Transitioning Progress Pics!!! (kinda long)

[songbyrd517]

Hi there Gals! Thank you all for your support and help! I am seeing results! I love you guys I just wanted to show how my hair has grown, as well as ask a few questions. I am approx. 13 weeks into my transition, and I can see that my hair has indeed grown. I know it may not look like much, but I am proud nonetheless. It looks really healthy too! My pics are attached at the bottom. The one on the very bottom is my sad little new growth from Jan 20 2005, and the two on top were taken last night, March 15. It is not growing very fast, but I can see progess. Den1 and all my Speedy Growth ladies, thank you for providing me a support group :crazy: ! I am sure we will all do fine.

Now, on to my questions:

I know I've asked before what my hair type is, but I still can't tell. It is not really important to me, I love it anyway. It's just that I would like to know for the sake of finding hair buddies. I thought it might be 4a at first, then a few other ladies as well as myself thought it might be 3c/4a, and now, I have no idea. What do you all think now?

Next, when I used to relax my hair, I would have trouble putting it around my hairline (sides and nape included). My hair was kind of fine in those areas, and I did not realize it, so I let the relaxer stay on too long and it got on my scalp inevitably. Now I have frizzy, dry, tangly, horrible looking overprocessed hair in those areas, and it seems to be growing in like that. This leads me to believe that I have chemically damaged my scalp in those areas. So, will this stop eventually, and my normal texture begin to grow in? In the meantime, is there anything I can put on my scalp to speed the healing process? I'm sorry this is so long guys, but I need your help. I don't know what to do.

 

[hopeful]

Unless your scalp is really damaged I think you will be pleasantly surprised to see how well your nape and sides will do without a relaxer. I bet in another month or two you will see a big difference. Keep those areas very moisturized and trim split/damaged ends as needed. Good luck!

 

[ThursdayGirl]

Very pretty texture... looks like 3c/4a to me... your pictures looks like my hair which I think is 4a/3c, but not all of my waves are as defined or spaced as far apart as yours... which makes me think you probably have more 3c than I do. Very pretty!

I'm not sure what to say about the way the hair is growing in... but it sounds like scab hair... so maybe the follicles are a little damaged.... I have read that for a lot of ladies, not using relaxer in that area does allow the follicles to heal eventually.

 

[songbyrd517]

Thanks for the advice ladies. I hope it is scab hair ThursdayGirl. This stuff is horrid. Do you have any hair pics - possible buddy , lol. I have not seen my texture anywhere, and the hair typing thing twist me all up because if you ask me, none of them look like my hair. Hopeful, I will try what you suggested, it sounds like it may help .

More advice/suggestion/thoughts?

 

[kristina]

Hey Hair Twin!
Congrats on your progress- your hair looks really great and iI agree that it will only get better as you continue to transition. As far as typing- I'm equally confused though I think we have similar hair types. When I look at my wet hair, the lion's share of my hair is small corkscrews (the circumference of a pencil, NOT a magic marker)- the only difference between a 3c and a 4a is the size of those corkscrews- so one woman's 3c may be another's 4a. I know, it would be nice to have some definitive answer about that but whatever the type, your texture is really pretty.

 

[songbyrd517]

Thank you twin!!!! I take that as a high compliment coming from you! Yes, we do have very similar hair types. I hope it can grow to be as beautiful as yours! I can't wait until I'm au naturale. Then you and I can really begin to share tips tips and tricks

 

[Nanyanika]

Songbyrd good luck with transitioning

 

[sweetpineapple]

good luck with transitioning

 

[Victorian]

Congrats on your growth!
Your hair looks somewhere in that 3c/4a realm to me too, probably more 3c than 4a. I say that because my hair is pretty uniformly 4a, and by the time I had that much newgrowth it wasn't laying in waves--it was spiraling a lot. And my spirals are much smaller than a pencil in circumference as well. Hopefully you can make them out in my avatar and see what I mean.

I'm sure your scalp will recover fine--it will just take a little time. You might try using a little tea tree oil on those spots to help them heal. It's supposed to be really good for your scalp. Good Luck!

