Frustrated Fine 4b’s

[charmtreese]

I need some pointers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m becoming sooo frustrated with my hair. My progress is so slow! I feel like because I have such fine hair with a very tight coil pattern it’s extremely hard to retain healthy length. I only relax 2-3 times a year, knowing that I have less cuticle layers then my coarse hair sitstahs I try to keep the chemicals to a minimum. When I attempted to go natural my coil pattern was sooo tight that my fine hair could not withstand the detangling process without major breakage and knotting. I now have a very solid regimen with products that I adore, however even with the bestest of care I feel hindered by my hair DNA!!!!

I need to hear from some other Fine 4B ladies who have stayed the course and have achieved their hair goals!!!!

 

[LaidBak]

Bumping/Subscribing to hear pointers too. I am a fine haired 4-something. My hair grows fast but I have (in the past) never been able to retain.
BTW....what is your regimen? I am still trying to formulate mine and I'd be happy to at least get where you are in your avatar!

 

[Firefly]

Bump, Bump, Bump!!!

 

[Nonie]

I'm fine-haired 4B, natural. I just stay in twists and not think about my hair. I wash in twists, baggy every night or when wearing wraps. My progress is slow but it doesn't bother me coz I'm not racing with anyone. I'll get to butt length whenever I get to it.

By keeping my hair in twists, washes probably take as long as they do for someone with a TWA because I don't have to deal with detangling. I don't use products after my wash so again, once the wash is over, I get on with my life after putting my hair in some sort of do and letting it dry in it.

Every now and then while watching TV, I'll feel my hair for twists that need redoing and work on them. Otherwise I just leave well alone.

 

[Firefly]

Charmtreese,

Are you also texlaxed or do you relax bone straight? I've been texlaxing but I have to be sooo careful when detangling because my hair is so fine and my ends "I think" are still too curly. I was wondering if you have the same problem

 

[charmtreese]

Bumping/Subscribing to hear pointers too. I am a fine haired 4-something. My hair grows fastbut I have (in the past) never been able to retain.
BTW....what is your regimen? I am still trying to formulate mine and I'd be happy to at least get where you are in your avatar!

I have a pretty simple regimen

1. co-wash, Protein, tea rinse, DC, and rollerset once a week*
2. Moisturize 1-2 times a day
3. Protective style daily, Silk scarf nightly
4. Relaxer touch-up 2-3x a year at the salon

* I flat iron roots only once a week when I reach 12+ weeks post relaxer

 

[charmtreese]

I'm fine-haired 4B, natural. I just stay in twists and not think about my hair. I wash in twists, baggy every night or when wearing wraps. My progress is slow but it doesn't bother me coz I'm not racing with anyone. I'll get to butt length whenever I get to it.

By keeping my hair in twists, washes probably take as long as they do for someone with a TWA because I don't have to deal with detangling. I don't use products after my wash so again, once the wash is over, I get on with my life after putting my hair in some sort of do and letting it dry in it.

Every now and then while watching TV, I'll feel my hair for twists that need redoing and work on them. Otherwise I just leave well alone.

I have to constantly remind myself of this. looking at some of the ladies progress on this board compared to my own is so frustrating. But, you're right nonie its not a race...I try to keep this in mind!!!

Charmtreese,

Are you also texlaxed or do you relax bone straight? I've been texlaxing but I have to be sooo careful when detangling because my hair is so fine and my ends "I think" are still too curly. I was wondering if you have the same problem

I'm just relaxed. I use to be texlaxed but I had soo much knotting on the ends I decided to relax fully and just stretch longer between touch-ups. Even now that Im fully relaxed, Im no where near bone straight. I still have some texture when wet, kindof wavy like...I guess the ends curl a little bit...Detangling can still be a tedious task!

ETA: BTW Firefly I LOOOOVVVVEEEE your hair!!!

 

[LaidBak]

Hmm, I'll have to investigate that tea rinse stuff. What type of tea do you use?
Did/do you use any growth aids? Supplements?

