Transitioning: The UGLY stage

DontTouchMyHair

DontTouchMyHair

New Member
Ladies,

I have tried transitioning every single year for the last four years and after my last feat with a relaxer/color gone wrong I am attempting once again. I haven't relaxed since late May and its getting to be that time when I would chose to relax again. (But with the damange I have that def wont be happening, Im def trying to stick with the transition).

I'm trying to take my transition serious this time but as soon as I hit that ugly stage I panic... and relax.

Disclosure; I'm not trying to insult anyone by referring to it as the ugly stage, I call it that because I can't wear my relaxed styles anymore and my hair isn't natural enough for the natural styles so i'm style-less and my hair just looks a mess.

So basically, what helps you get through this stage?... styles, regimens, etc.

I tried a full sew in twice and looked like I was rocking my granny's wig both times so thats a no. :lol:

I think i want to try french braids in the front and curly sew in in the back. I also bought a wavy/curly phony pony that should match my hair texture too... but this is just a start.

Help me puh-lease! :perplexed
 
Yeah, I have color/relaxer damage so I know what you mean.

When I started transitioning, my hair was between SL and APL. I bunned at first and then I started using Curlformers, which is my current staple style.

I usually wear my hair up 60% of the time.

I'm currently 7 months post.
 
I am at that stage right now:nono:(i have crazy shrinkage in my siggy....and in general lol) Below is a pic of my hair unshrunken
IMG00210-20110904-2345.jpg


When I get tired of dealing with it, I just bung it up in twist extensions and leave it be for 6 weeks:yep:...(thse are the only pics i have of me in twists)
dineo-1.png

newdini.png

kietudini.png
 
I was doing braidouts and buns around that time.
Well my buns looked ridiculous and my braidouts looked crazy so I dunno why I'm up here trying to give you advice.
 
Oh snap, i shouldn't have posted. I thought this was about the awkward stage after TWA but before hair that has any real length to it....
Serves me right for skim-reading:lachen::lachen:

Sorry OP
 
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For me, my awkward stage started around 8 months post, so I would do flexi rod sets and I also discovered the beauty of crochet braids. Sometimes I would do braidouts but they looked busted a lot of the time so I turned to braids and twists.

HTH
 
DontTouchMyHair

You sound JUST like me. I tried transitioning sooo many times and the only thing that kicked me into it fully was relaxer/color damage :-( I had no choice but to leave chemicals alone for a while or i'd be in much worse shape!! I slowly but surely clipped clipped clipped and I didn't BC until after a year and I wore weaves, closures, frontals and wigs to help me through my transition.
 
I wore my hair in exactly the same styles (flatironed roots) as when I was relaxed for the first year of my transition and then I started ps/bunning after that. I'm 2 1/2 years into my transition now and I wear buns or updos 90% of the time. Once every 4-6 weeks I flatiron and wear it straight for about 10 days - then back to buns. Rinse, repeat.

Conversely, my bf transitioned for over 3 years and she wore her hair straightened (every 2 weeks) the whole time. She didn't bun or wear updos at all.

You'll just have to find out what you think looks good to you, whether it's curly styles, straightened hair or protective styles - and then keep up on your deep conditioning and moisturizing. Once you get into a groove, it'll become second nature.

You can do it, OP!
 
The ugly stage with the puffy, unmanageable roots is why it took me 3 years to finally transition for real! And, had I not been pregg w. my daughter, I still might've wimped out. But that 9 mos gave me the opp to braid my hair up and then BC to a TWA. It is definitely difficult to get through the first 5 months. Those were the worst for me when I transitioned a 2nd time.
 
I started wearing a "puff bun". It's basically a puff with the relaxed ends rolled down around it like a bun. I'd link to the video on my channel, but I'm on my phone.
 
I wore buns for most of my 20 month transition. (i haven't worn one since!)
Months 6-9 were the worst. That's when I started bunning frequently. The less I saw my hair, the less I wanted to either perm or BC.
When I did wear it out, I would do roller sets and flatiron my roots. At night, I would put it in Bantu knots. That would last a few days.
Also lesedi you are really pretty.
 
