Girl don't do it!

[XXXtacy]

Don't wrap your hair in the same direction, every night for years at a time. I kept wondering why there was this hole in my hair on the left side. Once I stopped wrapping it, the hair started filling back in.

I was wondering why my hair looked strange. Thanks a bunch!!! Things you learn on this board.

 

[cicilypayne]

Mine would be double processed hair color and a relaxer (in other words, bleach, permanent color over relaxed hair) I know this is probably a no brainer, but I did this years ago to my almost BSL hair and I had to literally start from scratch! Believe it or not, there are others that may not know some of these things.

I did this and wore a weave too long after a crazy double process blunder I was so ashamed my full shoulder length hair thinned out so bad I looked sick. I had to do a big chop this august and then I started over. Girl Girl Girl Don't Do it

 

[sunshinebeautiful]

Don't follow the advice of a beautician whom you have never seen her real hair. This might sound like common sense, but for years I went to a beautician who wore wigs consistently. I mean, like you NEVER see her real hair. She once told me that she wore them because her own hair was so thin. Well, two guesses what happened to my hair. Over time, my hair was overprocessed into a see through mess, and then her solution was to get a weave, which didn't help me to care for my OWN hair. I was so naive. I can laugh about it now, but for real, GIRL DON'T DO IT!!!!!

 

[crlsweetie912]

See yall, we are helping each other!
Keep em coming!

 

[gymfreak336]

Don't eva eva eva use a fine toothed comb as your daily styling tool

Don't eva eva eva use pink oil mositurizer unless you want to commit hair suicide

Don't eva eva eva use hot tools more than once a week if even that

 

[GoGoChik]

Thanks y'all. I was seriously about to get some highlights. That's okay now.

It's probably common sense but don't walk into a salon that you've never been to before and say " I need a relaxer" and then proceed to sit in the chair of the only lady in there with absolutely no customers.

 

[Treasure2k6]

Man I have soo many I could post to this thread! But the one on the top of my list would have to be the lesson I learned from constantly wearing a phony pony.

Stay away from Phony Ponies that require you to (A) put your hair in pony tail (tightly), (B) wrap a hair weave track around your real pony tail in circles....and then (C) stick BOBBY PINS around it to secure the phony pony in place!! OMG...makes no sense huh?? TELL ME ABOUT IT!

After doing this for so many years, I did not notice that I was created a problem. My hair broke, popped, was weak limp and mushy underneath the phony pony. Til this day, that spot is still trying to recover and catch up with the rest of my hair.

That styles that look good, arent always good for you or your hair. My motto...

 

[jtsupanova]

For naturals ecspecially those with fine hair
DO NOT DRY COMB!
at least not on the regular you will end up combing the hair outta your head
another would be color I know its tempting but not unless you have really strong hair its gonna break off
I have had to many experiences with both

 

[scribblescrabble2]

Don't put relaxers and hair color (especially haircolor) in your hair without doing a test patch AND a strand test! Alot of hair disasters and allergic reactions can be avoided if you do.

And if you use hair color do a test patch every single time you use it, because allergies can develop out of nowhere. It happened to me and I looked like exactly like a chocolate colored version of this guy:

http://www.hennaforhair.com/ppd/ppdreaction/

A quick test patch would have saved me alot of pain (and intense itchiness).

 

[OneInAMillion]

Crlsweetie hit the nail on the head:

NEVER DOUBLE PROCESS FINE HAIR!!! Permanent color + Relaxer = No Hair And please, don't let just anybody do this under any circumstances. If you're going to let a stylist relax you, get to know them, get recommendations, and make sure they know the limitations of your hair.

See I was spoiled...had the same hairdresser from 5 until 22. She retired and my hair FELL OFF, because I thought any old hairdresser would want to keep my hair healthy erplexed . It takes work, but there are good hairdressers so you need to seek them out!

 

[RainbowCurls]

Great thread.
I haven't got much to add that hasn't already been said.

- Don't reapply relaxer all over your hair in the hope that "it'll get straight this time"

- Don't bleach over a relaxer.

- Don't blow dry every day.

 

[sexyaqr]

Let a new beautician put chemicals on your head. The 1st time you go, go for a rollerset or wash and flatiron. Get to know someone before they put chemicals on your head.

This is my thought exactly. I wanna see how you treat my hair before you put a chemical in my hair

 

[sexyaqr]

Don't let hairstylists do your hair if their hair is a mess or they are always in a weave a wig. How can they treat your heathy if they don't with theirs

 

[Mahalialee4]

Do not highlight with Hydrogen Peroxide...payday will come sooner ...or later.
Do not check out your hair when you are not feeling good about your hair or depressed. You might start to be hypercritical, angry at your hair and be pulling at it, and whacking it off, or doing crazy colors, or doing the chemical cocktail mix, perms to relaxer, radical color changes, and then hate yourself in the morning and feel twice as depressed. Some women do this when they are leaving a relationship, angry at a SO, not happy in their job, mourning someone or breaking up and trying to get even by whacking off their hair, or cutting your hair because a friend "wants you to, or a guy needles you into it." Some guys want you to have long hair while you are with them, and then when they are on their way out, want you to cut your hair so the next guy gets you with short hair! Believe dat!
When any of this is going on, lock it up in a bun and FUHGETABOUTIT! bonjour

 

[SerenityBreeze]

Don't relax your hair any sooner than 8 weeks. Many of us started by thinking it was a must at 4 weeks and quickly learned that this was the major problem leading to hair breakage.

 

[amy1234]

Stay away from hair dyes if you're relaxed. Your hair is already fragile once its relaxed..the extra damage from coloring will MURDER your hair!!!

