cmw45
Well-Known Member
Hear me out!
So after four almost five years natural, I am still contemplating the problem of single strand knots. While I have lost many inches to scissor happy stylist and my own sometimes willful neglect, I have also lost a considerable number of inches to the ssk regime.
Thus, I over the past couple of months I have studied them in great detail...I have even become what some might call an anthronotists, if you will. What I have observed about the knots is that they tend to congregate at within the last inch of the hair shaft. Thinking back on my own experience and in conversations with other naturals, I noticed that many naturals that did longer transitions did not struggles with ssks as much when they still had relaxed ends. I then begin to think, might it be a good idea to relax just the last inch of my ends as a way to combat the ssk regime?
Over the past two years I have struggled (as many of my PM buddies know) with the decision to relax or texturize as a way to combat ssks. I have decided I really don't want to relax my entire head as I love the thickness and texture of my natural hair. That being said, I have also decided that gaining more length is important. While I have isolated other changes in my hair regimen that will help me to achieve my length goals, getting rid of the ssks is paramount.
So, what do we think? As far as technique I am assuming I would separate my hair into thin sections in a horizontal fashion and relax the last inch of hair. After washing it out I would then cornrow that section down and move on to the next section not letting the relaxer stay on for more than a minute.
So after four almost five years natural, I am still contemplating the problem of single strand knots. While I have lost many inches to scissor happy stylist and my own sometimes willful neglect, I have also lost a considerable number of inches to the ssk regime.
Thus, I over the past couple of months I have studied them in great detail...I have even become what some might call an anthronotists, if you will. What I have observed about the knots is that they tend to congregate at within the last inch of the hair shaft. Thinking back on my own experience and in conversations with other naturals, I noticed that many naturals that did longer transitions did not struggles with ssks as much when they still had relaxed ends. I then begin to think, might it be a good idea to relax just the last inch of my ends as a way to combat the ssk regime?
Over the past two years I have struggled (as many of my PM buddies know) with the decision to relax or texturize as a way to combat ssks. I have decided I really don't want to relax my entire head as I love the thickness and texture of my natural hair. That being said, I have also decided that gaining more length is important. While I have isolated other changes in my hair regimen that will help me to achieve my length goals, getting rid of the ssks is paramount.
So, what do we think? As far as technique I am assuming I would separate my hair into thin sections in a horizontal fashion and relax the last inch of hair. After washing it out I would then cornrow that section down and move on to the next section not letting the relaxer stay on for more than a minute.
My conclusion was that the knots at the ends are caused by tangly-ness or texture at the roots. I think the 'activity', lol, at the root kinda throws the rest of the strand into confusion. I cannot wait to get rid of these straight ends, my braidout today looked so anorexic. Don't do it to yourself, homegirl. 
