I am SUCH AN IDIOT!

[MzK]

I KNOW I made one of the BIGGEST mistakes to my newly natural hair: going to the braiding salon. I am the stupidest newly natural alive....

Nite before: I washed, and detangled my hair with Giovanni SAS poo, followed by ORS DRP and some castor oil. Put on some Cantu leave-in, and commenced blowdrying. My ends, however, were....poofy and tangled. Couldn't understand why....so I put more castor oil on ends and went to bed.

Following day, I could've cried the entire time while getting the feed-ins done: the braider used a rat-tail and a shower comb to "detangle" my ends...I never heard so much ripping in my life, which caused 3 arguments. Needless to say, my hair is currently in the cornrows. After this, I'm staying away from braiding salons.

What caused the "poofy" and tangled ends?

What can I do about my hair once I remove the braids? I can't even speak about what my hair's going to look like once I take them out....I'm in tears just thinking about it. PLEASE.......help me. I want my hair healthy........

 

[hopeful]

You are not an idiot. Please don't talk about yourself that way. You maybe made a mistake, still learning what works. Try to be more patient with yourself and your hair.

 

[MrsIQ]

Hopeful is right and you said yourself you are newly natural. It will take time to get to know your hair, its likes and dislikes.

Also, I would have left the braider's, hair half done and money in my purse. I have learned here that they are doing you a service, not a favor. If you mistreat my hair, pulling it from the root, I leave with my money.

 

[Yoshi3329]

Stop beating you self up like that.

Frankly, I wouldn't have even stayed, I seriously would have left. I wouldn't even get mad. I'd get even by going to every website that does reviews (complaintsboard.com, BBB, etc), and put their arse on blast. That what I would do. You should totally do it, keep naturals, transitioners and relaxed heads alike from going to that chop shop.

Yup.

 

[Urban]

IA with the other ladies, don't be so hard on yourself. Even the gurus on this board have setbacks.

In terms of the tangles and puffing ... did you detangle with the shampoo or with the conditioner?

 

[BriDa5242]

I'm pretty sure you will be fine .. part of being natural is finding out what does/doesn't work for you, and making mistakes so that you know what to do next time. I cant even count how many times i have made mistakes. One thing I developed overtime is being "paranoid" about my hair I think its best too be more aware of your hair then not giving a rat's A%$ about whats happening to it

 

[chebaby]

if you blow dried with cool air it could have caused the puffy ends. it happened to me once.
dont worry your hair will bounce back.

 

[libertysince05]

i always blow dry the ends first.
blow dry and wash your hair in sections...

 

[I Am So Blessed]

I KNOW I made one of the BIGGEST mistakes to my newly natural hair: going to the braiding salon. I am the stupidest newly natural alive....

Nite before: I washed, and detangled my hair with Giovanni SAS poo, followed by ORS DRP and some castor oil. Put on some Cantu leave-in, and commenced blowdrying. My ends, however, were....poofy and tangled. Couldn't understand why....so I put more castor oil on ends and went to bed.

Following day, I could've cried the entire time while getting the feed-ins done: the braider used a rat-tail and a shower comb to "detangle" my ends...I never heard so much ripping in my life, which caused 3 arguments. Needless to say, my hair is currently in the cornrows. After this, I'm staying away from braiding salons.

What caused the "poofy" and tangled ends?

What can I do about my hair once I remove the braids? I can't even speak about what my hair's going to look like once I take them out....I'm in tears just thinking about it. PLEASE.......help me. I want my hair healthy........

First thought that comes to mind is "got-dam!!" becuasse i was JUST about to go get some braided cornrows today for a PS, i was just chatting to another memeber about this LAST NIGHT about how i was scared that the braider was going to rip my strands and be all ruff with the comb!! THANK YOU FOR POSTING!! by posting this, you possibly, may have saved me from smacking a sylist this week! ill just figure out how to braid my own hair! A stylist will NEVER treat your hair as gently as YOU WOULD, so i say screw that!!!!! im sorry that this happend to you!

 

[e.lauren]

I don't know what's available to you in your area but I always tell people not to go to a salon if it is not w=one that caters to those with natural hair. I mean EXCLUSIVELY to those with natural hair. And i don't mean just so they can install a sew in, I mean start dreds, twist, trim, updo ... the whole nine.

