Q: Hi, I'm having lots of problems with my hair; can you help? I have super thick, frizzy, curly hair. I'm going to be getting
it cut soon and I wanted to know how I can get it cut and what products I should use to keep it looking nice. Here are my problems:
1. My hair has 1 or 2 layers in it that are growing out, so I have the pyramid effect going on. Should I get it cut in layers to fix
this? Will this make my curls show more? I would like that.
A: Having layers in hair that is thick and curly will help to avoid the pyramid effect by evenly distributing the amount of volume
throughout the style. However, you want to bear in mind when you start talking to your stylist that when you cut the length of curly
hair, you remove weight which may be helping to “stretch out” the curl to some degree. The result is that cutting off a few inches may
mean the hair in a given area becomes curlier and appears shorter.
Your stylist should be able to manage the balance of this as long as you make sure to explain to
him/her the end results you are trying to achieve. If you just want to remove some bulk from the lower portions without losing much
length, you might discuss having your hair thinned.
2. My hair is super, super thick and poofy. Should I get it thinned using "thinning shears" or "channel cutting", with layers?
A: This is really a decision better answered by your personal stylist after you decide on the finished look you are trying to achieve. I
will say, however, that in my experience good results in minimizing the bulk and maximizing the appearance of curl in curly hair can be
achieved with a pair of wide-tooth thinning shears which remove small chunks of the curls without diffusing them.
In most cases with my own clients who want to keep their length overall, I use a few passes of the
thinning shears through the hair and remove the bulk that gives the hair a chance to form more orderly curls. That can be maintained
more easily with less problems of poofiness.
3. After showers, I simply towel dry my hair till it's damp, then kind of shake it till I see curls form, but when it dries, it
not only curls but frizzes. How do I fix this? Or what should I put in my hair before or after it dries? Should I use "leave in
conditioner"?
A: In my experience, most people don’t realize how badly they treat their hair. They shampoo by scrubbing the scalp and hair with
their fingers vigorously; they apply conditioner with only a minimum of effort to work it through the hair; and they towel-dry their
hair as though they are buffing the car to a shine.
Most of the damage seen in hair is because of rough treatment. The hair frizzes and poofs because
the cuticle layer gets roughed up. We combat this by using conditioners, smoothing serums and by learning to treat the hair like the
delicate fiber it is.
The best thing for you to do is remember to be gentle when you shampoo and condition the hair, and
then after rinsing, use the towel to squeeze out the majority of the excess moisture and wrap the hair in the towel turban-fashion.
Allow the hair to stay wrapped for 15-20 minutes while you continue to get dressed or perform other grooming tasks. This allows the
towel to absorb the moisture from the hair without roughing it up.
Once the hair is towel-dry you should apply a spray-on leave-in conditioner to the length and
comb it through using your fingers or a wide tooth comb to distribute it. Follow this up with a smoothing serum or anti-frizz balm
which is also worked through the hair evenly. Give these applications a few moments to penetrate and absorb, and if needed, rewrap
the hair in the towel to absorb any excess moisture from the products.
