New to the board

[Babygirl626]

Hi everyone. Let me start off by saying that I find this board extremely helpful. I think it's cool where black women can sit down and talk hair and give helpful advice. I hope I can learn and give back anything new I learn myself. I'm starting off taking better care of my hair by trying to avoid heat. Never realize it would be so difficult to do so. I have a no-lye relaxer on my hair currently (it's about 2 weeks old). Never realized those relaxers could be so damaging. My hair is approxiamately 2 1/2 to 3 inches past the nape of hair.
Let's see...after xmas I went and bought some hair products that people seem to mention alot on here. Such as Motions Moisture plus, Creme of Nature Shampoo - that's leaves my hair so soft- and Hair Mayo. I bought a lye relaxer that I want to use ASAP. I'm so sick of my hair. I figured if I do a couple protein treatments (when I wash my hair...on Sundays) before I do so. But I had a couple of questions...first, are there any other methods to keeping my hair straight besides wrapping? I hate wrapping...I get so frustrated!! Plus, the side I sleep on always ends up sore. I tried to air dry, ponytail method that's seems to work okay. I just don't know what to do with the ends. If I roll it, it seems to come out too tight (the curls).
I feel like my hair won't really do much until I relax it. You know? I want to start off with it straight. I have no idea what type my hair is. What else?? lol. Oh yeah, should I get my ends clipped before or after I relax? And how long does everyone think I should wait before relaxing my hair again?
My goal is bra strap length...all healthy, of course. /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[lshevonne]

Welcome...
You should always clip your ends after your hair has been freshly relaxed. Everyone here waits anywhere from 8 - 12 weeks for touch-ups. It all depends on your hair. I don't know as much as the other ladies but this should give you a little help. /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[pebbles]

Hi Babygirl26,

Welcome to the board. /images/graemlins/smile.gif If you just had a relaxer 2 weeks ago, I would say to wait until your usual time to apply the lye relaxer. Other than wrapping, I don't know of any other way to keep your hair straight at night for the next day. I am not good at wrapping either so I understand your frustration. For rolling your hair, you can try using really large rollers so that your curls are loose and not tight. As for trims, if you don't have split ends and you're hair is a shape you like, I don't think you need a trim. Save those ends so you can gain length. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[LondonDiva]

Ishevonne

Why do you say that the ends should be clipped after a relaxer, or is that a personal preference of yours.

 

[lshevonne]

LD
I guess you could say personal because my hair looks better to me when the ends are trimmed and the style has been given a little shape. Hey, like I said I'm no pro like the other ladies here.