Am I the *ONLY* one who *HATES* freshly-relaxed hair?!

[Serenity_Peace]

So I relaxed last Friday using ORS Lye relaxer. My hair turned out great, and I really like using Lye.

Because I have extremely fine/thin hair, I didn't want to leave the relaxer on for bone straight hair. The relaxer called for 15 minutes total. I left the relaxer on for about 12 or 13 minutes. No problem.

Although my hair is straight, I think it's still probably too straight.

What's more, I hate the two or three weeks or so after the relaxer when my hair looks even more fine, thin, and unhealthy. Even though a few of the ladies here at work said that my hair is growing long, what's the point if it's fine and thin?

I feel so bad about my hair and hate it.

I had even thought about growing the relaxer out and going natural once and for all. That's how much I hate this fine, thin mess on my head.

I'm sorry about being so negative today. I guess I'm just down in the dumps...

 

[sunnydaze]

Yes. When I was relaxing I hated how straight my hair looked (even more so if I let a beautician relax it). I would dunk my head under the water within 2 days.

 

[lisana]

I used to feel the same way because I have thin hair too. but the I started using ORS and I don't relax bone straight so I have body from the beginning. But I remember, in the past, getting my hair relaxed and how it would be plastered to my head until the first post relaxer wash. That's just not a very dignified look

 

[Daisimae]

Nope, you aren't. My hair never looks good until 10-20 days after.

 

[hothair]

Well I like your hair Ok like you said you're fine haired maybe you should texlax instead to about 80% - think Isis (do a strand test maybe halve the time you're relaxing) so your hair has more volume - do you henna? it got my hair strands thicker or at least LOOKING thicker...

 

[locabouthair]

i know how you feel. my head is already big and when im freshly relaxed it just looks bigger. i know if my hair was thicker it wouldnt be much of a problem.

 

[CAPlush]

I'm sure your hair is going to gorgeous, but I have this problem too. Your hair looks about the same thickness as mine, long fine hair can be beautiful too, look at Kinikakes and Monalisa. My freshly relaxed hair does not give my scalp good coverage if it gets too straight, I have to be careful of how I style it. Do a curly style or a braidout to give it some fullness.

 

[Serenity_Peace]

i know how you feel. my head is already big and when im freshly relaxed it just looks bigger. i know if my hair was thicker it wouldnt be much of a problem.

Yeah, you're right. I've put on a few pounds so my face is round. Fine, limp, lifeless hair is NOT cute when you have a round face. So, anyway, it's back in it's French roll and off my shoulder. I promise to put up pics soon.

I'm still working on thickening this mess up. I need to henna this weekend anyway, so that sounds like a good idea.

Thanks!

 

[growinstrong]

yes, this is me too. I hate my hair just like u girl. I just cut it too, it helped a lot witht the thickness, but now its shorter. Us fine haired women just cant win for losing

 

[Serenity_Peace]

I'm sure your hair is going to gorgeous, but I have this problem too. Your hair looks about the same thickness as mine, long fine hair can be beautiful too, look at Kinikakes and Monalisa. My freshly relaxed hair does not give my scalp good coverage if it gets too straight, I have to be careful of how I style it. Do a curly style or a braidout to give it some fullness.

Thank you for this! Yes, I know that there are lovely ladies here--yourself included--who have achieved so much even with fine hair. I am definitely thinking about doing a spiral set rather than my usual rollerset as well. We'll see how that works. I'm not the best at braid-outs. I am still trying to find the best products for that which doesn't weigh the hair down or cause dryness and frizz. I have to be careful what I put on this mane. It's so sensitive to the slightest heavy oil, moisturizer, protein or gel.

 

[Serenity_Peace]

Well I like your hair Ok like you said you're fine haired maybe you should texlax instead to about 80% - think Isis (do a strand test maybe halve the time you're relaxing) so your hair has more volume - do you henna? it got my hair strands thicker or at least LOOKING thicker...

Thanks so much for this, sweetheart! I get my new pictures in today, so I'll put those up finally.

My roommate will be gone this weekend, so that'll give me peace and quiet to concentrate on my hair and do a henna treatment. I've been slacking in that department anyway.

Also, I will definitely do some reseach on texlaxing. I thought that that's what I was doing, since my new growth was so out of control, I was afraid to underprocess again. I need to know the difference between texlaxing and underprocessing as well.

I have been stretching my relaxers except for last weeks. I could only stretch for 9.5 weeks due to an underprocessed relaxer. But this time, I'm stretching for at least 16 weeks (4 months) or longer if I can, especially since my hair is very straight.

 

[Priss Pot]

When I was a relaxed head, my hair used to be limp after a relaxer also. What you could do is just do a roller wrap. Wet set your hair on medium sized rollers, let it dry, wrap it, and when you take down the wrap, your hair will be full of body with soft curls.


ETA: Orrrrr, you could just explore your natural options

 

[SkinnyMocah]

I had an affirm relaxer and my hair is JUSt starting to liven up again. I was missing the body in my hair!

 

[Dee-Licious]

You're not the only one as some ladies here stated...

buttttt...

I LOVE a fresh relaxer. The feel of my hair is different and it's feels so silky.. and it's MUCH easier to manage. No straightening and battling the roots while trying to rollerset.

 

[Serenity_Peace]

Yes. When I was relaxing I hated how straight my hair looked (even more so if I let a beautician relax it). I would dunk my head under the water within 2 days.

