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Thick hair is the envy of many, but those who have thick hair have struggles, too!
The double hair ties. The sweating at the nape. The headaches. Others will say they wish they had thick hair like yours, but they don't understand the price you have to pay. Those with curly hair get it, and if you're one of the really lucky ones with thick and curly hair, you're paying double!
THE SIDE EFFECTS OF THICK HAIR
If you have thick hair, I might not be telling you something you don't already know here, but having had thick and curly hair myself for decades, I'm regularly learning new things, so I'll share anyway.
Thick hair can cause headaches: maybe not the hair itself, but the weight of thick hair can, especially when wet or styled in a tight ponytail. The reason for this is that the tension on the scalp can trigger nerves. The same goes for the neck and shoulders, and the longer the hair is, the more susceptible you'll be to these weight and tension problems.
Thick-haired individuals pay more in the salon: It may seem unfair, but extra time and product does need to be accounted for. I don't expect to pay the same or less than someone with thin or fine hair for color or highlights for sure, as extra product will definitely be needed, and all of that costs money. There's also the issue that not everyone is prepared or experienced enough to deal with so much hair. I have been in situations where a stylist wasn't experienced with thick hair and tried to do a 15-minute haircut on me, and it was disastrous. I also had issues with color not fully saturating when getting my hair colored, which led to a spotty result. My hair has been fried with highlights, because by the time they got to the last foils, the first ones had over-processed!
We're in Texas, and it's HOT: My hair spends 95% of the time in a bun, because I just can't deal with the heat, and summer seems to be going on here 80% of the time. I've woken up sweating where my head touches the pillow, and I've sweated on my neck with my hair down 10 minutes after a shower.
Thick hair is more prone to icky stuff: Dense strands trap sebum (natural oil) and dead skin. Add trapped moisture, especially in San Antonio's hot and humid environment, and this creates a breeding ground for yeast and bacteria (Malassezia), which can lead to dandruff and a nasty mildewy smell, even if there are no flakes. Yuck!
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THE REMEDIES FOR THICK HAIR PROBLEMS
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Thick hair causing headaches: Thinning the hair with thinning shears or a razor can remove bulk and make it easier to wash, dry, style and wear. Now, I've met clients who were very skeptical about thinning because of previous bad experiences, and that's completely understandable. However, when I thin thick hair, the top layer and very bottom layer are not touched. Only the interior is thinned, which allows for relief and still keeps the overall style smooth. It's quite literally a weight off the shoulders!
Paying more in the salon: Haircuts and styling for thick hair, fine hair, short or long hair, male or female are one price in my salon. I add extra time to every service for a variety of reasons, so there's no need to charge more or rush through anyone's service. I do need to account for extra product, but I'm pretty conservative when it comes to mixing product for everyone, so the extra product cost is fairly nominal. More salons have gotten on board with gender-neutral and length and density-neutral pricing, but not every salon is the same, and that's their prerogative. That's why it's important to shop around and ask questions!
Dealing with the Texas heat: Again, thinning provides relief from heat as well as weight and tension, so it's a good option. Wearing the hair up helps too, but to avoid tension problems, opt for soft scrunchies, claw clips, hair chopsticks, decorative chopsticks, and French hair pins. Here's a tutorial on how to use a French pin, and one on how to use a chopstick. If you just can't break the habit of using hair ties, try fabric elastics to avoid tearing your hair.
Preventing the icky stuff: Nobody wants their hair to smell or have flakes. Use a scalp massaging brush while shampooing to loosen dirt, sebum, product buildup and to exfoliate the scalp from dead skin to prevent flakes. If you're already experiencing some flakiness, use the scalp brush in conjunction with a purifying shampoo, and follow with conditioner, focusing the conditioner on the mid-lengths to ends only. Using a scalp massager while watching tv or scrolling on your phone is multitasking with benefits!
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I typically recommend washing only once per week to avoid over-drying the hair and over-stripping the scalp of natural sebum, which can cause it to produce too much in order to compensate for the loss.
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Cool to lukewarm water helps smooth the cuticle and lock in your color or toner, if your hair has been processed. I know its harder in the winter months not to step into a piping hot shower, but try your best!
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San Antonio has some pretty hard water... If you don't already have a water-softening system in your home, I recommend investing in a shower filter to soften at least your shower water. There are many benefits to your skin, hair, and even your shower/bathtub! Here are links to shower filters:
​AquaBliss High Output Revitalizing Shower Filter
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Using professional shampoos and conditioners- preferably those designed specifically for thick hair- is a good choice. Professional brands may cost more than the drugstore variety (but not by much these days) and they are higher quality- meaning you use less to get the same or better results. If the hair is processed with color or highlights, be sure to use a shampoo and conditioner that is color safe.
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If the hair is particularly dry or dull, a chelating (pronounced "kee-lay-ting") system of products will really help restore shine and softness!
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Regular deep conditioning treatments are great for thick hair to keep it soft and moisturized. Once a month is recommended, unless your hair is particularly dry, curly, or color-treated, in which case once every third shampoo is helpful.
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Even after you use regular conditioner or a deep conditioning mask, it's a good idea to apply a leave-in conditioner to your hair after towel-drying to add more moisture. A leave-in conditioner for fine hair sounds counterintuitive, but will help prevent over-drying, which leads to breakage (and thinning of the hair). A leave-in conditioner for thick or textured hair helps to detangle and reduce frizz. On hair that is going to be heat-styled, whether diffusing or straightening, a leave-in conditioner with heat protection is a must!
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Swimming... it's hard not to try to cool off in Texas, but chlorinated water and salt water can do terrible things to curly hair! Keep your head above water if possible, but if you're going all in, wet your hair first, saturate it with conditioner and braid it, or wear a swimming cap. These won't 100% prevent the negative effects, but will definitely reduce them.​
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​Brushing is normally recommended daily in between washes, because it helps disperse the oils on your scalp to the ends where it's needed (plus, it feels great and is good for blood circulation). For thick hair this is even more important, because brushing also helps loosen dead skin from the scalp and keeps buildup and flakes from forming. Use a brush that has a combination of widely spaced, flexible bristles to detangle gently, but also has tightly packed bristles near the base to move sebum down the hair shaft.
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Every time you use heat to style, whether blow-drying or ironing, be sure to apply a heat protectant beforehand, even if it only happens occasionally.
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If your hair is dry, opt for professional brands of oils, creams and serums, or natural, pure oils that mimic natural scalp oils and sit on the surface of the hair to seal in moisture, such as argan oil or jojoba oil. Keep oil applications to the mid-lengths and ends to avoid oil buildup on the scalp.​
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Trims are recommended at least every 3 months if your hair is healthy. For color-treated, highlighted, or damaged hair, trims should be scheduled every 6-8 weeks to prevent split ends and breakage from occurring. Thinning of the hair should only be done only when necessary, or around every 3rd haircut, to avoid frizz or over-thinning.
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If you have a combination of thick and curly hair, be sure to check out the Curly Hair Care page for more recommendations and knowledge!
I know life gets busy, and sometimes remembering when to book an appointment can get put on the back burner, but no worries! I will be sending you a standard reminder, based on your individual services and preferences discussed upon your initial visit. You are welcome to book sooner or later than that at your leisure, of course. I look forward to seeing you, or seeing you again!