 

[Minx]

Man I have soo many I could post to this thread! But the one on the top of my list would have to be the lesson I learned from constantly wearing a phony pony.

Stay away from Phony Ponies that require you to (A) put your hair in pony tail (tightly), (B) wrap a hair weave track around your real pony tail in circles....and then (C) stick BOBBY PINS around it to secure the phony pony in place!! OMG...makes no sense huh?? TELL ME ABOUT IT!

After doing this for so many years, I did not notice that I was created a problem. My hair broke, popped, was weak limp and mushy underneath the phony pony. Til this day, that spot is still trying to recover and catch up with the rest of my hair.

That styles that look good, arent always good for you or your hair. My motto...

Okay, how did you read my mind?
This is EXACTLY what started me on my downward spiral with alopecia!

And let me add:
NEVER let someone put cornrows in your hair so tight that you have tears running from the corners of your eyes while they're being put in.

NEVER wear a wig without a wig cap or plastic cap, or something to keep it from rubbing up against your own hair.

NEVER take out your own sew in weave unless you are highly skilled; you run the risk of cutting your own hair in the top when you are trying to cut that little black thread!!!

NEVER neglect your hair under a wig, weave, braids meaning, don't think that now you don't have to tend to your own hair.

Never slap relaxer on your head and while waiting for it to "take" begin rubbing it in like lotion thinking that your scalp is a fortess and that nothing can penetrate it. Rmemeber: scalp is skin.

Blessings!
dk

 

[ashiah]

Don't let incompetent stylists put relaxer on your ends. I know this might seem obvious, but this happened to me twice, but I didn't say anything because I didn't know it was bad.

 

[InNeedofHairapy]

Okay, how did you read my mind?
This is EXACTLY what started me on my downward spiral with alopecia!

And let me add:
NEVER let someone put cornrows in your hair so tight that you have tears running from the corners of your eyes while they're being put in.

NEVER wear a wig without a wig cap or plastic cap, or something to keep it from rubbing up against your own hair.

NEVER take out your own sew in weave unless you are highly skilled; you run the risk of cutting your own hair in the top when you are trying to cut that little black thread!!!

NEVER neglect your hair under a wig, weave, braids meaning, don't think that now you don't have to tend to your own hair.

Never slap relaxer on your head and while waiting for it to "take" begin rubbing it in like lotion thinking that your scalp is a fortess and that nothing can penetrate it. Rmemeber: scalp is skin.

Blessings!
dk

Whoops...I know better now..off to the bss to get a wig cap

do they make ones lined in silk by chance?

 

[chica_canella]

How about I had a bald spot on my hairline where I used to tie the knot in the front of my head. The spot was shaped just like the knot! For the longest time I couldn't figure out why I was going bald...I just hoped it wouldn't spread.

My mom did this with her scarf and the front of her hair, you know where some people have the widows peak, is gone. But she has as small forehead so it isn't really noticeable.

 

[caribeandiva]

Don't eva eva eva use a fine toothed comb as your daily styling tool
...

I AGREE 100%! that's a big one. my friends still won't listen to me about that.

 

[SerenityBreeze]

Dont use rubberbands on the hair

Dont pull your hair back to tightly when making a ponytail if wet. When it dries, your hair shrinks and it is prone to breakage when it shrinks back to size.

For those that must use curling irons - dont use heat on dirty hair; it results in the dirt scorching your hair..

gotta run.. be back with more.

 

[MizAvalon]

Wonderful thread!

 

[thefineprint]

great thread!

oh my goodness DO NOT shampoo, condition for only 1 minute then blowdry, then flat iron relaxed hair AND THEN CURL IT WITH A CURLING IRON (all without heat protectants). Just don't do it!!!!

 

[thefineprint]

thought of some more:

Do NOT sit there and let a stylist jack up your hair. Say something if you disagree with what they are doing.

Do NOT let a stylist pull your relaxer through! I made this mistake more than once before I knew any better.

After getting braids and twists do NOT clip off the frizzy's sticking out of the braids like I did. It only caused split and uneven ends.

Do NOT rinse your hair in the sink - it only leads to tangling.

I could go on and on!!

 

[Mahalialee4]

Please do not attach straight silky Indian Remy phony ponies (1A types) to 4ab or 3bc type hair, Ladies....please don't do it!
And if your edges and nape is heavily beaded or nape and sides are shiny see through thin or shaved and your hairline is on top of your head...near the top of your ears...please, leave the waistlength weaves and long phony ponies alone!. No one is going to belie-dat! Don't play yourself!!!! Bonjour

 

[secretdiamond]

Please do not attach straight silky Indian Remy phony ponies (1A types) to 4ab or 3bc type hair, Ladies....please don't do it!
And if your edges and nape is heavily beaded or nape and sides are shiny see through thin or shaved and your hairline is on top of your head...please, leave the waistlength weaves and long phony ponies along. No one is going to belie-dat! Don't play yourself!!!! Bonjour

LOL!

 

[Guyaneek]

Don't wash your hair straight outta braids for weeks, unless you are going for dreadlocks.
Don't double process your hair. Permanent dye over relaxed hair. No no. Unless your goal is the broken off look. (7th grade hair like someone else said in the reading hair thread )

 

[betty-boo]

That scarf at night thing is true. I no longer wear a scarf to bed, instead I wear a satin bonnet which doesn't put stress on my edges and stays put!
Ummm...
Don't rely on hairstylists to make everything better!
Stay away from the icky brown gel. Please! it ruined my healthy hair which is now in rehab.

 

[Proudpiscean]

Don't wear styles that require "pump it up" or other hair sprays loaded with alcohol! Your hair will dry out and snap right off.