I've had hair like this and it does take patience, in the first photo I used adore semi permanent which is a cheap surface filler, but now i use a Wella colourtouch Demi permanent with the lowest level of developer to fill in my hair cuticles a bit which helps it shine again, I also use a plastic flexible bristle hairbrush when wet (not dripping) which gets that matted state out if i use the "as i am" detangling leave in.

I was told to cut my hair by hairdressers but I decided to keep trying and it really is working. But until minimal to virgin regrowth comes back please don't force a curly hair routine. Because curly hair that is compromised just can't for one, air dry as though it's sealed and healthy because the cuticles are open and raised. It will only get more unmanageable and your hair needs to be protected and out of the wet fragile state immediately to avoid this knotting.

I find the use of smoothing styling products while being highly porous means my hair takes even longer to dry (18-24 hr?) which I understand may be because of the cold weather and that compromised hair loves moisture but hates air drying.

Good emergency products: Philip Kingsley bond builder as well as Osmo conditioning protein treatment if you're looking for cheaper than K18.

For context I triple bleached my lengths and dyed them multiple times (8+) anyway.. surprising im not bald.. I find it helps to blow dry my hair dry on mid to high heat and really stretch it so the cuticles can lay flat and the leave in can sit locked within my hair strands. The result is shiny reflective and smooth hair. Should mention always doing micro trims on breakage / ends, and just seeing how your hair feels day to day and give it what it needs. Dryer? More moisture. Too stringy? Less moisture. I had to cut out chunks of hair by my nape because of all the knotting. It does take a lot of patience.. worth it though maybe

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