Self Relaxing Disaster

[CheerBear]

Why is it that everytime I post its something negative....Tuesday night I relaxed my own hair using a no lye formula.
My first mistake was that I left in it about 40 minutes because I apparently work too slow and had not yet gotten all my new growth covered,
but I did smooth it quickly. Well this is the first time this has happened, but I got major breakage. Never before when I or anyone else or the stylist
has relaxed have a experienced as much breakage as I saw while I rinsed and for these next few days afterward. I also underprocessed certain sections
of my hair. You can feel how the hair I just relaxed is stiff and dry and nothing I put on it is helping keep it moisturized. So much hair comes out when I comb
Last night I did 2 deep conditions and still, dry, brittle and breaking. And YEs its breaking opposed to shedding. Does anyone have any suggestions? Please ladies help,
I was doing so well before to now suffer this setback!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Leshia]

Goodness, Cheerbear! Hang in there. I'm sure some good suggestions will come pouring in. I would imagine that you'll have to keep doing some serious moisturizing conditioners over and over before your hair recovers...anyone else?

 

[aqualung]

CheerBear,

In cases like this, the LHCF members usually suggest neutralizing fully and treating with protein (like Aphogee) to strengthen the hair, and finally moisturizing for 30+ minutes.

There's the possibility that a protein treatment would make brittle hair more brittle, so leave that moisturizing conditioner on for a long time.

 

[CheerBear]

Can I just keep it well moisturized and do lots of moisturizing conditioners for a while before doing the protein, because its so brittle now that while combing it to put the MC in will break ir badly. How often should I start conditioning it?

 

[aqualung]

You could leave the conditioner on overnight even and sleep with your hair in a showercap or plastic bag if you're freaking out.

If I were you, I'd quit combing entirely if the comb's just raking out hair. After rinsing out your moisturizing conditioner, add your leave in and a cream conditioner like LUST or Profectiv Breakfree. Detangle with your fingers once it's almost dry, seal with serum or vaseline or whatever you prefer, and bun it up. Wearing the bun constantly and detangling with your fingers will stave off the breakage.

Search the forum for advice from people who have dealt with this before.

 

[CheerBear]

Thanks Megon

 

[DigitalRain]

Motions CPR. I think this would help a lot.

40 minutes is a long time to leave a relaxer in. If you decide to relax again, you may want to try sectioning off your entire head of hair before you apply relaxer. This will save you a ton of time.

I section off small layers of my hair before hand and tie each end with an ouchless rubberband. Time consuming but worth it. I just lift each layer and apply the relaxer on the newgrowth. The remaining time you can spend smoothing.

 

[inthepink]

I hope that you figure out a way to prevent more hair breakage. I'm sorry it didn't turn out the best.

 

[Isis]

There is a fairly recent thread on this board where someone had relaxer on her head for a long time too. She received lots of good advice. I'll post the link if I can find it.

 

[bird]

Don't fret-been there b4. My suggestions are pretty simple and have greatly improved my hair-I mean greatly!
Here goes: try 2 wash maybe every 2-3 days with a moisterizing shampoo-my pick Pantene Relaxed & Nat-shampoo 1x rinse, then the Profectiv 60 sec strengthener-this stuffs Awesome-rinse after the suggested time then put in some Relaxed & Nat cond. leave on while you wash your body.
After you've rinsed, lightly blot hair with towel, You may want to drape towel around shoulders since hair that kinda WET not Damp hair is required for next step) if you can, pick up some Frizz-ease Relax correcting serum. Pump nickel size amount to hand rub 2gether so that you can spread throughout hair-especially on ends! Take wide-toothed comb gently comb from ends upward-I mean gently, kinda of like tapping through while hair unravels itself. This serum is more effective on hair if it's wet-kinda dripping. I would then consider manipulating hair into a wrap to avoid extra heat! Bonnet dryers are ok - when hair dries I usually take a little of the serum and spread around pre-combed wrap it helps soften a bit to make comb down easier on hair
..this program has really helped me hope it helps you!

 

[lthomas1]

I once suffered a mishap and a professional did my hair. You need to reconstruct asap (Apoghee, Nexxus Emergencee) Use these products with heat (Heat Cap or place a plastic cap on your head and sit under a hooded dryer). Repeat this process each time you wash your hair until you notice the breakage is gone. I once had breakage and the Nexxus Emergencee helped to correct this problem. Also, do more CO washes with a moisterizing conditioner.

 

[keylargo]

[ QUOTE ]
lthomas1 said:
I once suffered a mishap and a professional did my hair. You need to reconstruct asap (Apoghee, Nexxus Emergencee) Use these products with heat (Heat Cap or place a plastic cap on your head and sit under a hooded dryer). Repeat this process each time you wash your hair until you notice the breakage is gone. I once had breakage and the Nexxus Emergencee helped to correct this problem. Also, do more CO washes with a moisterizing conditioner.

[/ QUOTE ]

The Nexxus Emergencee is the bomb. It's the only thing that has dramatically reduced my breakage. I have almost no breakage now. I tried the aphogee many times in the past and never had results this good. Plus, the Nexxus did not make my hair hard. I used it back to back for 5 days straight because my hair was improving with each use. Plus, I wanted to see how much my hair could take. It made my hair soft and silky feeling.

I would recommend it and also, I would avoid shampoo for a while until you need it like when you have product build up. Just do conditioner washes for now.

 

[DahomeyAhosi]

Sorry to hear about your setback. I wish I had the guts to self relax but I'm going back to a stylist next month.

 

[Babygurl]

I had a self-relaxing mishap years back and suffered terrible breakage, and I didnt have this board to fall back on.

I did stop the breakage with 3 reconstructor treatments (affirm 5n1) and I moisturized constantly. Stopped breakage and brittle hair in its tracks. Sorry about your setback, things always turn out better in the end!

 

[Miosy]

CheerBear, sorry to hear about your mishap. I know you mentioned that your hair is hard and you don't want to use an intense protein treatment yet. You may want to try Aubdrey Organic GBP. It's a moisturizing protein treatment and I use it weekly w/o any problems and very moisturizing. As everyone mentioned, buy yourself a good deep penetrating conditioner like Elucence or Nexxus and leave it on for about an hour w/o heat I prefer. Wash your hair in sections and air dry only until your hair get back some strength. Next time if you decided to self relax, do it in sections. Meaning, do one half of your head to make sure you process the hair completely and once you rinse the relaxer and neutralize, leave that half w/ condtioner and start the other side. That's what I do to because there is just no way I could do my entire head front and back in 15 minutes. Best of luck!

 

[LiqueXX]

I would do at least one protein or reconstructor treatment. Most ladies usually do this immediately after relaxing or the next wash after. For the next couple of weeks I would wash twice a week, so that you can deep condition and moisturize your hair. I would also recommend using the baggie method or another protective style, that way you don't have to manipulate your hair that much.