Hair Stories...

[so1913]

I like reading peoples stories, so I thought I'd start a post where we could share, serious, funny, enlightening, encouraging, strange,tragic, whatever! ALL HAIR stories are welcome whether relaxed, natural, short or long haired.

Here's one of mine:

I had never really "planned" to transition....I had a horrible experience with my last touch up in December 2002. I had recently graduated from college and moved back to NJ from NC. My trusty hair dresser was 8 hours away! Well, I went to my Mom's hairdresser, and apparently she was having a bad day and took it out on my hair. She uncarefully applied it, shampoo'd it out, did not apply a conditioner. She slapped in a leave in and says "I'm just going to put in a leave in". After that I ran home and headed to the sink. Washed and deep conditioned the mess out of my hair praying that it would not fall out. Luckily, there was no damage, but I was NEVER going back to that woman. So I just thought that I'd simply find someone I could trust to do my hair. I was so afraid to give anyone a chance...so I just kept holding off on my retouch. I was a master with working a flat iron, so I was easily able to straighten my new growth to get me through. Time went on...and still, I hadn't heard of anyone worth taking a chance with...my two friends were already natural, so they had no suggestions for me...my sisters went to my Mother's hairdresser, other friends I knew that had great hair lived far away, and those close didn't have all that great relaxed hair. So a year went by and my friends were like "just leave it." I thought, why not? And that was it, lol.

It was definately a hard getting used to dealing with my natural texture. I hadn't seen it since I was who knows how old, and back then, I didn't deal with it, that was Mom's job. But I grew to love it and it's uniqueness. There are a few things that kept me on this path.

1. Thinking about what was actually in relaxers. I thought to myself how can I be so concerned with using harsh shampoos, products with cones, mineral oil, etc. but not be concerned with using a product whose main ingredient is the SAME main ingredient in drain products like Drano and Mr. Plumber, and oven cleaner like Easy Off? To ME, it didn't make sense.

2. Thinking about all those trips to the salon and all the money spent and hours. I was SOOOO happy to give that up! LOL

3. Reading "Hair Story" the history of black hair in America. It allowed me to understand the history of us and our hair. As I mentioned before, it's not a pro-natural book or anti-relaxer, it's objective, and just lays out why we do what we do, where it came from, different phases in our hair styles through out history, the business of black hair care, etc. Great book for all.

 

[sweetcashew]

My most memorable hair story was when I was about 14 years old. I let my brother's girlfriend at the time, give me a relaxer. My hair was about waistlength at that time and mostly in braidouts or a bun.
Anyway, after giving me the touch up (roots to ends lol) she told me I needed a trim. So I let her grab the scissors.
My brothers are the world's biggest clowns so two of then had me laughing so hard,I didn't notice I had neck length (yes, Neck length) hair until she'd already cut from my ears down. Boy was I pissed.
But you know when she was done with it I was in love! Couldn't stop flinging my hair all over the place. It just flowed so nicely and I felt free.
I never let her touch my hair again after that though. I saw her about 3 months ago after about 16 years and she had the nerve to comment on how she can't believe my hair grew back from the cut.
Did she think that once she cut it it would never grow back? So I guess she didn't do it in my best interest. I don't think anyone's touched my hair since.

 

[ArrrBeee]

I was transitioning but with no plans for a BC. I had only worn braids 2 or 3 times in my life, so I didn't know the protocol for taking down the braids.

I took my braids out and proceeded to wash and condition my hair without combing it through first .

Two hours, a panic attack, and many tears later, my hair was matted in several spots.

I cut the matted hair away and pulled my remaining hair into a ponytail. I had my hairdresser do the BC 3 days later.

Nine months later, my hair is thriving, I love my natural texture and I can not see me going back to a relaxer.

My braid disaster was truly a blessing in disguise.

 

[*ElleB]

My most memorable hair story was when I was about 14 years old. I let my brother's girlfriend at the time, give me a relaxer. My hair was about waistlength at that time and mostly in braidouts or a bun.
Anyway, after giving me the touch up (roots to ends lol) she told me I needed a trim. So I let her grab the scissors.
My brothers are the world's biggest clowns so two of then had me laughing so hard,I didn't notice I had neck length (yes, Neck length) hair until she'd already cut from my ears down. Boy was I pissed.
But you know when she was done with it I was in love! Couldn't stop flinging my hair all over the place. It just flowed so nicely and I felt free.
I never let her touch my hair again after that though. I saw her about 3 months ago after about 16 years and she had the nerve to comment on how she can't believe my hair grew back from the cut.
Did she think that once she cut it it would never grow back? So I guess she didn't do it in my best interest. I don't think anyone's touched my hair since.

Oh wow...You relli have to watch ppl who are in your hair.

 

[victorious]

I once did a conditioner wash with Suave Milk and Honey while showering. I then applied Motions Moisture Plus as a deep conditioner. Instead of squirting the lavender body wash on my washcloth, I squirted the Suave conditioner on my washcloth. I stopped myself when I realized the liquid was white instead of purple. I almost did a conditioner body wash.

---

Years ago I was rushing to get to work. I just ironed my slacks with starch in an aqua can, and I threw the can on my bed. After I got dressed, I did my hair and used a little hairspray in a blue can.

Evidently I threw the can of hairspray on the bed too. But then I needed more hairspray, so I grabbed a can and sprayed my hair. Yep...I picked up the starch instead of the hairspray. All of my curls fell down sopping wet and crispy. I had to smooth it all back into a ponytail the best way I could. That was definitely a bad hair day.


