Newbie, considering transitioning..questions

[soon2bsl]

I just joined LHCF last week, and I must say that I've learned so much this last week about hair care then I have in my entire life. You ladies have inspired me so much already, and I know with a good hair regimen I can get my hair healthier and longer than it has ever been.

I am already about 4 months post relaxer and after seeing the beautiful natural heads on this board, made me really consider transitioning. For the first time I've actually paid attention to my new growth and liked it, instead of thinking " I need to hurry and get a relaxer". I've gotten relaxers since I was a child, so I'm curious to see what my natural hair really looks like. For the last few years, I've been streching my relaxers (not even realizing that's what it actually was) and getting about 3 per year.,The longest I've gone without a relaxer is about 7 or 8 months.

One question I have is, could you ladies help me determine my hair type. I'm thinking a 3c/4a, but I'm not sure, because I don't have a lot of new growth but I am wondering if my hair would be mangable if I were to go natural?

I want to transition without the BC and was wondering about how long would it take if I transition this way. I'm a few inches about APL right now and my goal is BSL or longer.

If I go natural, I would like to occasionally wear it straight, so I would like to know how frequently would it be ok to straighten it without any heat damage?

Also any advice/tips you all have for me about transitioning (especially without the BC) as well as any pics of your hair type that's similiar to mine would be great!

Thanks!

 

[BrooklynSouth]

I just joined LHCF last week, and I must say that I've learned so much this last week about hair care then I have in my entire life. You ladies have inspired me so much already, and I know with a good hair regimen I can get my hair healthier and longer than it has ever been.

I am already about 4 months post relaxer and after seeing the beautiful natural heads on this board, made me really consider transitioning. For the first time I've actually paid attention to my new growth and liked it, instead of thinking " I need to hurry and get a relaxer". I've gotten relaxers since I was a child, so I'm curious to see what my natural hair really looks like. For the last few years, I've been streching my relaxers (not even realizing that's what it actually was) and getting about 3 per year.,The longest I've gone without a relaxer is about 7 or 8 months.

One question I have is, could you ladies help me determine my hair type. I'm thinking a 4a, but I'm not sure, because I don't have a lot of new growth but I am wondering if my hair would be mangable if I were to go natural?

I want to transition without the BC and was wondering about how long would it take if I transition this way. I'm a few inches about APL right now and my goal is BSL or longer.

If I go natural, I would like to occasionally wear it straight, so I would like to know how frequently would it be ok to straighten it without any heat damage?

Also any advice/tips you all have for me about transitioning (especially without the BC) as well as any pics of your hair type that's similiar to mine would be great!

Thanks!

I've been transitioning to natural and my ever silvering hair which I do adore with the use of sloppy twists and wigs to cover it all since March 2008. I trim on selected days every month using the MORROCCO MOON PHASE CALENDAR, so no BC needed. I never straighten so cannot help you there but you should pick up the book..GOING NATURAL. You can find the same advice here but the book is an all in one place treasure which is a tremendous aid for going natural. You all ready do great stretches so keep it up. Natural transition has ups and downs but if you are serious just keep it going..you will love it when you've accomplished the last step in your journey.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

I am not great at hair typing and agree that there is not enough new growth to give you an answer. Also, once the relaxed hair is gone, your curl pattern may change.

I was relaxed at age 10 and am just learning how to deal with my natural hair. I'm 17 months into my transition and I went from BSL relaxed hair to SL natural hair....with a few relaxed ends still hanging on.

I have 3 different textures and it has NOT been easy. In fact, my transition has been VERY difficult. At one point I had about 4 inches of new growth (I do not get the average .5 inch per month), about 3 inches of texlaxed hair (12/30/07 texlax after an 18 week stretch) and then about 6 inches of relaxed hair. It was a tangled mess on wash day.

After about a year, I decided on a phony pony and full wigs to transition. I have sections of my hair that are not as wavy as others when I pull it back into the phony pony, but gel helps with that.
http://public.fotki.com/RegsWife/experimenting-with-/modu-invisilace--fu/
http://public.fotki.com/RegsWife/playing-around-with/

As the months dragged on, I found that products that had worked on my relaxed hair did not work at all on my new growth and texlaxed hair. I have collected so much product that DH says we have a beauty supply store in the bathroom.
http://public.fotki.com/RegsWife/some-of-my-product-/

I have been tempted to cut off everything past the line of demarcation.....but I made a deal with my husband that I would not chop off all my hair. He still freaks when I get a few inches trimmed off but not as bad as the first trim (done at his salon) when I took off a few inches after a 2 hour bout with detangling a day earlier. I went from touching BSL to above APL. http://public.fotki.com/RegsWife/what-a-difference-a/

I even tried tree braids but they did not come out like I had hoped and they were too heavy. I tried BKT (keratin smoothing treatment) but that has worn off rather quickly. It does not last 2 - 3 months on natural, uncolored hair. It did produce great results though but it's a bit pricey to have done every 6 weeks at the salon. I'm not sure that I can get the same results on my own.

As of today I am in cornrows and using a half wig when I leave the house for work tomorrow. I have my bang section in a separate plait and I plan to flat iron it to blend my half wig. http://public.fotki.com/RegsWife/using-half-wigs-for/

Braid outs have worked for me at the early stages of my transition.
http://public.fotki.com/RegsWife/braid-out-pictures/http://public.fotki.com/RegsWife/experimenting-with-/my-new-wig/

I am convinced that when I do finally chop off the relaxed and texlaxed hair that it will be easier to find products that work for the one texture.

