Nice thread! So, here's what sets me back:
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Stretching past 8 weeks.
That is the absolute limit for me. The breakage is just unreal. Will not happen again!
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Direct heat. I think I used a flat iron once in 2008. Pre-LHCF, I used a curling iron all the time. That was one of the first things I stopped after finding the Board. I think it has definitely helped keep my ends from thinning, to say the least.
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Switching up products every other week. Once I finally settled on some great products and stuck with them, my hair really started to turn around, reaping long term benefits of some great products with great ingredients.
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Poor self-relaxing. The Board helped me see how I was severely damaging my hair with my awful relaxing regimen. I didn't neutralize thoroughly, I didn't deep condition properly after neutralizing, and, worst of all, I didn't
rinse properly! I think the poor rinsing did the most damage, in the form of a nice bald spot on my nape
. With the things I have learned, my hair feels great after relaxing now.
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Not moisturizing. Keeping my hair moisturized, especially problem areas (ends, nape, front edges) has done so much to improve the health of my hair. Mainly because I never used to do it.
erplexed
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Not listening to my hair. I have learned to just sit back and let my hair tell me what it needs, adjusting my reg. to suit my hair rather than the other way around. If my hair needs more washing, so be it. More cowashing, okay then. More protein, here ya go. Definitely improved the condition of my hair.
I clarify as needed, not on a schedule. I normally wash twice a week, but more if needed. Some people might have hair that sticks to a tight schedule, but I sure don't. Hair can be so unpredictable.
did it anyways......
