A Miracle Of Sorts

[stillgrowin]

Hello All!
I have been lurking here long enough,time to post! Rewind
15 months ago and I was mid-neck length hair.I started wearing lacfronts to give my hair a break.I neglected my hair underneath.I didnt take it out of the braids it was in for the full 15 months.Needless to say it had turned into a HUGE mess when I finally tackled it last week.It was one huge dreaded locked mess.I was so ashamed and embarrassed.I thought I was going to have to cut all my hair off.

Anyway I worked on it for a week straight and finally got it all situated.I did a Mizani lye perm(first time on my own!),deep conditioned with Mizani conditioner and blow dried it.Lo and behold my hair is touching my bra strap!!!!!!!!!!! I was so suprised and thrilled cause as I said before I thought I was going to have to cut it all off.It was just that bad.NOW question is how do I maintain this length so that it can thrive? Im thinking wash every 2weeks and rollerset? After reading thru alot of threads I see alot of you cowash or rinse everyday?

Do you airdry after? It is such a long process to blowdry. Im wondering do you all do that everyday? Also I work out ALOT,suggestions? And we have a pool that we are in almost daily.How can I protect my hair from the chlorine?When I was wearing my lace fronts I didnt care if my hair got wet,sweaty or whatever.I look forward to your help.All of you are SOOOO inspiring!!

Also when I did the Mizani relaxer I was nervous around the crown and the nape.I was terrified I would hit my scalp so I think I avoided the roots closest to my scalp a little too much.They are still thick.Is it too soon to go for a touchup in these areas? Should I just wait a while and let my hair rest?

 

[ajargon02]

Welcome to LHCF! I can't help you, but I will bump your post for more responses. I see you are new, and I KNOW someone can help ya out.

 

[CA*Nappy]

Wow! you were lucky to retain that much length after 15 months in the same braids. I would just rollerset for a while and not get to happy with the blow diryer, flat iron process. Since you exercise alot I would not protective styles after each co-washing. Good luck!

 

[hairmaster]

pictures please.....

 

[chebaby]

i would wash and depp condition it once a month. and i would rollerset with no flat iron or just flat iron the roots. i would moisturize nightly and wrap. and i would also go back and for th between moisture and protein.

are you taking care of your scalp after 15 months in the same braids?

 

[Janet']

Just wanted to come in and say

 

[B3e]

wow...congrats on retaining all that length! Imagine where you would be if you had actually given your hair a refresher during those 15mos Welcome, welcome, welcome! Hope your HHJ from now on doesn't beg for any miracles. And congrats on your relaxer success!

As for your questions...waiting two weeks to wash your hair may be too long IMO if you're not weaved up in braids etc etc and even then...I wouldn't wait that long personally. But see what your hair prefers. I've gone from washing once a month to every other day to every 3 days so it's all a matter of checking what your hair is most comfortable with. I like washing at most every other day because it works for my lifestyle/schedule and keeps my hair moisturized. I only shampoo once a week or every 10 days so I'm not stripping my hair every time I wash it. I also just air dry my hair. When I was relaxed I couldn't do this without looking a hot mess, but perhaps if I would have known about the scarf method then I wouldn't have looked so silly. I own a blow dryer so I always have the option, I just love the damp feeling of my hair.

HTH, good luck on finding what works for you.

 

[Lute]

Congrats on retaining all that length. I would say for now.. keep maintaining on the PS style..and start doing research on managing relaxed hair..

Remeber.. to PS styles are key. You can keep it out and loose every now and then .. but if hair growth is your goal.. keep your hair up.

And start working on a regemin... A basic one at most..

 

[stillgrowin]

Thank you!!

 

[stillgrowin]

Wow! you were lucky to retain that much length after 15 months in the same braids. I would just rollerset for a while and not get to happy with the blow diryer, flat iron process. Since you exercise alot I would not protective styles after each co-washing. Good luck!

Thank you!!!

 

[stillgrowin]

Congrats on retaining all that length. I would say for now.. keep maintaining on the PS style..and start doing research on managing relaxed hair..

Remeber.. to PS styles are key. You can keep it out and loose every now and then .. but if hair growth is your goal.. keep your hair up.

And start working on a regemin... A basic one at most..

Thank you! I have been looking on youtube and here for protective style options.I have been so excited about the new length.I have been wrapping it at night and wearing it down during the day.But I know I cant do that always and maintain.

 

[stillgrowin]

wow...congrats on retaining all that length! Imagine where you would be if you had actually given your hair a refresher during those 15mos Welcome, welcome, welcome! Hope your HHJ from now on doesn't beg for any miracles. And congrats on your relaxer success!

