newbie help! 2cut or not 2cut

[HiBeautiful420]

Hello everyone! Please bare with me. Im a newbie and i still dont have all the lingo down from this site. so i hope i post this right. Im a single mother trying to go from a perm to natural without looking homeless. Im starting to get fed up with buns (which is all i can do with my hair right now) and need some help. Im really thinking about just choping off whats left of my damaged hair and starting fresh with a short style,but not sure if that is a good idea. I figure if i cant take care of my hair now whats cutting it off going to do?

my hair was below my shoulder blades a few years ago, but has fallen out because of perms. now my hair in the back is thin and at my shoulders. the sides of my hair is much much shorter, like the length of a pointer finger. What do i do with this?

what i would like to do with my hair
i would like to keep the hair i have, but perms have just destroyed it. I cant go back to braids (which really helps my hair grow) because it has ate up my sides. I cant afford braids or weaves now (single mother just tryin to make it... its like get hair braided or pay pg&e? pg&e wins) so i really need to learn how to take care of my hair on my own. Im really thinking about doing a big chop and going natural.

what im doing with my hair now
my hair is short on the sides and long in the back. very damaged. i pull it back in a bun everyday cuz i dont know what else to do with it, without looking completely homeless

what ive tried since finding LHCF: aphogee, nexus, dark and lovely, pantene pro v, carrot oil, pink oil, olive oil, castor oil, co washing, ect...

WHAT i need to know?
i need to know how to do my hair when its half perm and half natural?
i need to know if doing a big chop is a good idea?
if perms eat my hair and braids eat my sides, is going natural my only option?
y does my hair suck up every moisterizer i use? should i take supplements to fix this problem or keep trying different products?


Iam looking for healthy easy to style hair. i dont care if its natural, short, or long...just healthy and easy to style. ill take any and all suggestions!

Thanks Ladies

 

[tada1]

unfortunately, i dont have a solid piece of advice regarding whether you should chop or not. however, i will advise against trying every and any product as a "solution". many newbies fall into this trap, and waste a lot of money buying unnecessary products.

that said, your hair might not be sucking up moisturizers per se. it might just be overly porous and there are many ways to remedy that (apple cider vinegar rinses, roux porosity control...etc)

do you have a wig? that might give your hair respite from the constant bunning which has potential to eat your edges up if they are too tight.

anyway, the bottom line is to do an advanced search for each question you need answers to, and chances are the answers are just waiting for you to find them
gluck!

 

[Solitude]

^^^^ very true to the above. I also suggest getting a wig. They aren't that expensive and you can use them again and again.

As far as the relaxer damage, if relaxers are the problem, maybe you should consider transitioning to natural. You should check out the transitioner's support thread.

I can't tell you to BC b/c because it is a very personal thing that you should only do when you are ready. But, you could BC and then wear wigs, OR do a long term transition, OR you can do a long-term stretch while you wear your hair in protective styling while you research whether you want to risk continuing the chemicals.

You can try....wigs, phony ponytails, half-wigs, and braid-outs/bantu knots, or my favorite - rollersets!!! I used bobby pins & clips to make updos when my hair was too short for a ponytail ro a bun.

Also, once you learn more about healthy hair care, you may discover that it was improper hair care in general and not specifically the relaxers or the braids. Does that make sense?? Anyway, I am relaxed, but there are lots of ladies who have successfully transitioned or been natural all their lives and are loving it. Good luck!!