Should I just transition? (long...)

[stixx]

Here's my story (sorry to post it again): I have 4b, fine hair, and for the first 20 odd years of my life I was natural. However my hair was always in braids and in my teen years, weaves, so my hairline was absolutely destroyed and my hair never grew because I didn't take care of it under the braids.

So it was suggested that I texlax my hair to give it a break from all the stress of braiding. This is around the time I started finding the hair boards, because that was the first time that I was actually wearing my hair out, and had no idea what to do. My hair grew quite fast, however I didn't realize at the time that my stylist who was doing a really good job otherwise, was cutting off my progress

At one point I kind of had a mini disaster where I let someone else relax my hair...she put it throughout my entire head. Luckily she washed it out quite quickly, so my strands did not come out bone straight or over processed, just the curl was much looser than before. However it's been a lot weaker since then.

Eventually I switched stylists. I asked her to underprocess my relaxer (texlax), but I think it's TOO underprocessed. To the point where there is still a demarcation line between what should have been touched up hair, and the rest of my length.

It's been about 10 weeks since I got that touch up, so there's clearly 3 textures in my hair now.

Natural hair seems hella enticing right now, however I don't know if it's possible to do a long term transition with my hair in it's current state (I really don't want to do a BC).

I could transition to the new texlax texture. However I hear a lot of people here talk about underprocessing and how damaging it is for hair.

Or I could do a corrective...with all the associated risks.

What do you think? Thanks for reading

ed: I should mention regardless of the chemical state of my hair I'll be straightening it or doing braid outs

 

[Platinum]

Hi there. After reading your post, I would suggest that you try doing some protein treatments to help add strength to your hair. Please, please, please DO NOT try texlaxing/relaxing anytime soon. If your hair is already damaged, you're only going to make this problem worse and create more damage.

My opinion... this sounds a good reason to consider transitioning. Pray about this, then read and susbscribe to all transitioning threads. There's lots of great information there and you'll want to check out the fotkis of other transitioners and naturals. Youtube has some pretty good videos on transitioning as well.

*Don't be afraid to ask questions. Good luck and HHG!

 

[stixx]

Thanks so much Platinum

 

[SEMO]

Well it's up to you. But think of it this way: if you go natural and don't like it you can always re-relax all that healthy virgin hair.

 

[stixx]

Thanks SEMO

I feel like even the almost straight hair isn't all that damaged currently, but I'm mostly worried about what will happen at the two demarcation lines.

OTOH I was talking to a girlfriend and she said that it's almost as if I have a "gradient" of texture...so that it would be easier because my hair goes from kinky to texturized to almost straight, instead of kinky to straight. So the difference is more gradual.

I guess you're right I can just wait and see, if it starts becoming an issue I can always relax.

 

[cmw45]

Photos????

 

[Highly Favored8]

Yes, your hair sounded like mine. If I were in your situation I would go for natural as well and maybe that is what your hair is trying to say to you to do. JMHO

 

[stixx]

Thanks ladies...

I don't have any recent photos, but the best way to describe it is that it's like

ZZSSSSS-------------

Where ZZ = natural, SS = under processed relaxer, and -- = texlaxed

My only issue with going natural is that I know I won't look good with short hair. So I'd really want to keep the entire length and cut off the texlaxed parts gradually...I just don't know how practical/plausible that is.

 

[Pandora1975]

Have you tried a braid or twist out already to see how well it disguises the differences? If it does, your transition should be a little easier. At least you'll have a heat-free style that you know works.

 

[stixx]

Yep I've been trying braidouts lately, but I don't think I'm doing them tightly enough to mask the natural <-> underprocessed demarcation line, if that makes any sense

I'm going to try rollersets as well to see if I can keep it all straight.

 

[stixx]

Bump with an update

I went to a salon that's big on healthy hair care for their opinion, and they said my hair was waaay too weak and that I need a corrective immediately.

Now if there's anyone I'd trust to do the corrective, it'd be them, but they also said I should be getting touch ups every 6 weeks when I know my hair can go much longer without breakage.

So I still don't know what to do

 

[stixx]

I'm also currently sitting with a protein reconstructor in my hair, which I haven't done in probably over a year (I know, I know , but I use a lot of protein containing products on a daily basis). So I'll see if that strengthens the demarcation lines at all.

 

[brucebettye]

You sound like I did before I telaxed my hair. One thing that worked for me is that I wore half wigs until I decided what I wanted to do with my hair. I also did a bc at this time to get rid of my damaged relaxed hair. It took me over a year after finding LHCF to decide to texlax my hair. So take your time to see what you want to do with your hair. I eventually texlaxed because I wanted to wear my hair curly 100% of the time instead of straight.

 

[stixx]

Thanks brucebettye

I was thinking about just leaving it be until I have more time to think about what to do. But the stylist was just so dead certain all my hair would break if I didn't do a corrective

I'm thinking of just doing another under processed touch up (I'm 10 weeks post) but this time actually pay attention to how the demarcation lines fair during that relaxer cycle.

I feel as though I'm close enough to my ultimate length goal (APL, and I'm only a few inches away), that if I can just keep my ish together until the end of the year, I can just cut off the ends slowly after that.

 

[**SaSSy**]

I would say transition. This is my second time transitioning. You have to understand what your hair needs in terms of protein/moisture balancing. I would suggest a mild protein treatment then decide what your hair needs from there. Check out YouTube for advice and tutorials. I have a few videos of my transitionig journey. I started to transition at 12 weeks post, and my hair was an inch past BSL. I've been cutting every 6 to 8 weeks an inch to still be close to bsl. With my stinkage and NG I just been moisturizing and PC my hair mostly because it's easier to handle.

 

[CaliDiamond]

I would say transition. This is my second time transitioning. You have to understand what your hair needs in terms of protein/moisture balancing. I would suggest a mild protein treatment then decide what your hair needs from there. .

ITA, with this. I think that you should transition as well. Get your hair in a healthier condition before you take the journey, but don't hang on to those double-processed ends forever. Give yourself a timeline to transition (6-8 mos, 12 mos, etc). In the end, you will be rewarded with fuller, healthier hair. HHG!