Setback City: what went wrong, how to fix it

[LadyPaniolo]

Oh, Setback City...where I have been dwelling for a hot minute now.
I have been suffering raggedy chewed up ends for months now. I've been an inch from WL (in the longest layer) for like 6 months, with hardly any progress. The other layers are BSL... except the shortest which is just shy of it.

It's time to belly up to the bar and own my blame in the situation.

What went wrong:
1. I texlaxed. And my hair has been so much more likely to break since then. I guess I haven't been using enough protein.

2. I stopped DCing on a set schedule.... decided to do it whenever I had time/felt like it. This turns out to be way less often than needed.

3. Started wearing weaves! I turned away from my faithful C&G braids that took me from a TWA to APL in 2 years and my progress has been at a snail's pace ever since... plus I've had funky mildew issues.

How I plan to fix it!
1. I'm transitioning from texlaxed back to natural. I think these weakened texlaxed ends are going to need trimming off. I will trim about a centimeter off every time I redo my braids.

2. I need to pencil DC onto my calendar. Every week, no ifs ands or buts. Maybe every Wed night will be my DC night, that's the night DH and I like to take it easy.

3. I really need Weave Rehab. They are just so addictive that every time I think I'm out, they keep pulling me back in. I wish I'd never even tried a sew-in. As I type this, there is a box of weave I just rec'd from Clairhair (they suck, don't buy from them ever) sitting 5 ft from my computer. I will make that one my LAST one, I swear! :crossfingers:
My hair is getting too long to do individual braids. It takes me forever to braid down that far. I think I'll try crochets.

I'm going back to what gave me 90% of my retention: the Crown & Glory method. I've strayed from the path and paid the piper but from here on out I'm going to stick to basics and with God's help I will get to Classic Length.

So you ladies share yours... what was your most recent setback and how did it come about? More importantly, how will you fix it?

 

[vkb247]

I can't share but I am very sorry to here that you had a setback. I really loved your texlaxed hair so I am sad that it didn't work out for you.

 

[Neith]

Most recent setback was yesterday.

I trimmed off about a quarter of an inch because of single strand knots. I also dusted through my hair and cut a bunch of knots out.

The second month of being natural, I got tons of them. Over manipulation and too any wash n' gos.

It's only a small setback so I am grateful that just a dusting got me back on track, but I learned my lesson.

1. Calm down with the wash n' gos
2. Calm down with detangling


I'm sorry about your setback, I know that you will get right back on track too. Sounds like a good plan


​

 

[LadyPaniolo]

I can't share but I am very sorry to here that you had a setback. I really loved your texlaxed hair so I am sad that it didn't work out for you.

Thanks hon. I feel really bad about not staying on top of my texlaxed hair. It needs WAY more protein than my natural hair does, I wish I had kept that in mind.

I will try using Aphogee 2 step to see if that helps, but that product hasn't done much for me thus far.

 

[LadyPaniolo]

Most recent setback was yesterday.

I trimmed off about a quarter of an inch because of single strand knots. I also dusted through my hair and cut a bunch out.

The second month of being natural, I got tons of them. Over manipulation and too any wash n' gos.

It's only a small setback so I am grateful that just a dusting got me back on track, but I learned my lesson.

1. Calm down with the wash n' gos
2. Calm down with detangling



​

Oh, lord. When my hair was shorter it stayed having oodles of single strand knots in it! Those wash 'n gos are notorious for creating them en masse.

What was wrong with your detangling? Were you doing it too often? Too roughly? Not often enough?

 

[Neith]

Oh, lord. When my hair was shorter it stayed having oodles of single strand knots in it! Those wash 'n gos are notorious for creating them en masse.

What was wrong with your detangling? Were you doing it too often? Too roughly? Not often enough?

Too much! 2-4 times a week. With a wide toothed comb, then the denman. I dunno what I was thinking.

Now I will just keep it to 2 times a week strictly. And I won't use the denman every single time!

 

[LadyPaniolo]

Oh... yeah that's pretty frequently!

It's hard being newly natural, for a while it seems like everything that used to be good for your hair is damaging!

 

[LadyPaniolo]

bumpitty bumpitty bump!

 

[FluffyRed]

Sorry ur having a setback.

Not sure what my issue is right now, but when I figure it out...

in the meantime, subscribing!!!