 

[Nanyanika]

VITAMIN E oil is brilliant, i used it on scalp burn/thin sides, it healed my scalp sore and it grew my sides in too.

 

[songbyrd517]

Thank you guys! Den1, I tried using Vitamin E for about a two weeks, but I was bursting the capsules and it got irritating. I can't seem to find a bottle of pure vitamin e oil anywhere. Do you know where I can buy some from ( I'd prefer not to order it). I didn't know that tea tree oil could help either BlackCardinal. Where can I get pure tea tree oil from?

 

[Nanyanika]

Thank you guys! Den1, I tried using Vitamin E for about a two weeks, but I was bursting the capsules and it got irritating. I can't seem to find a bottle of pure vitamin e oil anywhere. Do you know where I can buy some from ( I'd prefer not to order it). I didn't know that tea tree oil could help either BlackCardinal. Where can I get pure tea tree oil from?

I purchase Healthaid Pure vitamin E oil, from my local pharmacy in London. Tea Tree oil is also a very good anti-bacterial oil and also heals.

 

[blue_flower]

Hey, songbyrd!
I could've sworn I was looking at pictures of my own hair! I'm 3c/4a. When styling your hair, you need to be extra gentle with the front of it. That means no tight ponytails, puffs, or anything else. Your transition seems to be coming along nicely and I wish you good results!

 

[Divastate]

Songbyrd you are really making some good progress- lovely new growth.

My transition was about 8 months (though I didn't know I was transitioning until about 3 or 4 months in). The key for me was conditioner washes, water and moisture. I was in braids for half of it and the other half I did braidouts.

As far as hair type goes- my hair type was not apparent until after I did my big chop. I was certain that I would be a 4B according to my new growth but wound up being 4a.

With the fragile hair around your hairline and nape it definitely sounds like you have scab hair growing in. According to Pamela Ferrell in the book "Let's Talk Hair" where scab hair was originally discussed- scab hair can take up to 2 years for your follicles to heal and regrow your normal hair. The duration of scab hair usually depends on how often the person was relaxing as well as technique -was the relaxer applied correctly, did it never touch the scalp, was protectant used, etc.

Good luck in your transition!

 

[Bublnbrnsuga]

Wow!! Congrats on your decision to transition!

 

[PretteePlease]

looks good i say just keep stuff off the scalp and let it do its thing

 

[songbyrd517]

Thank you guys for the compliments, advice, and good wishes . I really appreciate it, and I will try everyone's suggestions . I now accept the 3c/4a classification, especially since I saw Blue_flowers album! Wow!

Divastate: WOW girl! Two whole years huh? Well, I hope my scalp heals quicker than that. I don't plan on doing a big chop though, at least not until my natural hair is a decent length. BTW, your hair is BEAUTIFUL

Hey, songbyrd!
I could've sworn I was looking at pictures of my own hair! I'm 3c/4a. When styling your hair, you need to be extra gentle with the front of it. That means no tight ponytails, puffs, or anything else. Your transition seems to be coming along nicely and I wish you good results!

Hey Blue_flower ! New hair buddy alert! I just looked at your album and OMG! Your hair looks just like mine! In fact I have never seen anyone's hair so similar. I will now stalk your album , lol. That is so great, I guess my hair is not weird. You have beautiful hair, and it gives me hope that I can grow my natural hair long. I will definitely follow your advice. Thank you so much!

P.S. May I pm you if I need help?

 

[candibaby]

Congratulations!

You're coming along great, I can't wait until I have that much new growth!
I think you are a 3c/4a, because your new growth looks a lot like mine (the first time I transitioned) which is 3c/4a also. I'm not too sure about your scalp question, because I don't think your new hair would grow in damaged even if your scalp had been harmed.. because hair grows from within.. Like I said I'm not too sure.

 

[Cinnabuns]

VITAMIN E oil is brilliant, i used it on scalp burn/thin sides, it healed my scalp sore and it grew my sides in too.

Thanks for the tip Den1, I'm going to have to try this. - you're advice is so awesome!