I am in the process of looking for half wigs that are curly enough that I do not need to flat iron my own hair. I used lots of hear protectant when I do flat iron and I braid the section up at night so I don't have to flat iron it each day.

You will find lots of information here about transitioning.

Good luck!

 

[Sequoia]

As naturaltobe said, there isn't enough new growth to determine your hair type and the relaxed ends weigh down the hair anyway, so you won't be able to know for sure until the relaxed ends are gone.

I'm transitioning without a BC as well and I'm about 13months post. I'm planning to do a long transition with braids back to back because I'm dealing with 3 textures- underprocessed,bone straight and natural- and I'm hoping to have all my relaxed ends trimmed off in 2yrs time. Not sure if i'll last that long though.

My hair grows slowly so I only have about 5-6inches so far, hoping to be full SL stretched in 2yrs time. I can't predict how long it will take for you.

I don't straighten so can't advise you there.

Things that have help me in my transition is - cowashing (even in braids), DCing, moisturising and sealing often. Washing my hair in 4-6 braided/twisted sections when out of braids is a lifesaver. It helps with detangling and makes it less frustrating than when i wash my hair loose. I have some pics in my album which you can access through my profile.

HTH.

 

[pmichael52172]

Welcome to the board and to the hair journey!

I've been transitioning for about 6.5 months now. This is my first time ever and I'm enjoying it... even the current struggles of two textures.

The ladies are right, in that you won't really know what your texture is (or what all they are) until you lose those relaxed ends which are weighing them down. I'm neck length and still find my natural pattern looking different just about the turn of each month! Just focus on keeping it healthy.

I don't do wigs or weaves and don't have enough hair to make a decent ponytail so I do straighten. I plan to snip and trim until my relaxed ends are gone... not big chop if I can help it. My stylist trims only as needed and so far it happens to be every 3rd month. My stylist also presses my natural part and flat-irons or curls my relaxed part every two weeks. I don't use heat outside those days. As for how much heat is safe for you?.... every head is different so one person's method may not work for you. There is a thread called "Naturals that straighten" or something like that. Search for that and you may find helpful tips.

 

[fyb87]

Like the other ladies have said you will have to wait until all of your relaxed ends are cut before you are able to determine your hair type and regardless of whatever type of hair it will be manageable. It just takes time and patience!

I was like you and got relaxers maybe 3 times a year and the last 2 years I was using the PCJ for Kids on my edges and not on the length of my hair. I never did a BC and just let it grow out. I was beyond BSL when I started and it took about 2 years. Probably because I had only been putting the relaxer on my edges and my hair grows fast. At least it use to!

I did wear my hair straight when I transitioned. But, I've always worn it both curly and straight even when I had a relaxer. Anyway, I would most concentrate on the new growth and I would ONLY flat iron ONCE every TWO weeks. I would NOT use heat outside of that initial flat iron for two full weeks (never been a fan of heat). Honestly, whenever I've worn my hair I wore it in a ponytail or bun unless I was on a date. So as long as the hair you actually saw was straight I didn't care what the hair on the inside did. It would be all wavy and I didn't care!

Anyway....that's what I did. I never had any breakage at all and it was a great experience for me. Each person is different. But, you have found this forum so you can get some great advice from these knowledgeable ladies. Good luck and Congrats on making the decision to become natural!!:grin:

 

[soon2bsl]

Thanks ladies for all your helpful replies! I appreciate it.

 

[TCatt86]

One question I have is, could you ladies help me determine my hair type. I'm thinking a 3c/4a, but I'm not sure, because I don't have a lot of new growth but I am wondering if my hair would be mangable if I were to go natural?
Your hairtype is hard to determine because most of your hair is relaxed hair. I will say regardless of your hairtype your hair should be manageable, with proper techniques and products you should be able to take care of your hair.
I want to transition without the BC and was wondering about how long would it take if I transition this way. I'm a few inches about APL right now and my goal is BSL or longer.
I would say that it would take about 2 years to get back to APL, remember that even though you don't want to BC you're going to have to trim the relaxed hair as more new growth grows in.

If I go natural, I would like to occasionally wear it straight, so I would like to know how frequently would it be ok to straighten it without any heat damage?
Heat damage can happen the first time you straighten, it's the danger of straightening. Everytime I flat iron my hair, I'm holding my breath on the next wash day praying that it will bounce back.
Also any advice/tips you all have for me about transitioning (especially without the BC) as well as any pics of your hair type that's similiar to mine would be great!
My tip for you would be to experiment with curly styles, twistouts, flexirod sets, braidouts, bunning would be beneficial as well. If you can't flat twist or cornrow now, now is a perfect time to learn. Also invest in a good deep conditioner and a good protein treatment for the line of demarcation, also get a good leave in treatment, a creamy one for right after you wash and a daily misting spray, when I was transitioning I was a faithful user of Doves replenishing mist, I don't think they sell it anymore but something similar will do. Oh and if you aren't opposed to wigs and half wigs, those are definite styling options. The key to transitioning is to manipulate your hair as little as possible. I also want to tell you this...Don't have expectations about what your hair will look like. No two natural heads are the same, so while it's good to look at members fotkis and albums you have to remember your hair may not look like that, I remember Tracee Ellis Ross inspired me to go natural, I just knew my hair was going to look like hers , obviously it doesn't but I'm fine with that. Appreciate the hair God gave you and don't compare your hair to another naturals head. HTH