Natural Has A Question For The Relaxed Ladies!

[that_1_grrrl]

Okay, I have been natural on and off for 5 years. Within those 5 years, I've relaxed twice (I think - my memory is sketchy), but both times, it was a one time thing, and I immediately went back to being relaxed.

Because of this, the relaxing process is a bit hazy to me. Considering it was my natural hair that forced me into my healthy hair journey, I do not know too much about the relaxing process.

Well, thinking back to my last relaxer (November or December 2006), I remember seeing a lot of hair going down the drain. Then, the more I thought, the more I realized that happened with other relaxers I had, virgin or not.

So, is this "normal"? My hair looked like it was in good shape, but I can not help to believe there was something wrong there. So, do you see a lot of hair after a relaxer or is this a case of something bad?

What could have caused it?

I know it's irrelevant now, but I would like to know just in case someone else comes along thinking this is normal when it is NOT.

 

[that_1_grrrl]

Okay, maybe I should have picked a better title.

 

[FindingMe]

Hi!

I'm a little confused, you noticed a lot of lost hair after you relaxed (or more than usual when natural) and you want to know if that's normal?

If that's your question, I think it just depends on your hair. I have been both natural and relaxed and I actually noticed more hair going down the sink when I was natural rather than relaxed. In my case, I think it had something to do witht the way I styled and handled my hair. When I was relaxed, I combed my hair out daily and I notice a lot more hairs on the floor and the sink than I do when I am natural, but when I am natural, more goes down the drain during washes due to the detangling and low manipulation regi I maintain then.

As a side note, I am now transitioning and this is by far the most hair I have ever shed/had gone down the drain in my life. It could be attributed to other things as well, I am getting older, perhaps my diet, the natural stress of transitioning 4a hair from relaxed to natural, etc.

I think, again, it just depends on you and your hair. HTH

 

[that_1_grrrl]

Hey!

I think I was a bit unclear. I meant when the relaxer was being washed out of my hair, I would see a bunch of hair going down the drain. When I last got my relaxer, when I got up, I noticed a lot my hair was in the bowl.

Hi!

I'm a little confused, you noticed a lot of lost hair after you relaxed (or more than usual when natural) and you want to know if that's normal?

If that's your question, I think it just depends on your hair. I have been both natural and relaxed and I actually noticed more hair going down the sink when I was natural rather than relaxed. In my case, I think it had something to do witht the way I styled and handled my hair. When I was relaxed, I combed my hair out daily and I notice a lot more hairs on the floor and the sink than I do when I am natural, but when I am natural, more goes down the drain during washes due to the detangling and low manipulation regi I maintain then.

As a side note, I am now transitioning and this is by far the most hair I have ever shed/had gone down the drain in my life. It could be attributed to other things as well, I am getting older, perhaps my diet, the natural stress of transitioning 4a hair from relaxed to natural, etc.

I think, again, it just depends on you and your hair. HTH

 

[FindingMe]

Hey!

I think I was a bit unclear. I meant when the relaxer was being washed out of my hair, I would see a bunch of hair going down the drain. When I last got my relaxer, when I got up, I noticed a lot my hair was in the bowl.

That's what I thought you meant.

I think my answer still applies then...I didn't notice that, I get the most hair in the bowl when i'm transitioning, natural second and relaxer last. I do shed more hairs daily when relaxed though, so I think it evens out.

 

[ceebee3]

You shouldn't be seeing hair in the sink after a relaxer unless the relaxer had damaged your hair.

When my hair is rinsed out it's just the usual amount of hair like I would see from a regular wash day.

 

[tiffers]

Do you mean right after relaxing, like rinsing the relaxer out?

If so, before LHCF I lost a lot of hair on relaxer day. I thought it was just what happened erplexed After I found the board, I hardly lose any hair on relaxer day because my hair is in much better shape

 

[EbonyYoungin517]

No that is not normal. You should lose enough hair like a washday. Perhaps your hair needed to be neutralized sooner and/or longer.

 

[*Muffin*]

I usually experience normal sheddage during the relaxer process. I don't notice lots of hair coming out, so I'm going to say it's not normal. But it could depend on what constitutes as a lot of hair. I usually don't manipulate my hair in any way the week before a relaxer, so I experience about a week's worth of shedding, but it still isn't more than a small clump collectively.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

Man ! I would Panic If I lost alot of Hair on "Relaxer Day!" I don't know what could have caused that?

Perhaps the Strength of the Relaxer you were using? Maybe the Brand? Being left on too long. Not sure.erplexed

But don't think I woulda' been relaxed for as long as I have been if that were occurring on a Regular basis.

Sorry Rosie. That's a Mystery.

 

[exoticmommie]

Before joining LHFC I too lost a lot of hair on relaxer day. Since learning how to better take care of my hair. I no longer have this problem, Thank God.

 

[that_1_grrrl]

Thanks ladies!

As I said, I was just thinking about it one day, and I remember being kind of sad that day when I saw all that hair in the sink, but I really did not know better. Now knowing what I do know about healthy hair care, it sort of scares me to think what stylists could have been doing to my hair without me understanding that it was bad.

 

[LaidBak]

I'm relaxed (29 years) and I have not ever lost a lot of hair whilst rinsing or neutralizing. Perhaps you were using too strong a formula. Or maybe you should have combed thru beforehand to get rid of shed hairs that were caught up in your curls. I don't know, just tossing out ideas.

 

[DDTexlaxed]

If you "combed" your hair to smooth the relaxer, that will cause some hair to come out. A lot of people I know do this and to them, it is normal to lose hair like that. I never use a comb to smooth out my relaxer and I never lost a lot of hair when I rinsed out a relaxer.