HENNA & YOUR HAIR!!

here's a little background:
I am by no means an expert....but I've been hennaing for about 3 years now...off and on. I did my first in late '06 and followed the directions given on the "henna for hair" site. i used lemon juice (non-diluted) and henna and nothing else so needless to say, my hair was a bit brittle afterwards.after a few days, the elasticity returned and with co-washes nearly everyday, the softness returned. i waited a good 3 to 5 months before trying it again because i wanted to do more research and tweak my mixture. the next time i did it, i used olive oil and honey in the mix. the consistency of the mixture was definitely smoother (AND i used a hand mixer instead of a spoon and muscle). the results were similar to the first time although my hair was not as brittle. since then, i've been hennaing about once every 3 months....just recently here, i've upped the ante to once a month and am looking forward to terrific results!
(1) please clarify, by 2 textures do you mean transitioning ladies? relaxed and natural textures or 2 different natural textures? i have at the minimum 3 different textures on my one head all natural. there isn't really a dramatic change in the texture. i did experience a loosening in the texture at the top in the front but not a major change. i have 4aish hair all around except at the nape where its crazy straightish! i don't think i'll EVER have 3b/3c (or whatever it is) hair due to henna! it doesn't produce that type of change (at least it hasn't with me).
(2) i BC'd instead of transitioning....i had scab hair but not really straight ends...i hope someone else can address this question.
(3) my curl pattern seemed looser in the top after my 1st treatment although i don't necessarily consider this a "good" change. it didn't bother me if that's what you mean. my hair got stronger and more resilient i think...i retained more hair while not really changing my regimen/routine.
(3b?) IMO, the treatment did not "wear" off...it's a permanent thing so the hair i had during the treatment never changed back to a less healthy state (does that make sense?). that being said, my new growth wasn't really different, again, the change was not all that dramatic in my case.
(4) i don't feel like i'm "forced" to henna...my hair was great before henna and if i grow it out without further henna treatments it'll be great again. but w/ henna, my hair is fantabulous!!! sheeny, bouncy, stronger, i mean it's a win win situation in my case. that being said, i have only gone 6 months without heanning so..i can't honesly say i had enough hair without the henna to really notice a lessening in the benefits. if you decide to not henna, you won't have the benefits of henna. remember just like when we were relaxing, new growth is virgin hair and will be different from the rest of your treated hair. i hope someone else will be able to address this for you.
(5) YES YES and YES! well...there are only 2 choices there but i am such a fan of the benefits of henna in my hair that i threw that extra yes in for good measure. before i started hennaing, i would say my hair was fairly healthy....although i'd colored with permanent color a few months prior to the initial henna. but after? girl...let me tell you...its been a positive experience all around! it only gets better over time...i would say try it twice....and then make your decision. but then....i'm that type....to try without abandon!
whatever you decide, i hope you end up loving your hair as much as i love mine....and even more! good luck sista!

Oh! Someone else please comment! Im so interested in trying Henna...i dont see alot of girls with TWAs really dabbling in it but i really want to..my concern is that I heard if you already have thick hair that henna will make it thicker...i dont think thats a bad thing per se...but...my hair is already really thick (in my opinion)..

Thats what im thinking now! Im like so will my hair become too thick to manage ?? the verdict is still out...

Hello ladies, I wanted to tell loveself247 (my fellow transitioner) that I totally feel you on the henna habit situation. As a transitioner when I was first reading about henna and then reading the curlies reaction and experiences with henna. I thought the same thing, "will I have to be dependent on this like a perm" I came out of the perm for that reason. But further research and thinking led me to see that henna and amla and alot of these other products are clarifiers, conditioners, strengtheners that other cultures use on their hair than we happen to be up on. The hair is dead once it leaves your scalp so it needs external treatments in order to sustain health and beauty. These are all options. You can still have beautiful hair if you do not henna. I think Queen (one of the curly friends). She does not henna for whatever reason and her hair is pretty.

I would suggest in your transition that you let your hair grow naturally and sustain it with as much natural products as possible. If you wanted to try something maybe one of the clays (bentonite for example) are good because they clean and strenghten only. These clays and products also aid in the transition process by making the hair more managable. I henna because I have a couple of grays that I neede coverage for. But if I had the choice I would have waited. But let your hair completely grow out to see if you even need henna.

I am noticing that depending on your hair type depends on the length and ease of transition. For example, I find that the back and sides of my hair is tight corkscrews and because of that these 8 months have been havoc on my hair in the back. I have a little and thin relaxed hair back there. But my crown and front are a wave. So I cannot even tell sometimes what's permed and what's natural. So I have way more and thicker hair up there. (I havent actually typed myself yet and dont want to until I have completely cut it off).

So I hope this helps you. Hang in there. You are doing great. You avatar looks great. And do not cut to early if you are not ready out of frustration. There is so much info and curlies out her to help us that we can do this, girl [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]