Questions for Naturals who Press

[sunshine91496]

Hi I'm thinking about getting my hair pressed this week just to see its true length. I actually tried to do it last week by myself but scared when I heard that sizzling sound /images/graemlins/shocked.gif as a began to press it.

Could someone answer a few questions I had before I go out and spend the money:

1) Do you go to a regular salon or a salon for naturals only? and what about going to Dominican salons?

2) Do you recommend getting a deep conditioner the same day you get the press.

3) How do you maintain it/ How long does it last


4) To those who press regularly 1X or 2X a month, has the process changed your hair texture or have you experienced damage.


5) what product(s) do you use to combat dryness post press?

Thanks in advance for all your help. I don't want to make a mistake and ruing all the progress I've made so far.

 

[gogo]

thanks for asking SS! I'm new to the boards & wanted to know the same things. I've only used direct heat a few times this yr. but when I do straighten again (for sure in Dec.) I want the best possible (and healthiest) results. Eagerly awaiting the experts!

 

[naptrl]

When I was transitioning, I pressed 1X per week!! I went to a "regular" salon where the hairdresser knows about natural hair. The process did not change my hair texture. My hair dresser is great. she used dudley's cream press on my hair. To maintain, I just wrapped my hair each night. Used a little Wild Growth Oil to keep it moisturized on the ends! I haven't pressed since the big chop, but I had lots of new growth then...Hope that helps. Oh...It lasted until I went back to the hairdresser which was often as long as 2 weeks! No damage.

 

[sunshine91496]

Wow naptrl ! that's good to hear. I did the BC in Feburary and my hair has grown to about 7.5 inches, but I can't a true sense of how long it really is that's why I'm looking to press occasionally. I had heard stories from other people that when they pressed a lot though that they hair loses the natural curl pattern after a while

 

[kema]

I get my hair pressed twice a month. On the non-press week, I style it myself (typically with a twist-out or in a bun).

1) Do you go to a regular salon or a salon for naturals

I go to a regular salon.

2) Do you recommend getting a deep conditioner the same day you get the press.

It can't hurt. I typically deep condition my hair, the week
that I don't go to the salon.

3) How do you maintain it/ How long does it last

I pin curl it at night, with a silk scarf. It lasts for one week.
4) To those who press regularly 1X or 2X a month, has the process changed your hair texture or have you experienced damage.

I have not experienced much damage or change in hair texture from pressing.


5) what product(s) do you use to combat dryness post press?

I typically apply a moisturizer to the ends at night (either Mango Hair Butter or a shea butter mixture that I have). I also use Design Essentials Silk because it doesn't weigh the hair down as much.

I would not recommend going to a stylist that uses a hot comb to press. I think the healthiest way to press, is with a blow out from an ionic blow drier, followed by a ceramic flat iron.

 

[naptrl]

I've heard that too, sunshine, but I haven't had any problems. Each person ,that I have seen, that my hair dresser works, with has bra strap length hair...Maybe she just knows what she's doing! It's also very light and not greasy when she does it...it's like you just had a fresh relaxer! /images/graemlins/weird.gif

 

[Nay]

1) Do you go to a regular salon or a salon for naturals only? and what about going to Dominican salons?

I've always pressed my hair myself. It does take some practice to feel confident in what you are doing.

2) Do you recommend getting a deep conditioner the same day you get the press.

Yes, deep conditioning your hair is a great idea!

3) How do you maintain it/ How long does it last

I sleep with a silk scarf on my hair every night. I wash my hair every 5-6 days, and the press will last until it's time to wash it again.

4) To those who press regularly 1X or 2X a month, has the process changed your hair texture or have you experienced damage.

Nowadays I only press once every couple months. But back in the day I used to press more frequently. And, no, my hair texture hasn't changed. But my hair is healthier overall just from cutting out using hot curlers and heat in general.

5) what product(s) do you use to combat dryness post press?

Neutrogena Triple Moisture Serum.

By the way, here is an article on pressing hair that has a lot of information in it: http://www.itzhair.com/university/education/tempd.asp

 

[jd_bdfly]

I'm not fully natural yet, but I do have a lot of new growth. When I want a straight look, I just straighten with a ceramic flat iron. I think that's another good alternative. IMO it's a lot better than the hot comb (at least what I remember of it when I was younger) because the sizzle factor is not there.

