Thinking about going natural & heat questions

[LALakersGirl]

Hi, I'm new! I decided to finally stop "lurking" & sign up because I have questions to ask.

I am having problems with my hair because it's starting to break off from too much damage: heat styling, over-lapped perms, hair dye and etc. My hair is wavy and curly (overall: more curls than waves). It's type 3B, yet 4A.

If I were to quit perming my hair and be "natural" (or start going natural) for a while, how would I take care of my hair WITHOUT cutting my already relaxed hair? And how can I prevent my hair from breaking where the two different textures meet?

I prefer to wear my hair straight and I usually straighten it with a hot comb. I noticed that this is causing my ends to shed and break off more, yet I still feel as if I HAVE to use a hot comb (my hair is easier to manage when it is straighten). I usually use olive oil when I straighten it, but I feel as if it's not enough.
Can anyone recommend an oil that really absorbs into hair besides olive oil?
And is there a moisturizing cream that I could apply to my hair before I straighten it, without having it return to its wavy/curl pattern? (Some products cause my hair to revert back to curls even after I hot comb it).

And my last question...
Are there any alternatives to straightening hair besides relaxers, hot combs and flat irons? I have heard of roller setting, but I am not quite that sure how it works.

 

[sweetcocoa]

Welcome! I transistioned by roller setting and using a 'temporary' straightening balm on my roots. After drying my rollerset and removing the rollers, to loosen the curl and make it straighter, I would apply a light oil(try jojoba) some more straightening balm all over, then wrap my hair and tie a silk or satin scarf around it. If you want to get it real straight, apply a light oil and some more straigntening balm, wrap it and get back under the dryer for another 10 minutes. I usually just wrap it and go to bed though. I still do this now that I'm natural and want it straight. The only heat you get is from the hair dryer(which is not not direct heat). I hope this helps... /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Integrity]

Hi, do a search under Sebastian Laminates: Get it strait! and KMS relaxing balm in the forum, they are meant to be really good temporary straightners. also jojoba really absorbs into the hair shaft well.

and yes, essential and carrier oils are good for straigtning, just like wild growth hair oil, but IMHO any essential, carrier oil mix will do the same job without the cost and the smell.

hope that helps!

 

[Allandra]

Welcome to the board. /images/graemlins/wave.gif

 

[pebbles]

Hi LALakersgirl,

Welcome to the board! /images/graemlins/smile.gif Sweetcocoa gave some great suggestions, and there are others here also who are transitioning. You may find that you have to slowly trim away the relaxed hair if you begin to experience any breakage from the two textures of hair. See how it goes for a while. There are also a lot of naturals here who can tell you how they went from relaxed to natural hair. Good luck! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[skegeesmb]

Hi LALakersGirl,

I haven't had a relaxer in 15 months. When I transitioned last year, I would do twistouts, and I would wrap my hair with a scarf if I wanted to wear it straight. In the morning I would curl the newgrowth with a curling iron to match the texture of my relaxed hair. Sometimes though, I wore my hair straight with the newgrowth unaltered. I found that it gave my hair lift.

If I were you I wouldn't press both the newgrowth and the relaxed hair which will definately cause MAJOR shedding.
Doing twistouts, and wet sets definately make the transitioning stage easier. My hair is majority 3c/4a with a patch of hair thats 3b. Rollersets would also work well at this stage. After your hair is completely dry you can take a flat iron to flatten the newgrowth only.

I found that all these methods worked for me. If you like you can go to my page to get an idea of how your hair would look if rollerset. My hair is natural in my rollerset pictures, so you won't have the puffy look that I have. Your hair will for the most part be straight if it is still majority relaxed.

SweetCocoa also has some good pointers on transitioning in her thread. By using these methods transitioning should be painless.

 

[Guest]

Say, are those 2 pic of you Natural?

 

[sweetcocoa]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Mindymouse said:
Say, are those 2 pic of you Natural?

[/ QUOTE ]
Is this directed to me? If so the answer is yes. It's is relatively easy for me to get and keep that look right now....but in the summer when it's humid....forget it. That's why I'm working on my routine(learning how to cornrow and flat twist) for this summer so I'll be ready.... /images/graemlins/grin.gif /images/graemlins/grin.gif