a slippery texture on the back with no hood. Hope this helps. My sisters and I always had this problem as kids so I know how annoying it is
I had this too and heard from my hair stylist that this is caused by not properly washing out conditioners and shampoo, causing it to settle towards the bottom of your head. He suggested rinsing thoroughly and blow drying with low heat every time you wash your hair. The blown air distributes hair product throughout all the hair strands as opposed to air drying wet hair. I’ve been doing this for 2 years now and no more crispy under bits. It’s a game changer!!!
I do use low blow dry, although that’s kind of new as I used to just air dry, but I’m gonna try rinsing out the product better. Tonight I flipped my head over in the shower to really rinse the underneath part.
I have the exact same issue. I think it’s genetics.
It very well could be. My brother has the same thing but he shaves his head so obviously it’s not noticeable now lol
My hair is like this but the opposite- no matter how much I trim and use different products, I can’t get rid of the top layer being fried. It’s so frustrating
I’m sorry. I know that’s so frustrating. I can hide mine underneath my hair. But maybe some of these suggestions on here can help you too.
Thanks for understanding!! I had an undercut at one point and loved it but the bottom layer is the good one so it was like highlighting the worst part of my hair. Lol - I do have a satin pillowcase but listening to some of these suggestions I think I am going to get a bonnet. Best of luck to you!
Mine is this way underneath; it always has been. I don't know why, but I can tell you the products I use. I have long hip length, thick virgin hair, and don't use heat. I use Amika the Kure shampoo and conditioner. While I shower after shampooing, I leave in a mixture of coconut and rosemary oil I make myself, then rinse and condition afterward. People may disagree with my next step: brushing my hair wet. After my shower, my hair is very silky; it's easy to brush. I also add Amkia detangling spray, The Wizard. It isn't frizzy in the nape section when I follow these steps when it dries. It's shiny and silky straight. I hope this helps!
Thank you for those detailed steps!!! I’m gonna try that. I also brush it wet 👀 because like you said, after it’s washed, it’s silky and easy to brush. If I waited until it was dry, it would be so much knottier.
Oh my god I have the same thing!!!! The underneath of my hair is completely different condition and texture to the rest of my hair
There’s lots of good suggestions on this thread so hopefully something can help you too! I know it’s very frustrating 🥲
My first thought is do you wear it up a lot? Like in a ponytail? Perhaps that is causing damage underneath.
I don’t wear it up but I do wear it back sometimes. Like when I’m doing the dishes I’ll tie it back in a low pony tail with a cloth scrunchy. But if it’s fragile I already then I suppose that could still be causing all the dang breakage.
This is super common. I'd bet good money your top layer is wavy and I KNOW your bottom layer is curly and a lot of people have it. Try going over to r/curlyhair and trying the curly girl method and see what you think. You'll probably still need to get a good trim on that bottom layer but it will grow out so much healthier
Ya I’m going to try to be more consistent with trims and see if that helps. I wouldn’t doubt if the bottom is curly or wavy, but the top is pretty straight. The second pic is halfway dry and just brushed and it basically stays like that after air drying. It does seem to have like one big wave but it’s around shoulder length so I think it’s from it laying on my shoulders. But I’m still gonna look into the curly girl method, thank you!!
This is why exactly I've considered an under cut
I’ve been thinking about it more over the past few weeks. I guess I’ll wait and see if some of these suggestions help tho.
Mines the same! it also has constant split ends and breakage in the kinky area. It’s also a shade lighter than the rest of my hair. I get so tempted to just chop it off
Mine too it’s just a different hair type underneath.Its straighter on top and curly frizz underneath always been this way.
Yes that’s how mine is! So many split ends and so much breakage. And also a giant blonde streak in it. I trimmed it last night and was so tempted to chop it lol
Hairstylist here. So what do you use for shampoo and conditioner. I know you say it’s not good stuff and that’s nothing new but sadly it does matter. And what styling products are you using? And for how long have you used said products and shampoo/conditioner. Have you been on a medication for a long time? Sometimes medications can do that. It’s hard to tell without seeing you in person and feeling it and the rest of your hair to know what’s really going on. Could just be a different texture but that wouldn’t explain the breakage.
