Help! I got a Ferm Curl and I'm having regrets

J

jackie1277

Member
I don't know what to do. I want to just have a breakdown and it's all I can think about. I'll start from the beginning.

A few years a go I grew out all my hair and I had all virgin hair and I did a lot of research and after searching these boards I decided on PhytoRelaxer II. At first this was the best thing since WonderBread. My hair looked so beautiful and soft and curly (I relaxed for the full amount of time but my hair had alot of curls still). Then about 6 or so months down the line my hair became very very dry and brittle and turned this weird copper color.

So I went and got a relaxer - over new growth and the Phyto hair. So then I was getting a straight relaxer for about year and then I started to take this medication that I think started to thin out my hair some. So I went back to my tried and true - braids. That was a year ago.

SO finally I was ready to take out the braids and see where my hair was at. I agonized what I should do - should I go back to Phyto? Should I texlax at home, should I texlax at a salon? Which salon?

So I finally I found the place I wanted to go (due to reviews on this site) to Liz Hair Care in Boston Ma. Great place, BUT

I went and explained my whole story to the hairdresser. I explained I wanted a texlax. SHE suggested I get a curl. I'd never heard of one before. But it sounded good. Touch up every 3 months and just use these certain products and your all set. Plus you can get wash and set to make it straight if you want.

As soon as she took out the rods I could tell I didn't like it.

My hair is nice and thick. It's been 5 days. Maybe I'm panicking too much? But I didn't realize that in essence I got a Jheri Curl! I'm so upset at myself. I feel so dumb! I mean to have gone thru YEARS of my hair either in braids or messed up and to finally start all over again and ONE decision it's ruined.

Right now my hair looks more like frizzy fro then curls. The curls are limp and scraggly and lack the definition that I want. I did make the mistake of flat ironing my hair though (i was desperate), so that didn't help.

I'm scheduled to get a color rinse in 2 days so I'm hoping this helps. My hair is very dry right now - even though I put the product in my hair last night and a plastic cap. I plan to do an ACV rinse tonight and then repeat putting product and plastic cap at night. I plan on getting Jane Carter's Nourish and Shine too.

I'm just so upset that I didn't just get a texlax like I wanted.

Does anybody have any words of widsom??

I am SOOO fustrated right now I can't even tell you!.
 
I am so sorry you are not happy with your hair.

At least do some deep conditioning before another chemical service, if you must get another chemical service. I hope it turns out well.
 
I would suggest not getting that rinse if your hair is that dry.. It will just cause more damage.. I would definately use a good DC with heat... Also, I would suggest growing it out if you really don't like it that much..HTH
 
have u "played" with your new hair, using various curl enhancing products to get different looks? Also, if your hair is very frizzy its prally dry, you need to do some moisturizing deep conditioning ASAP and chill on the chemicals for a while. Curly perms are VERY drying:nono:
 
Oh my I don't know what a ferm curl is, but I know what a jheri curl. Most times it is a total different chem than a relaxer. I am soo sorry that that happened. All I can say is condition, condition and condition. I would NOT try to put a relaxer over this, because you shouldn't mix those chemicals together. Again I am sorry this happened.
 
I am so sorry you don't like your hair. Maybe some Bantus might help give you some curl definition. On the real, not to be a Johnnie come lately, but you are now the 3rd person that I have heard that has been duped at Liz's. I have been there and had a chemical service go very wrong last Aug. (((((Hugs))))). Also, I would not get the rinse right now.
 
I'm so sorry this happened to you. Sounds like you just made a mistake by getting this Ferm Curl, then by flat-ironing, adding a color rinse may be the third mistake. I think you need to just stop and take a minute to breathe. Make sure you completely understand what she put on your hair and how to keep it up. If you really hate it, you may need to go back to braids, grow it out some, bc and start over. I would not even consider going back to Phyto either becuz it sounds like that is what started the damage. Phyto doesn't work for everyone. Most of us on this board have made some kind of mistake with our hair so please do not be too hard on yourself.
 
Hi jackie1277, I have a curly perm (similar to the ferm) and at first it was a little dry but I deep conditioned with keracare conditioner, added coconut oil and olive oil then sat under the dryer for about 20 min with a plastic cap on. You have to keep it moist(not greasy) at first. I really love donnie cannons activator lotion because has aloe vera in it and is not greasy and when it dries it still feels soft. Now that I have had mine almost 2 months I really only have to moisturize once or twice a day(morning and before I got to bed). Also try sleeping with a satin cap on at night or use a satin pillow case to help hold moisture in your hair.
 
