I need help with protectie styling

[MissTea]

Hello. I'm still fairly new here and you all seem to experienced. From reading the posts it's clear to me that your success came from trail and error and really learning your hair. I am transitioning from relaxed to natural without the big chop. I'm reading that protective styling is working for most of you for retaining length. I know eventually I'll have to cut my hair and will do so in November. I can't right now because the length is easier to style my hair for work. However, in the meantime I want to protect my hair.

Currently I'm doing PSing with cornrows but I think I may have just done my last set today. My hair is breaking tremendously and it's really just causing my whole head of hair to be uneven. I liked the cornrows because it is the easiest to maintain, considering the very little amount of time I have to care for my hair and the fact that I'm on call 24/7 and being called the majority of that time. I also work out a lot.

I know there are different PS that can be done but are there any other one besides cornrows that can be nicely done and maintained without combing for at least 5-7 days and can be done on natural hair relaxed at the ends. And are there any products or routines recommended to stop this breakage. I planned on cutting my relaxed edges in November. In fact I entered one of the challenges to be SL by the end of the year. Most of my hair is about APL but I want at least SL when I cut off the relaxed ends. Now I'm afraid if I don't stop this breakage soon I'll have to cut it shorter that SL and wont reach my goal. Please help.

 

[Guinan]

Welcome Newbie!

How long have you been transitioning? When I was transitioning to be natural years ago, I experienced breakage also and had to end my transition early and just go natural (I'm not natural now though).

How's your moisture/protein balance? What products are you currently using? Can you post a reggie? There can be alot of reasons why hair breaks. The most common: Hair needs to be trimmed, protein/moisture is off, to rough(sp) with your hair etc...

As far as protective styles you can do buns, braidouts, twistouts, wigs, flexi rods etc... Idk if you watch utube, but they have great tutorials(sp) on protective styles. Some of my favorites are: shorty2sweet59, haircrush, mahogoneycurls(sp) and naptural85.

 

[MissTea]

Thanks for your response. I've been transitioning for 10 months now. I'm still trying to establish a good regimen. I've just started a regimen after reading posts on the forum and watching youtube videos I figured it just makes since, if you set a goal make a plan. One week I'll co wash 2x, at the start of the next week I cleanse with As i Am cleansing pudding and I'd been conditioning with the As I Am hydrating conditioner but I don't really like it. Now I have Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge that I'm gonna try and I'll also cowash about mid week. The following week its back to co wash 2x and then, because of the area's water being hard I want to try a chelating shampoo and condition with the Macadamia Oil hair mask because I heard it was good so I wanna try. After I wash I massage JBCO on my scalp and I'm currently using the aphogee leave in conditioner. I'm moisturizing now with QP Shea Butter and Mango moisturizer. Now I haven't make it 4 weeks through my regimen yet. Do you think it's anything I should change. I don't really use a protein product on my hair because I know I eat a lot of foods with protein so I figured that would suffice. Oh and with my DCs I really wont have time to let the conditioner sit unless I do it overnight on dry hair or maybe I can spray with water or something. Idk. I'm new to keeping a regimen and am trying to find a good one. I know I should pay attention to my hair and that's what I'm doing. But these braids are a shutdown.

 

[MissTea]

Oh I don't know my natural hair type. It's kinda wavy kinda curly. IDK. I try not to be rough with it. I really take my time. When I tell you my schedule is crazy let me explain. I washed my hair while still cornrowed doing one at a time. If I take it all down it'll be a tangled mess and I don't have time to stop and section things off. So I was taking advantage of having the cornrows you know. I take each braid down one at a time. Add the JBCO, the leave in and the moisturize and braid it back. One day recently, I only got through 2 of five braids before I got called in. This is why I only take down one at a time. Yes it's that crazy. Thanks for your response.

 

[bhndbrwneyes]

Hi MissTea,

I'm right there with you in that I'm also pretty new to this forum. On March 15 I will reach my 1-year transition anniversary. I have about 6-8 inches of newgrowth and the rest is my relaxed hair which is the majority of my hair. (You can go to my photo album for reference). You mentioned that eventually you are going to have to chop but that is not true. Check this thread out Transitioning without BC'ing Support Thread. The styles that are getting me through are braid/twist outs because it makes my entire head wavy and look like one texture and also just putting it in a low bun or jaw clip. Also you will find ladies going through similar struggles in our group Healthy Hair Care Journey Newbies.

Good luck!!

 

[SuchaLady]

Have you thought about uparts? MissTea? That will be my next protective style.

 

[MissTea]

Hello. I'm a part of the transitioning w/o the BC thread. What I meant by eventually I'll have to chop is that i want to chop, just not right now. I'm planning on doing so in Nov/Dec when I'll have more time to care for my hair. I'm really only keeping the relaxed ends now cause longer hair is easier for me in regards to work and because I know I wont be able to do all I want as far as care right now, if I'm to experience splitting and breakage I was hoping if would all be to the relaxed portion. But I don't know if im braiding wrong or what but my natural hair is breaking. I want my natural hair to be at least SL unstretched when I chop but with what the braids are doing (and I'm not braiding it tightly) I may have to chop it shorter. Unless I change my protective styling.

 

[MissTea]

I've never heard of uparts. I'll have to look that up. What do you know about it?

 

[Guinan]

MissTea, your reggie looks good. When your hair breaks is it a snap or does it strech(sp) then breaks. Correct me if I'm wrong ladies, if it snaps then thats too much protein and not enough moisture. If it streches(sp) and then breaks then that's too much moisture and you need to do a protein treatment.

Are the cornrows flat against your head & you cowash your hair while the cornrows are flat against your scalp? That might be an issue. When I cowash/shampoo I do it in four sections, but unravel each section. Some ladies do it in 4's but keep the section either twisted or braided. I think a clarifying and/or a chelating shampoo would be good too. I used to only cowash & I kept having buildup on my scalp. Now I shampoo weekly & cowash weekly, totaling 2x a week, I wash my hair.

 

[MissTea]

I guess it's more like a stretch then break. It felt like I was tearing my hair, then I'd look and strings of my hair would be on my hands. I guess maybe I do need to do protein treatments. Know any good ones? I hadn't been doing it cause I eat a lot of protein. A lot, a lot. When I wash it I usually leave it braided to my head due to time constraints. Sometimes I'll wast my hair and get called in. For example. Last time I washed my hair and went to rebraid it (when I do taking one braid down at a time and rebraiding) I was only able to redo 2 of 5 braids before being called to work. So I had three wet braids that I quickly sprayed at least some leave in conditioner on and did the others as I had time to. Maybe I just need to switch to flat twists or something. You know, something that I can quickly take down one at a time and put right back up while in the shower. IDK. lol

 

[Guinan]

I like aphogee 2min protein treatment and that's a mild one. I would probably start off with that one 1st but if after a couple of times using the 2min one and you still notice breakage then try the 2step aphogee treatment. That's a heavy protein treatment.

Also, I would stop washing my hair while the hair is braided flat to the scalp. I think that may be the main source of the breakage too. Have you tried wearing wigs? If you can I would dedicate a day for just your hair. Maybe reduce to 1x a week with the washing of the hair, braid it in some celies and wig it.

 

[SuchaLady]

A upart is a wig that you make to your head specifically. It's basically a sew in you take off your head when you need to....you can wash, condition, and moisturize whenever you want then put the wig back on. MissTea