Transitioning without BC'ing Support Thread

[lacreolegurl]

^^^5 months is an accomplishment! After a while, time will FLY by. I know I had some rough patches where the creamy crack was calling me loudly...now, I only wish I'd done this sooner.

Here are some recent pics of my new growth:



The last pic is of my new color and flatiron I had done for a wedding I attended last weekend.

 

[NikkiQ]

^^^ your hair...OMG! do you have a fotki account or something so I can stalk...uh I mean observe your progress???

 

[LaFemmeNaturelle]

Wow that is some GREAT growth! I can only hope! And your color is beautiful too.

 

[SherylsTresses]

Sipp...!!!

I plan to trim all relaxed ends at 2 1/2 years which should be at APL. Otherwise, I want at least a ponytail before I do a BC.

 

[TruMe]

lacreolegurl - Beautiful hair!!! I love the curls/waves.

 

[tricie]

ZkittyKurls

Ohhhhhh Noooooo! j/k

Anyone here w/APL or longer hair already 1 yr or more into transitioning and planning to transition for another year or more????

SherylsTresses

What are your plans?

@sipp! I am almost APL (about 2" inches or so to go); I have been transitioning for a year and half and don't plan on chopping until next year.

 

[tricie]

Hi, ladies,

Happy October! Just checking in; this month is a year and half transitioning! I'm in the braid challenge, and took them out about a month ago for my break. The last time I had them out, it drove me insane because I always had to manipulate my hair. This time I was prepared, and have been mainly wetting bunning (with a phony pony) or doing flexi-rods (takes a long time, but looks good), so this is a much better break than before.

I'm slowly closing in on (the longest part of my hair) APL (can't believe my hair is this long...it has never been this long ever in my life ), so I am trying my best to DC often and take care of it when I do have to manipulate it.

Congrats to everyone on their journey (whether you BC'd or are still transitioning)!

 

[lacreolegurl]

^^^ your hair...OMG! do you have a fotki account or something so I can stalk...uh I mean observe your progress???

:Blush2:Thank you so much! I'm also a regular stalker....correction: observer of all the beautiful heads on here and never even thought about setting up a fotki. lol

 

[NikkiQ]

lacreolegurl well....let's think about that for a second. your hair is A-MAZING and us long term transitioners love seeing other LTTs and their progress. So what do you say??? huh?????

 

[Bun Mistress]

So I've decided that I'm not going to transition past July 2011. July will make 20 months post but I will chop anywhere between May and July. I don't want to have to deal with the two textures when I start med school in August and I'd like to already have styling options before I start as well. So yeah, it makes sense to me and I'm looking forward to next Spring already!

Congrats on Meidcal School. I've been there, you don't want to have to worry about anything extra. I think you will ahve a nice head of hair at 20 months post

 

[lacreolegurl]

NikkiQ It would be the most boring fotki known to woman...
"Here I am with a wet-bun." "Here I am sporting a high bun." "Here I am with a low bun." Boooo.
And Ms. NikkiQ - Just 'cuz I don't post...don't think I haven't noticed that you haven't given us any progress picserplexed. (Unless, I missed them and in that case, I'll need a link.)

 

[NikkiQ]

since I'm in the HYH challenge, I can't post any progress pics. But I did post some NG shots in the sulfur challeneg thread. They aren't the greatest so I don't brag about them I'm currently in braids so when I take these down, I'll make either my bestie or my SO take a few for me.

 

[ladysaraii]

I'm 16 months post and this may sound wierd but it feels like I'm just now starting to notice my natural hair. I can easily see it when i pull it up and in the past month, detanlging became a bit more difficult.

It still only takes me a few minutes, but I need to do it in the shower w/ A LOT of water.

My friend says she thinks that I'm probably 4a/3c, so we'll see how it looks when I finally cut. I know I can make it to the 2 year mark. After that, we'll play it by ear.

Glad to see everyone doing well/

 

[jerseygurl]

Lacreole your hair is beautiful. I'm just glad my hair is in braids cos I was losing hair every wash day. I can't believe that in 2 months I'll hit 1 year post. Time flies!!!

 

[MzV1991]

Ladies...please help! I started my hair Journey in April 2010 but i was more focusing on growing my hair the relaxed way. Then i started noticing my newgrowth around June of 2010 and loved how thick my hair was growing compared to how thin my perm ends were. But it has been a mess. I dont want to chop my perm ends off but the more i try to take in all the info on the forum the more i dont know what to do with my hair.

Basically i just washed it and my hair feels the exact same as the thing you would use to scrub plates or cups to get out a stain. Im am being so foreal right now it feels like my carpet. I mosturize..i seal...i protein treatments every 6 weeks i use wheat germ oil and castor oil twice a week..I use alto ego dc which worked magic while i was relaxed but now my hair laughs at me when i apply it.

