Relaxed ladies who battled BKT damage...help!

[BonFille]

I am thick 4a/b relaxed, BSL with layers. Four weeks ago, I got a Global Keratin Treatment. Like a lot of the ladies, my hair was fabulous at first. These last two weeks, I've experienced extreme shedding, breakage and dryness. My hairs are sticking out in different directions and they feel weird and plastic-like. If I even look at my hair funny, it will fall out! So far, I've used black tea rinses with a DC each week. I've also been keeping it in two braids or a bun and moisturizing with leave-ins and sealing with oil. It doesn't seem to be helping that much; it's still dry. I'm terrified of losing years of hard work, so I'm going to wear a wig and leave my hair alone for a few months.

Can anyone who's been there and done that let me know what you did to soothe the damage? How long did it take your hair to bounce back? How is your hair looking now? Also, I am overdue for a relaxer (I'm about 4 months post). I read that some ladies had less shedding after relaxing their new growth. Has anyone relaxed shortly after BKTing and kept their hair intact? Any info, please! I am losing sleep over this mess. Thanks!!

The first two pics are before the keratin treatment. The last pic is a week after the treatment. I had just gotten a trim and more layers.

 

[hairmaster]

Have you been using the KERATIN shampoo & conditioner after treatment?

 

[An_gell]

I don't have any advice unfortunately because I have never done that before but just wanted to say your hair is gorgeous in the first pic.

 

[BonFille]

No I haven't. My stylist who did my treatment said to just use shampoo without SLS and my own deep conditioner.
Maybe I'll try them.

 

[BonFille]

I don't have any advice unfortunately because I have never done that before but just wanted to say your hair is gorgeous in the first pic.

Thank you!

 

[addaboutmyhair]

Hey, I was the biggest BKT fan a couple years ago. But that coated feeling bothered me. I suggest deep conditioning on dry hair with a sulphate free conditioner. I would use a lot and do this overnight (plastic cap, scarf tied over it). Rinse with cold water in the morning. Put in a light protein (I use megatek) and a little moisturizing conditioner as a leave in.

I definitely think you should PS. If you are going to wig it I recommend Lady Paniolo's reggie - http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=497088

I imagine that the texture difference could be causing breakage. But I would baby the hair for awhile before putting in more chemicals.

Good luck.

 

[BostonMaria]

I don't have any advice unfortunately because I have never done that before but just wanted to say your hair is gorgeous in the first pic.

Same here! Your hair is beautiful.

I'm sorry I don't have any advice for you. Is it possible to wash out the BKT with a sulfate shampoo?

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[BonFille]

Same here! Your hair is beautiful.

I'm sorry I don't have any advice for you. Is it possible to wash out the BKT with a sulfate shampoo?

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

Thanks BostonMaria. I don't think it really works. I've read about it on other hair forums. But I may try it once just to see what happens.

I love love love your gif!!

 

[Evolving78]

your hair is so pretty! ok i am having an experience with protein overload as well. i washed and dc'ed my hair and it still felt like straw. i decided to get a bowl, mix two tablespoons of salt with 3oz of a creamy moisturizing conditioner. i let that sit on my hair for an hour. with a plastic cap, no heat (30-60min depending on how hard/dry your hair is). after i rinsed, my hair was so much softer and easier to detangle. i wasn't losing hair like crazy. i was able to roller set with no problem and my hair is very soft.

 

[BonFille]

your hair is so pretty! ok i am having an experience with protein overload as well. i washed and dc'ed my hair and it still felt like straw. i decided to get a bowl, mix two tablespoons of salt with 3oz of a creamy moisturizing conditioner. i let that sit on my hair for an hour. with a plastic cap, no heat (30-60min depending on how hard/dry your hair is). after i rinsed, my hair was so much softer and easier to detangle. i wasn't losing hair like crazy. i was able to roller set with no problem and my hair is very soft.

Interesting! Glad you got back to softness. You used regular old table salt? What kind of conditioner did you use? I just bought a bottle of Keracare Humecto. My hair still felt dry after sitting under the dryer with it for 35 minutes.

 

[Evolving78]

Interesting! Glad you got back to softness. You used regular old table salt? What kind of conditioner did you use? I just bought a bottle of Keracare Humecto. My hair still felt dry after sitting under the dryer with it for 35 minutes.

that's the conditioner i used with the salt. the Humecto alone, didn't do squat. and yes i used table salt. i got the idea from laidback, who got the idea from Kiya. Kiya added citric acid and baking soda in her mix, but LaidBack just used salt and conditioner. i was desperate to try anything. when i tried to detangle my hair, it was so hard that it was coming out from the roots! i thought i was going bald. plus when it was dry, it was breaking all over the place.

see i accidentally slept with Aphogee Two Step in my hair earlier this month. my hair hasn't been right since. i bought Joico thinking that would help. i have Kenra too, but i needed something to really break the protein down and salt was the magic trick!

