Transitioning without BC'ing Support Thread

[londonfog]

I guess I will be joining you ladies here! I'm a baby compared to many of you vets (only 2 1/2 months post) but I'm going to try to go for at least 1 year & then on from there. Since I've found the secret to managing my NG, I figured why not at least try to work with my natural hair so here I be! I've been wigging it with cornrows underneath & at the end of the month I'll be doing some kinky twists or Sengalese (sp?) & working with braids for about 2 months at a time & a wig for a month in-between each pause from braids to help with the transition. I've been lurking for a little over a week now reading some of the suggestions & experiences & haven't been scared off. I've already made up my mind that I am ready to go!!

 

[Rae81]

Have any of you all experienced extremely itchy scalps while transitioning? My head never really itched until I was about 12 weeks post, and by that time I'd relax. Now that I'm further along my head is going a little crazy. I'm probably being dramatic cause I'm not used to it. lol.

I'm dealing with this now and I'm 21 months post. I don't remember dealing with this early on. I have been using shampoo more because I thought it might be buildup. But I'm not sure, but it's very annoying

sent from my galaxy

 

[JaszG]

Thank you for the responses ladies! I tried oiling my scalp with oil last night after deep conditioning. So far I haven't been scratching like crazy. We'll see what happens later on. By the time I get out of class at 8:15 I'm usually about lose my mind. lol.

 

[Napp]

That is odd. I never had any itching when i went from relaxed to natural. My only issue is that my scalp is very oily and i have to wash it at least once a week. I cant get away with going for longer than that and would prefer to wash it more often exp because of the summer.

are there any wash n go styles for short transitioning hair?

 

[JaszG]

The itching wasn't that bad today. I hope this lasts. I don't want to walk around looking disgruntled because my head itches. Haha.

 

[bhndbrwneyes]

Anyone else have an issue with doing a braid/twist out or other style where your relaxed hair is just not holding the style well? If not and your relaxed hair looks as good as your natural hair for these styles, would you please share what products you are using? I think I might need a holding gel. I heard Aloe Vera gel was good. Nothing too heavy or that will leave residue.

 

[JaszG]

Anyone else have an issue with doing a braid/twist out or other style where your relaxed hair is just not holding the style well? If not and your relaxed hair looks as good as your natural hair for these styles, would you please share what products you are using? I think I might need a holding gel. I heard Aloe Vera gel was good. Nothing too heavy or that will leave residue.

I'm having a hard time styling my hair cause my new growth is way thicker than my ends, so now my twist-outs and everything look malnourished. The relaxed hair doesn't hold for long, and tangles. It tangles like crazy!

 

[bhndbrwneyes]

JaszG Same here about the thickness. My twist outs look bomb at my new growth and then get progressively weaker and weaker and by the time I get to the ends I just don't even have enough hair to twist but I still try they are just itty bitty twists that practically look straight. Plus on top of that my hair is just not holding the style right there so it gets even straighter. Ahhhhhh I almost cut my hair off the other day.

 

[Dayjoy]

70 weeks today. I'm at the salon right now under the dryer. I want to get a peek before she blow dries it. It doesn't seem like I have that much relaxed hair left. I'm definitely cutting in June, but I might go before then based on what I see in her mirror. See, that's why I haven't been able to wash my own hair lately. I KNEW I'd cut it and I wasn't ready at that length. But now...I don't know...

 

[Napp]

70 weeks today. I'm at the salon right now under the dryer. I want to get a peek before she blow dries it. It doesn't seem like I have that much relaxed hair left. I'm definitely cutting in June, but I might go before then based on what I see in her mirror. See, that's why I haven't been able to wash my own hair lately. I KNEW I'd cut it and I wasn't ready at that length. But now...I don't know...

Dayjoy I'm thinking of cutting around that time too. I'm so torn through because I need to be abale to wash n go again because I wont be chillin in AC this summer but at the same time I am not ready to revisit my short napps again!

At least so far with this new product my roots haven't reverted at all and i was sweating like a hog in heat. I usually dont belive in growth aids but I am thinking of using one to see if i can get a few more inches faster so I can cut earlier.

 

[bellebebe]

I had to come back in here since I big chopped. I did my very first puff today, after being 1 year & 2 months relaxer free. I wanted to do a long-term transition, but my hair said, "H3LL Naw, Sahn!!". I BC'd 6 months into transitioning. This lil thread helped me out though. Anyway, I'm proud of myself that I could actually do a puff.

 

[Dayjoy]

bellebebe Your hair is so pretty! That's a NICE puff for a year and two months. It looks like you can get it into a pony puff.

Dayjoy I'm thinking of cutting around that time too. I'm so torn through because I need to be abale to wash n go again because I wont be chillin in AC this summer but at the same time I am not ready to revisit my short napps again!

