Lye over No Lye

lshevonne

New Member
Has anyone ever applied a lye relaxer over their no lye relaxed hair? If the lye relaxer is mild will it over process the no lye hair much? Ok, will it do a lot of damage?
 

Kitkat

Active Member
lshevonne, applying a lye relaxer to no lye hair is recommended, especially if the lye relaxer is a conditioning relaxer. My last few relaxers have been lye relaxers, but for years I used no lye relaxers. The Shamboosie book recommends this to treat hair previously relaxed with no-lye relaxers. As long as the lye relaxer isn't left on too long, it shouldn't overprocess or damage the hair. If the no-lye hair is underprocessed, though, the lye relaxer won't straighten it.

HTH.
 

Tracy

New Member
You could also just apply the lye relaxer to the new growth and begin using it regularly.

I wasn't sure from your post if this is what you meant, but a corrective relaxer - one where a relaxer is pulled through previously relaxed hair to correct underprocessing for whatever reason - is something that is also possible. But it's something I would personally recommend. I just wouldn't trust my hair to tolerate a realxer twice. /images/graemlins/shocked.gif

You shouldn't notice a major difference in texture if you just began relaxing the new growth and let the hair processed with no-lye grow out. And if you do I think it would be manageable. HTH /images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

pebbles

New Member
Hi Ishevonne,

According to Shamboosie, you should definately apply a lye relaxer over a no-lye relaxer. He says not to leave it as long on the ends as you would on the roots, but apply to the whole head to condition the previously no-lye relaxed hair. I'm about to take the leap from no-lye to lye so I have some questions as well. From what I've read, everyone who made the transition from no-lye to lye says it went fine. /images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

Integrity

Active Member
pebbles, are you then saying if transitioning from no lye to lye, the relaxer creme must be applied to the WHOLE hair shaft??
 

pebbles

New Member
According to Shamboosie, first you apply the lye relaxer to the new growth. Then you apply the lye relaxer to the rest of the hair that was previously relaxed by a no-lye. He says he recommends this to condition the hair. So yes, the lye relaxer should be applied to the WHOLE hair shaft, just don't leave it in as long as you would for the new growth area.
 

nita4

New Member
I followed Shamboosie's recommendations for a corrective relaxer touch up over no-lye underprocessed hair. The lye relaxer was first applied to my new growth - then toward the end of processing time to the rest of the strand. I was given a deep conditioning treatment afterward and have continued to follow the rest of his recommendations at home. Using a moisturizing conditioner weekly and a protein conditioner once a month. I have experienced no damage and very little shedding. I can still tell the difference in the two hair textures, but it's just a matter of letting it grow out...HTH
 

nita4

New Member
Sorry, forgot to answer your question. My relaxer was a dudley's mild and no it didn't over process the no-lye hair - it just conditioned it. There was no real change in the no-lye hair at all. Just condition your hair well after it's done. I do a moisturizing conditioner twice a week and a protein once a month as not to dry out the no-lye hair. If you dry out the no-lye hair it will break off so use your moisturizing conditioner more and the protein less. I've experienced no damage as a matter of fact, my wet sets are smooth and soft. No major shedding on comb outs. Remember be gentle...
 

nita4

New Member
Pandora, she smoothed it through with her fingers the whole time. She used a rattail comb only to part my hair with.
 

lshevonne

New Member
You ladies are great. I guess I should have asked this before I put the Motions Oil on my new growth. Thanks for all the replies.
 

Tracy

New Member
Leshevonne:

Forgive me if I'm being too forward but I am very alarmed at the prospect of you pulling the relaxer through your hair. Shamboosie also says you can use a curling iron daily if you use a little cream press. Obviously this is not something most of us would consider. My point: This is simply one hairdresser's THEORY. Shamboosie's method of correcting a no lye relaxer is not "THE" only way to transition from a no-lye to a lye. I switched from no lye to lye back to no lye and then back to lye many times (don't recommend that either but I did it) and not ONCE have I pulled the relaxer through my hair. My instincts tell me this really is the safest way to do it. I truly beIieve that this why my hair has stayed so healthy despite the ungodly frequency with which I changed relaxer formulas. I applied the relaxer on my new growth and waited for the ends to grow out. I just want you to understand that pulling the relaxer through to the ends is not a necessary part of the process in switching from a no lye to a lye relaxer. You can go from one to the other doing exactly as you did - applying the relaxer to the new growth ONLY - with no adverse effects. Many many people do this.

I have included a link to a thread from one of our members who had a disasterous experience with this very "pull through" process. If you decide to do it anyway I suggest you proceed with the utmost caution. Be careful mama....

Good Luck.

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=Women&Number=5751&page=3&view=collapsed&sb=4&o=&fpart=1
 

nita4

New Member
Well, I have to agree with Tracy, you don't have to pull it through the rest of the strand...I wouldn't especially is the hair isn't underprocessed. Mine was underprocessed and it didn't make much of a difference to that hair anyway...once the hair is underprocessed by no-lye you have to cut it off or grow it out in order to change it. This I would not have known if not for reading about it in Shamboosie's book - which is why I followed his recommendations. Just my experience...
 

lshevonne

New Member
Don't worry, I'm not going to pull any thing through my hair. I've haven't done that in about ??? never. I didn't know if putting it on for a few min on the no lye hair would hurt. Hey, I'm the biggest chicken it takes a lot for me to try anything new. Making the switch to Lye was very hard.
 

ms_kenesha

New Member
I don't understand how a relaxer can condtion anything. What does he mean by condition? As we all know just because someone is a hairdresser doesn't mean they know what they are doing!
 

