No Hair Sense!!! Help!

[courtbourt3000]

I have no hair routine at all but tons and tons of breakage!!! After viewing this forum and looking at all the positive feedback and success stories I had to join and post...

About Me(Real Quick)
-College Student @ Auburn Univ whose hair has been the same length since middle school
-Nov 4 2008 was a day of change not only in our government but also in my hair-first time dying it a honey blonde(half)
-Relaxed on Oct 23, been without a touch up for 2 months(scared because of the color-regretting dying it)
-What I've been doing for the past 10 years- Different salons only for a relaxer- at home shampooing/conditioning rarely simply for the fact my family does not have the money for products or for me to go to the salon regularly, and I have no clue what products, routine, etc etc
-Only product I use at home is tea tree oil

With all that said here are some questions:
How often do you(all) wash your hair and what shampoo do you(all) find to be the most useful?
What kind of Deep Conditioner do you(all) use and/or suggest?
After shampooing, how do you(all) go about drying/styling?
The best daily moisturizer for chemically treated hair?


Here are the pictures of Whats going on

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And with every stroke of my wide tooth comb
(Depressing)

Any help would b beneficial, I've saved up enough money to go buy new shampoo, conditioner, and daily moisturizer, so product names will be greatly appreciated

 

[BGT]

First of all, you need a protein treatment - STAT!! A lot of girls like Aphogee, which you can get at any beauty supply store (BSS). I have Motions CPR Protein Reconstructor. Last time I washed, I felt like I need some protein. I pre-pooed with that for about 30 minutes. Shampooed my hair 3 times (once with a dry scalp shampoo and twice with a moisturizing poo). I then DC'd for 10 minutes under a dryer. Roller-set my hair and got no breakage.

Regarding products... well, you have to experiment to see what works for your hair. I have fine hair so I have to use really like products, especially with my leave ins. I like the Neutrogena triple Moisture line because of the scent, but it's kinda watery (not very moisturizng) and my hair is pretty healthy. Yours is damaged so you'll need something stronger.

If I were you, I'd try Keracare. It's kinda pricey (about $10 for poo and $8-9 for con), but it works well. If that is too much, try cream of nature. That was my go-to line in high school, and pretty cheap (only $3-4). It also worked really well for detangling.

I'd also stay away from direct heat. No blowdrying and NO flat-ironing. Learn to rollerset your hair. Trust me. It will save your hair. Use a light leave in cream and some serum and that's it. Setting lotion makes my hair sticky and makes me long for the flat-iron.

Look at this list of conditioners for help. They're all recommended.

http://healthytextures.typepad.com/my_journey_to_healthy_hai/2008/08/the-healthy-tex.html#more

DC weekly. Daily moisturizing? I don't moisturize daily, but when my hair is feeling dry, I use coconut oil. Keracare also has a bottle called essential oils that I've heard is nice. HTH!

 

[Amerie123]

you need to check out the guide to the newcomers. here is the link:http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=50291
this will help you get started and give you just about EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW!!

ETA: if you want to know where i got that from, its one of the stickies and its called: FAVORITE STICKIES! HTH

 

[Your Cheeziness]

Hi and welcome! You are color treated and relaxed so your hair will require EXTRA EXTRA TLC. First, I would go to a professional, TRUSTED stylist and trim off dead ends. Starting a healthy hair journey with dead ends is counterproductive. If I were you, I wouldn't self relax being a newbie and being color treated.

Since you're on a budget, you can go to a beauty school or have a TRUSTED friend help you trim off dead ends little by little. This person can also help with your next relaxer.

I would keep stretching that relaxer until you've got a good 2 inches of new growth. You can have double processed hair that's healthy, but it really takes some time and damaged hair shouldn't be colored. But IMO since your hair was already damaged, relaxed and then colored, you may have to get rid of that color in your hair by cutting it either little by little or a big chop-maybe chin length bob?

You can start a basic regimen of shampooing with a gentle moisturizing shampoo for color treated hair. I heard Kenra has a great line for that. Or you can get Cream of Nature (old formula) for a few bucks.

There are many great moisturizing deep conditioners out there. Check LHCF product review database for the most popular ones. I prefer Creme of Nature Nourishing conditioner or Silicon Mix or Miss Key 10 en 1. One other product that turned my hair around with regular use was Aphogee 2 Minute Reconstructor. It's only a few bucks as well.

I wouldn't use any direct heat on your hair until your hair can take it. You can airdry it and use a scarf to lay down edges.

As far as moisturizers go, another product that turned me around when I was severly damaged was Profectiv Mega Growth. Now I don't need it so I use Hydrotherma Naturals Daily Moisturizing Growth Lotion- I'mma need that name to be shortened

HTH

 

[BGT]

Yeah, I forgot about trimming. Pre-LHCF, I had APL hair and used a flat-iron at 400 deg+ constantly without any heat protectant at all. I had to chop 4 inches off. But I continued to flat-iron. So with every relaxer, I trimmed off split ends equal to the length of my NG. I retained nothing. It wasn't until I got a nice trim and started roller-setting that now I'm finally retaining length. I got my last trim on October 1 and don't have any split ends at all.

 

[Platinum]

You're in the right place for assistance. The ladies have offered great advice and I'm sure more will chime in to help. Good luck and happy hair growing!

By the way, my step son goes to Auburn. He's on the football team.

 

[Qualitee]

bump..........

 

[Artemis]

Welcome!! You've gotten a lot of good advice so far, but I want to also direct you to this thread.

Color-treated and Growing Support Thread

There are some old links here that have really good regimens for your hair situation. Keep searching the threads and reading other ladies ideas, and you'll see results in no time.

HHG
(Happy Hair Growing!!)

 

[The Princess]

WOW these ladies have already given you great advice. Look through those threads first and read them all. Try not to jump on all the bandwagons, just foucus on the health on your hair to figure out what you are lacking and what you need. Once your hair start thriving, you know your next step. You still have nice lenghth of hair.

 

[courtbourt3000]

Thank You guys!
Going to the BSS here in a sec, I will definitely by punctual with the month to month progression pictures...

Thanks Again!

 

[Lucky's Mom]

!!!

You are in the right place, and you have been given great advice!

I know that you will need
A. MOISTURE!!!! That means alot of it....
b. PROTIEN!!!!! That means alot of it!

I am natural - but I know the relaxed ladies here are GOOOOOOOOOOROOOOOOOOOOOS

They will be able to help!
I cannot wait to see you in 2 years!!! you will have MBL!

 

[TheQueenBeeMaya]

I'm new too and don't have much advice to offer, but I did want to say welcome and I know where you're coming from. my hair used to ALWAYS end up on my floor after combing, but the breakage has stopped due to moisturizing CONSTANTLY and sealing with coconut oil.

 

[courtbourt3000]

I went out today and bought products I saw the most positive reviews for:

Neutrogena's Triple Moisture Shampoo
Elasta QP Shampoo for Relaxed hair
Elasta QP Breakage Control Serum
Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner
Hawaiian Silky 14-1
Tube of Jojoba oil
Aphogee Keratin 2 Minute Reconstructor
Aphogee Two-Step Protein Treatment

Im not using all these products at once of course but just some basics to see what works best for me... I'm kinda iffy about the Aphogee Protein Treatment since it says for **Professional Use Only** but I trust my direction reading skills... Anywho, wish me luck, and thanks again ladies... I started one of those picture slides for each month so we shall see what happens (hopefully for the best)