hair that reverts almost immediately after straightening

[cami88]

Anyone else have this problem?

My hair is natural--thick and kinky 4b. It takes a ton of heat and manipulation to get it straight and then it lasts...maybe....a day. This past week I got my hair straightened/blown out in anticipation of visiting my bf over the holiday as he hasn't seen my real hair in ages. I got it last straightened Tuesday afternoon. By the time I saw him on Wednesday morning, it was already starting to revert. The edges started reverting tuesday night! And this is in the winter! I don't even bother with straightening in the summer.

I was looking forward to wearing a straight style for the whole week, but now its so course at the roots that I've started wearing my wigs again. It seems like I'd have to sit still all week and be very sedentary just to preserve the style. If I try freshen it up by straightening it myself....well..my hair just laughs at the flat iron, and I have a good one. I can't get a good straight style without a salon.

Anyway, its frustrating--not enough to think about relaxing, but I would like straight styling to be an option when I wear my hair out and now I'm said that it just doesn't seem to be in the cards for me.

 

[Nerdstruck]

Before your flat iron, you should try to provide as much moisture to your hair as possible. Correctly moisturized hair holds straightening better, imo.

Also, to help reversion you might want to find an anti-humectant product/finisher.

 

[Tiye]

Yes - it's not so much a problem as a fact of my hair's physiology. Heat temporarily breaks bonds that make hair curly. It takes more effort to break some bonds than it does others - that's why chemical relaxers come in different strengths.

 

[discodumpling]

Products and technique are key to a long lasting press. Personally such a thing does not exist for me because I sweat heavily, am always rolling around with my kids, LOVE to feel water on my scalp often and I don't "sleep pretty"!

When I straighten my hair I KNOW the style will last for 72 hrs or less. & i'm OK with that.

 

[EbonyHairedPrincess]

I haven't been natural for six years, but from what I remember the things that helped me was:

Making sure my hair was well hydrated and in top condition. Take the time to deep condition with good products so your hair won't need to pull moisture from the air around it and swell up.

My ends needed to be in good shape and not frayed and split (cut well). If not they cannot retain moisture properly.

Making sure my hair and scalp were completely dry before the flat iron or pressing. I sweat in my head heavily, so after blow drying, I rest my hair and scalp for about a 1/2 hr, this way I can air dry and the products sets in.

Using the comb attachment on the blow dryer, and blow drying in smaller sections in a downward motion. Try using a cool blast of air at the end.

I had to go easy with all the products I used on my hair, from the moisturizer to the heat protectant, I had to make sure you don't over apply. Generally, a little goes a long way.

Try a dime size amount (depending on hair length) of silicone heat protectant, focusing on the ends. hth

 

[caltron]

I have hair that likes to poof too, I want to cosign on the suggestions that you make sure your hair is properly moisturized and that you make sure that you use minimal product on your hair after conditioning.

I swear that has been the best hair advice I have ever gotten in my life, because I had been doing the opposite for years. I had wrongly thought that a moisturizing conditioner would make my hair poof and that lots of product would keep it under control.

I still have a lot to learn about caring for my hair, but those two things are major.

 

[tamm]

Seriously I have 4a hair and I have found the more I straighten the longer it stays straight. This is my third time straightening my hair since ive been natural for 3 years and it is bone straight. The first time i straightened it, it was very frizzy and stayed for 3 days, the second time is was had a little frizz but was straight and stayed for one week. This time I straightened and it is bone straight (now I realized i like look two better) but this will stay straight for atleast two weeks I know it.

1. Pre poo with oil for 30 min with cap in 8 braided sections
2. shampoo in the braids
3. Deep condition overnight
4. rinse with regular conditioner. detangle.
5. apply tresemme heat protectant then blowdry.
6. apply IC fantasia heat serum just a little then flat iron

after this I have amazin results (If you want perm lookin hair press the roots with a hot comb after #5, then continue to number 6)

 

[DDTexlaxed]

I need too much heat to wear strait hair. It's also too much work. That's why I will relax in the future. I want to wear my hair strait 24/7. My relaxed hair never needed a lot of heat to hold a style.

 

[LaFemmeNaturelle]

But DDTexlaxed, your siggy says you're in the stay natural challenge!erplexed

 

[nappystorm]

I need too much heat to wear strait hair. It's also too much work. That's why I will relax in the future. I want to wear my hair strait 24/7. My relaxed hair never needed a lot of heat to hold a style.

DDTexlaxed Please leave your hair alone, honey bun. I'm sure it's beautiful the way it is

 

[melissa-bee]

Yeah, that's why I don't even bother trying any more.

 

[nappystorm]

To answer the OP, mine does. It stays straight just long enough for me to snap pics. I don't even bother in the summer.

 

[nzeee]

I need too much heat to wear strait hair. It's also too much work. That's why I will relax in the future. I want to wear my hair strait 24/7. My relaxed hair never needed a lot of heat to hold a style.

DDTexlaxed relax

do it!! w/ no guilt or 'splainin'. you're the perfect candidate for relaxed hair since you want your hair straight 24/7. there are plenty of women here w/ gorgeous, thick, relaxed hair. i personally couldn't be one of them but you should know how your hair reacts to chemicals and whether this is a real option for you.

IMO unless you have the patience to be a heat-trained natural it's much better for you to just relax.

i think you should start a thread and get a bunch of random women to give you advice

(cuz we're jacking OPs thread)

 

[DDTexlaxed]

But @DDTexlaxed, your siggy says you're in the stay natural challenge!erplexed

That's my personal challenge only for a year, not forever. I am unsure if I will relax. I will however, be wearing my hair strait more often. The amount of heat I need will probably cause me to lose my curls anyway. I am thinking that relaxing would be less stressful to my hair.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

I find that my flat ironed hair will last longer if I moisturize overnight prior to flat ironing.

Have you considered a Brazilian Keratin Treatment? Their are formaldehyde free versions that seem to work.

 

[DDTexlaxed]

@http://www.longhaircareforum.com/member.php?u=163430NaturalManeNYC how do you moisturize over night? I'm not familiar with that method.

 

[lovegymnasts]

That's my personal challenge only for a year, not forever. I am unsure if I will relax. I will however, be wearing my hair strait more often. The amount of heat I need will probably cause me to lose my curls anyway. I am thinking that relaxing would be less stressful to my hair.

Something is niggling in my brain...how many times have you big chopped?

 

[naturalmanenyc]

I put conditioner on my hair with a plastic cap, overnight.
The video is here: http://youtu.be/Nl7YRN475b8
For this video I used Megasilk.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

@http://www.longhaircareforum.com/member.php?u=163430NaturalManeNYC how do you moisturize over night? I'm not familiar with that method.

 

[Barbara]

Thanks for your comments ladies!