I've been doing it a about once a month on average. I don't think it's negatively affected my natural texture, but there is a slight possibility that it may. I say that because in the very front section of my hair, my natural texture has much less of a curl pattern than the rest of my new growth. But I can't tell if it's like that cause that is just the way it is, or if it's from straightening. At any rate, it's a very small section and certainly the rest of my hair seems to revert just fine.

Moreover, just because you go to a salon does not necessarily mean you will get good results pressing. I've read several accounts of bad evperience even when the hairdresser was doing the pressing. So you'll have to be careful and do your research with that option too. Maybe a better hairdresser option is a dominican blowout.

 

[pressncurl]

Hi, Sunshine! I hope my answers can be of some assistance.

[ QUOTE ]

1) Do you go to a regular salon or a salon for naturals only? and what about going to Dominican salons?

I've gone to a salon for a press twice in my life, and it was a regular salon with someone who had experience pressing hair. Otherwise, after my mom stopped doing it (around age 18), I started doing it myself. Initially, I used the stove some and an electric straightening comb without temperature control. That was a mistake!! I burned out my hair on several occasions, and I would get some parts straighter than others because I was afraid of the comb getting to hot. Then, I purchased a Gold n Hot comb with different temperature settings. This took away the worry about burning my hair out.

2) Do you recommend getting a deep conditioner the same day you get the press.

I definitely recommend the deep conditioner and then a leave-in. Heat is damaging, so you want your hair to have all the protection it can get!

3) How do you maintain it/ How long does it last?

This is a tough question because I don't press but every few months now, but I'll answer from past experience. When I pressed my hair using TCB hair & scalp conditioner, my presses would last until the next wash, which was typically every 2-3 weeks. (Note, this is only if I wasn't doing things that would make me sweat a lot--eg, working out). For maintenance, I lightly greased my hair/scalp with TCB every other day.
But, I grew tired of the grease on my neck, clothes, face, you name it /images/graemlins/look.gif

, so then I decided to start using Ultra Sheen's Satin creme press. It's not as greasy, but still a little greasy if you use a lot. My presses don't hold as long with it though, a week at most, and again if I'm working out a lot, it will last only a few days. For maintenance, I use an essential oil mix (jojoba, coconut, castor, olive, rosemary) each night concentrating on the ends. If my hair is really dry, I will also occasionally spritz my hair lightly with water and then apply the oil mix. I tie it down afterwards and put hard rollers on the ends to keep it from completely reverting.


4) To those who press regularly 1X or 2X a month, has the process changed your hair texture or have you experienced damage.

I don't do this anymore, but when I did press every 2-3 weeks, my hair was easier to comb out after washes without me having to use leave-in's and other detanglers. So I'm sure I had lost some of my curl pattern. At the time I thought this was a good thing though. I felt, and was told by my mom, that I had "broken my hair in." I didn't have a lot of split ends though, which I attribute solely to using the TCB faithfully with presses.

5) what product(s) do you use to combat dryness post press?

Water spritz, essential oils, occasionally a little mane n tail conditioner. I make sure to tie my hair down well after using the water or leave-in so that it doesn't revert too much. It will still revert some, but I'm okay with that.



[/ QUOTE ]

 

[Poohbear]

i wondered some of these same questions. Since Im transitioning, and if Im interested in straightening my hair when it's natural, I would like to know the effects of using that heat to straigthen my hair.

 

[deedabug]

1) Do you go to a regular salon or a salon for naturals only? and what about going to Dominican salons?
I got an older lady I have been knowing from a while and I trust her with my hair to do it for me..she does her daughters' hair

2) Do you recommend getting a deep conditioner the same day you get the press. I deep conditioned the night before and applied my regular products

3) How do you maintain it/ How long does it last
It lasted only a day and a half...coulda been longer if i wanted to try to keep my ends str8...they reverted the most fast..but the next day after i got it done i rolled my hair for a few hours with no products


4) To those who press regularly 1X or 2X a month, has the process changed your hair texture or have you experienced damage.
I had no damage...this was my first press since the b/c...if i let someone do my hair i prefer bootleg by ppl i know...the beauty shop women can be evil lol...and for a press it made sense to me to get an older person to do it...not many youngsters care to know or know how to do a press without messing you up...but i did notice that my hair is easier to comb...it is nowhere near str8..but its easier to manage...nowhere near as many tangles as before...i may get another press next mth for my anniversary of being chemical free if i dont get a flat iron...pressing is not something i want to do regularly


5) what product(s) do you use to combat dryness post press?
I had no dryness..