I really wanna stick it out and get big fluffy thick NATURAL hair but i cringe every time i touch my hair because its so rough...am i doing something wrong? do i need try something different because im really fed up and plan to weave it up next week because i cant bare looking at it and just wanna run my fingers through virgin indian silky hair instead of my own.

 

[LilMissSunshine5]

Hi ladies! I am checking in...I'm a relative newbie to this forum and transitioning! I am 15 weeks, almost 16 weeks post. I have braids in (for the past 5 weeks) to hopefully get past this hump. But I am having problems with massive scalp flaking and itching. Any helpful hints to get rid of this problem?! I am sensitive to chemicals btw

TIA

 

[dafnie]

I'm still transitioning to texlaxed... I stretched for 6 months the first time and these are the results of my first texlax:

I'm going to do another 6 month stretch and texlax again... I've been noticing that the last inch of my hair is thinner than I would like it to be. Guess I'll be trimming soon enough... Overall... my hair is growing and I am enjoying my texlaxed texture.

 

[chrisanddonniesmommy]

I'm still transitioning to texlaxed... I stretched for 6 months the first time and these are the results of my first texlax:

I'm going to do another 6 month stretch and texlax again... I've been noticing that the last inch of my hair is thinner than I would like it to be. Guess I'll be trimming soon enough... Overall... my hair is growing and I am enjoying my texlaxed texture.

I believe this thread is for those transitioning to natural. Maybe you can get more support in a texlexing thead.

 

[indarican]

ok ladies, im having some serious problems, my relaxed hair is not cooperating and i think im going to relax. It seems like the minute my natural hair hits water its all good, but my relaxed hair dreads up. I detangle before i wet it, i only condition in sections and still its like i tied my whole head in knots. my relaxed hair like protien and my new growth like moisture, any deep conditioners that are good for both.
Also how would i know if i need the aphogee 2 step treatment?

 

[LaFemmeNaturelle]

How many sections do you do? Have you tried a balanced conditioner like ORS repleneshing or Lekair cholesterol? Are you sectioning off your hair or braiding it? If you haven't tried braids, then try a few braids. I would suggest getting a spray on protein for your relaxed hair (leave in or treatment like Duotex) or try using ceramides. I wouldn't do 2 step at all. If your relaxed hair is feeling to stretchy, try the Duotex. It is a hard protein treatment but you can spray it on and not put it on your ng if you dont want to.

 

[Daeuiel]

ok ladies, im having some serious problems, my relaxed hair is not cooperating and i think im going to relax. It seems like the minute my natural hair hits water its all good, but my relaxed hair dreads up. I detangle before i wet it, i only condition in sections and still its like i tied my whole head in knots. my relaxed hair like protien and my new growth like moisture, any deep conditioners that are good for both.
Also how would i know if i need the aphogee 2 step treatment?

I had this problem too, my natural hair was like butter, the relaxed hair was a HAM The next time I washed it I tried pre poo-ing with oils and it was much easier to detangle afterwards
You may still need protein for your relaxed hair to avoid breakage, but I hope you'll consider other options before you relax again, especially considering that the natural hair is manageable, it's the relaxed part that's driving us both nuts. I wish someone had talked me out of it 4 years ago!

 

[Imani]

I'm 60 wks post. I usu state it in months; wow, it sounds so long saying it in weeks! Lol.

I am on a natural products/no heat kick. So far, so good. I NEVER thought my hair could ever be this manageable without heat. It is not anywhere near as rough/tangled/unmanageable as I thought it would be with the right products/practices.

 

[NikkiQ]

lacreolegurl if you don't mind me being nosey, what's your reggie like? has it changed much as you got further into your transition?

 

[Blessed2bless]

ok ladies, im having some serious problems, my relaxed hair is not cooperating and i think im going to relax. It seems like the minute my natural hair hits water its all good, but my relaxed hair dreads up. I detangle before i wet it, i only condition in sections and still its like i tied my whole head in knots. my relaxed hair like protien and my new growth like moisture, any deep conditioners that are good for both.
Also how would i know if i need the aphogee 2 step treatment?

Here is a fail proof recipe that will co-op with both textures...
1/2 cup coconut cream in can
1/2 cup of coconut oil
2 cups of lekair conditioner mix well and put on like a perm.
let it set in hair overnite and rinse in the morning with warm water while combing with a shower comb.
This recipe is my saving grace.
I hope it works for you too.

 

[indarican]

I may try BKT but i had such a horrible first experience i dont know about that. im just so done. ugh!!