Thanks everyone for the support. I appreciate. :)

So it looks like I need to deep condition. I will try that.

3 of you suggested that I DON'T get a color rinse. Wow. Cuz I thought that would help me? I have a scheduled appointment on Saturday. I thought a rinse was conditioning to the hair?

Kurlee - yes i'm am trying to use different products. Last night I did a ACV rinse (not sure if that was a good idea or not) then put the ferm activator and cream on and a plastic cap. In the morning I will spray on the S-curl. We'll see what happens!

Selfstyled - Are you serious?? I wish I had known that before I went there. All the reviews I read were positive. I don't know why the stylist insisted that a ferm curl is better than a texlax? I mean why straighten your hair THEN curl it, when my natural texture is already curly? So why not just relax the curl I already have? Of course I'm only thinking of this now - didn't think of this whil e in the salon! Selfstyled what happened with your chemical service?

tnorenberg - a ferm curl is like modern day jheri curl I think. Without all the wetness. It's similar to a Wave Noveau.

stephshe - thanks for the advice! I will try that!

Okay so I think I need to "take a deep breath" like someone suggested. NOT freak out too much, and learn to deal with the ferm curled hair that I have for now. I will deep condition and moisturize, I will reconsider the color rinse.

Does anyone know if with the new growth I can just use a relaxer and texlax and transition into a texlaxed style?

Thanks for the help!!! I'm so grateful.
 
You may have to end up cutting off the processed part if you plan to texlaxing next time because the two chemicals are different and could cause major breakage if it's overlapped. Maybe if you have someone else do it so that overlapping won't occur you may be ok.

For now you can try some defining products like noodlehead cream from sallys(you may need to add an oil with it, I also like le klair lots of curls gel and I've tried the IC gel too. I hope this helps.
 
Hi, I have a permanent curl and you are right, it is very drying. The curl activators did not help me much. What I have done is to use an aloe/water/glycerin spritz (equal parts of each combined together in a spray bottle). I also put my hair up in at least 4 bantu knots each night and sleep with a ripped shower cap. Now my hair is always moisturized, and I like my curl a lot better. If you want to transition out of the curl, the best advice I have found in Shamboosie's book, Beautiful Black Hair, in one of the appendices. He recommends protein treatments/conditioners on the hair every 3 days for 6 weeks to strengthen your hair so that you can transition to a regular relaxer with minimal damage.

HTH :grin:
 
Wow. Ya'll are so great.

Thanks for all of the advice!!

I will try the products and stuff you guys are recommending.

rafikichick92 - thank you for that, I didn't know that about what to do to transition to a relaxer - I have to get that book!

It's so crazy that I wanted an easy style - but it ends up being the oppossite. I guess nothing is ever easy!

Thanks Kurlee I will keep ya'll posted ( I sound like i"m from south or something).

Last night I did the ACV rinse and put the curl activator and cream on with a plastic cap and in the morning used the s-curl. Better, but not as good as before I used the flat iron.

I am still keeping my appointment on Saturday at Liz's and I'm going to see what they say about the color rinse. If she says I should do one I'm going to say that I heard it could be damanging to my hair and suggest a deep conditioning instead. B/c I don't like the curl I'm tempted to get a wash and set, but maybe I should try your suggestions/products first before I do that.
 
like the other ladies, i wouldn't suggest the color rinse, until you are a lil more familiar with your ferm. Also, in terms of getting a different chemical service again, i suggest you completely grow out the curl (i.e go natural) then make a decision to what chemical is best for your needs.
 
u try any of the Ferm maintenance products? Perms are dryin as heck. I'm sure they got a bunch of maintance products for ur situation.

EDIT: http://www.avlon.com/fermmaint.html

From the looks of it, I'd say you prolly spray their Aqualizer on first, then seal with their Moisture Retainer Creme.

Hope this helps.
 
