"Babying" hair back to health.

[deeplyrooted]

\"Babying\" hair back to health.

Hi ladies!

After a tramautic hair experience (jacked up braids, twists, relaxer, texturizer, etc.), how do you baby your hair back to health?

What products do you use and how often?

How long does it take before you see any real beneficial results or your hair returning back to it's healthy self?

Any and all suggestions welcome.

 

[inthepink]

Re: \"Babying\" hair back to health.

I sort of posted this is the thread about seeing results.

I had a traumatic relaxer experience starting in march 2003 but not becoming obvious to me until May, 2003 when I spotted sections of my hair that were 1/2 inch long. Luckily, I found it just a mere few days before I was make another appointment with this same person for a touch up.

Anyhow, the only thing I knew to do was not to relax again - for a while...

It took another 2 months before I decided to transition based on finding wonderful photo albums on the internet.

After I found LHCF is when I finally started making improvements. I just knew that I needed to keep my new growth moisturized to prevent more breakage b/c when my initial breakage occurred, it happened when my hair was bone dry.

I learned just b/c a stylist recommends a product doesn't mean it will work and that I should keep using it when it doesn't work. (Aveda Sap Moss products dried my hair to the bone!)

I saw some improvement in about 4 months but it's really just been a month or so ago that things improved drastically. I no longer have to deal with the frizzies as a result of breakage b/c they are long enough that they lay down on their own and blend in with the rest of my hair.

I still have another year to year and a half to go before that breakage completely blends in with the rest of my hair - meaning, being the same length.

It's been hard but I've try to be consistent.

The main products that made a huge difference in my hair were:
*CD Healthy Hair Butter
*CD Hair Milk
*Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner
*Oils
*Conditioner washes
*Gentle shampoos
*Braidouts
*Gentleness
*Bone Combs
*Biolage Leave-In Tonic
*Most recently Suave Awapuhi and St Ives Extra Shine.

 

[deeplyrooted]

Re: \"Babying\" hair back to health.

Thanks for your reply, hairlove.

I think I'm gonna try more deep conditioning treatments to "baby" the hair that was "ripped out" by the mean ol' braider in May. I've noticed that protective styles have helped tremendously. I've worn them almost exclusively since the event. It's starting to even out a little bit.

Braid outs are out of the question for the moment because the lengths that were once somewhat similar are pretty drastically different - to me anyway - so I've given up on those for the time being.

Never, never, again.

I'll never go to a stylist/braider again.

The damage pic in my hair album http://photos.yahoo.com/lavendertalkingmoon/ is my reminder to never do so again.

 

[inthepink]

Re: \"Babying\" hair back to health.

Which picture? I don't see one with damage?

I've never had my hair braided - I think it just terrifies me when I hear the stories. I'm sorry this happened to you.

I'm sure you will find lots of suggestions of what to do with your hair.

 

[deeplyrooted]

Re: \"Babying\" hair back to health.

Oops, I'm taking the "private album" thingy off of there. I keep forgetting to do that with my Yahoo album.

Everything should be okay now.

 

[inthepink]

Re: \"Babying\" hair back to health.

Your hair is pretty long! I don't "notice" any damage at all. I think if you put a plan in place to take care of your hair, it will be fine.

Do you plan to get regular trims till your hair is all one length again?

 

[deeplyrooted]

Re: \"Babying\" hair back to health.

Mmm ...

I was thinking about regular trimming, but I've noticed in the past that that really doesn't help as far as helping with keeping it all one - or close to one - length (unless I do a big chop all over again) or how my ends appear.

I've kinda formulated a plan, but I haven't really put it into place cause of time and space (I'm pretty much living out of a suitcase at my parents' house until I get my own place and can "spread out" all of my goodies

).

I've thought about purchasing the Redken Butter Treatment for regular (once, twice?) a week overnight good old fashioned deep conditionings, like I use to do during the school year when I had the space/time/luxury throughout the week.

I'm gonna work out something though. I'm just trying to stick with the products I have, which is hard with all of the good ones mentioned on the site.

ETA: I keep the damage pretty well "camouflaged" when its braided or in a bun, but when I try to wear some/part of it down, the varying lengths are REAL obvious. The last 2/3 inches of hair are the longest (maybe 3-5 inches longer than the rest) ... they're MAD obvious when I do two strand twists, which is pretty rare anyway. I had more hair that was about the same length as the longest part, but it was ripped out. I hope by this time next year, I can report that my hair is at or very near bra-strap length, and most importantly, HEALTHY!

 

[inthepink]

Re: \"Babying\" hair back to health.

Good luck! I can just imagine how traumatic that was for you b/c my situation was also traumatic.

With regular trims, I think you might "feel" like it's looking better sooner - just a thought.

Anyhow, I would definitely try to do what you can with what products you already own before spending money on new products. Experiment with new ways of using old products.

Good luck and I hope things get better soon!

 

[Tracy]

Re: \"Babying\" hair back to health.

I agree with your trim assesment hairlove.