As for your questions...waiting two weeks to wash your hair may be too long IMO if you're not weaved up in braids etc etc and even then...I wouldn't wait that long personally. But see what your hair prefers. I've gone from washing once a month to every other day to every 3 days so it's all a matter of checking what your hair is most comfortable with. I like washing at most every other day because it works for my lifestyle/schedule and keeps my hair moisturized. I only shampoo once a week or every 10 days so I'm not stripping my hair every time I wash it. I also just air dry my hair. When I was relaxed I couldn't do this without looking a hot mess, but perhaps if I would have known about the scarf method then I wouldn't have looked so silly. I own a blow dryer so I always have the option, I just love the damp feeling of my hair.

HTH, good luck on finding what works for you.

Also for 9 months of the 15 months I was pregnant so Im sure all the vitamins contributed to the hair growth.Are you relaxed? In the past my hair always looks jacked up when I airdry.Are you talking about airdrying with rollers?

 

[stillgrowin]

Just wanted to come in and say

Thank you.You ladies have BEAUTIFUL hair! I am humbled to be able to pick your brains!

 

[stillgrowin]

i would wash and depp condition it once a month. and i would rollerset with no flat iron or just flat iron the roots. i would moisturize nightly and wrap. and i would also go back and for th between moisture and protein.

are you taking care of your scalp after 15 months in the same braids?

I think I will adopt this regimen.Is moisturizer the same as grease or something else? I have extra virgin coconut oil an I also have mizani h20 hairdress.Would either of those work as a daily moisturizer or should I be looking for something else?

I did just order a gold n hot 1875 hooded dryer off ebay so that should be helpful in the rollersets.

Should I wait a certain minimum timeframe to get the underprocessed hair touched up?

 

[MsLizziA]

WOW! am i missing reading this? Are you saying that during that 15 months you never touched your hair OR even took the lace front out? Is that what your saying?

 

[stillgrowin]

pictures please.....

Hi,I posted one from after I did the relaxer and wrapped it.I didnt take a pic when I pulled that lacefront off.I was so upset and sure I was going to have to cut it all off,I figured why bother.However when I was picking the knots out all over my head my husband did take a photo on his phone.I will see if I can upload that.erplexed

 

[stillgrowin]

WOW! am i missing reading this? Are you saying that during that 15 months you never touched your hair OR even took the lace front out? Is that what your saying?

No,you are sadly correct.I put my hair in three braids(more like plaits cause I dont know how to braid),one each side of my head and one in back, and started wearing lacefronts exclusively.I would change the lacefronts out every couple of months but I NEVER took the plaits out or even looked at my natural hair.I would just take a lacefront off and slap another one on.

I kept putting it off.I was preg,preparing for baby,selling a house,buying a new house and remodeling that house DIY before we could move in that one.Life got in the way and I slipped to the bottom of my own list by putting everyone and everything else ahead of me.

 

[QBOE2001]

If your swimming regularly I would at least cowash after every swim to make sure the chlorine doesn't damage your hair with your new relaxer. I also wouldn't touch up the underprocessed areas for at least a month or so unless your certain that you can clearly define the line of demarcation. Are you relaxing bone straight or leaving some texture behind? You can also try doing braid outs or twist outs or wet bunning since your probably not gonna want to deal with blow drying and flat ironing daily. Whatever you decide congrats on the great growth!!!!!

 

[B3e]

I'm currently natural and airdrying really is so easy now, just spray my leave in and let it do its thing. When I was relaxed before deciding to transition and even during my transition...airdrying was not my friend...I looked stupid...no simpler way to describe the mess on my head.

I learned on here though drying in magnetic rollers and using a scarf is a great way to airdry especially relaxed hair. but I chopped before I could invest in that $10-15 conair magnetic roller set. If you search for info on magnetic rollers and airdrying you'll find great information! Indeed there is a way to airdry relaxed unruly hair w/o looking ridiculous.

Also for 9 months of the 15 months I was pregnant so Im sure all the vitamins contributed to the hair growth.Are you relaxed? In the past my hair always looks jacked up when I airdry.Are you talking about airdrying with rollers?

 

[stillgrowin]

If your swimming regularly I would at least cowash after every swim to make sure the chlorine doesn't damage your hair with your new relaxer. I also wouldn't touch up the underprocessed areas for at least a month or so unless your certain that you can clearly define the line of demarcation. Are you relaxing bone straight or leaving some texture behind? You can also try doing braid outs or twist outs or wet bunning since your probably not gonna want to deal with blow drying and flat ironing daily. Whatever you decide congrats on the great growth!!!!!