Kitkat

Active Member
A conditioning relaxer can actually condition the hair as it relaxes. It can be recommended for hair that has been previously relaxed with a no lye relaxer. You are right; just because someone is a hairdresser does not mean by default that that person will do the right thing and know what he/she is doing.

I learned about conditioning relaxers in Shamboosie's book, and he talks about no lye relaxers and conditioning relaxers in detail. I don't know if you found this board when many of us discovered this book. There were a few threads discussing this book, so you might want to check them out. Many of us purchased the book and found that it was very helpful and had some real nuggets of wisdom. We didn't all agree that EVERYTHING he said applied to all of us. For example, he highly recommends Nexxus Humectress moisturizing conditioner. Some of the women here absolutely love Humectress, while others absolutely hate this conditioner. Many of us downright disagreed with some of his recommendations; I remember many of us took issue with his assurance that one can use a curling iron frequently and maintain hair health.

Overall, this particular hairdresser seemed to be very knowledgable about hair care and relaxers. So, in my opinion, he had a pretty stable basis of knowledge for what he was saying. Now, this doesn't mean that everyone needs to go out and apply a conditioning relaxer over their hair. It was simply a recommendation by him as a way of treating hair previously relaxed with no lye relaxers, which over time cause dryness and breakage.
 

ms_kenesha

New Member
Thanks for the info. I've personally never read the book so I'd never heard of a conditioning relaxer. I've always had Lye relaxers so I've neer had to do a relaxer switch. I was unaware that relaxers could be "conditioning".
I also agree with you on the curling iron everyday thing as being over kill, I'd like to see the hair of the people who do this because in my experience everyone I know who does this their hair is FRIED!!!
I say go with what you know (that works! /images/graemlins/grin.gif)
 

Tracy

New Member
Leshevonne and everyone else /images/graemlins/wink.gif ,
By "pulling it through" I meant applying it to any previously realxed hair - whether you pull or comb or smooth or whatever.....so we are talking about the same thing here.....

But I didn't mean to come across as dogmatic - sorry if I did. Kitkat is absolutely correct - some people have done this with no problem. Additionally, some of Shamboosie's techniques are wonderful and have revolutionized the approach of some of the ladies here - I personally use the Dudley's hair rebuilder he recommends as my protein conditioner - so I'm not saying he's "full of it" or anything. I just personally don't agree with this method (or the curling iron thing). The poteintial for damage is just too great IMO and if it doesn't agree with your hair you could end up having to cut a lot off - at best.

But you should do what works for you. You certainly know your hair better than I. I just wouldn't have felt right without putting the warning up there in case you, like Deborah, weren't one for whom this was a good idea. I wasn't trying to downplay anyone else's experiences or trash Shamboosie. /images/graemlins/frown.gif

Just want to make that clear.
 

nita4

New Member
Tracy and others,

I went back and read that thread and it was scary...to say the least. So, I understand your warning and you didn't sound dogmatic at all.

As for me. Before I had this done, I discussed this with a hair dresser that I had found who was into hair health. Not once but several times. I figured if she didn't want to talk to me then I wouldn't let her do it. I needed to feel comfortable as my hair was already "jacked up". Second, she made me wait ten weeks. Those were the longest and nappiest ten weeks of my life. She told me to go home and deep condition my hair after every shampoo with a moisturizing conditioner and to use a protein conditioner once a month because my hair was dry. She wouldn't do it any sooner and I couldn't talk her into it. I tried, for my MIL homegoing. That is when I started asking for help in extending relaxer touch ups /images/graemlins/grin.gif Anyway, after she finished my corrective relaxer, she mentioned as she was rinising me how strong my hair was and tugged on it!!! She said you are not loosing any hair. I attributed that to waiting those ten weeks, conditioning after every shampoo and bugging you ladies about how I could extend my relaxer touch ups. So all worked out well for me.
 

Tracy

New Member
Yay nita! I'm glad you understood /images/graemlins/wink.gif I hope everyone else did too. The way your hairdresser did this was by far the most cautious and prudent way to approach it. I just didn't want anyone else to read the thread and think that this was something that could be done without caution and/or could be done without serious maintenance before and after. You can't just "do" this without being really careful. But you are right (and so is Kitkat) that it can be done minus a disaster. I just realized after reading that I sounded a bit alarmist (maybe that's a better word than 'dogmatic ' and I wasn't meaning to - the above was all that I was attempting to get across - I just had visions of poor Leshevonne posting in the same vain as poor Deborah and panicked!).

You clearly took all of the necessary steps to make this approach go as smoothly as possible, it helped that your hair was strong and it also was perfect that you definitely have a great stylist. /images/graemlins/smile.gif You two make a good team - hang on to that hairdresser! She sounds like a keeper.

Anyway - thanks for the post. I was worried I was making enemies when I was really just concerned. /images/graemlins/blush.gif /images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 

Kitkat

Active Member
Tracy, I definitely understood that you only had everyone's best interest in mind. You didn't sound alarmist at all. You'll have to work A LOT harder than that to make enemies around here, girl!! /images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

azul

New Member
i have a question about no lye and lye. in the no lye form i use regular. my hair is 4a/b and needs a regular to get straight. if i get a lye relaxer would using a regular be too harsh or would a mild be better. i am worried though because people who texturize use the mild form of motions which i plan to use for my hair. i dont want my hair texturized i want it straight. would a regular lye be okay if i was using a regular no lye? God bless you all.
 

Kitkat

Active Member
Hi Azul, where have you been???

My hair is 4a/4b, and I think you can use a mild relaxer to get good results. I've used mild and my hair has come out well.
 
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