 

[BonFille]

that's the conditioner i used with the salt. the Humecto alone, didn't do squat. and yes i used table salt. i got the idea from laidback, who got the idea from Kiya. Kiya added citric acid and baking soda in her mix, but LaidBack just used salt and conditioner. i was desperate to try anything. when i tried to detangle my hair, it was so hard that it was coming out from the roots! i thought i was going bald. plus when it was dry, it was breaking all over the place.

see i accidentally slept with Aphogee Two Step in my hair earlier this month. my hair hasn't been right since. i bought Joico thinking that would help. i have Kenra too, but i needed something to really break the protein down and salt was the magic trick!

Thank goodness your hair is OK. It looks thick and healthy. Great info!

 

[addaboutmyhair]

Please don't use salt. BKT damage is not from protein overload. Global Keratin is the same brand I used and has formaldehyde. That combined with the extreme heat can do damage.

 

[BonFille]

Please don't use salt. BKT damage is not from protein overload. Global Keratin is the same brand I used and has formaldehyde. That combined with the extreme heat can do damage.

Oh I thought BKT damage was like protein overload because of the same issues with breakage and dryness.

How long did you wait before you relaxed after your keratin treatment? I was thinking about waiting another month, but my hair is breaking so badly where the two different textures meet.

 

[BlackHairDiva]

I tried global and as well and my hair was extremely dry. It was like it was not able to retain moisture. I used wen, 3 min aussie and it still was really dry. My hair was natural before doing the treatment. So I then switched to Marcia texeira and the problem stopped. I was able to retain moisture and the shedding stopped. I reverted my hair by using sulfur shampoos/conditioners to revert the hair back. Then clarified and made sure to deep condition with moisturizing deep condition that is protein free. After a month of being natural deep conditioned and all. I switched to Marcia teixeira. With Marcia texeira i am able to retain moisture and I had no dryness issues, no no breakage issue and no shedding issues so far.
I've been using Marcia texeira for almost 2 years.

I am thick 4a/b relaxed, BSL with layers. Four weeks ago, I got a Global Keratin Treatment. Like a lot of the ladies, my hair was fabulous at first. These last two weeks, I've experienced extreme shedding, breakage and dryness. My hairs are sticking out in different directions and they feel weird and plastic-like. If I even look at my hair funny, it will fall out! So far, I've used black tea rinses with a DC each week. I've also been keeping it in two braids or a bun and moisturizing with leave-ins and sealing with oil. It doesn't seem to be helping that much; it's still dry. I'm terrified of losing years of hard work, so I'm going to wear a wig and leave my hair alone for a few months.

Can anyone who's been there and done that let me know what you did to soothe the damage? How long did it take your hair to bounce back? How is your hair looking now? Also, I am overdue for a relaxer (I'm about 4 months post). I read that some ladies had less shedding after relaxing their new growth. Has anyone relaxed shortly after BKTing and kept their hair intact? Any info, please! I am losing sleep over this mess. Thanks!!

The first two pics are before the keratin treatment. The last pic is a week after the treatment. I had just gotten a trim and more layers.

 

[addaboutmyhair]

Thanks BostonMaria. I don't think it really works. I've read about it on other hair forums. But I may try it once just to see what happens.

I love love love your gif!!

your hair is so pretty! ok i am having an experience with protein overload as well. i washed and dc'ed my hair and it still felt like straw. i decided to get a bowl, mix two tablespoons of salt with 3oz of a creamy moisturizing conditioner. i let that sit on my hair for an hour. with a plastic cap, no heat (30-60min depending on how hard/dry your hair is). after i rinsed, my hair was so much softer and easier to detangle. i wasn't losing hair like crazy. i was able to roller set with no problem and my hair is very soft.

Oh I thought BKT damage was like protein overload because of the same issues with breakage and dryness.

How long did you wait before you relaxed after your keratin treatment? I was thinking about waiting another month, but my hair is breaking so badly where the two different textures meet.

BKT damage has the same symptoms, but no, it's not the protein. In fact, your hair might react really well to some protein (that, and sulfate free, is essentially the 'special' ingredient in the Keratin shampoos and conditioners salons sometimes try to sell you). I am actually texlaxed and I touched up my roots the same day as BKT. So I waited quite awhile, at least 3 months. That does bring up another question - can you tell if the strands are breaking where the textures meet or is the BKT'd hair itself breaking? The first might indicate that you could be better off relaxing if it's just a texture issue. You may not like the coated feeling of BKT but it may not be breaking your hair and you could just let it wear off as normal. But the second is another problem alltogether.

