Wash Day Diary: 10.11.13 @ 16 Weeks Post

"So this week I decided to wash my hair at around the 10 day stage, rather than waiting for 2-3 weeks.  I wanted to see if this resulted in less tangles caused by shed hair.  I'm not sure if it did the trick but my scalp feels great and my hair is really moisturised so that'll do for me - for now!"

I did this wash day on Sunday during the day because after the tangles I encountered on my previous wash day, I wanted to make sure that I had the most amount of time possible to tackle any issues if they arose.

These are the steps I followed:

Deep Conditioning

As I didn't deep condition during my last wash day I made sure that it was high on my priority list for this week.  I deep conditioned with a mixture of Alter Ego Hot Oil Treatment with Garlic and Hemp Seed Oil. I love the way this conditioner makes my hair feel when it has oils added.  I spritzed each section in turn with Mane 'n' Tail Detangler and then covered my hair with a conditioning cap for 15 minutes to help the detangler solution soak in, before it dried up.  I then finger detangled the section, followed up with my Hercules Sagemann Jumbo Rake Comb and then applied some deep conditioner mix.  I soon noticed that I lost less hair when some conditioner accidentally went onto a section of hair which was about to be detangled.  So, I then started adding a small amount of deep conditioner to each section, before combing and then added more conditioner afterwards.

I was planning on sitting underneath my steamer but I didn't feel like setting it up so I thought this was a great opportunity to test out my new gold Heat Process Cap.  I was surprised at how well this thing trapped heat, it did a great job and even though this is resusable after just a quick rinse, I will be purchasing a couple more so I have some spare, I just wish it was just a little larger.  I'll also be making sure my sister adds one to her teeny tiny modest product stash!

Finally dragged this out of the cupboard and LOVE IT!!!

Rinsing & Shampooing
After deep conditioning my hair for about an hour and a half I rinsed the conditioner out, section by section, in the shower.  I  visited my doctor a few weeks ago and discussed the increased shedding I have been experiencing since I first became unwell.  She prescribed some therapeutic shampoo which she claimed was very moisturising so I thought I'd give it a try for this wash day.   I diluted some shampoo with warm water and applied it to my scalp which was still in 10 sections in two strand twists.  I massaged my scalp thoroughly and then rinsed each section thoroughly - I think I went a bit overboard on the shampoo so rinsing took a while!  After stepping out of the shower I covered my hair with a towel for 10 minutes.


Detangling & Finishing Up
I applied Taliah Waajid The Great Detangler to each section and left to soak in, then starting at the front left hand side I went through each section, applied Cantu Shea Butter Leave In Treatment then a little EVCO before detangling thoroughly, first with my fingers then my Hercules Sagemann Jumbo Rake.  Lastly, I applied Bee Mine Luscious Balanced Moisturiser and then two strand twisted before moving to the next section in turn.

I keep my hair in these two strand twists for the duration of time between my wash days, sometimes I unravel the two twists at the crown of my head and braid them instead as they can unravel sometimes, braiding prevents this.  When I am at home I wear the twists lightly pulled back into a low bun, although let's face it, sometimes I still wear the bun under my unit!


My Shedding
Continues at an annoying and accelerated pace which is less than ideal, however my hair is growing fast at the moment, and seems thicker so I will ride this shedding wave until it ends, see what I'm left with and then take the necessary action with the scissors.  I won't cut my hair or trim until the shedding has at least halved from its current level.  I still don't feel 100% so I'm guess that once I am feeling back to normal my shedding will follow suit accordingly.  My doctor informed met that I am low in vitamin D3 so I started taking my supplements today, we'll see if that makes a difference.

At the moment I think I am doing the best thing I can with regards to protective styling, keeping moisture and protein up and maniupulation low.

LEFT:  The hair nearest the penny is from my crown. RIGHT: The hair at the bottom of the same picture is from my nape and the hair at the top of the picture is from the front of my head.  The crown area last wash day shed a massive amount of hair last week but this week it is almost only a third.  I think my scalp/hair is crazy!

 Ciao 4 Now