I used Aveda DR line on Tuesday, rollerset and took good care of it. Well, for some reason my rollerset came out horrible. This almost never happens. The curls dropped as soon as I even finger combed it. It was like I never even washed or rolled my hair. I did a wrap with saran wrap and the results were even worse. My hair was very shiny, which is a start and the strands did look healthy (no dead or damaged ends), so I was happy about that. It's just that I am still getting limp-looking, fine-looking hair that has no body, no volume and no life.

Well, I did some reading on Lye vs. No-Lye relaxers and noticed that No-Lye gives the hair everything that Lye doesn't: body and bounce and volume; whereas, Lye provides healthier hair and is better for keeping the hair looking moisturized and shiny, but it doesn't provide body or volume.

So I am learning a lot about this. I had been using No-Lye all my life, so this is a change for me...

 

[Dee-Licious]

The silk wrap is meant to take some of the body out of hair.. so if you're trying to get more body don't do a silk wrap just wrap it cover with a scarf and pull down when you're ready.

 

[Serenity_Peace]

The silk wrap is meant to take some of the body out of hair.. so if you're trying to get more body don't do a silk wrap just wrap it cover with a scarf and pull down when you're ready.

Got it! That may have done more damage than good. I should have just taken down the rollers and worked with my fingers. I'll try the silk wrap when I'm a few weeks post-relaxer.

 

[mahogany66]

I had those same issues until I switched to phyto. My hair was limp and lifeless after a relaxer..

 

[HoneyDew]

I used to - until Profectiv relaxer. For some reason it just does not do that to my hair.

I have gotten my hair done in the salon with Mizani and I liked that, too.

Other relaxers just make my hair flat with less body. Profectiv NEVER does that to me - just the opposite actually.

 

[Junonia]

My hair is limp after I relax. After the second wash, my hair is back to normal.

 

[Spidergul]

Nope, you aren't. My hair never looks good until 10-20 days after.

Me too or after the first sometimes second wash.

 

[Serenity_Peace]

My hair is limp after I relax. After the second wash, my hair is back to normal.

I did my first wash with Aveda DR the other day. So I'll do my second wash this weekend with a henna treatment as well and see how that works...

 

[Serenity_Peace]

Me too or after the first sometimes second wash.

I've noticed, however, that my roots and about 6 or 7 inches down the hair shaft are thicker. For me, it's just then ends and maybe the last few inches of my hair that look so darn fine/thin. If I could just have those thicken up a bit, I'd be happy. I only relax the new growth. You'd think that that would be thinnest part of my hair, but it's not. It's actually the ends...

 

[Creatividual]

I think all of us relaxed sisters have gone through this, ESPECIALLY when you get it done at the hair salon! I don't relax bone straight. I would say I relax about 90% and that works for me that way it's not super flat and by the 3rd week, I'm on point again, until the 6th week....LOL.

 

[Divine Inspiration]

Yes. This is part of the reason I switched to lye and started texlaxing & stretching. My hair is naturally thick, but relaxers did seem to thin it out over time. These days I have NO complaints about thin hair.

Also, know that we all have these kinds of hair days. Better days are on the horizon.

 

[rdm]

My hair always looks thin and flat after a relaxer. I hate it!!! 2 weeks later, it looks a lot better. So, you are not in the boat alone. I have medium thick hair too. I could imagine what it would be like for those with fine hair.

 

[victorious]

I have fine hair too and can't relax it bone-straight.

I relaxed with ORS lye last Friday. I partially air dried my hair in twists, and then I lightly blow dried each section on warm and cool settings to avoid the flat, limp look.

It helped some.

 

[Serenity_Peace]

Yes. This is part of the reason I switched to lye and started texlaxing & stretching. My hair is naturally thick, but relaxers did seem to thin it out over time. These days I have NO complaints about thin hair.

Also, know that we all have these kinds of hair days. Better days are on the horizon.

Thanks so much, lovely! I think you guys might be on to something with the texlaxing. I'm doing all the right things, as far as stretching my relaxers and finally switching to Lye. Perhaps by Week #3 and after a henna treatment, I'll be back on track.

 

[SouthernTease]

My hair is fine.
I used to rollerset my hair
and then instead of wrapping it
I pincurled my hair after taking the
rollers down, tied it down with
a scarf and then sat under the
dryer for 15 minutes. Wrapping
can flatten your hair. Pin curls
might be a good look if you're wanting
your hair to look fuller. Sleep in
the pin curls instead of a wrap...
see what happens...
I wonder if the saran wrap method could
work on pincurls... hmmm...

 

[Serenity_Peace]

I have fine hair too and can't relax it bone-straight.

I relaxed with ORS lye last Friday. I partially air dried my hair in twists, and then I lightly blow dried each section on warm and cool settings to avoid the flat, limp look.

It helped some.

This is a terrific idea. I never blow dry my hair, but I violated that rule last week so that I could take updated progress pics for my new Fotki (coming up soon, ladies).

I did notice how much my hair likes ORS and I was pleasantly surprised and pleased. But you are on to something with the idea of texlaxing. I need to do more research here on that and incorporate it into my regimen.

I noticed that as soon as I began to apply the relaxer, my hair immediately started getting straighter, so perhaps texlaxing will save some of the thickness. And, of course, stretching and doing henna treatments.