 

[Kerryann]

I stretched for 4 months with no shedding i recently got a perm which is more texlaxed than anything and now im shedding like crazy i dont know what went wrong but im going to go har on Aphogee for the next 6 weeks

 

[LadyPaniolo]

Sorry ur having a setback.

Not sure what my issue is right now, but when I figure it out...

in the meantime, subscribing!!!

Thanks mama.

What hair symptoms are you experiencing? Maybe the ladies can help you figure it out. It's what we're here for!

 

[brucebettye]

I had a setback were I tried cowashing everday. Big mistake. It was too much for my ends and I had so many single strand Knots. I had to cut an inch off of my length. I have since grown that inch back plus some. So don't worry your hair will rebound before you know it.

 

[FluffyRed]

Thanks mama.

What hair symptoms are you experiencing? Maybe the ladies can help you figure it out. It's what we're here for!

I did a thread about it four weeks ago.

On top of that, I've been sleeping without satin. I can kick my own for that one.

I'm dcing right now, and skurred to rinse out. We'll see whats there when I finish!

 

[LadyPaniolo]

Thanks for the support y'all

Sleeping without satin has been a setback maker for MANY ladies on here.

 

[LunadeMiel]

I don't know if this is a set back, but since being natural I know that I've trimmed at least two inches because of single strand knots

 

[Nubenap22]

sorry to hear about your set back....I guess mine would be uneducated way of taking my braids out.....my tangled wet mess!!

did the c&g method for 5 weeks. when we were taking them out I didnt know mother dear wasnt detangling as she went....talking about I was pissed!!! I had to go back and it took hours.....Ty Lord i got most of it...Any suggestions on how to take it out next time?

 

[LadyPaniolo]

I don't know if this is a set back, but since being natural I know that I've trimmed at least two inches because of single strand knots

Losing 2 inches feels like a setback to me. When I went natural I just kept the single strand knots and left them alone because I would have hacked my hair off constantly if I trimmed off every SSK. I waited until I was close to SL and then I slowly trimmed them off.

sorry to hear about your set back....I guess mine would be uneducated way of taking my braids out.....my tangled wet mess!!

did the c&g method for 5 weeks. when we were taking them out I didnt know mother dear wasnt detangling as she went....talking about I was pissed!!! I had to go back and it took hours.....Ty Lord i got most of it...Any suggestions on how to take it out next time?

Hmm :scratchch It sounds like you may have had a lot of buildup at the base of the braids, is that what happened? Avoiding buildup while wearing C&G braids is an essential part of the regimen.

You did comb/brush/detangle the hair as you were braiding it up, right? So it didn't go up into the braid tangled. It sounds like either excess buildup or faulty take-down technique is to blame.

What I have done is this:
- Avoid putting anything on my scalp while in C&G braids except: a little bit of tea tree oil every few weeks, and I do mean a LITTLE BIT! And some 100% aloe vera gel (really a juice consistency but the bottle says gel on it).

-Every day I saturate my braids from about 1.5- 2 inches away from the scalp on down with the mixture of braid spray/infusium/water/aloe vera.

-Once a week, I wash my scalp with a bit of gentle poo diluted in some water. I use a squeeze bottle to apply it to the scalp. Rub, rub, rub on the scalp ONLY and then rinse the scalp clean. This helps keep my scalp healthy and removes the buildup before it, well, builds up, lol. It also rinses the braids with the tiny amount of poo they need, while avoiding the dreaded "braid fuzzies" lol

During Takedown:
First, pre-poo the braids with tons of slippy condish, preferably cheap (suave humectant, anyone!) with lots oil added. Olive oil works great. It's also kinda pricey so if regular ole cooking oil fits your budget, go ahead! Let it marinade for several hours. This should make the braiding hair slip right off the natural hair quite easily. Sometimes you can slip the extension hair right off from the very top of the braid.

I hope that helped somebody at least, lol

 

[Nubenap22]

Losing 2 inches feels like a setback to me. When I went natural I just kept the single strand knots and left them alone because I would have hacked my hair off constantly if I trimmed off every SSK. I waited until I was close to SL and then I slowly trimmed them off.



Hmm :scratchch It sounds like you may have had a lot of buildup at the base of the braids, is that what happened? Avoiding buildup while wearing C&G braids is an essential part of the regimen.