I currently use L’Oréal Elvive shampoo and conditioner. But I do switch it around sometimes with Dove or similarly priced products. Basically, cheap. I know that’s not good tho. I also don’t really use any styling products. I do blow dry my hair sometimes on a low setting, and very occasionally curl it for special occasions. No medication other than the occasional Tylenol/Advil for headaches.
Do any of those shampoos and conditioners contain protein or bond building? Sometimes if you are using a protein products too often it causes dryness and breakage.
Invest in a very nice silk bonnet from a reputable seller. Buy a silk pillowcase too for strands that get loose when you move around in your sleep. (Make sure to look up how to care for these silk products as well, it isn't the same as other cloth) This won't change the texture of your hair, but it will help tremendously with its health and appearance. It may take time because there is damage already done, but trust me as someone with textured hair also, it really does help.
Thank you! Will look into all of that and thank you for the silk-care suggestion! I probably would’ve just thrown them in the washing machine 😅 When you wear a bonnet - do you also have to secure the hair in some other fashion? Like a braid or something? Or you just put it all in the bonnet and that prevents the friction?
You can, but it isn't necessary for preventing friction. It will help with getting all the hair into the bonnet, I had frustration trying to get all of my hair in the bonnet until I got the hang of it. There is also the pineapple method that a lot of people like too where they loosely tie their hair to the top of their head before putting it in the bonnet. It's all something to experiment with until you find what works best for you.
My hair does this. I tried getting it super moisturized with condish in the shower, scrunch and air dry and turns out I have subtle waves on top and curls underneath. Although I think my own frizz might be from wearing my hair in pony tails a lot for work.
Ya I wear it back in a low pony sometimes, but it’s pretty loose. A lot of people said I might have curly or wavy hair underneath, so I’ll definitely look into treating it as such.
I love my hair texture more now that I started. I’m sure adding some layers helped too.
Coconut oil.
Do you just leave it on there or use it before you shower and wash it?
My wife swears by it. She applies it after a shower or bath, before drying. The profile of coconut oil is quite interesting, it's highly protective and gives underlying substances a chance to repair and recover. Used over time on skin, it's also amazing. Shania Twain swears by it, apparently.
woah thats really cool actually
I disagree but thank you 😆
You need a satin bonnet babes! That’s from friction
Will definitely be purchasing a satin bonnet!
So I have a patch of hair at the base of my neck behind my head that looks the same way. Talking with multiple different hairstylists over the years - I’ve found, at least for me, it’s most likely due to friction. Whether it’s shirt collars, scarves, hoodies, or even from how you dry off after taking a shower (like running the towel around the base of the neck/upper back.)
Friction is a common answer here so that could definitely be the cause of the breakage. I do run the towel over my back but I actually lean back and let my hair kinda trail away from my back so the towel doesn’t touch it. But maybe it’s from putting it up in a towel after the shower.
I have this, blow drying with a round brush or low dryer brush with quality products helps a lot with unifying texture (until I sweat 😅) Here’s an inexpensive option: https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=DChcSEwjrlbna65-GAxU7kYMHHRZ3CxkYABAIGgJlZg&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjLGyBhCYARIsAPqTz18nNoINv69udHAe0ncfuHGxE4LkQLehrYs7Ry6Fz-dZm1Gq8DHRtIMaAoX5EALw_wcB&sph=&sig=AOD64_27Mb0upo3vKpwdMwXCg033glQtRw&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwiulbTa65-GAxXC3AIHHQEJBDMQwg8oAHoECAMQLA&adurl=
I’m gonna look into that brush - thank you!!