I've brought my hair back from the grave many a time with regular protein treatments and maintaining a mositure balance.

I find the mental part of babying air is that sometimes you have to resign your self to staying at the same length for a while while you trim away the worst of the damage on the ends (at least, that was the case for me) and take care of the rest of the length.

It usually takes about 3 - 6 months of consistent care and a trim or two for me to see progress....

 

[lsubabiedee]

Re: \"Babying\" hair back to health.

dang hairbud...didnt know u had a tramatic hair experience!
Only thing i can think of is increasing deep conditioning treatments and making sure ur hair is constantly moisturized....
I looked at the pics and I really couldnt tell that some parts were way shorter than the rest...i figure as long as ur hair isnt breaking, that you should be able to just nurse ur hair back to health!

 

[26INCHHAIR]

Re: \"Babying\" hair back to health.

OMG! The same thing happened to me by this wicked hairbraider. She had the nerve to call my hair damaged when her own daughters had busted, ugly, overprocessed hair. She didnt comb my hair or anything in the braids and put her stupid grease in it. She jacked my natural hair up. I was so upset, but now im recovering after getting a good trim. I also co washed my hair like 4-7 times a week, hot oil treatments as a preshampoo, treatment and lots of deep conditioner, olive oil and surge. Youll be ok soon, it took me maybe like 3 months to get my hair in that great condition.
Good Luck

 

[deeplyrooted]

Re: \"Babying\" hair back to health.

[ QUOTE ]
Tracy said:
I agree with your trim assesment hairlove.

I've brought my hair back from the grave many a time with regular protein treatments and maintaining a mositure balance.

I find the mental part of babying air is that sometimes you have to resign your self to staying at the same length for a while while you trim away the worst of the damage on the ends (at least, that was the case for me) and take care of the rest of the length.

It usually takes about 3 - 6 months of consistent care and a trim or two for me to see progress....

[/ QUOTE ]

I feel ya about that.

3-6 months isn't bad, it just feels like forever.

 

[deeplyrooted]

Re: \"Babying\" hair back to health.

[ QUOTE ]
lsubabiedee said:
dang hairbud...didnt know u had a tramatic hair experience!
Only thing i can think of is increasing deep conditioning treatments and making sure ur hair is constantly moisturized....
I looked at the pics and I really couldnt tell that some parts were way shorter than the rest...i figure as long as ur hair isnt breaking, that you should be able to just nurse ur hair back to health!

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep, sure did. I was crying inside for REAL for a HOT minute.

I've pretty much come to the conclusion that twice a week deep conditioning is the route to take. I just put some Aveda deep penetrating hair revitalizer in my hair this evening. This morning, I moisturized with my hair butter concoction; olive oil, 2 sticks of one ounce cocoa butter, and the last of my FNWL avocado butter.

Nope, no breakage, just the usual shedding I'm use to; thank goodness!

Thanks for the support and advice, hairbud!

 

[deeplyrooted]

Re: \"Babying\" hair back to health.

[ QUOTE ]
26INCHHAIR said:
OMG! The same thing happened to me by this wicked hairbraider. She had the nerve to call my hair damaged when her own daughters had busted, ugly, overprocessed hair. She didnt comb my hair or anything in the braids and put her stupid grease in it. She jacked my natural hair up. I was so upset, but now im recovering after getting a good trim. I also co washed my hair like 4-7 times a week, hot oil treatments as a preshampoo, treatment and lots of deep conditioner, olive oil and surge. Youll be ok soon, it took me maybe like 3 months to get my hair in that great condition.
Good Luck

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for adding your experience, 26INCHHAIR (good Lawd, that's Diana Ross length/big hair!

).

It seems like the back hair of my hair is the healthiest, I think a big part of that is because that hair is the loosest in texture and less likely to get tangled from her "pushing and tugging" combing technique.

I'm gonna keep on with the deep conditioning, most definitely. More frequent conditioner washings might be the ticket too.

Thanks a million once again for your suggestions.

 

[Stormy]

Re: \"Babying\" hair back to health.

deeplyrooted thanks for posting this question! I'm going through the same thing (due to letting someone else braid my hair!)and my hair has thinned out and it's all choppy in certain spots. I can barely cover the thin and short spots up. I've cut it some and I'm doing frequent conditioner washes and moisturizing it a lot. I'm wearing protective styles such as a bun or french roll too. I'm not going to relax again until October.

 

[deeplyrooted]

Re: \"Babying\" hair back to health.

[ QUOTE ]
Stormy said:
deeplyrooted thanks for posting this question! I'm going through the same thing (due to letting someone else braid my hair!)and my hair has thinned out and it's all choppy in certain spots. I can barely cover the thin and short spots up. I've cut it some and I'm doing frequent conditioner washes and moisturizing it a lot. I'm wearing protective styles such as a bun or french roll too. I'm not going to relax again until October.

[/ QUOTE ]

No prob, thanks for sharing your experience, Stormy.

We'll get this thing nipped in the bud. I'm gonna take progress pics in September just to compare and see how much better my hair looks by then.