I am new to LHCF, But I have posted a few times since joining but not on anything hair related. All my life I had nice hair and what I considered long at the time. In September of last year I let a family friend do my hair, now she didn't do anything chemical related, it was just a wash, blow dry and curl, so I thought. Before I go into the story I have to give you a little background, I always went to get my hair done regularly and my stylist was always into the health of my hair more so than the style. As I grew up I wanted to experiment with color and dye and so she always completed these services for me. All throughout high school, I had my semi-permanent color on my hair (Bigen Xpressives) and usually I would put highlights on that color. I have had a relaxer for a really long time so that was not anything new either. During this time my hair grew and I was able to maintain my length which was about APL, I would cut (not trim, but cut) my hair at least once a year to about SL and above so that I could add definition to my hair. It always grew out so quickly and I never had any problems.
That is until I let a family friend do my hair. All she was supposed to do was wash, blow dry and curl my hair. I never in a million years could have imagined the damage she would do with just one visit and not a single chemical process being done to my head. The curls looked nice but there was something just not right with what she did to my hair. I couldn't exactly put my finger on it either. She detangled roughly (I didn't know what I know now), she was going to clip my ends (she cut my BSB hair to a little below NL). To shorten the length of this post I will just state that basically what all she did not cut eventually fell out. Literally, I would comb my hair and it would come out in the comb, I would touch my hair and it would come out in my hands. I was devastated because all along I had a mentality that it was just hair but that was only because my hair was always nice. Not just length wise but healthy also, I always got compliments and there was nothing special in mind because it was always basically straight. I would get my hair flat ironed and I would wrap my hair to maintain the style until my next salon visit. Literally, men would drive up next to me and tell me how nice my hair was. I miss that (my nice hair not necessarily the attention)
So I have learned a lesson. My hair is finally back on track thanks to my stylist who would basically remind me weekly to come in (she decreased the price of my visits during this time just so she could get my hair back on track). She did several dc/protein treatments and low heat hairstyles to get my hair to the point where I wasn't scared to comb it myself. I am finally at that point, but now I am starting my journey not because I am not thankful for what she did but because I need to build my own knowledge about products and what my hair does or does not like so if she ever stops doing hair (like she did when her son was in a life threating auto accident where he lost the use of his legs and had to have one amputated) I will be able to train my sister to do my services or do them on my own.
I wanted to post pictures of the day I officially started my journey in my mind, June 18, 2011. I had a trim and this was the last time my hair has been straightened and probably will be until I get my next relaxer in August. Tell me what do you guys think?
That is until I let a family friend do my hair. All she was supposed to do was wash, blow dry and curl my hair. I never in a million years could have imagined the damage she would do with just one visit and not a single chemical process being done to my head. The curls looked nice but there was something just not right with what she did to my hair. I couldn't exactly put my finger on it either. She detangled roughly (I didn't know what I know now), she was going to clip my ends (she cut my BSB hair to a little below NL). To shorten the length of this post I will just state that basically what all she did not cut eventually fell out. Literally, I would comb my hair and it would come out in the comb, I would touch my hair and it would come out in my hands. I was devastated because all along I had a mentality that it was just hair but that was only because my hair was always nice. Not just length wise but healthy also, I always got compliments and there was nothing special in mind because it was always basically straight. I would get my hair flat ironed and I would wrap my hair to maintain the style until my next salon visit. Literally, men would drive up next to me and tell me how nice my hair was. I miss that (my nice hair not necessarily the attention)
So I have learned a lesson. My hair is finally back on track thanks to my stylist who would basically remind me weekly to come in (she decreased the price of my visits during this time just so she could get my hair back on track). She did several dc/protein treatments and low heat hairstyles to get my hair to the point where I wasn't scared to comb it myself. I am finally at that point, but now I am starting my journey not because I am not thankful for what she did but because I need to build my own knowledge about products and what my hair does or does not like so if she ever stops doing hair (like she did when her son was in a life threating auto accident where he lost the use of his legs and had to have one amputated) I will be able to train my sister to do my services or do them on my own.
I wanted to post pictures of the day I officially started my journey in my mind, June 18, 2011. I had a trim and this was the last time my hair has been straightened and probably will be until I get my next relaxer in August. Tell me what do you guys think?
...
) . Anyway, before I finished reading it my guess was that the family friend had roughly handled your hair. Damage can happen in the blink of an eye if someone is mishandling your hair. It's nice to hear that you're back on track, and even nicer that your stylist discounted your salon visits so that she could treat your hair weekly. 