And the reason I wouldn't use salt or sulfate shampoo is that it starts to break down the BKT, but it doesn't do it evenly. So you will get 'holes' in the 'coating' of your hair. I had some BKT left in my hair and went swimming in the ocean. I ended up using Aphogee to get right.

The reason I'm recommending mositure first and then a light protein, is if you soak your dry hair in conditioner overnight it will/should absorb the conditioner (vs, having partially absorbed some water if you shampooed first). So if the damage is from the heat, this could help. If the damage is from the formaldehyde, protein should help.

 

[BonFille]

Addaboutmyhair: I see what you saying. Makes sense. I have several things going on as far as the shedding/breakage. First, my hair is extremely dry from the GKT, I can hear it snap and break when I comb it. Second, it's shedding a lot. I see white bulbs on the ends of the long strands. This could be from the GKT and the fact that I'm overdue for a touchup (I usually relax every 3 months...I'm going on 4 1/2) Third, I see a lot of breakage where my new growth and straight strands met. The short hairs are dry and standing up all over my head like a halo.
I'll try the moisture on dry hair this week and do a protective style. Thanks again.

 

[BonFille]

I tried global and as well and my hair was extremely dry. It was like it was not able to retain moisture. I used wen, 3 min aussie and it still was really dry. My hair was natural before doing the treatment. So I then switched to Marcia texeira and the problem stopped. I was able to retain moisture and the shedding stopped. I reverted my hair by using sulfur shampoos/conditioners to revert the hair back. Then clarified and made sure to deep condition with moisturizing deep condition that is protein free. After a month of being natural deep conditioned and all. I switched to Marcia teixeira. With Marcia texeira i am able to retain moisture and I had no dryness issues, no no breakage issue and no shedding issues so far.
I've been using Marcia texeira for almost 2 years.

That's excellent. I love hearing success stories...when ladies find what works for them. I'm going to definitely add more moisture each week. My years old regimen no longer works. Time to switch up!

 

[Evolving78]

oh ok! thanks for putting that out there! i thought the Keratin coating would have been the cause. so you are saying she should relax (do to weak decremation line) or do a mild protein treatment following a moisturizing dc?

BKT damage has the same symptoms, but no, it's not the protein. In fact, your hair might react really well to some protein (that, and sulfate free, is essentially the 'special' ingredient in the Keratin shampoos and conditioners salons sometimes try to sell you). I am actually texlaxed and I touched up my roots the same day as BKT. So I waited quite awhile, at least 3 months. That does bring up another question - can you tell if the strands are breaking where the textures meet or is the BKT'd hair itself breaking? The first might indicate that you could be better off relaxing if it's just a texture issue. You may not like the coated feeling of BKT but it may not be breaking your hair and you could just let it wear off as normal. But the second is another problem alltogether.

And the reason I wouldn't use salt or sulfate shampoo is that it starts to break down the BKT, but it doesn't do it evenly. So you will get 'holes' in the 'coating' of your hair. I had some BKT left in my hair and went swimming in the ocean. I ended up using Aphogee to get right.

The reason I'm recommending mositure first and then a light protein, is if you soak your dry hair in conditioner overnight it will/should absorb the conditioner (vs, having partially absorbed some water if you shampooed first). So if the damage is from the heat, this could help. If the damage is from the formaldehyde, protein should help.

 

[addaboutmyhair]

oh ok! thanks for putting that out there! i thought the Keratin coating would have been the cause. so you are saying she should relax (do to weak decremation line) or do a mild protein treatment following a moisturizing dc?

Yeah. Reading above it sounds like she is breaking at her demarcation line, similar to when relaxed heads transition to natural. So I suggest she relax and just make sure to coat her ends with conditioner while doing so (this is a standard in the self relax threads so that when you are rinsing your relaxer your ends are protected from the chemical run off).

Her hair sounds so dry I would do the DC first, right on the dry hair. After the DC, see how her hair feels. My hair used to love protein when I had BKT. But, she should pay attention to how her hair feels as she is rinsing the conditioner out.

OP good luck!

 

[BlackHairDiva]

That's excellent. I love hearing success stories...when ladies find what works for them. I'm going to definitely add more moisture each week. My years old regimen no longer works. Time to switch up!

another tip...argan oil. a little goes a long way. it moisturizes the hair completely!!! however , i think it leaves a smell after 2 days.