Help! 5 Days After Big Chop and I'm CLUELESS!

[PaperClip]

Sigh.... I feel so clueless about how to proceed with my hair care right now. This morning, I washed/detangled with Elucence MBC, deep conditioned with Elasta DPR, followed with Elucence MBC Leave-in and Fantasia IC (blue) gel (sloppily combed through). I did a light cold-water rinse after the products and there's some white sudsy thing happening on the one (right) side. I'm learning that the hair is fine, not medium like I thought. It smoothes down well very easily. Am I trying to do a shake and go (without the shake)?

I'm also concerned about the growth progress. I transitioned for 10 months and I guess I expected more length. I should add that I pressed for about half that time and wore weaves and braids up until about four weeks ago (right before BC). I have been wearing half-wigs (which I am cool with). I wanted to wear my hair out, esp. since it's been so hot. I'm wondering if I needed to get more of my hair cut at BC time.

I'd appreciate any guidance re. products/techniques. Please forgive the amateur attempt at photography and my eyes were kinda going cross-eyed . New camera phone and new hair all in one week, it's been busy!

Sincerely submitted....

 

[Sharpened]

Trust me, your hair strands are fine, not medium at all. I must warn you that might make twists hard to stay in place. The white stuff sounds like bad product interaction, but I could be wrong.

Is it possible you had some heat damage that had to be cut also?

Other than that, your hair looks great to me. Just wear it girl...maybe it needs a break to figure out what it wants to do.

 

[Wildchild453]

I think the first thing you need to know is to keep it simple. I know its hard esp with all the PJ-ism but its the best thing you can do. From, what I can tell your hair is at a length where you really shouldn't have to do much to it.

I don't think you need to comb as much. If I read it right you combed in the shower and to work the detangler through it? That's alot of manipulation even saturated. You might want to 'scrunch' your leave-ins into your hair instead of combing it through

 

[Poohbear]

I think the first thing you need to know is to keep it simple. I know its hard esp with all the PJ-ism but its the best thing you can do. From, what I can tell your hair is at a length where you really shouldn't have to do much to it.

I totally agree...I was just about 2 say this.

Anyway, congrats on your BC RelaxerRehab!

I transitioned for almost 8 months. After the big chop, I would either rinse or cowash in the shower and apply either scurl or jojoba oil and that's it. Don't worry about your length. Wear your hair out. Give your hair a break from the fake hair.

Take care!

 

[Crackers Phinn]

What is it that you want to accomplish with your hair?

My only advice is to clarify, but I think that there is another question in what you have written that I can't quite put my finger on.

 

[so1913]

I'm a little confused with what you are trying to accomplish as well.

You really don't need to do much with your hair at it's currently length and this you should take advantage of. My advice would be to slow down and enjoy the simplicity of your new cut. You could possibly have damage from pressing, I did and I gradually cut it off. Give it some time a couple of weeks maybe and see how your hair adjusts as it's only been a few days. If you find you have straight ends from heat damage, then I'd recommend having them removed since your at a good point to do so. Until then you really don't need to do much except for an optional rinse in the morning (if you decide to do this daily) followed putting in a leave in of some type (conditioner, moisturizer, or oil, etc), an additional styling product like gel is optional, but if you decide to use one, it should be as simple as a small amount and a few quick strokes with your hands and GO! No need for all the combing, especially after detangling and rinsing conditioner out.

Don't worry about length so much, it will come. Patience my dear, patience.
HHG!

 

[PaperClip]

Hey, all.... thank you Nymphe and WildChild for your responses....

I'm laughing at you, Poohbear, re. the "fake hair" comment. Here's a confession: I've worn my hair out everywhere else except church... and I'll be going back in a couple of weeks (away because of school schedule).... Not sure if I'm ready to wear it out there yet (I know, quit punkin' out! )

JCoily, not sure what the hidden question is, but please share in whatever you get!

I guess I was expecting more uniformity(?) out of my hair.... But this new way (or back to the roots way) of my hair, I'm on a serious learning curve!

Please keep them coming! Pretend I'm a case and y'all are the hair docs!

 

[nurseN98]

I think the first thing you need to know is to keep it simple. I know its hard esp with all the PJ-ism but its the best thing you can do. From, what I can tell your hair is at a length where you really shouldn't have to do much to it.