 

[sqzbly1908]

I need some pointers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m becoming sooo frustrated with my hair. My progress is so slow! I feel like because I have such fine hair with a very tight coil pattern it’s extremely hard to retain healthy length. I only relax 2-3 times a year, knowing that I have less cuticle layers then my coarse hair sitstahs I try to keep the chemicals to a minimum. When I attempted to go natural my coil pattern was sooo tight that my fine hair could not withstand the detangling process without major breakage and knotting. I now have a very solid regimen with products that I adore, however even with the bestest of care I feel hindered by my hair DNA!!!!

I need to hear from some other Fine 4B ladies who have stayed the course and have achieved their hair goals!!!!

Hey Charmtresse!!!

Forgive my utter confusion confused but I have seen your progress and your hair has really grown and frankly it looks d*** good!!! - it seems like you are on the right track - and the only thing that is holding you up is time...

I know my weakness is the scissors which I am overcoming and I hope to get to the length that you are! (which has nothing to do with the tea in China - but I am diggin' ur Fotki) I am wondering if you think the technique(s) that seem to have brought you this far will not help you achieve your goal?

 

[PinkPebbles]

I totally understand...fine 4b checking in.

I don't have much to add but just wanted to say I understand....(((HUGS)))

1) I no longer stretch pass 10 weeks
2) The right products is definitely the key player for fine 4b hair.
Joico Kpak products are great for fine 4b b/c it has a balance of
moisture / protein. I realize that our hair type can't live with one
without the other.
3) I also limit the usage of direct heat b/c fine 4b doesn't have strong
enough cuticle layers. I rollerset 99% of the time.

Overall, we have to make sure our hair is well moisturized and strengthend b/c it is natrually dry and weak that is easily prone to breakage.

 

[charmtreese]

Hmm, I'll have to investigate that tea rinse stuff. What type of tea do you use?
Did/do you use any growth aids? Supplements?

I use caffeinated green tea bags from the grocery store.

I have used growth aids, but I never notice much additional growth with them, so I gave them up. However, this is not to say that I will never give them another try!

Hey Charmtresse!!!

Forgive my utter confusion confused but I have seen your progress and your hair has really grown and frankly it looks d*** good!!! - it seems like you are on the right track - and the only thing that is holding you up is time...

I know my weakness is the scissors which I am overcoming and I hope to get to the length that you are! (which has nothing to do with the tea in China - but I am diggin' ur Fotki) I am wondering if you think the technique(s) that seem to have brought you this far will not help you achieve your goal?

Thanks Sqzbly, but after 3 years even with setbacks and cuts, I feel that I should be much further along.

I think Im just feeling that even with a good regimen and consistency my hair type and texture is making it extremely hard to meet my goals.

 

[charmtreese]

I totally understand...fine 4b checking in.

I don't have much to add but just wanted to say I understand....(((HUGS)))

1) I no longer stretch pass 10 weeks
2) The right products is definitely the key player for fine 4b hair.
Joico Kpak products are great for fine 4b b/c it has a balance of
moisture / protein. I realize that our hair type can't live with one
without the other.
3) I also limit the usage of direct heat b/c fine 4b doesn't have strong
enough cuticle layers. I rollerset 99% of the time.

Overall, we have to make sure our hair is well moisturized and strengthend b/c it is natrually dry and weak that is easily prone to breakage.

AWWW, thanks for understanding!!!

I have debated the stretching thing over and over again. I may need to touch-up more often. last relaxer stretch I started flat ironing my ng after 12 weeks post to keep from having breakage at the line of demarcation. Maybe I need to just relax at 12 weeks instead of stretching for months on end.

 

[sqzbly1908]

I use caffeinated green tea bags from the grocery store.

I have used growth aids, but I never notice much additional growth with them, so I gave them up. However, this is not to say that I will never give them another try!



Thanks Sqzbly, but after 3 years even with setbacks and cuts, I feel that I should be much further along.

I think Im just feeling that even with a good regimen and consistency my hair type and texture is making it extremely hard to meet my goals.