At least so far with this new product my roots haven't reverted at all and i was sweating like a hog in heat. I usually dont belive in growth aids but I am thinking of using one to see if i can get a few more inches faster so I can cut earlier.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I am going to try that inversion method from the "one inch growth in a week" thread for the next two months.

BC day is June 19 at 80 weeks. I'm going to have my hair stylist do it and I'll wear it straight for that week. Then, the night before my birthday I'm going to wash, DC, and set it in twisted Bantu knots. Then I'm sporting a 'fro for my birthday. I'm excited!!!

 

[JaszG]

@bhndbrwneye The struggle is real! I have just been putting my hair in two flat twists, and trying to make it look cute. I get a lot of compliments on it, oddly. lol. I may attempt another twist out this weekend.

 

[bellebebe]

bellebebe Your hair is so pretty! That's a NICE puff for a year and two months. It looks like you can get it into a pony puff.



I can't believe I'm saying this, but I am going to try that inversion method from the "one inch growth in a week" thread for the next two months.

BC day is June 19 at 80 weeks. I'm going to have my hair stylist do it and I'll wear it straight for that week. Then, the night before my birthday I'm going to wash, DC, and set it in twisted Bantu knots. Then I'm sporting a 'fro for my birthday. I'm excited!!!

Dayjoy

Thanks, doll, for thinking my puff looks good. lol
It's crazy, but it's the absolute first time I wore my natural hair out in public. I wear wigs or weaves 99.9% of the time because it gets me out of the house faster, and look at you planning your BC day like that. I think it's cute. I cannot wait to see your BC'd hair. I bet it will be beautiful!

 

[daviine]

I'm posting from my phone so I know I'm going to miss key points here.

bellebebe Your hair is beautiful!

Napp I was taking biotin to speed up the progress. Idk if it worked though.

I plan to BC on 5/12. It will be exactly 18 months since my last relaxer. I couldn't find any dates I liked (2013 messed everything up). I would do it this weekend but I don't want to do it at 17 months post. There's always the chance that I'll just say *** it and do it before 5/12. Who knows really?

Dayjoy I like that you still count in weeks. I lost track after 52.

 

[ezina]

I just purchased my lace wig - my first wig ever! I'll use it as my main protective style for the year 2013 (I also plan on going completely heat-free for the remainder of the year) and evaluate the progress of my hair come December 2013/January 2014. The last time I straightened and performed a length check was December 2012.

Phew. I need this break big time.

 

[CandiceC]

I'm posting from my phone so I know I'm going to miss key points here.

@bellebebe Your hair is beautiful!

@Napp I was taking biotin to speed up the progress. Idk if it worked though.

I plan to BC on 5/12. It will be exactly 18 months since my last relaxer. I couldn't find any dates I liked (2013 messed everything up). I would do it this weekend but I don't want to do it at 17 months post. There's always the chance that I'll just say *** it and do it before 5/12. Who knows really?

@Dayjoy I like that you still count in weeks. I lost track after 52.

@daviine

That's my birthday!!!
I planned to BC my birthday week. I hope I don't chicken out.

 

[havilland]

21.5 months

92 weeks

647 days

Since my last relaxer..,,,,,,,,,whew!

 

[havilland]

Anyone else have an issue with doing a braid/twist out or other style where your relaxed hair is just not holding the style well? If not and your relaxed hair looks as good as your natural hair for these styles, would you please share what products you are using? I think I might need a holding gel. I heard Aloe Vera gel was good. Nothing too heavy or that will leave residue.

You def need to put perm rods on your ends and use a light holding gel like Kinky Curly gel or the light Eco styler.

 

[Jobwright]

Proud of you havilland ! I'm trying to get there...22 weeks for me!

 

[Rae81]

i straightened my hair for the first time since thanksgiving. Its not as uneven as i thought but i do have to get a good trim. Im so scared to go get a trim im afraid they may chop it off and if that happens then i will just have to end my transition because i will be fully natural in the back. im praying they dont do that.

 

[bhndbrwneyes]

I would like to transition in a way where as my natural hair grows out I can continuously dust my relaxed ends away retaining the same length until all of my relaxed hair is gone. I like the length of my hair which is MBL-WL. I don’t want to chop off anything putting me shorter than SL. I want to completely skip those awkward EL & NL phases. I have about 6 inches of NG and looks like I need about 8 more inches of growth in order for all of my natural hair to reach SL while stretched. That’s another 16 months which I can’t imagine! I’m 13 months post right now and that was even hard for me.

 

[Dayjoy]

I would like to transition in a way where as my natural hair grows out I can continuously dust my relaxed ends away retaining the same length until all of my relaxed hair is gone. I like the length of my hair which is MBL-WL. I don’t want to chop off anything putting me shorter than SL. I want to completely skip those awkward EL & NL phases. I have about 6 inches of NG and looks like I need about 8 more inches of growth in order for all of my natural hair to reach SL while stretched. That’s another 16 months which I can’t imagine! I’m 13 months post right now and that was even hard for me.

