Calling all Transitioners/Naturals

[MzTami]

I'm 8 months post relaxer and my hair is dry and dull looking. It has absolutely no life or shine. I thought my hair type was 4a, now I realized that it's 4z(seriously). No matter how much moisture and oils I use, my hair just sucks it all up. When I touch it, my hands are full of moisture and oil, but when you look at it, you would think that it's dry(like whoppie Goldberg)
My hair needs a life..What can I do to get my hair to shine like most of the transitioners and naturals?

Could this be scab hair? If so, please advise.

 

[Daughter]

Hi,

Sounds like it could be scab hair to me! I remember my hair feeling rough at about the same period as you, about 8 months into the transition.

Apart from this, you may have to accept that your hair texture may be coarser than you imagined. This is no bad thing, you just need to work out what's best for it. My hair is coarse for the most part, I find that shea butter (a little goes a long way!) is great for me.

Keep drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day and treating your hair well. Most of all, don't give up!

 

[Nanyanika]

Den1 to the rescue!!!!
I understand what is happening to your hair. I went through that for a whole year and suffrered breakage due to scab hair and nutrition problems. my hair was also dry liker someone with terrible dreads. I overcame this problem by taking supplements for 2 months and having a diet in raw fruit juice and vegetables, all the scab hair has grown out and my true texture is coming through now. I take Silica, EFAs, MSM, Biotin. see my new site in my signature for information on supplements that will dispel the scab hair quickly.

 

[kitchen_tician]

Mz.Tami, I've experienced the exact same thing on on my edges and castor oil seems to work well. I apply castor oil at night and then tie it with a satin scarf. I never thought that it may be scab hair, but it makes sense. Thanks Daughter and Den1.

Den1: I love your healthy site. It has lots of good information. You give good suggestions for treating hair from the inside out.

 

[sweetascocoa]

yes. its scab hair. i braided my hair till the dryness stopped.

 

[Crackers Phinn]

As always I'm the voice of dissent. I don't believe in the concept of scab hair- even though some chick with out any type of science background coined it in her book-THE HAIR BIBLE-which must not be questioned. I think dry dull new growth in transitioners comes with not knowing what products to use on a hair texture you've never had to deal with on a long term basis.

So let's start at the beginning.
What's your regimen?
How are you stying your hair?

When I went through the extra dull hair stage it was because I didn't realize that every product I was using from shampoo, conditioner, leave in, and gel all had protein in them. And then I had enough nerve to do aphogee treatments on top of it.

Two things got me over the hump - moisturizing shampoo and clarifying shampoo.

Oh and BTW - the 'shine' that you see in my hair album is 10% my hair being stretched, 10% gel and 80% camera flash.

 

[Leslie_C]

forgive me for being slow, but what is scab hair? Ive never heard that term in my life till I saw it in this thread?

 

[KiSseS03]

As always I'm the voice of dissent. I don't believe in the concept of scab hair- even though some chick with out any type of science background coined it in her book-THE HAIR BIBLE-which must not be questioned. I think dry dull new growth in transitioners comes with not knowing what products to use on a hair texture you've never had to deal with on a long term basis.

So let's start at the beginning.
What's your regimen?
How are you stying your hair?

When I went through the extra dull hair stage it was because I didn't realize that every product I was using from shampoo, conditioner, leave in, and gel all had protein in them. And then I had enough nerve to do aphogee treatments on top of it.

Two things got me over the hump - moisturizing shampoo and clarifying shampoo.

Oh and BTW - the 'shine' that you see in my hair album is 10% my hair being stretched, 10% gel and 80% camera flash.

ITA about the whole "scab hair" thing. This is my third time transitioning and I've never experienced it, and have yet to hear/see any significant evidence proving that it does happen. I also agree that it is most likely a product problem that you are dealing with... Hopefully once you post your regimen we can figure out what's going on.

 

[Crackers Phinn]

forgive me for being slow, but what is scab hair? Ive never heard that term in my life till I saw it in this thread?

I jacked the quote from another site. This is the theory (that I absolutely don't agree with):

That term came from the book Let's Talk Hair, by
> Pamela Ferrell. She discusses "scab hair" on page
> 68.
>
> She says this:
>
> I have found many women become depressed or
> apprehensive by the idea of growing the chemical out
> of their hair. Women have complained that the new
> hair growth feels coarse and hard. This is usually
> an unfair analysis of natural hair that is compared
> to the straightened ends. I classify the first stage
> as the scab stage.
>
> Hair that has been chemically processed for many
> years will grow out curlier and in some instances
> feel dry because of the long-time use of the caustic
> lye (chemical fire cream) that has stripped the hair follicle of
> its natural oils and nutrients. Your hair goes
> through a healing process similar to a wound on the
> skin, which becomes supple again after the scab
> falls off. As the new hair growth lengthens, the
> follicle and scalp have a chance to be rejuvenated,
> heal and eventually replenish the natural sebum to
> the hair. The new hair will then begin to feel soft
> and pleasing. And of course, changing to hair care
> products that are formulated for curly hair will
> make a difference in how the hair looks and feels.

 

[Miss*Tress]

I'm 8 months post relaxer and my hair is dry and dull looking. It has absolutely no life or shine. I thought my hair type was 4a, now I realized that it's 4z(seriously). No matter how much moisture and oils I use, my hair just sucks it all up. When I touch it, my hands are full of moisture and oil, but when you look at it, you would think that it's dry(like whoppie Goldberg)
My hair needs a life..What can I do to get my hair to shine like most of the transitioners and naturals?

Could this be scab hair? If so, please advise.

What kind of oils are you using, MzTami? How often do you wash your hair? Are you COing or shampooing? Have you ever clarified?

I agree, JC. I stretch my relaxers for a very long time and have never experienced this scab hair phenomenon.

 

[plove]

forgive me for being slow, but what is scab hair? Ive never heard that term in my life till I saw it in this thread?

Don't feel bad
I with you i have never heard of that term
and i was going to ask what it mean
but you ask before me.

I didn't transition
I did the bc nov 05 my hair was 1inch
By jan 06 it was 3inch
I don't know where it's at right now
I have braids in my hair (jan-until I don't know)

Hair type: 4a/4b
Want healthy hair
Inspiration: my lil one

http://public.fotki:com/lovep
pw:havefun

 

[Nanyanika]

Mz.Tami, I've experienced the exact same thing on on my edges and castor oil seems to work well. I apply castor oil at night and then tie it with a satin scarf. I never thought that it may be scab hair, but it makes sense. Thanks Daughter and Den1.

Den1: I love your healthy site. It has lots of good information. You give good suggestions for treating hair from the inside out.

Thank-you...All the information on this site have helped me in so many ways that, i had to share it with everyone.

 

[Nanyanika]

I've been natural for 25 years so i am not disillusioned making the distinction between my true texture, and the texturized ends. I've have used top quality products to cheap products, for moisturising, deep conditioing and nothing worked, my hair was breaking and very dry irregardless of how much i cared for it. I beleive due to my chronic illness, poor diet, relaxer burns-scab hair, this was the cause of my newgrowth problem. After supplementing and having an improved diet my texture grows in healthier, without brittleness and breakage. So if its not scab hair then its definitely to do with the other issues i mentioned.