2 Months Post Relaxer

A friend of mine who has been relaxing her hair forever bagan complaning last year that her hair was shedding and her scalp was severly dry. A year later and she still has the same complaints. She has had to cut her waist lenght hair to shoulder.
Anyway this year I noticed that my thinning edges after 3 years were not recovering and my hair also began shedding. That is when I found this website and decided to go natural. When I told my friend about my decision she told be to think it over carefully. Her reason for my hair shedding was because I do not eat meat! I have not eaten meat or dairy for 4 years. I eat fish. I eat and live a very healthy life style. I found her reason quite ridiculous. I found once I stoped going weekly to the hair salons, began co-washing, and said goodbye to the creamy crack my hair is growing and not shedding.

JossBella wrote:I was in the salon today and my hairdresser (who has been doing my hair for about 8 years) asked me why I was going natural (my sister had told her last week). After listing my reasons, she listed her main reason for not going natural: you lose your femininity. I just smiled. I didn't feel like going there up in a shop of women who praised relaxers. Not right now. Another convo was sparked and I told my stylist that I first started to get presses at like age 3 or 4. She told me that I must've really had BAD hair if my parents felt like they should've done that so early. I just chuckled and shook my head. A lot of them were talking about how only people with "good" hair can go relaxer free for a long time. It was very sad to me. What was even more interesting was when I realized that about a couple of months ago I was saying the same thing. It's amazing to me how much my mindset has changed since doing my research on natural hair and figuring out what I wanted and what I was tired of. I thought their thoughts about natural hair would affect me but it didn't! I just continued reading my book ( the Thank God I'm Natural book lol) and tuned them out. Yay me! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
11 weeks post Tuesday May 25th! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Good for you!!! and Congrats!

I absolutely LOVE this site. I just discovered it today and I have been on it for about 4 hours.

I had my last relaxer on March 26th and decided it would be my last one about 2 weeks later. So far, I have just been giving my hair extra TLC with deep conditioning treatments. I got some cornrows (DON'T RECOMMEND) and kept them only a week because they were seriously pulling my hair out from the roots.

I plan on keeping up my hair appts every other week until I figure out my next step. Does anyone when to begin the co-washes, two strand twists, etc.? I only have about 2 inches on new growth.

Thanks Ladies!!! Wishing you the best on your journey!

I think I'm going to get a ticker factory thingy. For motivation...

@CurlieNurse

From the research i have collect it is best to start taking care of your hair as if it is already natural. Meaning you can start co washing if you like, doing natural styles, using natural hair products, etc. As you probably already know since we are beginner transitioners rollersets, bantu knots, and any other protective style is best...Personally i am still trying to figure out a regimen for my transitioning process so im still at a confused state but i'm getting somewhere! The other day i did Bantu Knots and they came out so good!! I think this will be my staple hairstyle. the 28th of this month will make it 3 months!! my hair is ever so thirsty for more and more conditioning!

HEY Everyone... Im new. Right now I have extensions in. Its twisted just so I can allow my permed hair to fall out before I completely shed everything..Any advice?

overactiveimagination...do u have pics of this bantu knot out? I wanna try it and want to see how it looks on transitioning hair.

Thanks for your response overactiveimagination! I live in Houston and I have heard a lot of natural sistas using products from The Original Fragrance Shop. Has anyone heard of this place?

What would be good starter products for co-washing, conditioning, and styling? Thanks in advance!!!

Welcome culrlinurse,
I had my last relaxer on March 15th of this year. Begin co-wahing and foucsing on taking care of the new growth. What you do to it now will have effects on it's health and beauty in the future. I myself have decided to stay away from the hair salons. Talk about freedom!!!! Besides the heat and pulling is really not good on the hair.

Sounds great Ashima! That was going to be my next question. I originally thought it would be best to keep it up at the salon, but it seems like it's best to just maintain it at home. I don't want to expose it to too much heat.

Curliurse,
I find there has been a difference in my overall hair health since I have stayed a way from the salon. It is growing quicker and the new growth is not comming in dry. Nurture that new growth! Get a lot of the dead relaxed hair cut off every couple of weeks. Why wast good hair products on hair which we plan on phasing out eventually!

Hello ladies! Looks like this is a good place for me. My last relaxer was March 19th and about 4 weeks ago I decided to go natural. I almost cried reading some of your stories. I grew up thinking I had "bad" hair. My brother (who has a different father) always teased me that I had my daddy's nappy hair and his hair was so "nice" and manageable. In turn I hated my hair and couldn't wait to get a relaxer (thoughts of sitting next to the stove with the blue grease and hot comb still gives me nightmares). Anyway, I've never been able to grow my hair past my shoulders and that's only when I get braids. I've been looking up a lot of info on hair care and I started Cathy Howse's regime. I decided at that point to go natural and I'm also trying to not put any heat on my hair for a year (I was a flat iron addict!)

I'm loving my natural hair, even though I only have about 1 1/2 inches of new growth. It feels so good and I refuse to call my hair bad, unmanageable or nappy. I love my curls. So far the Twist-N-Curl seems to work best for my hair since so much of it is relaxed. I'm trying to transition for a while but there are moments when I just want to cut it all off. Looking forward to chatting with you ladies!

Welcome CurlyChefRobin! I am new here as well, with my last hit of the "creamy crack" on March 26th.

I, too, used to feel some kind of way about my hair growing up. Honestly, I think most people just didn't know how to care for it. We just had to find a way to get it straight easily. But, now we know what to do.