Lesson Learned: I need to read labels more carefully.

 

[*ElleB]

I once did a conditioner wash with Suave Milk and Honey while showering. I then applied Motions Moisture Plus as a deep conditioner. Instead of squirting the lavender body wash on my washcloth, I squirted the Suave conditioner on my washcloth. I stopped myself when I realized the liquid was white instead of purple. I almost did a conditioner body wash.

---

Years ago I was rushing to get to work. I just ironed my slacks with starch in an aqua can, and I threw the can on my bed. After I got dressed, I did my hair and used a little hairspray in a blue can.

Evidently I threw the can of hairspray on the bed too. But then I needed more hairspray, so I grabbed a can and sprayed my hair. Yep...I picked up the starch instead of the hairspray. All of my curls fell down sopping wet and crispy. I had to smooth it all back into a ponytail the best way I could. That was definitely a bad hair day.


Lesson Learned: I need to read labels more carefully.

Dang that sounds like sumthing that i would do...

 

[beyondcute]

My worst hair story was when I allowed a lady with horrible hair to do mines... Relaxer, dye, starightening comb, gel, AND fake bantu knots that were REAL KNOTS all in the same day... WTH?! I didnt know any better. I though I was fly till I tried to wash that ish out! Oh well I lost chunks of hair but I kept it moving and my hair recovered
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Im now transitioing and Im so enjoying watching my hair progress. Im falling in love with every nap, wave, curl and kink that I encounter. Ive been playign with this one napp for days...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Last one I promise When I was relaxing my hair I went to get it braided. My hair had progressed to well! The shops nearby charge based on the length of your natural hair. When I entered the shop it was up in a bun.

I aske dhow much and she said $125, which was reasonable for my style. I sat in the chair and she unpinne dmy hair. My pony tail fel ldown and she was like "Oh this is too much hair, I have to charge you $175."

I knew it was gonna happen to I said "Okay but thats the final price right?" She looked skeptical and said she wanted to take it down first. Jigs up! When she took my hair down she started speaking in another language The other ladies in the shop turned around to see what she was taking about and they all walked over and touched/groped my hair.

My hair was bra strap then Even and thick too! Sad to say the price went up and I ended up gettign alot of my hair burn inside the braid but I loved the attention. For most of the time I was there the questioned me on what I did to make my hair grow and everything else under the moon! It felt good to have people admire my hair... BUT its gone now so

 

[tastesosweet]

My hair transitioned when my life transitioned to that of a poor college student. Until then I was a "every two-week, standing appointment at the salon" type of gal. Of course college makes this almost an impossibilty (though my mom offered to continue to help me out--she's not the biggest natural hair fan)

Anyway, I was in the dorm restroom, waiting in line to use the sink and there was a sista at one of the sinks with the most beautiful two-strand twisted hair. At the time, I had never seen this type of hairstyle before and I couldn't help but compliment her. Shortly thereafter, she became my collegiate "big sister" and took me under her wing. I began to see why sis rocked a natural style--she was way too active to have pressed hair! One activity that she participated in and into which I was recruited was West African Dance classes. That class alone was sweating my little hair out. I tried to wear braids for awhile, but I got tired of them. One day I decided to go to my stylist and have her cut my hair all off. The idea of that scared my mom so much, that she convinced me to put a light texturizer on it. I LOVED that look and I was able to maintain it by getting touch-ups once every 12 weeks or so. My hair grew to shoulder length and I decided to dye it--WRONG MOVE! All of my hair fell out and I was left with a sad twa that I kept braided for 2 years until my hair reached chin length. At that point I said goodbye to all chemical processes (perms, texturizers, and color) and I haven't looked back (though color tempts me constantly ) It's been about five years since the fall out and I am happily nappy and about an inch away from BSL!

I'm fairly certain that I'll be natural for the long haul (I plan to lock at some point in my life) but I never say never. My goal is to get to waist-length and once I get there who knows? I might have hair to spare by then--color here I come!

 

[Elizabeth26]

My hair horror story was back in 2000. I decided that I wanted to shave my nape because I was having breakage in that area. I told my stylist that I wanted the rest in a bob with layers. I had been going to this stylist for about 2 years and she did my family hair. I was sitting in the chair and I notice she was cutting away but I sat there. So after she finish styling my hair I had an 80's hairdo. The back was shaved, the top was in stacks, one side was longer than the other, and I had a bang in the front. My hairdo put you in the mind of Pearl from 227. I just couldn't understand how she got this haircut from what I told her I wanted. It would have been fine if the hairstyle was cute. I was so upset and I know my mom was going to have something to say. My mom fuss at me about letting her cut my hair so short. My friend knew I was going to get a cut so she called to ask how it went. I was telling her about it so she came over to see the cut and bought her cousin. I felt like they was laughing at me but they said it was cute. I had never dealt with hair that short before so I couldn't curl my hair. I ask my sister friend who does hair and she even told me she couldn't curl my hair. So I just brush it down until it was long enough for me to curl. I never went back to that stylist and I will never let anyone else cut my hair up like that again.

 

[natural_one]

my hair story happened about 3 months ago. I just moved to Japan (military) from Korea. In korea I could go to a salon and have my shoulder length natural hair washed conditioned and trimmed with no problem. i assumed i could do the same in Japan, well i went to the salon and asked the girl to wash, deep condition and straighten my hair to trim the ends..to make a long story short because of the language barrier the girl thought i meant a deep conditoning straightener and applied relaxer to my head and by the time i realized that it wasnt deep conditioner the back of my head was completely straight! bad day....i am now transtioning back to natural...