The Abby Yung Method, Broken Down: What It Does for Your Hair and Your Hormones

The Abby Yung method didn’t go viral by accident. It introduced something the hair industry rarely emphasizes: process over product, scalp over ends, and damage prevention before damage repair. For many people, it delivers exactly what it promises. Shinier hair. Less breakage. Better manageability.

But hair does not exist in isolation.

Every wash day is also a skin care routine for one of the most hormonally sensitive areas of the body. The scalp is living tissue, richly vascularized, and directly connected to the endocrine signals that regulate hair growth, shedding, and inflammation. What you apply repeatedly matters just as much as how you apply it.

This is where the Abby Yung method deserves a closer look.

The technique itself is smart. The outcomes make sense. The question is not whether it works. The question is what happens when a low-damage method is paired with heavy product layering, frequent leave-ins, and formulas designed for cosmetic performance rather than long-term scalp biology.

This breakdown separates what the Abby Yung method gets right from what works against hormonal balance and follicle health, so you can keep the results without creating new problems down the line

What Is the Abby Yung Method?

At its core, the Abby Yung method is a process-driven routine designed to minimize damage and support the hair fiber.

The method typically includes:

• Pre-wash oiling or bonding treatments

• Scalp-focused shampooing, often double cleansing

• Conditioner applied primarily to mid-lengths and ends

• Regular clarifying to remove buildup

• Detangling wet hair with a wide-tooth comb and plenty of slip

• Low-friction drying and conservative heat styling

From a trichology standpoint, this framework is sound. It aligns with what we know about cuticle protection, hygral fatigue (when you've given your hair too much moisture. It is the result of the constant and excessive swelling of your hair cuticle and is often associated with hair porosity), and mechanical stress.

Where concerns arise is not the method itself, but the volume and composition of products often used to execute it.

Why Wet Hair Is Not the Enemy

One of the most repeated hair myths online is that wet hair should never be combed or brushed.

This is incomplete.

When hair is wet, water penetrates the shaft and slightly lifts the cuticle. The cortex swells, increasing elasticity. Elasticity means hair can bend rather than snap.

Breakage occurs when elasticity is combined with:

• High friction

• Excess tension

• Inappropriate tools

Under the right conditions, wet detangling can be safer than dry detangling, particularly for curly, wavy, or fragile hair types.

The Wide-Tooth Comb Explained

A wide-tooth comb reduces point stress along the strand. Instead of pulling multiple hairs together, it separates them gradually, lowering mid-shaft fractures.

Wet detangling works best when:

• Hair has slip from conditioner, mask, or oil

• Detangling starts at the ends and moves upward

• Motions are slow and controlled

• The goal is detangling, not styling

Wet detangling increases breakage when:

• Hair is water-only with no lubrication

• Hair is heavily bleached or extremely porous and pulled aggressively

• Speed replaces care

The real rule is simple: never detangle compromised hair without slip.

The Product Overload Problem No One Talks About

The Abby Yung method is often executed with a very large product stack. Across her videos and commonly cited routine breakdowns, the approach may include multiple pre-wash treatments, shampoos, conditioners, masks, bond builders, leave-ins, heat protectants, styling creams, and finishing oils.

In some routines, this adds up to 10 or more products used regularly on the scalp and hair.

Technique may be low damage, but product volume introduces a different kind of stress.

Why product quantity matters

1. The scalp absorbs more than people realize
The scalp is highly vascularized. While it is not a sponge, repeated exposure to leave-in products means greater cumulative contact with preservatives, fragrance compounds, and surfactants.

2. Many common hair products contain endocrine-active ingredients
Synthetic fragrance blends may include phthalates. Some preservatives and UV stabilizers are known endocrine disruptors in laboratory and epidemiologic studies. Chronic exposure matters more than single use.

3. Layering increases buildup and wash frequency
Heavy conditioning agents and silicones often require stronger detergents to remove. This creates a cycle of buildup followed by stripping followed by more product application.

4. Follicles are hormonally sensitive
Hair growth cycles are influenced by estrogen, androgens, cortisol, thyroid hormone, and insulin signaling. Chronic scalp inflammation or barrier disruption can influence shedding patterns over time.

This does not mean all professional hair products are dangerous. It means more is not always better, especially when applied close to the follicle repeatedly.

How Much Hair Product Should You Actually Use?

Abby Yung often emphasizes thorough coverage for slip and protection, which makes sense mechanically. The issue is not coverage. It is frequency, formulation, and cumulative load.

