Ideas Please!

[mytia]

I'm at 11 weeks and I have two weeks to go before I relax my hair and I need ideas on how to protect the rest of my hair during the relaxing process. Can you all give some ideas on how to do this.

 

[Eyvonne7131]

WOW you go 13 weeks without a touch up!!!! You could try wearing a bun.

 

[mytia]

[ QUOTE ]
Eyvonne7131 said:
WOW you go 13 weeks without a touch up!!!! You could try wearing a bun. [/qu





I need an idea on what to put on my hair when I relax it.

 

[3844]

I've heard that one can protect the relaxed hair from the touch-up to the new growth by putting base on the relaxed hair. The Optimum Care relaxer kit has a strengthening pre-treatment for this purpose, but I have abandoned the use of no-lye relaxers. I don't know whether Optimum sells this product separately.

 

[pink_flower]

Some ladies put condtioner on their hair.

 

[Tee]

Use a low pH conditioner like Nexxus Ensure or Beyond The Zone Acid Shock. The low pH of the conditioner will counteract the high pH of the relaxer should they come in contact. Make sure you don't get any conditioner on your new growth, otherwise it won't relax very well.

 

[tasha]

[ QUOTE ]
mytialpn said:
I'm at 11 weeks and I have two weeks to go before I relax my hair and I need ideas on how to protect the rest of my hair during the relaxing process. Can you all give some ideas on how to do this.

[/ QUOTE ]
From my notes:
Preparing your hair for a retouch/relaxer:

BEFORE RELAXER:

· Preparing your hair for a retouch - About 2 weeks before a retouch ensure you are deep conditioning and if there is too much breakage, do protein treatments.
· Give hair a protein deep conditioning 1-2 weeks prior to getting a relaxer touch-up. cover my hair with a plastic cap and sit under a heating cap for 20-30 minutes.
· Be very careful with scalp at least a week before relaxer. No scratching or directly handling scalp in any way.

· a protein reconstructor is suggested the last wash before you relax and another for the first wash after relaxing because the protein bonds in the hair are attacked during the relaxer process, it is important to supplement the hair with proteins immediately before and immediately after relaxer. VERY IMPORTANT: Always follow a protein reconstructor immediately with a deep moisturizing conditioner. PLEASE NOTE: all other times is important to use moisturizing conditioners to maintain relaxed hair.

· On the last wash before a relaxer, wash hair with Nexxus Therappe Shampoo and use Nexxus Keraphix Restorative Protein Creme Reconstructor.
Follow up with Nexxus Humectress Ultimate Moisturzing Conditioner. Style without
pomades, gels, or hair sprays.

· base your scalp well (with castor oil every night the week prior and Blue Duchess hair grease the night before). I got no burns what so ever. The castor oil lubricates new growth and prevents shedding.

· Oil your scalp up with a castor oil based, hair oil 2 wks prior to your relaxer ever 2-3 days. This will lubricate your new growth, which will slow shedding and make the scalp less sensitive during relaxation.

Day of Relaxer:
· The day of the retouch, and the day before, put a creme moisturizer on your hair and especially the ends to make them soft (try the protective healthy ends or breakfree). do not exercise for 24 hours before the retouch as the pores are opened to sweat and burning of the scalp can occur.

· CONDITION ENDS: Use Infusium 23 Leave-In Treatment and Lekair Cholesterol to saturate and protect previously relaxed ends.

· Here are a couple of additional tips:

1. Do not wear a scarf, hat before getting your relaxer
2. Sit under the dryer with the setting on 'cold' or 'cool' for about 15mins. This will help close up the pores on the scalp

HTH

 

[mytia]

Thanks Tasha for that very helpful input! It's very detailed.

 

[CheerBear]

Is it a bad idea to put anything on the new growth if you know you wont be washing it before relaxing? I would think the product would act as a barrier to the relaxer and prevent the person from getting the desired degree of straightness