I don't think you need to comb as much. If I read it right you combed in the shower and to work the detangler through it? That's alot of manipulation even saturated. You might want to 'scrunch' your leave-ins into your hair instead of combing it through

I agree with all this...in addition, I would tell you to not use so much conditioner. Elucence is great but it does build up. What you can do is to use Elucence as a rinse out conditioner (rinse well) then do a cold water rinse before you put Elucence on as leave-in. THe purpose of the cold water rinse is to close the cuticle. The cuticle can't be closed if there is a ton of product on it. (somebody correct me if I'm wrong).

Save deep conditioning for when you've clarified or done a regular shampoo, otherwise you are just piling more conditioner on the hair and that also leads to buildup. when the stuff buildups like that it's hard for you hair to absorb the water that is needed.

 

[PaperClip]

Thanks, nurseN98 and so1913 (so1913, I would have thanked your earlier but I didn't see your response when I answered before)....

So I'm trying to do too much too soon, huh? That sounds like something I would do.... I think I'm having hair security issues....

sigh

 

[hopeful]

I mostly just wanted to say congratulations! Yeah! You did it. You sound to me like you are kind of in shock. After 10 months I can understand why you'd expect to have more hair, but it looks like you just have a lot of shrinkage. I agree with the others about simplicity, I only get a little complicated once a week when I deep condition. I would recommend that you try putting your hair in twists overnight, they don't have to be neat or small. When you take them out in the morning that should help with a more uniform fro and having more length. Also try scarves as well, they can take some of the shock off the bc and seem to help the hair have more form as well, then you can wear a small baby puff.

Just be patient and give it some time. Sounds like your hair has been under some stress during the transition and just needs time to adjust. Take it one day at a time and you'll see things will get better. Keep us updated, okay? Oh and for some reason I do see what JCoily is saying, I felt it too, put I can't put my finger on it either. In any case, we are here for you and will be glad to help and support you.

 

[firecracker]

Your hair looks just fine in the pics. Girl I love your hair and length. Congrats on doing the BC. I think you should relax and revel in no fuss hair for at least a month. You look like you could do a spiky wet look style with your current length.

I don't know if I like the blue IC gel as much as the clear gel. I used the blue and had different results in my curl definition and hold.

 

[bludacious]

I BC on Saturday...

I wash or CW in the shower...Put some moisturizer and some Fantasia Pomade and go...Comb I don't touch...I may brush the very back (she kind or faded because it was thinning(stress))

 

[hopeful]

Congrats Bludacious! You look great.

 

[Cheleigh]

Thanks, nurseN98 and so1913 (so1913, I would have thanked your earlier but I didn't see your response when I answered before)....

So I'm trying to do too much too soon, huh? That sounds like something I would do.... I think I'm having hair security issues....

sigh

That's exactly what I think you have. Even though you might not have thought you had "preset" expectations about what you hair would look like after your BC, you really did, and what your hair looks like now doesn't match what you thought (or didn't think you thought) in your mind. You're in hair shock. You and I are about the same age, and we were relaxed for about the same length of time. I had hair shock too, although I didn't articulate it. It lasted at least a month, even though I really liked my natural hair.

When I first BC, I was busy trying all the latest samples from Oyin, Qhemet, MHC, Asha and everyone else. I chronicled it all on film in my photo album. If you look at the first photos in my album (starting at the bottom), you will see that my hair does look a little different now than in the first month or two after the BC. I know I didn't have heat damage because I used almost no heat during my transition.

Maybe my hair was in shock too. Or maybe I was doing too much. But at any rate, my hair really started coming into its own after I adopted the bohemian routine from a poster on another hair forum (JazzyJenni). I scaled my products way down, and elimiated styling products all together, and my hair reacted well to it. While I have reintroduced gel into my routine, I still basically follow boho principles because I rinse out the gel before I shake and go. Now my styling products lay fallow. All I need are good conditioners, some gel, a Denman, and some hair accessories, and I'm good to go at this point (my hair is about 7" stretched, and about 3" shrunken).

Let you hair do what it do. It's okay to not be immediately thrilled with your hair after your BC. Some of us take a little more time to get used to the change than others.

