Help...What happened to my natural curl

[MyTie]

I transitioned for a year. I BC'd in July and adore my curls. I get so many compliments on them. About two weeks ago, I gave in and straighten my hair. I used heat protectant and straighten as much as I could with a blow dryer and then ran a flat iron through my hair. I left it straight for the past two weeks, only putting the flat iron in my hair one more time when it started to curl back up.

Two days ago, I washed and deep conditioned my hair. After washing I noticed that my hair was still straight. After a second washing today, my roots were curling up but my ends are still pin straight. My hair looks like it did when I was transitioning and had relaxed ends. I really want my curls back and was scared that I had damaged the curl pattern by straightening it out. I had hoped that wasn't the case because I had planned to wear my hair in alternating curly and straight styles once it has grown to the length that I want it.

Other naturals who also wear straight styles, has this ever happened to you? How do you get your curly hair back after straighten it out?

 

[NicWhite]

In the past, when I wore my hair longer, this would happen if I did not get all of the product out of my hair after one wash. You made need to wash your hair again, with a clarifing shampoo. That may help.

 

[EllePixie]

Try doing a protein treatment as well.

 

[prettybyrd]

I agree with EllePixie - I used Aphogee when this happened to me, but I wouldn't wait too long!

 

[MyTie]

Thanks everybody. I have some Aphogee in my stash. I'm putting it on right now.

 

[chebaby]

i would pre poo with ors mayo treatment, clarify and then deep condition.

when i first went natural i colored my hair. my hair was so strait and limp. i deep conditioned with ors mayo for a week everyday and my curls came back.

 

[FebeeSigns]

Sometimes it never reverts back after straightening. There's a chance it might not. How high that chance is varies from each head of hair. Hopefully clarifying and deep conditioning will bring your tresses back! I think a protein treatment is a good idea too

 

[prettybyrd]

Any results yet, OP?

 

[Triniwegian]

All it takes sometimes is just one time straightening, it happened to me. Some hair does not take too well to heat.
Use Aphogee and follow up with a major amount of moisture every other day.

I hope you didn't damage it too much.

 

[MyTie]

Any results yet, OP?

There has been very little. I clarified, used a protein treatment, ORS Hair Mayo, deep conditioning and washing with a shampoo for curly hair. My ends are still straight in some areas. The crown of my head has reverted back. Someone on another board says that it sometimes just take time for the hair to revert back so I am going to be patient.

 

[MyTie]

All it takes sometimes is just one time straightening, it happened to me. Some hair does not take too well to heat.
Use Aphogee and follow up with a major amount of moisture every other day.

I hope you didn't damage it too much.

I don't think I have heat damage. Even though they are straight, the ends have never looked healthier. When I my hair is damaged, no matter how much moisturizer or oil I put on it, my ends still look dry and brittle. Even when I was relaxed I couldn't put really hot heat on it because it literally melts off right there on the flat iron, so I used a low heat setting.

 

[Chaosbutterfly]

Have you tried a beer rinse?

 

[MekyakaKinkerbelle]

I don't think I have heat damage. Even though they are straight, the ends have never looked healthier. When I my hair is damaged, no matter how much moisturizer or oil I put on it, my ends still look dry and brittle. Even when I was relaxed I couldn't put really hot heat on it because it literally melts off right there on the flat iron, so I used a low heat setting.

Heat "damage" means that the curl of the actual hair has been "flattened"...doesn't mean the hair is brittle, split, etc...just means the curl is lost due to the applied heat. As stated above, you just never know if you'll have it or not and it can happen at any time.

Again, your hair may not be damaged, but the curl is with heat damage.

Give it another treatment or two, but be prepared to think of your options if it doesn't go curly again.

 

[BostonMaria]

Don't panic yet. Keep deep conditioning and give it a few weeks.

I straighten my hair 2-3 times a month and my hair reverts, but I've seen people with natural hair lose their curls with one flatiron. I'm not sure why it works for some and not for others.

Hang in there because I've seen people get heat damage and they're hair eventually reverted back after a few months.