I have a question for my current transitioners and those who BC'd

[ShiShiPooPoo]

How do you deal with the breakage issues between the natural and the relaxed hair? Did you experience a lot of this?

When you BC do you think that you will feel like you are losing alot of total progress? Do you think that it is better to BC when your hair is on the shorter end so that it is less of a shock?


I am asking these questions because I am tired of this relaxer...I REALLY am. If you recall, a couple of months or so ago I was seriously about to shave off all my hair, buy a wig, and keep it movin'. My DH (and you ladies) talked me out of it. My DH thought I was just going through one of my moments that he has seen over and over again. However, I am right back here AGAIN today, longing for the natural hair I once had and kicking myself in the backside for relaxing my hair, thinking of what could have been sooooo...
I am thinking that transitioning may be a good option for me but I know that my hair will begin to break at around 16 weeks and that's nothing nice. I will be tempted to just cut it all off but now that my hair is gaining some length, I will have to start all over again...the good thing about that is that, as a natural, I have all the time in the world to just let it do it's thing without all of the extra and no doubt it would just take off.

If I transition until the end of may then BC. That might work but my relaxed hair will have some good length on it by then. Should I cut it all off now so it's less of a shock? My head is full of Jell-O. I could cut it real low and wear it in braids for a long time...yeah, yeah. I could do that right?

 

[LynnieB]

you know, when i first started transitioning it never occurred to me that the line of demarcation would be a problem because when i did relax, it was always months and months between each touch up.

once i hit the hairboards (read addicted), i learned that the line "could" possibly cause a problem although it never did for me.

so what i wound up doing was alot of preventative maintenance. lots of moisturizing conditioning, low heat, low manipulation and then later on learning about and incorporating big protein like aphogee into my routine. i concentrated the aphogee right at or just above the demarcation line.

i never experienced any breakage issues. i guess i could have transitioned indefinitely but i just got sick of not being able to do the natural styles like i wanted to due to those perm ends hanging on.

so yea, it's definitely possible to transition and never experience breakage - i did it for 15 months!

Just remember to keep a good balance of protein and moisture and be extremely gentle detangling your hair and you should be fine.

eta: i can't tell you what to do as far as how long you should wait to bc. that's something only you dear sister can determine for yourself (you'll definitely know when the time is right because the "should I" questions would never be asked )

since you already know what to expect with your natural hair, you really don't need the extra transitioning time to get used to it lucky, lucky girl LOL!

you'll be ok though whether you wait or chop now.

 

[ShiShiPooPoo]

Thanks LynnieB.

Did you feel like you lost alot of progress when you BC'd or did you not really care at that point?

 

[LynnieB]

ain't gonna lie - i sure did

i was so phobic that i chopped sections and did stages of chopping before finally hitting the natural hair line

i'm so ashamed LOL, naw, not really. it's just something i needed to do to be comfortable.

i was really worried more about what my husband would say more than anything or anyone else, ya know? but, he didn't care aka hellz silly woman it's ONLY hair, it'll grow back........sheesh, grumble-grumble

my real goal though was to have enough hair to style into twists or puffs and by the time i was sick of transitioning, that's what i had.

do you lady, only you know what's best for you!

 

[LynnieB]

i guess what i really wanted to say was the whole experience was bittersweet - know what i mean?

 

[ShiShiPooPoo]

I've gone natural twice and both times I just had it basically cut down to about 1 inch all around. It was easy because my hair didn't really have a lot of length to begin with so I didn't care but now...I would, like you, want hair that I can at least pull back when I BC or do some twists and stuff. I'm not that young and daring woman anymore!

 

[Mook's hair]

When you BC do you think that you will feel like you are losing alot of total progress? Yes. This is on my mind a lot lately. I don't plan to BC, I am trying to trim as it grows. My DH would shoot me if I cut this hair off. He tells me that it is his hair not mine because if he didn't make such a fuss about it I would keep short hairstyles (not true) I love long hair as much as he does.
Lately: I am understanding more and more why doing a BC is a GREAT plan. Each time I'm washing & detangling I think about all this progress and
the temptation to relax calls out to me.

Do you think that it is better to BC when your hair is on the shorter end so that it is less of a shock? I think it is easier and less stress to BC while your hair is shorter. Because dealing with long 9 inch relaxed ends hanging off of your natural hair is WAYYYY more difficult and taxing than dealing with 5 or less inches hanging on

Should I cut it all off now so it's less of a shock? Be sure to talk to your DH and get a feel for what will keep him from Complaining. I've seen it work both ways. I love cornrows and I use a lot of the Techniques from the Crown & Glory site. Keep in mind that if you cut it ALL off, you'll be waiting a long time until you can braid it or cornrow it, whereas if you work with what you already have, you can braid & Cornrow whenever times get tough (like me).


When I started, it occurred to me that the line of demarcation would be a problem but it hasn't been...UNTIL about 3 weeks ago.

I am now 8 months into this transition and just beginning to experience breakage and damage at the line.

I've lessened the frequency of Shampooing (Maybe once a month) I now do lots of moisturizing conditioning, low heat, low manipulation and then Lynnie's suggestion about concentrating the aphogee right at or just above the demarcation line sounds like a winner. I'll have to try that!

 

[ShiShiPooPoo]

When you BC do you think that you will feel like you are losing alot of total progress? Yes. This is on my mind a lot lately. I don't plan to BC, I am trying to trim as it grows. My DH would shoot me if I cut this hair off. He tells me that it is his hair not mine because if he didn't make such a fuss about it I would keep short hairstyles (not true) I love long hair as much as he does.
Lately: I am understanding more and more why doing a BC is a GREAT plan. Each time I'm washing & detangling I think about all this progress and
the temptation to relax calls out to me.

Do you think that it is better to BC when your hair is on the shorter end so that it is less of a shock? I think it is easier and less stress to BC while your hair is shorter. Because dealing with long 9 inch relaxed ends hanging off of your natural hair is WAYYYY more difficult and taxing than dealing with 5 or less inches hanging on

Should I cut it all off now so it's less of a shock? Be sure to talk to your DH and get a feel for what will keep him from Complaining. I've seen it work both ways. I love cornrows and I use a lot of the Techniques from the Crown & Glory site. Keep in mind that if you cut it ALL off, you'll be waiting a long time until you can braid it or cornrow it, whereas if you work with what you already have, you can braid & Cornrow whenever times get tough (like me).


When I started, it occurred to me that the line of demarcation would be a problem but it hasn't been...UNTIL about 3 weeks ago.

I am now 8 months into this transition and just beginning to experience breakage and damage at the line.

I've lessened the frequency of Shampooing (Maybe once a month) I now do lots of moisturizing conditioning, low heat, low manipulation and then Lynnie's suggestion about concentrating the aphogee right at or just above the demarcation line sounds like a winner. I'll have to try that!

Thanks soooo much.

 

[kellie7777]

when i was transitioning my hair broke. my natural hair was thick and the straight couldn't handle it. i was self relaxing and not knowing any better was doing it bone straight. then i would have to put beer in it to get bck some body... i must have tried almost every product to bal my transition but it was difficult, since the straight would react great to a prod and the natural hair wouldnt and vice versa. so i turned to braids to help me grow it out. then once i found some hairboards, they talked about BC feelings alot etc. i had shaved my head once... nother story... anyways i cut it rocked my twa for 1 wk and kept braiding c&g way.

i am glad i BC trying to save the ends to keep some length didnt work for me. it was too was painful. and yeah i didn't want to cut it cause my SO was always catching with the scissors at the wrong moments. he didnt like it cut. but when i told him i was done with chemicals he understood.