 

[PaperClip]

I mostly just wanted to say congratulations! Yeah! You did it. You sound to me like you are kind of in shock. After 10 months I can understand why you'd expect to have more hair, but it looks like you just have a lot of shrinkage. I agree with the others about simplicity, I only get a little complicated once a week when I deep condition. I would recommend that you try putting your hair in twists overnight, they don't have to be neat or small. When you take them out in the morning that should help with a more uniform fro and having more length. Also try scarves as well, they can take some of the shock off the bc and seem to help the hair have more form as well, then you can wear a small baby puff.

Just be patient and give it some time. Sounds like your hair has been under some stress during the transition and just needs time to adjust. Take it one day at a time and you'll see things will get better. Keep us updated, okay? Oh and for some reason I do see what JCoily is saying, I felt it too, put I can't put my finger on it either. In any case, we are here for you and will be glad to help and support you.

Umm... Hopeful, are you prophetic or what? Throughout the day I was trying to determine my next steps and twists are what I had planned! I think you're right that I might now be in shock. I tend to have delayed reactions about things, esp. significant issues and events. When the thing first happens, I usually appear/feel calm, but then a couple of days later, I start acting out and my people look at me like "what's your problem" and then I break down.... I sorta don't have anybody around me I can "break down" to face-to-face about this. So now LCHF is gettin' the fall-out!

I thank all of y'all for being SOOOOOO patient with me. I mean this from my heart.

 

[PaperClip]

I BC on Saturday...

I wash or CW in the shower...Put some moisturizer and some Fantasia Pomade and go...Comb I don't touch...I may brush the very back (she kind or faded because it was thinning(stress))

Go on and do your thing, diva! Congrats!

 

[PaperClip]

That's exactly what I think you have. Even though you might not have thought you had "preset" expectations about what you hair would look like after your BC, you really did, and what your hair looks like now doesn't match what you thought (or didn't think you thought) in your mind. You're in hair shock. You and I are about the same age, and we were relaxed for about the same length of time. I had hair shock too, although I didn't articulate it. It lasted at least a month, even though I really liked my natural hair.

When I first BC, I was busy trying all the latest samples from Oyin, Qhemet, MHC, Asha and everyone else. I chronicled it all on film in my photo album. If you look at the first photos in my album (starting at the bottom), you will see that my hair does look a little different now than in the first month or two after the BC. I know I didn't have heat damage because I used almost no heat during my transition.

Maybe my hair was in shock too. Or maybe I was doing too much. But at any rate, my hair really started coming into its own after I adopted the bohemian routine from a poster on another hair forum (JazzyJenni). I scaled my products way down, and elimiated styling products all together, and my hair reacted well to it. While I have reintroduced gel into my routine, I still basically follow boho principles because I rinse out the gel before I shake and go. Now my styling products lay fallow. All I need are good conditioners, some gel, a Denman, and some hair accessories, and I'm good to go at this point (my hair is about 7" stretched, and about 3" shrunken).

Let you hair do what it do. It's okay to not be immediately thrilled with your hair after your BC. Some of us take a little more time to get used to the change than others.

Hey, Cheleigh.... you been my road dawg through this with me.... Thank you.... I have talked with JazzyJenni as well.... she's been a big encouragement as well....

 

[hopeful]

Umm... Hopeful, are you prophetic or what? Throughout the day I was trying to determine my next steps and twists are what I had planned! I think you're right that I might now be in shock. I tend to have delayed reactions about things, esp. significant issues and events. When the thing first happens, I usually appear/feel calm, but then a couple of days later, I start acting out and my people look at me like "what's your problem" and then I break down.... I sorta don't have anybody around me I can "break down" to face-to-face about this. So now LCHF is gettin' the fall-out!

I thank all of y'all for being SOOOOOO patient with me. I mean this from my heart.

Well I'm so glad I could help. And I think the "thing" J-Coily and I felt was the shock you were feeling but not actually saying. LOL I am the same way as you too, I often seem cool as a cucumber about stuff and then a few days later all heck breaks loose. So it's okay, you just come here and let it out girl, that's what we're here for. When I bc'd in March I think I was in shock for about a month and it was my 2nd time bc'ng, so you are not alone.

 

[Incredible1ne]

RelaxerRehab I feel your paint. I BC'd on May 11th, no transition at all I don't know what to do with my hair it's pretty much there. I was one of those people who got her hair done every week so now not to have that is a major adjustment. I'm also annoyed at the way my hair is growing back. The top and middle are growing very fast but the sides and back are not.
I'm trying not to do any vitamins, MTG, etc. but a chick is getting desperate!