This was my original plan (only I'm APL) and what DH seems to want, but the more I see naturals out and about, the more I wanted to have that big hair. So my original 2-3 year plan will now be 18 months.

 

[bhndbrwneyes]

Yea, I'm caring less and less about length though I don't want my hair to get too short because I really don't think I would look right. I'm caring more and more about letting my curls form they way they should and not having my relaxed texture weighing them down. It looks like I'm 3b/c but who knows maybe my curls are just being stretched and I'm actually 3c/4a. Plus my natural hair is so thick and healthy I can actually feel where the demarcation line is without looking because it's such a huge difference in thickness. I'm just ready for my whole head to be that way. And for my twist/braids outs to look good for the entire length of my hair, not just the top 6 inches.

 

[MileHighDiva]

havilland I'm on your heels. I'm 20 months post, my last relaxer was August 2011. I'm going to mini chop any remaining relaxed ends at 24 months, if I can last that long. This is the nonsense I had to deal with last night... relaxed ends sticking out of curlformers.
















Sent from my Speak & Spell using LHCF

 

[Napp]

Anyone else have an issue with doing a braid/twist out or other style where your relaxed hair is just not holding the style well? If not and your relaxed hair looks as good as your natural hair for these styles, would you please share what products you are using? I think I might need a holding gel. I heard Aloe Vera gel was good. Nothing too heavy or that will leave residue.

I like to use a setting lotion/foam with a strong hold. I dont like gel in my hair and i find that the right setting lotion can give the hold of a gel without the tacky feeling,long dry time and difficult wash out.

As for getting a better consitency from root to tip i definitley recommend flat twists instead of singles when doing twist outs. The key to getting the twist out to look decent is to get consistent tension throughout the flat twist. To do that, i finish the flat part of the twist and pin it down. This helps to keep tension at the roots. Then i proceed with the rest as tight as possible and wrap the ends with a perm rod(i prefer the white ones).

If your ends taper it will be harder to get decent looking results. It would be best to use a perm rod where the hair begins to taper the most.

HTH

 

[january noir]

Weeeeee! 10 months!

 

[Leslie_C]

@Dayjoy

Thanks, doll, for thinking my puff looks good. lol
It's crazy, but it's the absolute first time I wore my natural hair out in public. I wear wigs or weaves 99.9% of the time because it gets me out of the house faster, and look at you planning your BC day like that. I think it's cute. I cannot wait to see your BC'd hair. I bet it will be beautiful!

bellebebe are are the same amounf ot time post relaxer! How did it feel wearing your hair out? I was SO nervous to wear my hair out to work...paranoid my coworkers would either a) laugh at me or b) think it didnt look good and/or is unprofessional. Well I wore a shake and go to work all this week with various headbands and I have NEVER gotten so many compliments in general than I have this week. Feels good and makes me more confident wearing it out! It was a total lazy style the other day...I didnt even take my time and apply product in sections or anything...I literally cowashed, put leave in, spread a glob of gel on top, shook it like a dog, and went! Easiest.style.ever! Now this weekend I may try it actually taking some time...would probably look better but at least I know I can get away with what I did in a pinch! Wash and gos alllll summer over here!

 

[havilland]

bellebebe are are the same amounf ot time post relaxer! How did it feel wearing your hair out? I was SO nervous to wear my hair out to work...paranoid my coworkers would either a) laugh at me or b) think it didnt look good and/or is unprofessional. Well I wore a shake and go to work all this week with various headbands and I have NEVER gotten so many compliments in general than I have this week. Feels good and makes me more confident wearing it out! It was a total lazy style the other day...I didnt even take my time and apply product in sections or anything...I literally cowashed, put leave in, spread a glob of gel on top, shook it like a dog, and went! Easiest.style.ever! Now this weekend I may try it actually taking some time...would probably look better but at least I know I can get away with what I did in a pinch! Wash and gos alllll summer over here!

this is such an inspiring story. i had the opposite happen.....i saw a client i hadn't seen in awhile a few weeks ago. she is caucasian. she said to me regarding my hair "what'd you do to your hair? you look like you got a jheri curl!" she started to say more, but the look on my face told her not to. good thing i am not sensitive about my hair. because that really could have stung me bad.

 

[Amarilles]

Is anyone having a smooth transition? I had some issues at around 7-8 months post when I decided to go natural, so the process of finding products/figuring out my method was bumpy but since it's been sorted I've had no issues. Hair detangles easily and stays detangled throughout the week...I see some SSKs in my shed but not on my hair, I get some breakage during the wash routine but that's expected and it's not significant. I'm only 12 months in though, at this rate I can go on for a long, long time...but December is my max since I'm going back home to Dominican Rep. and would rather be natural by then. Anyone else?

Lemme go find some wood..