 

[indarican]

Here is a fail proof recipe that will co-op with both textures...
1/2 cup coconut cream in can
1/2 cup of coconut oil
2 cups of lekair conditioner mix well and put on like a perm.
let it set in hair overnite and rinse in the morning with warm water while combing with a shower comb.
This recipe is my saving grace.
I hope it works for you too.

Thanks i will give this a try, my hair didnt like the lekair cholestorol by itself, maybe with added things it will be better.

 

[lacreolegurl]

Hi NikkiQ. When I first started to be honest, I didn't really have a regimen. I really just jumped around...it's so easy to be a product junkie on this site. As my natural hair came in, some of the things that used to work just stopped...like I used to love Cantu Shea Butter Leave In. It helped me a lot when I first started transitioning, but now, it just tangles my hair. My biggest struggle after I had a few inches of new growth, was keeping that line of demarcation strong. Looking back, I wish I had weaved it up or wigged it up more to get through those months just to keep the manipulation low.

Currently, I keep it really simple and have a few staples. I shampoo with HE Self-targeting and use Aussie Moist for conditioning (if I'm bunning, I keep some of this in my hair). Also, I use only the green top Let's Jam moisturizing gel for my edges - it's a little greasy at first, but after I take my scarf off - it's perfect. That's pretty much my daily style.

For a light protein, I either use either the Aphogee 2-minute Reconstructor or the Aphogee Green Tea and Keratin spray (use this for my roller sets with a little bit of the Lottabody foam).

If I'm flat-ironing, I only do it after a rollerset now. I've stopped using the blowdryer because I felt like I was killing my hair every time I tried to work past that line of demarcation and it would end up just feeling really rough. Before I flatiron, I'll use IC Hair Polisher Heat Protector and when I'm done spray a lil bit of Aphogee Gloss Therapy for shine. (By the way - since I roller set it - I won't follow through to the ends of my hair with my CHI - if that makes sense.) At night, I'll put either some virgin coconut oil or Jane Carter Nourish and Shine on paying close attention to the ends and then cross wrap it with a satin scarf. Then I cross my fingers and pray it will last a few days considering the work I put into it!

I have some products that I have use up from my junkie days...so every now and then, I'll throw something else in the mix.

HTH!

 

[NikkiQ]

Hi NikkiQ. When I first started to be honest, I didn't really have a regimen. I really just jumped around...it's so easy to be a product junkie on this site. As my natural hair came in, some of the things that used to work just stopped...like I used to love Cantu Shea Butter Leave In. It helped me a lot when I first started transitioning, but now, it just tangles my hair. My biggest struggle after I had a few inches of new growth, was keeping that line of demarcation strong. Looking back, I wish I had weaved it up or wigged it up more to get through those months just to keep the manipulation low.

Currently, I keep it really simple and have a few staples. I shampoo with HE Self-targeting and use Aussie Moist for conditioning (if I'm bunning, I keep some of this in my hair). Also, I use only the green top Let's Jam moisturizing gel for my edges - it's a little greasy at first, but after I take my scarf off - it's perfect. That's pretty much my daily style.

For a light protein, I either use either the Aphogee 2-minute Reconstructor or the Aphogee Green Tea and Keratin spray (use this for my roller sets with a little bit of the Lottabody foam).

If I'm flat-ironing, I only do it after a rollerset now. I've stopped using the blowdryer because I felt like I was killing my hair every time I tried to work past that line of demarcation and it would end up just feeling really rough. Before I flatiron, I'll use IC Hair Polisher Heat Protector and when I'm done spray a lil bit of Aphogee Gloss Therapy for shine. (By the way - since I roller set it - I won't follow through to the ends of my hair with my CHI - if that makes sense.) At night, I'll put either some virgin coconut oil or Jane Carter Nourish and Shine on paying close attention to the ends and then cross wrap it with a satin scarf. Then I cross my fingers and pray it will last a few days considering the work I put into it!

I have some products that I have use up from my junkie days...so every now and then, I'll throw something else in the mix.

HTH!

Wow! Thanks so much!! That helps out a lot

 

[Daeuiel]

lacreolegurl thank you for your post. Even though I only have 2 inches of new growth right now, that is all useful information. I might be tired of cornrows, wigs and weaves but hearing you say you wish you'd done that more to avoid manipulation makes me feel like I'm doing something right at least.

 

[lacreolegurl]

lacreolegurl thank you for your post. Even though I only have 2 inches of new growth right now, that is all useful information. I might be tired of cornrows, wigs and weaves but hearing you say you wish you'd done that more to avoid manipulation makes me feel like I'm doing something right at least.

Definitely! There are lots of ladies on here that have had amazing growth and retention with weaves, wigs and braids. Plus, it's always nice to get that shock of how much it's grown when you remove installs. I do believe that I caused way more breakage/damage initially trying to comb through and untangle my hair everyday. It was bad.