I don't know what a Ferm curl is but I think it's similar to what I have, a Wave by Design perm. I've had mine for about 5 years and I love it. I can't use relaxers but mine always looks straight so I get the best of both worlds. I don't know what an ACV rinse is either but I am sure that is a bad idea after flat ironing without the correct technique (yes there is a technique you must follow) and so soon after you got your hair done. You will need to wash it with a moisturising shampoo and DC. Then use the Ferm product to put some moisture back in (more than you would normally use because you flat ironed) or some S-Curl and seal with oil and you are done, sleep in a satin bonnet. A good perm looks completely natural. In other words people can't tell if it's your natural texture or not. It doesn't look like a jheri curl. If the product and the oil don't work, then something is really wrong with your perm. Perms are very low maintenance so don't try doing too much. They'll act as they are supposed to if you keep it simple.
Good luck!
 
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Okay so update.

I have to admit I've been feeling very down this whole week b/c of my hair.

So anyways I went to my scheduled appointment at Liz's.

My stylist asked if I wanted to get the color rinse that I was scheduled for and I was like, "WELL, I was told it wouldn't be a good idea b/c my hair is so dry....

And I felt like she kind of perked up to attention a little, whereas before she was just about to do anything to my hair without looking at it.

She was like okay let me do wash and condition and see how your hair is. She did that and then when I sat in her chair she said my hair had lost some of it's curl probably due to the flat ironing. And that my hair was curlier in the back (where I had less access to flat iron) then the front.

The end result is that she is going to re rod my hair on Wednesday and with smaller rods then she used the first time. I am hoping this works.

She seemed a little nervous. She had to ask the owner and another stylist about what to do with my hair and she had to call the products phone number I think to find out if it could be re rodded so soon. From the sound of it, they don't do a lot of curls there. Grr.

Only thing is that it will cost me 42 dollars to do the re rod I wished she had at least taken some of that off. I know it was my fault that I flat ironed my hair but still. I didn't say anything though.

At least the wash and condition was only 15 dollars (although I wish I knew what she used so I could just do it myself). I didn't tip her though (gave her a big tip last time). That was my own way of taking back some of my money.

She told me not to wash my hair until the appointment.

My next question for her when I see her next are is there any other products I can use besides Ferm's? B/c I don't like the smell too much AND if on the next touchup if I could transition to a texlax on the new growth.

Whoo. I'm worn out with all this hair stuff.

I'll let ya'll know how it goes!

Thanks!
 
Hope everything goes well with the re-rod. Keep up updated. I know you are worn out from all of this. Just stay focussed on keeping your hair conditioned and stay away from flat-irons, rinses, color, etc. Do as much research as possible on the maintanence, it sounds like your stylist and the salon aren't much help unfortunately. If I were you I'd pm some of the ladies who posted here who are having success with their "curly perms" and seek advice as needed.
 
HoneyA said:
I don't know what a Ferm curl is but I think it's similar to what I have, a Wave by Design perm. I've had mine for about 5 years and I love it. I can't use relaxers but mine always looks straight so I get the best of both worlds. I don't know what an ACV rinse is either but I am sure that is a bad idea after flat ironing without the correct technique (yes there is a technique you must follow) and so soon after you got your hair done. You will need to wash it with a moisturising shampoo and DC. Then use the Ferm product to put some moisture back in (more than you would normally use because you flat ironed) or some S-Curl and seal with oil and you are done, sleep in a satin bonnet. A good perm looks completely natural. In other words people can't tell if it's your natural texture or not. It doesn't look like a jheri curl. If the product and the oil don't work, then something is really wrong with your perm. Perms are very low maintenance so don't try doing too much. They'll act as they are supposed to if you keep it simple.
Good luck!
Click to expand...

Hmmm.... just interested, I've never heard of these treatments. I tried to google Wave by Design but couldn't find any info. Can you point me in the right direction?
 
I could be wrong, but I always thought that if you got a curly perm, then you couldn't go to a relaxer because your hair will be uber-damaged and may start falling out. I think what you will have to do is bc and start over again with a relaxer.
 
I have heard the above as well^^^ but my mom had a wave nouveau and permed over it with no falling out :look:
 
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Kurlee said:
I have heard the above as well^^^ but my mom had a wave nouveau and perm over it with no falling out :look:
Click to expand...


