Frustrated w/ the Transition

[Missi]

I did numerous searches and couldn't find the answers....

I am currently 5 months and 2 weeks post relaxer....i have gone 6 weeks before but I feel as though my hair isn't liking this transition. I have stretched for 6 months before but this transitioning is really beating me up.

Regimen - I wash my hair using pigtails: shampoo 1x using Creme of Nature and DC using UBH Deep Cond w/ my denman to help detangle and get out the shedded hair.

I keep my hair in pigtails and apply UBH Dew Spray, Organix Split Mender, and a little shea butter (hear and there)...I rollerset the ends using flexi rods, pillow rollers, or magnetic rollers. The next day or when I go out....I'll take out the scunci's and place the banana clip where the scunci indents are.

SOUNDS GOOD?????????? WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!

I guess because my hair is damp at times....and there is constant tension? at the scunci spot....I do have breakage. Thanks to KittiKat24....my banana clip itself was causing breakage but I'm not sure how to use the banana clip w/o causing damage. I have been the queen of banana clips since 2006 and its my first time having problems. I don't know how to style without a banana clip.

Second issue....i'll go one or 2 days without touching my hair....and all my shedded hair is caught in my new growth and hair and I don't know how to detangle it without a co-wash (using Organix Coconut Conditioner) in the shower. I am able to lay my hair down smooth using the scarf method but co-washing 4-5x a week is not good.

Maybe my products are all wrong, how do you transition between styles throughout the week??????????? I'll take any advice I can get. Should I use being gel instead of co-washing betweem detangling? Since i'm not 100% natural...will Oyin work for me? Any Phony Ponys that match a bantu knot out?

 

[DDTexlaxed]

My transition was a cinch. All I did was bun my hair with Afroveda's Shea amla cream, Silicon Mix, and Hot 6 oil. On occasion, I did twists and put them in a bun. What helped was pre poo with ayervedic oils. At the time, I barely used heat at all. I Bc'd close to the six month transition mark. I couldn't wait to be natural. BTW, I did not use banana clips. I used elastic bands to bun. You tube is a haven for those who are transitioning. There are so many transition styles out there without heat or banana clips. Check them out. I sometimes miss relaxed hair, but I am really glad I went natural. If you decide to keep relaxing, there's no shame in it. Go natural when you are ready. Never stress because your hair will suffer for it.

 

[AuNaturalMaMa]

I transitoned with cornrows, flat twists, a few sew ins, and box braids. I tried to keep them in at least a week so as not to manipulate so much. I had like 4 different textures in my hair and because of that I tried not to put any added stress like pony's, clips, clamps, especially where my natural and relaxed hair met. I never co-washed while I transitioned. I can speak for that. I have since I was natural. I also didn't shower detangle when I was transitioning. I came out with soaking wet hair and added leave in and detangled then while I was sitting down.....I'm lazy and detangling takes a long time for me so I liked to do so while sitting. I'm sure others whille respond also. Good luck on finding answers.

 

[Missi]

Thank you ladies....its so weird (actually Laws of Attraction) cause when I signed onto LHCF this morning...there were mutiple threads answering my questions. Like the banana clip issue I was having......there's a banana clip tutorial thread. But you're right...i shouldn't let my hair suffer if i'm not ready to go natural. I need to update my hair products, stretching out my style (Day 1 - flat twist updo Day 2 - twist out Day 3 banana clip Day 4 - twist out bun)...thank you ladies.

 

[destine2grow]

My first transiton was easy. I think it had to do with my hair being healthy. This time around I am having problems with breakage and I think it has to do with my hair being damage already. The breakage has slowed down some.

The best thing for me is to not do anything with my hair while WET! I also flat twist my hair and cowash with them in or I twist my hair. I also wear wigs to help. The best thing for me to do is keep my hands out my hair. Another thing is to keep your hair moisturize.

 

[Missigirl]

I am at the 6 month mark so I am still learning too. I don't use bannanas clips they always pull my hair. I just braid my hair tuck the ends and pin it down and wear it up all week. I am using all natural condish Giovanni Direct Leave in, I also like Hair One the olive oil flavor from Sally's as a cowash and or leave in.

 

[reeko43]

I started shedding really bad between 5 and 7 months. It was very frustrating. I tried everything but nothing worked. Had I just been stretching my relaxer, I would have given up. I did start using henna and other natural products. I started hiding my hair as part of a challange and using less heat. I had also been using sulfur and stopped that. My hair is not shedding nearly like it was. It was like my hair was going through a phase or something.

 

[kupenda]

I texlaxed in march and December during my transition. But lately my hair seems to be jumping out of my head. Shed hair gets tangled with my new growth and it's like they decide to quit instead of working with me. I'm gentle and comb or brush every other day. I don't even wrap it after getting a blowout cuz my hair is a big fan of low manipulation. I moisturize and seal to no avail. My hair laughs at every DC I own. I dusted the ends a few hours ago and then m/s in hopes that this will somehow let the moisture get in better (I'm desperate! Don't judge me!). I'm abt two seconds away from buying a box relaxer. As adorable as my new growth is, idk. It's not worth the crazy breakage and shedding for me. I don't want an anorexic afro!


Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[chrisanddonniesmommy]

I'm 13 months along my transition. It gets better. I use ponytails, buns, and updos. I've only used heat once. Think about using wigs, weaves, or braids to help you along.

 

[kellistarr]

Even though I transitioned for a while, my motto is not to transition. More on that later.

While transitioning, I rolled my hair on rods, sat under the hooded drier and had beautiful spiral curls that I wore for the entire week. I only manipulated my hair with my fingers.
At night, I wore a satin cap. To refresh, I just shook my head in the mornings. After the week was up, I'd shampoo and condition and basically go through hell, detangling and starting the process all over.

When I was "transitioning" I had no idea that was what I was doing. I was just "not relaxing" my hair until I came up with a plan B.

Plan B was to cut off all of my hair. I don't believe in the whole transitioning thing because all the new growth that I had acquired, did not prepare me for what my hair would become or how it would react once I cut off the relaxed hair. I thought I had maybe 3 inches of new growth, but once I got it all chopped off, I had about 1 1/2 inches of hair, if that. Shrinkage played a major role, but who knew about shrinkage when my relaxed hair was still hanging there? It just seemed like I had more new growth when it was attached and compared to my relaxed hair. My reality was different. My hair, however, was a breeze and a relief to take care of. I wished that I had done it sooner and wondered why I went through that whole phase. (There weren't many hairboards around to explain that I was transitioning as I figured out what to do next). I don't know how long I transitioned, it was quite the long time, perhaps a year. I was left with so little hair because I needed to be sure that I did not have a single straight hair on my head. I was paranoid of having two hair textures on my head. All of my hair needed to curl up in its natural state for me to be satisfied.

The more hair you grow the harder that transition will become. Of course, you can continue to go through your torture, but why? I don't mean to discourage you. There are some people that claim to transition every strand of their relaxed hair out of their heads. Really? This is hard for me to believe. However, if this is your goal or you're simply not ready to cut, you are going to have to accept hair loss no matter how gentle you are with your hair.