They will be the stylists WITH natural hair who will know how to take care of you

 

[Bnster]

Maybe it is one of your leave-ins that is making your hair crunchy plus the heat (maybe the two don't mix). IDK you can experiment. No need to berate yourself, just learn and be strong for yourself and stand up for your hair.

 

[kittikat24]

Don't worry about it girl, you don't wanna stress and have hair start falling out! j/k
Like one of the ladies said, braiders and stylists simply don't treat our hair as gently as we doerplexed--I know that must've been hard, but if you ever do go get it braided again, try bringing in your own wide-tooth/seamless comb! That way, it should help a little.

 

[MzK]

IA with the other ladies, don't be so hard on yourself. Even the gurus on this board have setbacks.

In terms of the tangles and puffing ... did you detangle with the shampoo or with the conditioner?

I detangled with Shampoo.

 

[MzK]

i always blow dry the ends first.
blow dry and wash your hair in sections...

I do wash/cowash my hair in sections.

But blowdrying I do not.....I will next time--if there is a next time.

 

[Urban]

I detangled with Shampoo.

Ok. Maybe you could try detangling with conditioner, that'll help get all the knots out. I've never used the Giovanni shampoo, but I know most shampoos don't have enough slip to get all the knots/tangles out.

 

[B3e]

Babygurl!

Don't be sad... I did the EXACT same thing in April. I think I did cry getting my micros. And my breakage surpassed my growth. But you know what? I'm still smiling, my hair is healthy and I've learned my lesson.

Everything has its purpose, whether we know it or not. I believe I had my excruciating painful experience @ the braiding store to teach me to be more careful and aware of my hair's needs. I was able to really revise/tweak my regimen after I removed my braids. I kept them in for 7.5 weeks and enjoyed my money's worth. I wasn't going to take them out before it was time. I had growth and my hair was fine at the root (albeit I did lose quite a few strands from the tightness). But all that mattered was that I wasn't bald and even if I had been, I wasn't making another trip to that store.

I think once you calm down and allow yourself to be appreciative of the little things, you'll be able to get back on your HHJ. Cowash your hair and sooth it with moisture and tenderness. That's all you can do really because even if you unbraid, you will do the same thing (sooth and be tender to your strands). Your natural hair is probably fine take care of it and ease your mind so that the braids don't become any more of a burden and perhaps become somewhat enjoyable.

 

[LovelyNaps26]

the puffy ends might have to do with ph balance. kimmaytube talks about this and many naturals have had positive results using her leave in.

i agree about the braiders. if and when i get my hair braided i will be bringing my OWN utensils and telling them what i expect. you live and you learn.

 

[MzK]

Babygurl!

Don't be sad... I did the EXACT same thing in April. I think I did cry getting my micros. And my breakage surpassed my growth. But you know what? I'm still smiling, my hair is healthy and I've learned my lesson.

Everything has its purpose, whether we know it or not. I believe I had my excruciating painful experience @ the braiding store to teach me to be more careful and aware of my hair's needs. I was able to really revise/tweak my regimen after I removed my braids. I kept them in for 7.5 weeks and enjoyed my money's worth. I wasn't going to take them out before it was time. I had growth and my hair was fine at the root (albeit I did lose quite a few strands from the tightness). But all that mattered was that I wasn't bald and even if I had been, I wasn't making another trip to that store.

I think once you calm down and allow yourself to be appreciative of the little things, you'll be able to get back on your HHJ. Cowash your hair and sooth it with moisture and tenderness. That's all you can do really because even if you unbraid, you will do the same thing (sooth and be tender to your strands). Your natural hair is probably fine take care of it and ease your mind so that the braids don't become any more of a burden and perhaps become somewhat enjoyable.

I'm trying to enjoy the braids (and my $$ worth as well).
I really do hope my hair's okay....

 

[darlingdiva]

Don't beat yourself up because we all make mistakes.

Detangling with shampoo may have been the problem, though. I'd think that the cleansing agents would produce some sort of crunchy effect. I would never detangle with a shampoo, even a moisturizing one.

 

[tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT]

i'd bet on the thick, sticky protein cantu leave-in + blowdrying