Transitioners/Press and Curl wearers...

[nita4]

Thanks to Sweetcocoa and Adrienne, I didn't go off to the beauty supply store this past weekend and attempt to do my own lye relaxer touch up. The words "regret and set back" kept ringing in my ears.

So, until I make up mind my about what I'm going to do with my hair...and because I haven't called my beautician to reschedule for my touch up. I was wondering...

Do you think a soft press would damage my hair?

Should I condition more with protein if I do press??

Should I press occassionally?

Or should I just attempt to blow dry and style and leave the pressing alone?

My hair isn't bone straight, it's underprocessed but my new growth is tight. Normally, I shampoo and braid to stretch out the new growth, then spray with a moisturizer, pin up and go. This has helped as my hair and it's looking very healthy, but the more new growth I get the more "unkept" it looks.

I want to maintain my hair health and avoid any "set backs and/or regrets". /images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Tell me what you think??

 

[auntybe]

Hey Nita 4:

Since your hair is under processed I would defintely try a protein treatment followed by a moisture treatment(aphogee is a good one to try) and then a light press or do the treatments and not press at all. Because even with the pressing you may get some damage. STAY AWAY from the blow dryer as much as possible.

Oh yeah one question are you pressing your hair with a comb or a flat iron?

 

[nita4]

Hi Auntybe /images/graemlins/wave.gif

Was hoping that you would respond. How are things going with your transition? What are you doing to make it as smooth as possible for you?

I am using a pressing comb.

Normally, I use Keraphix every 4th week and use no heat. I have an inch of new growth and I'm thinking that as time goes on...the new growth is going to be hard to handle.

Anyways, If I use heat - once a week - I'm thinking that I need the protein for strength. I just don't want to dry my hair out.


Brighteyes were are you? /images/graemlins/confused.gif You transitioned with a press/curl too. Any others??

 

[auntybe]

My transition is going great. It will be one year since my last touch-up on Feb. 8th. I am still in the weave because I needed a little more time recovering from surgery before I felt comfortable with all of my hair. I have been pressing my edges with a flat iron. I use Dudley's Cream Press and WGO to press straight. I am finally going to use the New Image Damage Free Thermal Conditioning Styler(recommended by Valleygirl)on Friday. I tried a test section and it is great. I actually like the flat iron better than the pressing comb.

When I got the new weave put in on Jan 15th. I had gained about 2inches. I was really afraid that I would loose a lot of hair after surgery(I usually loose a lot of hair), but I didn't. I started using Sulfur 8 for my ictching and dryness and it is working really well. Since I have been using Sulfur 8 on my scalp my hair has really been growing like crazy. I spray a little jojoba and aloe on my hair to calm down the smell.

Oh yeah try and ACV rinse...it softened my new growth alot when I first transition

HTH

 

[BlkMane]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Nita4 said:I am using a pressing comb.


[/ QUOTE ]

nita-

I would not suggest using a pressing comb on your new growth if the rest of your hair is relaxed straight. Virgen/natural hair is much, much, much stronger than relaxed hair and the heat level necessary to straighten your new growth will almost certainly BREAK OFF your relaxed hair.

Here's a little story from personal experience:

Last summer after I got my hair relaxed after being completed natural for 5 years, I decided to curl a few sections of my hair with my Gold N' Hot curling iron. (This was my first time using the iron after getting texturized.) When I was natural, I would use my Gold N' Hot on Level 10 or something (out of 20). So, naturally that was the level it was set to. Well, I grabbed a section of hair to start curling it and THE MINUTE that curling iron touched my hair, my hair started to MELT!! Yes, melt!! I burned that section of hair right off! /images/graemlins/frown.gif

Thank, God, I was just curling my ends and the section was a layered section in the front part of my head. I ONLY had to trim off about 1" to 1 1/2". If I had put that curling iron higher up I would have melted a whole chunk of my hair! I would have had to get a track or something! /images/graemlins/shocked.gif

From that experience I learned that natural hair is INDEED much stronger than relaxed hair. My natural hair could withstand that temperature, but my texturized hair practically disintegrated on contact.

I don't use any curling irons now, but when I use my Jilbere Ceramic Flatiron, I never go higher than Level 3 (out of 25!) and that gets my relaxed hair bone straight. I'm pretty sure my natural hair could withstand a much higher level.

If you insist on straightening the new growth, I would suggest you only use a CERAMIC FLAT IRON (small ones that get close to the scalp) and use it on a very low setting.

I'm scared right now thinking of you putting a pressing comb in your hair. /images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Faith]

Oh BOY! Definitely do not press your relaxed hair. Don't let your relaxed hair get anywhere near that much heat. Back in 94 when I was "relaxed". I had relaxed a few weeks prior but it didn't turn out well so I hotcombed it. /images/graemlins/blush.gif Then later on that day a bunch of us were going to a club so I decided to relax it. After doing this I proceeded to curl (I don't recall the name of it..but it was HOT). Needless to say when I removed the curling iron my hair was still wrapped around the curling iron. I had about 3" of hair left (about 6-8 inches was gone). I actually laughed. I thought it was funny cause I had been so stupid...ya know /images/graemlins/laugh.gif Anyhoo, I kept styling it (without the iron) and I still looked good that night. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[nita4]

Blkmane,

Yikes!! /images/graemlins/shocked.gif Heaven forbid!! I bet that was scary!!

Yes, I put a pressing comb in my head last night, but something told me to turn the termperature down on the stove. I kept it "warm" for a light press. I'm just scared of the damage it might cause. My sister transitioned this way with gradual trims. She is not interested in hair care at all, and her hair looks dry. My thing is to "research" into doing this periodically and not undo the work I've already done.

Thanks for the response. This was just what I was looking for.

But, why a flat iron versus a hot comb? Is it because the temperature can be controlled??

Thanks for your "true story".

 

[nita4]

Okay, well.

How do you say "You've put the fear of pressing my hair in me".

Okay...Hummm...this isn't going to be easy. Is it?? I'm tired of looking "frumpy". [Laughing] because Deborah11 and I were talking about this earlier...

Six months of frumpy...but I do have healthy hair...I don't want to braid...no big chop - might change my mind later...now what?? [thinking out loud]

Back to my natural hair styles that don't look exactly right /images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[BlkMane]

nita4-

I say a CERAMIC flat iron only. Not even a regular flat iron.

I've noticed a drastic difference in the feel and condition of my hair after using a ceramic vs. a regular (gold) or steel flat iron. With a ceramic iron, once you straighten your hair it doesn't feel hot and it doesn't feel like you have just sucked all the moisture out of it. It also doesn't smoke! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

To put it simply, I will NEVER let any other type of flat or curling iron touch my hair other than ceramic ones.

I feel and I think others will agree, that ceramic is much healthier for your hair, less drying and damaging.

Of course, I would still only use it occasionally. (Too much of a good thing can also be bad.)

Just my observation.

 

[nita4]

BlkMane, I will take that into consideration. I don't think I've ever seen a ceramic flat iron, but I have heard the raves about them on this board. Will do a search. That is exactly what I don't want to do if I use occasionally is "suck the moisture out". Thanks again. /images/graemlins/wink.gif