Thanks! I think I will look up wet bunning.That sounds easy.I certainly dont want to deal with the blowdrying daily.I tried to relax bone straight.For the underprocessed hair I was thinking it would be best to go to the beauty salon and have them touch it up to be on the safe side.Would you still recommend waiting a month? It just irks me that the crown and back area are still so thick and unruly.

 

[stillgrowin]

I'm currently natural and airdrying really is so easy now, just spray my leave in and let it do its thing. When I was relaxed before deciding to transition and even during my transition...airdrying was not my friend...I looked stupid...no simpler way to describe the mess on my head.

I learned on here though drying in magnetic rollers and using a scarf is a great way to airdry especially relaxed hair. but I chopped before I could invest in that $10-15 conair magnetic roller set. If you search for info on magnetic rollers and airdrying you'll find great information! Indeed there is a way to airdry relaxed unruly hair w/o looking ridiculous.

Thanks for the info.I will do a search on those rollers! I would really like to make airdrying my friend!!

 

[QBOE2001]

I'd wait to give myself time to do some serious deep conditioning and a protein treatment or two but ultimately it's up to you. Make sure you have a consult with whatever stylist you chose to use to make sure she doesn't try to process your underprocessed areas like virgin new growth and you should be fine.

Thanks! I think I will look up wet bunning.That sounds easy.I certainly dont want to deal with the blowdrying daily.I tried to relax bone straight.For the underprocessed hair I was thinking it would be best to go to the beauty salon and have them touch it up to be on the safe side.Would you still recommend waiting a month? It just irks me that the crown and back area are still so thick and unruly.

 

[D.Lisha]

Just stopping by to say hello to a fellow-newbie!
and Congrats on your progress

 

[lilsparkle825]

Hey there....congrats on all your growth, but don't do too much and lose it all. I've already read you saying things like "blowdry everyday" and "is moisturizer like grease" and i'm tensing up

It's obvious you've got your work cut out for you, and the crazy thing about hair growth is that different things work for different people. Obviously, this is true if you kept the same braids in your hair for 15 months and still have some left, because I know I'd be BALD!

Let me try to answer some of your questions....

*For the immediate future, I would focus on a low- to no-heat regimen. Being that it's hot outside (I'm in NC right now, so I feel your pain) AND the fact that too much heat is never a good thing, what is the point of fighting nature by trying to keep your hair straight? Whether "no heat" means wet bunning, braidouts, twistouts, curlformers, flexirod sets, or whatever, try not to touch that blowdryer or flat iron!

*Moisturize daily with a water-based product and follow up by sealing with an oil of your choice. I personally like coconut oil since it does double duty by moisturizing AND sealing. You said you have that, so I think you should try it before breaking the bank on something else.

*I noticed you said you swim a lot....protect your hair by dousing it in conditioner before swimming. After you get out of the water, I would recommend a chelating shampoo or clarifying conditioner to get all those chemicals out. There are threads around here on that which may help you a lot more than I can, since I don't swim that much.

*I too would recommend that you wait a MINIMUM of 4-6 weeks before getting that touch-up. I mean, you just stretched for 15 months, so I don't think waiting one more month will kill you. I believe you will find that keeping your hair moisturized will definitely help with manageability....how do you think all us naturals deal with our "thick and unruly" hair?

*Something you may not have thought about as a word of caution....be careful with salons at this point. I am not sure if you have a trusted stylist, but if you don't, I would say be EXTRA careful. You say you lurked, so you probably are familiar with all the horror stories about scissor happy stylists.....I can tell you from personal experience that this is a real thing. I can't (and won't) say that all stylists are like that, but it is very real for a "trim" to turn into a "cut". There is no faster way to lose all that progress than at the hands of someone else. You say that you did your own relaxer....I would vote that you continue to do so, and learn how to trim your own ends as well.

Good luck, and do lots of reading....what happens to your hair at this point is in your hands.

 

[KnottyGurl]

I just came to say

Giiiiiiiirrrrrrrllll, I was reading your post, and I could not get past "I didnt take it out of the braids it was in for the full 15 months" AND you were able to take it loose? With good results? You good. That's a straight transition right there. I'm glad it all worked out for you.

 

[stillgrowin]

I just came to say

Giiiiiiiirrrrrrrllll, I was reading your post, and I could not get past "I didnt take it out of the braids it was in for the full 15 months" AND you were able to take it loose? With good results? You good. That's a straight transition right there. I'm glad it all worked out for you.

Honey please dont think I just took it loose! I couldnt even see where I had did the preivous plaits on my head.It was all one big dreadlock matted tightly to my head.It was terrible!!