You did comb/brush/detangle the hair as you were braiding it up, right? So it didn't go up into the braid tangled. It sounds like either excess buildup or faulty take-down technique is to blame.


no there was no nasty flakey build up or anything I kept it clean and well moisturized. I believe my whole issues was my faulty take out method. I havent taken out braids in like 5+ years. and yes my hair was detangled prior to putting them in. That would have been asking for baby dreads

 

[beans4reezy]

So sorry yo hear about your ste back, but it looks like you have a solid plan to bring your hair back. Good luck to you.

 

[Honey Bee]

Ladies, I need some help. Okay, so my hair grows pretty quickly, but the problem is usually keeping it on my head (ie, breakage, thin ends, etc). I stopped the breakage, and my reggie is tight, if I may say so myself (ayurveda, wen, cw 2x/wk). I just bought the Alter Ego Garlic dc, and I'm getting back on my emergencee game, so I'm feeling confidant.

Now here's the problem: I got a trim early this summer, from veeery close to apl to sl, because of the ends. No problem there, but I just had to get this very same trim, again, this Tuesday. It's like my hair is stuck, at a healthy sl, or a raggedy almost apl. I've had long hair before, and all my family on both sides 'got hair', so I'm not genetically predisposed not to have long hair. I must be doing something wrong.

Please help. (I have pics but I don't know how to set up a fotki)

 

[LadyPaniolo]

Ladies, I need some help. Okay, so my hair grows pretty quickly, but the problem is usually keeping it on my head (ie, breakage, thin ends, etc). I stopped the breakage, and my reggie is tight, if I may say so myself (ayurveda, wen, cw 2x/wk). I just bought the Alter Ego Garlic dc, and I'm getting back on my emergencee game, so I'm feeling confidant.

Now here's the problem: I got a trim early this summer, from veeery close to apl to sl, because of the ends. No problem there, but I just had to get this very same trim, again, this Tuesday. It's like my hair is stuck, at a healthy sl, or a raggedy almost apl. I've had long hair before, and all my family on both sides 'got hair', so I'm not genetically predisposed not to have long hair. I must be doing something wrong.

Please help. (I have pics but I don't know how to set up a fotki)

Hmmm... how are you wearing your hair on a daily basis?

Because what you describe is very common among ladies who wear their hair down and out a lot.

That happened to me at one point... once I hit halfway between SL and APL it would NOT retain length no matter what. Once I started making sure my hair did not EVER brush against my clothes/furniture/bedding etc my retention went into overdrive.

 

[Honey Bee]

Because what you describe is very common among ladies who wear their hair down and out a lot.

Thank you so much, that must be it, cuz I wore a lot of braidouts this summer. That's what I get for trynna be cute.

Once I started making sure my hair did not EVER brush against my clothes/furniture/bedding etc my retention went into overdrive.

How do you do that? do you wear protective styles all the time?

 

[Sieda]

My biggest setback was in February... I am natural - 4F? and decided to go to a Dominican salon and get a doobie... WHAT WAS I THINKING? I am just recovering. I am now back at the length that I was the day before I went.

Detail:
*Hair got matted after shampoo
*Chick used a brush on my hair out of frustration, and kept saying "Muy malo" - correction I LET HER DO THIS OUT OF ____(fill in blank)__
*She used a blow dryer with a brush
*Flat iron
*Then told me my hair was damaged and I needed to cut to my shoulders...


My hair split up the shaft and I loss 4 inches in the end. Sad, but I learned a valuable lesson due to my curiosity. Thank goodness it happened now... What if I had BSL hair and went and this happened?...lets not think about that.

Time and patience is helping me turn this bad situation around.

 

[Daughter]

Hmmm... how are you wearing your hair on a daily basis?

Because what you describe is very common among ladies who wear their hair down and out a lot.

That happened to me at one point... once I hit halfway between SL and APL it would NOT retain length no matter what. Once I started making sure my hair did not EVER brush against my clothes/furniture/bedding etc my retention went into overdrive.

Aha! Sounds like my problem, I got VERY lazy with the twist outs, though I know that spells trouble for my hair I'm so discouraged that my hair was once really healthy and I've messed it up somewhat because I got complacent. I cut my hair last year and it grew back quite quickly but I took it for granted. I hope it'll bounce back...

It seems that my hair is often stuck between SL and an inch or two above BSL, but I know that I wasn't as consistent with my routine as I was when I first joined LHCF.

I'm packing my bags, ready to leave Setbacksville! Regular co-washing, moisturising, being more gentle with my hair and keeping it simple (but not neglectful!)