 

[CocoaButterflyy]

Do you go to a regular salon or a salon for naturals only? and what about going to Dominican salons?

I usually go to a regular salon but in my avatar and in my photo album is a pic of me with a blowout that had the same results as a press but with less heat.

2) Do you recommend getting a deep conditioner the same day you get the press.

I always get a deep conditioner before using heat

3) How do you maintain it/ How long does it last

I usually wrap it or pincurl it and it can lastup to a month (back when I used to be real lazy lol) in the winter or like 2 weeks inthe summer

4) To those who press regularly 1X or 2X a month, has the process changed your hair texture or have you experienced damage.

I used to press every 3 weeks with no damage or change in texture but now I've done it maybe twice this year

5) what product(s) do you use to combat dryness post press?

Don't really have dryness but I used aveda anti humectant pomade and aveda universal styling creme before wrapping on my ends

 

[sunshine91496]

Thanks for all the responses. I am not familiar with ionic hairdryers is this something I can buy at store like Sally's?

 

[Dare~to~Dream]

1) Do you go to a regular salon or a salon for naturals only? and what about going to Dominican salons? I press it myself but the last time I got it pressed, I let my mom do it...she presses it a little better. There are no Dominican salons in my area but I did plan on going to a salon on at least one occasion. I found a place I want to try out.

2) Do you recommend getting a deep conditioner the same day you get the press. Yes.

3) How do you maintain it/ How long does it last
Sometimes I will moisturize it and roll it up on hard rollers then cover it will silk scarf. Most of the time I just oil the ends and then braid it one plait, tuck it under and tie it down with a silk scarf. It will last a about 5 days at the most.

4) To those who press regularly 1X or 2X a month, has the process changed your hair texture or have you experienced damage. These days I press once every month or two...in the past I have pressed every week. No texture change or extensive damage.


5) what product(s) do you use to combat dryness post press? I have used Ultra Black Hair Lotion Creme moisturizer. Now I use Africa's Best Ultimate Herbal Oil applied on the ends and sometimes Healthier Hair in a Bottle on the scalp.

 

[mermaid]

I press my hair myself, I imagine a deep con would be great- but I never do it, since I do it myself and don't really use it as my usual style I don't do anything to maintan it,
when it's straight I tie a bandana around it at night so it doesn't tangle but that's about it,
I rarely press 1 or 2x a month, but I used to and didn't see much damage unless I was careless (leaving the marcel in my hair too long),
mango butter/proclaim 7 oil cocktail.

 

[sunshine91496]

SO the general consensus, is that its OK to press if its down sparingly ( a couple times a month) and it should not cause any damage. Also it is better to press with a ceramic flat iron than a comb. One last question, when applying the pressing oil/creme do you put a lot or do you just lightly coat the hair with pressing oil? THe two times I tried I felt like I was putting candle wax in my hair so I got nervous and washed it out quickly.

 

[mermaid]

I don't use any pressing oils, just whatever is already in my hair post-shampoo (usually a leave in or rinse out AS a leave in and some mango butter and/or oil).
I did buy the jilbere ceramic flat iron, but was sadly disappointed since it didn't get as close to the scalp as I was used to from the Marcel irons, plus those are just coated not actually ceramic (the coating wore off on mine- which will lead to uneven treatment and stuff getting baked into the hair), so I just use a Conair ceramic barrel iron and it gets much closer to the scalp (I have come to the conclusion that it's because it have more heated surface so it can get into the dips if wavy/curly hair). Then I just smooth my lil cocktail through it when I'm done as well as that Motions shine enhancing pomade if I want to hold the style for a while (since I use the curling iron, I save time with styling) because my hair is quite thick and heavy, so any curls I put in- even just a bump- are pulled out by the time I am done styling let alone the end of the day!! /images/graemlins/spinning.gif