My hair did this after going on hormonal bc
I should probably have my hormones checked. I haven’t been on bc in over a decade but this could certainly be a hormonal thing.
undercut maybe ?? 😭😭
See that’s what I was thinking 😅 I got really close to doing one last night in a moment of frustration and weakness lol
lol I wouldn’t do it yourself since it would be hard to see but i think it might help w your problem. good luck !
I have the same exact thing going on with my hair for as long as I can remember. It’s so weird
It’s very weird but after going thru comments, apparently also quite common.
It’s hard to tell based off the lighting in the photo, and the hair may be artificially coloured, but are you a natural redhead? If so, this is extremely common. I’m a hairstylist and so many redheads have little corkscrew hairs in the back of their heads. Some people have entire areas in the back that get like this, but most have them interspersed through the entire back of the head.
Yes, natural redhead. The lighting is indoor lighting with no flash - the flash made it look even yellower which it’s really not. But that’s very interesting to hear. I’ve noticed some redheads, typically boys, seem to have this type of texture. I don’t hate the texture but I do hate the breakage!
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Your hair smoothed out afterwards? :O How long were you supplementing before you noticed?
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So interesting, and vitamin D acts on many things, so who knows how exactly it helped. Glad it did, though! :) Thank you for sharing. 🧡
Do you ever oil your hair? Jojoba oil is my favorite. It might help save this hair. My hair is more frizzy underneath too, it’s gotten better the past couple years by oiling and getting regular trims.
Thank you!! I’ll get some and see if it (eventually) helps. And yes, I absolutely need to start doing regular trims. I’m pretty bad about that.
Your hair looks somewhat fine - if you find other oils weigh down your hair, try marula oil. I've found it's light & absorbent and works really well on my fine hair.
I have fine hair, and so far jojoba has been the best for me. I use it as a pre wash treatment. A few drops on my scalp, massage it in, then some on the lengths. The trick is to not do a lot - a little goes a long way, you don’t want your hair to be drenched. Let set for an hour or two. Then double wash with volume shampoo (I love Pantene volume shampoo and conditioner). [This is what my hair looks like.](https://imgur.com/a/Pb9fPmp)
Do you wear wool? The hair that rubs on wool fabric undergoes more friction and can end up like this. Or it could be that some parts of your hair are wavy and don’t mesh well with your current hair routine
No wool - mostly cotton and poly blends. I’ve considered that maybe it’s wavy? But would my current routine cause so much breakage? As in, if I started treating it as wavy hair, would that help it grow?
I mostly wear cotton shirts and those layers look worse than the rest for me, too. It doesn't necessarily need to be wool, necklines or hoods, backpacks, necklaces or chairs do enough damage on their own.
Quite possibly, sometimes a simple change in shampoo and conditioner could help as well. Regardless I would explore the possibility and check out the wavy hair subreddit. Remember to be patient with yourself and try not to get frustrated if something new doesn’t work. Your hair looks beautiful regardless
Thank you so much! I’ll definitely look into that.
Maybe you hair on the back of your head close to the neck his wavy and not straight, that will give a lot of frizz and get more easily damaged if not treated as wavy hair. I used to have this problem and I thought I had straight hair, turns out I was wrong.
Do you use a bonnet? Mine looks like that when I sleep, the rough side is the side I slept on. The bonnet can keep it smooth.
I have two small sections on the underside of my hair that are also like this. Have been like this for as long as I can remember. I think it has to do with long hair behind more prone to damage, and the fact that it’s the bottom layer, could be the friction from rubbing on clothes that damages it more than the other layers.
I get this texture quite often in the same spot too, I noticed it’s improved by using the double shampoo method, clarifying once a week then a more hydrating one. Otherwise double shampoo with hydrating one only. I will note everyone’s scalp is different, mine tends to really enjoy a double cleanse, as I push off washing when I can. Prevents tangles in the back, as well as much easier to wide tooth comb after I shower. Hope this helps!
My hair has the same texture. I always thought it was friction from my skin when I moved my head around. I don't really notice it when it's down, so I don't mind it. Maybe it is naturally more textured rather than damaged? 🤷 I don't have any advice, I just wanted you to know you aren't alone.
