Diagnose my hair problem? Overprocessed?

[abcd09]

Take a look at my hair:

This is what the left side looks like and has been looking like since June. I'm not sure what's going on. First on the texture of the hair: It's relaxed and fluffy. It's soft, but still and unlike the right side which looks relaxed. During a DC it feels dry but soft, as in it's not dripping with moisture like the rest of the hair. It has some small breakage but the length is retaining for the most part.

Through the process of deduction, I've reasoned it could be overprocessed, heat damaged, or both. In June, the hair stylist who did my relaxer said that side "wasn't taking". I wondered if it was because I was 4 months post and therefore used some heat one a week to straighten the newgrowth and that did some damage and caused the relaxer not to work. During my last relaxer, a month ago, my new stylist said it looked like it was NEVER relaxed and I had to assure her it was. When she washed it, it was fluffly, but after styling it, it looked fine and like the right side. When I do it myself it does not react to heat (if I use it) in the same way, although it does get straighter. I'm sure it's got damage of some kind, but it isn't acting like it used to.

I have not been on any medications or birth control.

What does it look like to you?

 

[southerncitygirl]

it sounds damaged to me as well. what products are you using and whats your reggie outside of the salon?

 

[abcd09]

My products are Humective and Humecto for dcing 30 mins or longer under the dryer and airdrying in rollers. I apply a moisturizer and argan oil throughout the week for moisture When I was 4 months post I would flat iron only the newgrowth. This is happening only on the left side.

 

[PureSilver]

IMHO: It looks like 3'' of ng that been under processed. Maybe you should consider changing your relaxer. There were times in my relaxed days when my hair came out under processed.

Another reason or cause of under processed hair is build up. You should try clarifying three weeks before getting a relaxer and also try to not use too many products that may cause build up before actually going in to get it.

 

[PureSilver]

 

[bellebebe]

It looks to me like you have 2 different textures going on. That will cause breakage because your ends are way thinner than your roots. It definitely looks under-processed to me.

 

[VirtuousGal]

Definitely looks underprocessed to me.

 

[divachyk]

I have texture in my hair when air drying but I don't consider myself under processed. I say that to say, not all texture means underprocessed. In your case, however, your hair appears to be underprocessed. Let a salon correct this for you rather than attempting to do so yourself.

 

[cynd]

Your hair looks like the crown of my hair did after I went to a new hairdresser in July for my last relaxer. After she styled my hair she said off-handedly "looks good, but the back didn't take as well. I'll take care of it the next time." A couple of days later I could barely get a comb through that section. Needless to say I never went back to her. When I relaxed my NG recently I smoothed some of the relaxer through that section in the last minute before I rinsed (I was scared to leave it on any longer). Since then I've shea buttered it to death and it's finally starting to look like the rest of my hair. Good luck.

 

[Meemee6223]

When I saw the pic the first thing that came to mind is that it looks under processed. It could possibly be damaged but I think u might see more breakage if it were from heat damage or over processed. I agree with others who say u may have had buildup in that area.

Sent from my T-Mobile G2

 

[lboogie2679]

IMHO the roots look underprocessed and the ends overprocessed. I have a section like this right near my nape area. When I first started relaxing again I did not apply the relaxer to my nape area due to fear of overprocessing this area which is a different texture. This area is fine when straightened but it does revert really quickly when exposed to moisture. I also do not have any breakage so I am just leaving it as is. As long as its not breaking I will just baby it.

 

[abcd09]

I have switched hair dressers which took a lot of nerves for me to do. I'm thinking either the last time I went to my older one she used a different relaxer than usual or just did my right side first. With my new lady I saw her pulling the relaxer through the hair on the left side and I asked her what she was doing, she said she felt it was underprocessed, but it still came out like this. This is "wet" hair by the way. Thanks for the suggestions. I'm babying it now and seeing what happens.