I did the same years ago. I was told you can't put a jerhi curl on top of a relaxer but you can put a relaxer on top of a jerhi curl. I used Bantu and it came out fine. A little shedding but not a big deal.
 
sunshinebeautiful said:
Hmmm.... just interested, I've never heard of these treatments. I tried to google Wave by Design but couldn't find any info. Can you point me in the right direction?
Click to expand...

I am not sure where on the web you'd find it. I went to my usual stylist and that's what she uses. You could probably ask your stylist too though. I'm not from the US or in the US so I would not know where to begin to be of help in that area.
 
jackie1277 said:
Okay so update.

I have to admit I've been feeling very down this whole week b/c of my hair.

So anyways I went to my scheduled appointment at Liz's.

My stylist asked if I wanted to get the color rinse that I was scheduled for and I was like, "WELL, I was told it wouldn't be a good idea b/c my hair is so dry....

And I felt like she kind of perked up to attention a little, whereas before she was just about to do anything to my hair without looking at it.

She was like okay let me do wash and condition and see how your hair is. She did that and then when I sat in her chair she said my hair had lost some of it's curl probably due to the flat ironing. And that my hair was curlier in the back (where I had less access to flat iron) then the front.

The end result is that she is going to re rod my hair on Wednesday and with smaller rods then she used the first time. I am hoping this works.

She seemed a little nervous. She had to ask the owner and another stylist about what to do with my hair and she had to call the products phone number I think to find out if it could be re rodded so soon. From the sound of it, they don't do a lot of curls there. Grr.

Only thing is that it will cost me 42 dollars to do the re rod I wished she had at least taken some of that off. I know it was my fault that I flat ironed my hair but still. I didn't say anything though.

At least the wash and condition was only 15 dollars (although I wish I knew what she used so I could just do it myself). I didn't tip her though (gave her a big tip last time). That was my own way of taking back some of my money.

She told me not to wash my hair until the appointment.

My next question for her when I see her next are is there any other products I can use besides Ferm's? B/c I don't like the smell too much AND if on the next touchup if I could transition to a texlax on the new growth.
_______________________________________________________

I am not sure that your stylist knows enough about this process but it is good that she is willing to learn. Before you left the salon last time, she should have told you what not to do with your new style. Either you know how to handle it or you don't. You shouldn't ever wash your hair or do anything to it before 7 days after your retouch. Then you can return to the 2x a week washing or your normal regimen. Now you know though so that's good. I've never had a re-rod. I didn't even know it was possible. Did she tell you how that would be done? You need to know.
The only way you'll be able to texlax on the new growth is if you cut your permed ends off because they will be straight on the texlaxed/texturised hair. The thing is it is probably better for you to get what you wanted in the first place, the texlax, because after this fiasco, I'm sure that you wont ever like the Ferm perm. Be very sure though that your stylist can do a texturiser well. All texturisers do not come out looking the way they are supposed to. Good luck with your hair!
Click to expand...
 
Thanks guys.

HoneyA - your right I need to be more in control of this. I'm going to call Avalon and see what they say about re rodding and when it can be done, instead of relying on what my stylist says.

For those of you who have had a relaxer done over a curl. Did you actually do it OVER the curl'd hair or just on new growth and if so did you have to relax it straight or could it be done texlaxed or curly. Sorry I KNOW i sound crazy asking this after I JUST got it done a week and half ago, but inquiring minds need to know.
 
jackie1277 said:
For those of you who have had a relaxer done over a curl. Did you actually do it OVER the curl'd hair or just on new growth and if so did you have to relax it straight or could it be done texlaxed or curly. Sorry I KNOW i sound crazy asking this after I JUST got it done a week and half ago, but inquiring minds need to know.
Click to expand...

When I did mine I did it OVER the curled hair and it was relaxed straight. Let me also say that this was NOT done right away. I had the curl for a while and did many conditioning treatments to make sure I didn't end up bald.

I think you should take the advice of some of the other posters and not do too much right now. Give your hair a chance to recover and strengthen before trying anything else.
 
I'm really sorry to hear that this happened to you but in all honesty

I WOULD NOT TRUST YOUR STYLIST!!!!!:nono:

Especially if she had to ask for advice and totally bypassed the opportunity to tell you how to maintain your chemically processed hair after she first did it. I know (and understand) that you want to fix it ASAP but slapping in more chemicals in your hair isn't the answer. :ohwell::nono::nono::nono:
 
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