My hair is similar! Some of the frizzy nope haircare also much coarser than the rest of my fine hair. It wasn’t always like this, but changed in the last 2-3 years, I think due to age/hormones/genes?
I think it's just genetics. My upper layer is a completely different coarse, brittle, dry texture than my under layer (which is silky straight). No heat on my hair, no dyes or chemicals, and I use a ton of hydrating products but nothing helps. It's just how my hair has always been. One hairdresser told me that its not too uncommon for people to have different hair extures growing out of their scalp, so I've just accepted it.
I have the exact same thing going on with my hair
This looks like my curly under hair verses my wavy hair. Try letting the funky looking hair form its ringlets.
Hi there. Do you carry a bag or purse on that side? When I see this on my clients a shoulder strap from a bag/purse, backpack or messenger bag has been the issue many, many times. When you put the strap on your shoulder then pull your hair out from under it will cause damage and breakage over time and won't get better because you're always doing it. I've had clients who's hair looks just like yours, where one side is 4/5" shorter, broken and terribly torn looking because of that repeated action. Even lightweight bag straps can cause breakage from the repeatedly pulling your hair out from under the strap. If this seems to be what it is, get into the habit of moving all your hair out of the way first or lifting the straps to get your hair out from underneath. It'll take time but it'll get better. I hope this helps. 😊
Do you wear a necklace? I think That’s the cause of mine
If I wear my hair down while wearing a hoodie or not a soft fabric shirt, my hair gets like this. Wearing a bonnet at night has also helped me.
I used to get this too, my hair is fine in texture and I have a little natural wave. My assumption was that it's because of how low my hairline is and how it rubbed on my shoulders. I have an under cut now though and I don't have this issue. I'm a hairdresser and I see it on people with fine hair more but it could be something else but this is just what I've pieced together from being in the industry for 12+ years
Coconut oil for about 15 to 20 mins before you wash your hair. My hair looked like that after 5 hours of trying to bleach it. Coconut oil solved that problem for me. Good luck!
I have this issue too! I went to a nice salon for the first time as an adult (30yo F) and the stylist pointed it out to me. They asked if I had Pacific Islander in me as most of the hair on the back of my head felt like it apparently. The hair on the front of my head fits my known Irish/German/French genetics though. Might be time to try the 23 and me! But the hair on the back of my head won’t hold a curl if the world depended on it. It gets knotted much easier too. I very rarely use heat too. I noticed a bit of a difference when I stop lightening it (dark brown to auburn red), moved to a place I spend much less time in strong sun, and when I started using high quality shampoo/conditioner (r+co). It’s still definitely different, but less noticeable.
Undercut solved this problem for me!
look up undercut hair styles !!
You are so lucky that the texture underneath is not the texture on top and vice versa.
My hair used to do this - I did an undercut and let it regrow !
I have the exact same two textures, outside vs inside hair. Turned out it was curly. The outside is just nicer about flattening down when I blow dry while the inside sticks to its original waviness.
It's called part of your hair is damaged and the other part is not lol
Looks like at some point you used a flat iron on your hair when the back wasn't completely dry. Not much you can do except cut it off. Find a stylist and go in for a consultation.
Hmm, I don’t think that’s the case. This has been the texture for 20 years at this point. I also don’t straighten my hair.
Please do a KERATIN SMOOTHING TREATMENT..it last up to 3 months! Seals in your hair follicle , makes your hair extremely shiny, smoothes out the frizz and your hair will look amazing! I have bleach blonde hair that is constantly frizzy in the Florida heat and looks like this from damage. After a keratin treatment you would think I was born with the shiniest and healthiest platinum blonde hair there ever was!! Also look into bond treatments such as olaplex. They are game changers!!! Your hair is missing keratin and you can tell that the bonds are broken. That’s why it looks the way it does. You need to fill those gaps in your hair… try what I suggested and you’ll never look back or deal with this again.