Years ago I use to self relax with professional relaxers and they would tear up my hair. Overprocessing, underprocessing, breakage and dryness was always an issue. Even when I went back to the salons they were always overlapping and thinning out my hair. In November I started to self relax again using Dark and Lovely regular and my hair is making so much progress. I've never over/under process with this relaxer. My hair doesn't get bone straight but that's what I love, it's a bit thicker I'm retaining much length.