A trichologist-aligned guideline looks like this:

• Pre-wash oil or treatment 1 to 2 times per week

• Conditioner focused on lengths, not scalp, most washes

• Masks once weekly unless hair is severely compromised

• Bond builders after chemical or heat stress, not continuously

• Leave-ins used sparingly and primarily on ends

If your routine requires frequent clarifying to feel clean, that is a signal of overload.

The Pre-Shampoo Oils Commonly Used in Abby-Yung-Style Routines

These are all from OGX, a mass-market brand frequently recommended for pre-wash oiling because the products are inexpensive, provide immediate slip, and coat the hair well.

1. OGX Coconut Oil Hydrating Oil

What it’s designed to do

• Coat the hair shaft

• Increase shine

• Reduce surface friction before shampoo

Typical INCI structure

• Cyclopentasiloxane

• Dimethiconol

• Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil

• Fragrance (Parfum)

Key formulation notes

• Silicone-dominant

• Coconut oil is present, but not the base

• Designed primarily for cosmetic smoothness

2. OGX Nourishing Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum

What it’s designed to do

• Reduce visible breakage

• Add slip for detangling

• Improve softness

Typical INCI structure

• Cyclopentasiloxane

• Dimethicone

• Coconut Milk Extract

• Egg White Protein

• Fragrance (Parfum)

Key formulation notes

• Silicone + protein combination

• Strong coating action

• Can contribute to buildup with frequent use

3. OGX Extra Strength Coconut Miracle Oil

What it’s designed to do

• Act as a heavy sealing oil

• Improve shine and smoothness

• Mask dryness and frizz

Typical INCI structure

• Cyclopentasiloxane

• Dimethicone

• Coconut Oil

• Vanilla Extract

• Fragrance (Parfum)

Key formulation notes

• Heavier silicone load

• Strong fragrance profile

• Designed for thick or coarse hair textures

What These Products Have in Common

Across all three OGX oils:

• Silicones are the primary functional ingredients

• Coconut derivatives are secondary

• Fragrance is present and undisclosed

• They create slip by coating, not by nourishing the scalp

• They are not designed with repeated scalp application in mind

This matters because in Abby-style routines, these oils are often:

• Applied directly to the scalp

• Left on for extended periods

• Used weekly or more frequently

That changes the risk profile.

How Frondescent Scalp & Strands S.O.S Is Fundamentally Different

Now let’s contrast that with The Herbalist’s Elixir Scalp & Strands S.O.S.

Frondescent formulation philosophy

• Oil-based nourishment, not silicone coating

• Endocrine-conscious ingredient selection

• Designed for scalp skin, not just hair fiber

• Slip comes from lipids, not polymers

Key differences at a glance

Why This Matters in the Abby Yung Method

Abby’s technique is sound. Her commonly used product categories are not designed for:

• Chronic scalp exposure

• Hormone-aware routines

• Long-term follicle health

Silicones are not inherently bad, but:

• They are occlusive

• They require stronger surfactants to remove

• They increase the wash-strip-reapply cycle

• They do nothing for scalp barrier health

Frondescent Scalp & Strands S.O.S slots into the exact same step in the Abby Yung method but changes the biological outcome.

Where Frondescent Scalp and Strands S.O.S Fits

Many Abby Yung inspired routines rely on silicone-forward pre-wash oils or heavily fragranced bonding products for slip.

This is where The Herbalist’s Elixir Scalp and Strands S.O.S offers a cleaner substitution.

Use it as:

• A pre-wash treatment once or twice weekly

• Applied to scalp and lengths

• Massaged gently for three to five minutes

• Left on for twenty to forty-five minutes before washing

This preserves the mechanical benefits of the Abby Yung method while reducing:

• Endocrine-active fragrance exposure

• Product layering

• Reliance on heavy coating agents

The goal is not to abandon the method. It is to align it with scalp biology.

So Does the Abby Yung Method Work?

Yes. It works because it reduces friction, protects the cuticle, and encourages scalp-first thinking.

But hair health deepens when:

• Technique respects biology

• Products respect the endocrine system

• The scalp barrier is supported rather than overwhelmed

1. Protect before washing.
2. Create slip without overload.
3. Cleanse the scalp intelligently.
4. Clarify strategically.
5. Detangle slowly.
6. Choose products that nourish the follicle, not just the finish.

Sources and Scientific References

• Robbins, C. R. Chemical and Physical Behavior of Human Hair

• Trüeb, R. M. Mechanical hair shaft damage. International Journal of Trichology

• Draelos, Z. D. Cosmetic Dermatology: Products and Procedures

• Darbre, P. D. Endocrine disruptors and estrogenic activity. Journal of Applied Toxicology

• Gore, A. C. Endocrine disrupting chemicals. Endocrine Reviews

• Gavazzoni Dias, M. F. R. Hair cosmetics overview. International Journal of Trichology