Best of luck on your transition, and I hope to be seeing you on the forum in the future.

Curlienurse

Thanks so much for the warm welcome Curlienurse!

This is my second time transitioning and this time I am not given in to a relaxer. I would like to hold off on the bc for as long as possible, but only time will tell. I decided to cornrow my hair for now and will use other transition styles.

Welcome Cdionea! I'm pretty new here. I've been sneaking around CN for about a month but just started on the forums. Best wishes on your transition!

WELCOME NEW LADIES! I'm glad to see the two monthers are growing in numbers. Soon, it will be time for a few of us to move on to three months [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] . My transitioning time is going...ok [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] . The funny thing is that with my new growth....it can be tamed easier than I thought. As I've mentioned I'm transitioning from a short hair cut. So...I've been able to mold my hair and still get much of the same result that I got with my new perm. You can see my waves from the scalp, but it actually looks pretty neat. I'm not sure what I'll be doing by July when its just too much to handle, but for now, i'm doing ok. I can't wait until I see this... [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] . I luv it!!

I plan to BC around September....kind of planning ahead. 1) January...New Years...I will not spend the better part of my night trying to figure out what to do with my hair. And I sure don't plan on worrying about a wig (of which I've never tried) all night. 2) My 30th m-day is in March...gotta rock a cute twist out or something for that. I figure if I BC in September I'll have enough hair to do some cute stuff with by then.

Don't give in ladies....WE CAN DO THIS!

-MaNesha

True dat MaNeha! Soon we will all be moving on to 3 mos. See how time goes by quickly. I too have found that the new growth is easy to manage. In fact I find the new growth looks a lot better than the relaxed hair. It is taking all the deep conditioning and treatments well! See how we have been wasting time and energy all these years by being blinded from our true selves! Look forward to July and August ladies! Our hair will grow quicker during those months due the heat! Some people like to say that's an "old wives tale". I find truth in it! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

t's so great to have others who are going on this journey with me. Right now I have a roller set wrap but I am so tired of the straight look. Everyone looks this way. I'm getting a flexi rod set next week and can't wait to have my hair off my shoulders.

I totally agree with the beauty of the new growth. Before, it was all about keeping up the relaxed hair. Now, we are all about maintaining the natural hair. Good for us!

Yesterday, I went on a hair product shopping spree at Target and got some Herbal Essences Hello Hydration, Shea Butter, Coconut Oil, Bantu Shea Butter Leave-in, and L'Oreal Sulfate-Free shampoo. Yesterday, I tried some two-strand twists and I looked CRAZY! My relaxed hair is so fine that it doesn't twist right. Looks like my relaxer was way too strong. The difference between the new growth and the chemically treated hair is so different. I may BC sooner than later.

Today was much better. I cowashed with the HEHH and used the Cantu Leave in. I let the hair airdry, greased my scalp with coconut oil, and flat ironed, and it looks so good. The relaxed hair at this point is useless, so I am just going to flat iron and roll it whenever since it is the only way I can style it. I am not putting any heat on the new hair. It's puffy, but I don't care. Flat twists or headbands are affected.

Sorry for the long post. I am just so excited that this can really be done successfully. Happy Hair Day Ladies!!!!!

Hey Curlienurse!

I am actually doing the same thing! I don't put any heat on the new growth, just on the permed ends. I figure they are going to go sooner than later anyways. I'm with you, it still looks pretty good. But I have fallen asleep while doing homework with no scarf on...and good lord, it looks like who did it when I woke up. It's hard to "re-tame" the new growth when you get it half laid once. So...definitely wanna be intentional about wrapping it up! It's good to see someone is doing something close to what I'm doing

Happy transitioning!
-MaNesh

That's great MaNesh! I had the epiphany today. I'm like, "this hair is basically dead, so just do whatever to it to get through the transition". As long as the natural hair is held with kid gloves, it's whatever.

Oh yes, mine is starting to get unruly when I don't give it all it's TLC. I am having a great time with the experimentation and the cowash method is a Godsend.

Keep up the good work and if you run into any to die for products, let us know.
Curlienurse

Hi ladies,

My last relaxer was March 24th. I have toyed with the idea of going natural for a few years but never knew what I'd do with my hair. My hair has been thinning at the crown and edges. I was going regularly to the salon and my hairdresser tried different things basically to camouflage the hair loss. About a month ago, I decided to take my hair care into my own hands and go natural. I'm so excited as I already have growth in the thin areas.

I did my first co wash today with Cantu. I am planning to transition for about a year using braids and sew-ins. I'm so glad I found this site and the support it offers

Hi Loswife!

Welcome! I think you have definitly made the right decision to go natural...CONGRATS! I think for your transition, you may want to try braid outs or twist outs. If your edges are thinning, braids and sew-ins may reverse some of the progress you've already made.

GOOD LUCK and HAPPY TRANSITIONING!!
-MaNesha

Looks like a few of us may do the BC sooner than later. I must admit I'm afraid but I think the summer may be the best time to BC because messing with the heat and humidity will be a mess! My goal right now is no chemical relaxer and no heat at all. I was going flat iron crazy! Basically flat ironing dry, dirty hair every day, sometimes twice a day if I felt like it needed it in the evening if I needed to go somewhere. My hair was only getting washed when I went to my hairdresser, every two weeks and I used very little moisture. So, yes, my hair is very damaged. :-(