I did not really transition, I big chopped. But one of my coworkers who is transitioning has been in a bun for the past 3 months.

I think buns and braids are a great way to transition though.
 
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lesedi said:
I am at that stage right now:nono:(i have crazy shrinkage in my siggy....and in general lol) Below is a pic of my hair unshrunken
IMG00210-20110904-2345.jpg


When I get tired of dealing with it, I just bung it up in twist extensions and leave it be for 6 weeks:yep:...(thse are the only pics i have of me in twists)
dineo-1.png

newdini.png

kietudini.png
Click to expand...
Wow! You're gorgeous!! Your skin is flawless
 
Right now I am 6 months into my transition, and I have been living in braidouts and flat twistouts. I had never had curly or wavy hair before; I always kept it flat ironed straight. But I love these styles. I use flexirods on the ends also and then twist the whole twist/braid around the flexirod to hold it in place. You may need to experiment with braidouts versus flat twistouts (different looks slightly) to see which you prefer. And I think placement is important, too. I part my hair to the side (I prefer a side part) and then do the sections in front of my ears so that the braid or twist will fall in front of my ears because that's how I want the hair to go (I usually won't braid/twist straight to the back unless I will pull it up).

If I ever need to cowash and am really short for time, I will just wet bun it and use ORS Edge Control on the edges and do the scarf method if necessary. I think your hair is long enough to wet bun. Then just place the bun in different spots (very high, middle of your head, low, to the side, etc.) so that you don't get bored and to avoid breakage. Also, cowashing and then just braiding it in 2 normal braids makes really pretty waves (with a headband if you prefer to hide your roots).

HTH!
 
lesedi ur so pretty...

i only transitioned for 4 months, and i had a short cut with tapered back so my styles were limited, but i did a few twistouts/twist n curls/rod sets, had braids and kinky twists for a couple of months, and for the last month i wore a beanie every. single. day. :look:
 
lesedi, you're gorgeous!! and i love your nose piercing-i just got mine done. like a few hours ago, lol.
Your Cheeziness-yo, that install is nice! do you think someone could get away with just 4oz? im cheap. :look: and broke.

OP, you can do a lot of braid n curls, braidouts, twistouts, basically textured hair styles. or you could continue to rollerset, and then flatiron to blend the roots. You can do it! I recommend checking out ninapruitt's Youtube channel-she has vids from when she first started transitioning and gives excellent tips.
 
My hair has been in box braids (weave free) for the past few months. I just redo them when needed. Once a month I rebraid my whole head by taking one down at a time and braiding it back up. I still wash and DC my hair while in the braids. I plan on keeping this style until I'm ready for my BC, however long that takes.
 
Rocky91 said:
@lesedi, you're gorgeous!! and i love your nose piercing-i just got mine done. like a few hours ago, lol.
@Your Cheeziness-yo, that install is nice! do you think someone could get away with just 4oz? im cheap. :look: and broke.

OP, you can do a lot of braid n curls, braidouts, twistouts, basically textured hair styles. or you could continue to rollerset, and then flatiron to blend the roots. You can do it! I recommend checking out ninapruitt's Youtube channel-she has vids from when she first started transitioning and gives excellent tips.
Click to expand...

Rocky91 - Definitely. This hair is very full because of the curl size. You can tame it or pick it out. It can be rolled on rods and straightened as well.
 
lesedi said:
I am at that stage right now:nono:(i have crazy shrinkage in my siggy....and in general lol) Below is a pic of my hair unshrunken
IMG00210-20110904-2345.jpg


When I get tired of dealing with it, I just bung it up in twist extensions and leave it be for 6 weeks:yep:...(thse are the only pics i have of me in twists)
dineo-1.png

newdini.png

kietudini.png
Click to expand...

ot: you are stunning!
 
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