 

[KnottyGurl]

Yeah, I know you said it was an ordeal. It took you about a week, right? I'm just saying I can't believe you were able to work it all loose. I think I would have chopped out of frustration.

Honey please dont think I just took it loose! I couldnt even see where I had did the preivous plaits on my head.It was all one big dreadlock matted tightly to my head.It was terrible!!

 

[stillgrowin]

Hey there....congrats on all your growth, but don't do too much and lose it all. I've already read you saying things like "blowdry everyday" and "is moisturizer like grease" and i'm tensing up

LOL I am NAIVE to caring properly for hair.A few years ago my beautician had me doing sewins every 3 months.In between installs she would deep condition my natural hair.My hair grew like crazy.In the end my hair ended up breaking off after I stopped getting the sew-ins due to my own neglect.

It's obvious you've got your work cut out for you, and the crazy thing about hair growth is that different things work for different people. Obviously, this is true if you kept the same braids in your hair for 15 months and still have some left, because I know I'd be BALD!

Let me try to answer some of your questions....

*For the immediate future, I would focus on a low- to no-heat regimen. Being that it's hot outside (I'm in NC right now, so I feel your pain) AND the fact that too much heat is never a good thing, what is the point of fighting nature by trying to keep your hair straight? Whether "no heat" means wet bunning, braidouts, twistouts, curlformers, flexirod sets, or whatever, try not to touch that blowdryer or flat iron!

You in this NC 105 index weather too!erplexed From reading I do realize I should not start using alot of heat.I think I am going to learn to do bantu knots and wet bunning until winter.

*Moisturize daily with a water-based product and follow up by sealing with an oil of your choice. I personally like coconut oil since it does double duty by moisturizing AND sealing. You said you have that, so I think you should try it before breaking the bank on something else.

Great! I have that and I will just use that for both sealing and moisturizing.


*I noticed you said you swim a lot....protect your hair by dousing it in conditioner before swimming. After you get out of the water, I would recommend a chelating shampoo or clarifying conditioner to get all those chemicals out. There are threads around here on that which may help you a lot more than I can, since I don't swim that much.

I have been reading other threads on that as well.After dousing in conditioner should I wear a cap too?

*I too would recommend that you wait a MINIMUM of 4-6 weeks before getting that touch-up. I mean, you just stretched for 15 months, so I don't think waiting one more month will kill you. I believe you will find that keeping your hair moisturized will definitely help with manageability....how do you think all us naturals deal with our "thick and unruly" hair?

I think I will wait a couple more weeks before inquiring about a touchup that will make it almost a full month since the Mizani relaxer.Kudos to you naturals!

*Something you may not have thought about as a word of caution....be careful with salons at this point. I am not sure if you have a trusted stylist, but if you don't, I would say be EXTRA careful. You say you lurked, so you probably are familiar with all the horror stories about scissor happy stylists.....I can tell you from personal experience that this is a real thing. I can't (and won't) say that all stylists are like that, but it is very real for a "trim" to turn into a "cut". There is no faster way to lose all that progress than at the hands of someone else. You say that you did your own relaxer....I would vote that you continue to do so, and learn how to trim your own ends as well.

I do still have the number of my previous stylist.She was excellent in taking care of my hair and she was always considerate of me keeping my length during trims.

Good luck, and do lots of reading....what happens to your hair at this point is in your hands.

I am! Thanks!

 

[lilsparkle825]

Girrrrrrrl this weather is horrible! I was watching the news today, and when I saw that the actual HIGH and not just the heat index is supposed to be 100+ this weekend, I just envisioned a whooooole bunch of ice cubes, this air conditioning, and me not going ANYWHERE!

As far as the swimming thing, I DO think you should wear a cap over your hair. The conditioner serves to swell your hair shaft so your hair can't soak up the chlorine as readily, but the cap will help as a physical barrier. Lucky you having a pool......LOL *grumbles*

 

[stillgrowin]

Girrrrrrrl this weather is horrible! I was watching the news today, and when I saw that the actual HIGH and not just the heat index is supposed to be 100+ this weekend, I just envisioned a whooooole bunch of ice cubes, this air conditioning, and me not going ANYWHERE!

As far as the swimming thing, I DO think you should wear a cap over your hair. The conditioner serves to swell your hair shaft so your hair can't soak up the chlorine as readily, but the cap will help as a physical barrier. Lucky you having a pool......LOL *grumbles*

I know! I thought the same thing watching the news! Everyday I come in from the pool and I am another shade darker.

I think I'll buy a silicone cap asap.Thanks!!

Are you near Raleigh? I live an hour outside the RTP.