Charmtresse - My friend -but look have you endured (response to bolded) - I honestly believe that u will meet your goal(s)....dealing with our hair is like any relationship (men, family, etc) we are going to have our ups and downs...I am going to need you to chill out, cuz you are already on it!!!

 

[charmtreese]

Charmtresse - My friend -but look have you endured (response to bolded) - I honestly believe that u will meet your goal(s)....dealing with our hair is like any relationship (men, family, etc) we are going to have our ups and downs...I am going to need you to chill out, cuz you are already on it!!!

LOL...I guess, I'm just frustrated with this head of mine!!!

 

[FluffyRed]

I'm sorry to hear you are frustrated, because you are one of my hair goddesses!!!

I have always suspected what you are confirming, though.

- The benefits of stretching have to be weighed against the damage from detangling
- Same for texlaxing
- I am going to have to mentally prepare for slower progress than the thick, coarse-haired sisters

But your hair is beautiful. Just keep up your good work.

 

[LivingDoll]

I'm a fine 4-something too. I try to keep it simple. I texlax, wash/DC 1x a week, and use protein as needed (my hair is funny about protein so I'm still figuring things out). I cannot use direct heat a lot or I don't retain. I retain more length by protective styling than anything else.

ETA: I also realized that I cannot stretch past 10 weeks. I loose way to much hair when I do.

This is a great thread...I'm still fighting with my sides which are more fragile than the rest...hoping to get some pointers.

 

[locabouthair]

I'm a coarse haired 4b, but I still wanted to reply.
I feel I have the same issue as you. I think my hair is so coarse, its always dry and snaps off.

Charmtreese, I think your hair has made great progress. I can't wait to get to your length.

I kinda wish I had fine hair.

 

[Aura]

I understand your pain. It has taken me 2 years to find products that work for me. Right now, I find that texlaxing works best for my fine 4z head. I relax with Mizani or Affirm with a pretty good amount of Olive Oil mixed in it. No-Lye dries it out something terrible and bone straight hair on me looks too thin. I'm now at the crossroads of getting rid of at least 4 inches of hair that is bone straight, but I hate to because it took so long to get this length, so I decided to cut off one inch at a time each touch-up.... Relaxer stretches are a BIG NO-NO! My hair breaks and is completely unruly after 8 weeks, so I don't bother trying to stretch it, and since I texlax anyway with lots of oil, my hair still has texture in it regardless. I love ayurveda products and it keeps my hair strong as well. Low manipulation works wonders, I wear lots of buns, ponytails and falls even now. I'm now trying to master the braid out, but for some reason it just doesn't come out right. Have you had any success with a braid out having fine hair? Maybe I'm doing it wrong...

 

[Firefly]

I'm just relaxed. I use to be texlaxed but I had soo much knotting on the ends I decided to relax fully and just stretch longer between touch-ups. Even now that Im fully relaxed, Im no where near bone straight. I still have some texture when wet, kindof wavy like...I guess the ends curl a little bit...Detangling can still be a tedious task!

ETA: BTW Firefly I LOOOOVVVVEEEE your hair!!!

Charmtreese,

Thank you soooo much!!! I feel your frustration. Sometimes I think it will take me a year just to get to BSL :~( I finally did a rollerset that I liked this weekend (after trying and failing at least 1000 times) and it didn't last an hour because my hair is so fine/thin. I'm actually going to "try" for a 6 month stretch this time. Pray for me girl. Oh, I wanted to ask, when you fully relaxed after your texlax experience, did you do it yourself?

 

[KeraKrazy]

I'm fine haired 4b also and I completely understand, I've suffered setback after setback due to tangling and the weakness of my hair. Regime wise I prefer to stretch as my hair is so thin and I haven't been able to achieve uniformity with texlaxing. I stretch to 12 weeks with bunning but if I want to stretch further than that I have to do so with braids/weaves.

I only moisturizer once a day or every other day as my strands get coated very easily. Baggying is an absolute no no and I have to do weekly protein treatments to prevent breakage. My hair seems to love protein.