Really Need Some Advice (a lil long)

[tigi]

Hello all,
Well, I am in great need of some advice. I am basically torn between cutting all my hair and starting over or just starting over and slowly cutting off the ends.

Here is a lil history. I have 4a hair. When I started reading the forum, I was able to take much better care of my hair. After wearing my hair natural for about a year, I felt comfortable relaxing it. It was a lot thicker (for me at least, my hair was really thin before) and I was retaining length. However, at the start of 2005, my life became pretty stressful and around April, things just got really bad and my hair became the least of my priorities. I really did not take good care of it at all. I decided to get braids at the end of October, thinking this would be a good way to take care of my hair since it wouldn't require much of my time. Also, in the past, before I was natural, I used braids to successfully grow out my hair for about a year.

Unfortunately, this was not the case, and I continued to ignore my hair. I just took the braids out very recently and I saw that while I had some good growth, the rest of my hair looked and felt bad. One side is doing ok, the other side is terribly lacking.

My hair currently falls at about shoulder length, but it is getting thin again. My life is not as stressful, but I am still in college and will be graduating in May. So I am wondering if I should just cut off the relaxed ends (basically giving me a twa) or just cut the damaged ends off. I am planning to wear braids until I graduate anyway. I just miss the thick hair that I once had. I am also considering either going natural again, or texturizing to regain more volume since my hair is kinda fine.

I am sorry that this is so long. I am just really torn between what the best thing to do for my hair is. I hope I am making sense. I ultimately want long, healthy, full hair. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

 

[hairlover]

Hello all,
Well, I am in great need of some advice. I am basically torn between cutting all my hair and starting over or just starting over and slowly cutting off the ends.

Here is a lil history. I have 4a hair. When I started reading the forum, I was able to take much better care of my hair. After wearing my hair natural for about a year, I felt comfortable relaxing it. It was a lot thicker (for me at least, my hair was really thin before) and I was retaining length. However, at the start of 2005, my life became pretty stressful and around April, things just got really bad and my hair became the least of my priorities. I really did not take good care of it at all. I decided to get braids at the end of October, thinking this would be a good way to take care of my hair since it wouldn't require much of my time. Also, in the past, before I was natural, I used braids to successfully grow out my hair for about a year.

Unfortunately, this was not the case, and I continued to ignore my hair. I just took the braids out very recently and I saw that while I had some good growth, the rest of my hair looked and felt bad. One side is doing ok, the other side is terribly lacking.

My hair currently falls at about shoulder length, but it is getting thin again. My life is not as stressful, but I am still in college and will be graduating in May. So I am wondering if I should just cut off the relaxed ends (basically giving me a twa) or just cut the damaged ends off. I am planning to wear braids until I graduate anyway. I just miss the thick hair that I once had. I am also considering either going natural again, or texturizing to regain more volume since my hair is kinda fine.

I am sorry that this is so long. I am just really torn between what the best thing to do for my hair is. I hope I am making sense. I ultimately want long, healthy, full hair. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

do a search between transitioning posts and texturizing posts, maybe that will help you decide once you see what other ladies have done. hope this helps.

 

[metro_qt]

I think that you should only cut the relaxed ends off and put braids back in, if you're confident that you'll be able to take care of your hair this time, or you'll end up with alot more damage when you take your braids out in May.
What is your goal? Are you aiming for length? or healthy hair?
If it's healthy hair, cut it into a twa, your hair will be stronger, but not longer, and will be better able to survive the braids, even if you mistreat it.

If you put your hair in braids while the relaxed ends are still in, you'll end up with a twa eventually, anyway.

 

[tigi]

Thanks metroqt! My goals are both healthy hair and length, but I don't want to have longer hair that is unhealthy. My hair will grow now, but the ends are thin and not healthy looking, so I would rather get rid of them and try to have hair that is both long and healthy.

I have also heard about using a sew in weave, which I have never done before. Is it pretty much the same as having braids as far as how long you can leave it in and how to take care of it? Is that option as useful in my goals as wearing braids?

 

[blueabyss333]

Your ends probably look thin because you have so much new growth underneath (a good thing). If you're looking for health and length at the same time, just cut the damage ends off. As long as the rest of your hair is healthy, you'll be fine. Either way you'll have to cut off the damaged ends but at least you'll save yourself a little length. Why cut off more than you need to?