HighAspirations
Well-Known Member
12 weeks post thinking of transitioning to natural!
Inspired by Sylver2 -- The Long-Term Stretch Challenge
- Thread starter SmartyPants
- Start date
divachyk
Instagram: adaybyjay
I need to engage myself in this thread again as I really desire to stretch beyond 10-12 weeks. It seems that if I go beyond this timeframe, my hair starts acting funky and beings to break. And when I go for a TU, I find my ng is too thick for the stylist to navigate through without a bunch of tugging and pulling, which of course leads to breakage.
janeemat
Well-Known Member
Your hair is gorgeous, very healthy and thick looking. Your regimen is working, so why change it. Stretching is not for everyone. If it's not broke, don't fix
Congrats again!
divachyk
Instagram: adaybyjay
@janeemat - I do agree but a part of me feels my hair's health would further improve if I could stretch beyond 10-12. I learned my mistake over a year ago when attempting a 16 week stretch. My hair went nuts. More than anything I want to self-relax. ETA: Where are my manners, thank you for the compliment and well wishes.
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wheezy807
Well-Known Member
Ladies please help me, i am seeking feedback/advice.
I am really considering my stylist's proposal to me. She quoted me a discount price to visit her every 6 wks to get my ends in shape including a deep conditioning and blowout.
My concerns are she's ALWAYS wanted me visit her frequently in the past, which i feel like this is one reason it's self. Plus when i comes to my hair i am a plain jane, i don't flatiron or blow dry my hair at all. By going to my stylist every 6 wks i will be getting it blown out and flat ironed. Which is non negotiable (we had that talk in the beginning) and who's to say necessarily if it will be an over kill?
I am very frustrated at this point. I have been on this board (which seems like forever) and seen you lovely ladies transition, bc, start from a bald head and reach your goals like twice. I've even seen plenty of women who start their journey after or at the same time as me with a shorter length than myself reach WL and beyond.
Sorry for ranting but i feel like i'm stuck between a rock and a hard place and dunno what to do. What would you do? I have not had any real setbacks but my first stylist being scissor happy with me for a few years. Also not always being consistent places a major part, too. Are my ends really holding me back? Something has to give. TIA.
I am really considering my stylist's proposal to me. She quoted me a discount price to visit her every 6 wks to get my ends in shape including a deep conditioning and blowout.
My concerns are she's ALWAYS wanted me visit her frequently in the past, which i feel like this is one reason it's self. Plus when i comes to my hair i am a plain jane, i don't flatiron or blow dry my hair at all. By going to my stylist every 6 wks i will be getting it blown out and flat ironed. Which is non negotiable (we had that talk in the beginning) and who's to say necessarily if it will be an over kill?
I am very frustrated at this point. I have been on this board (which seems like forever) and seen you lovely ladies transition, bc, start from a bald head and reach your goals like twice. I've even seen plenty of women who start their journey after or at the same time as me with a shorter length than myself reach WL and beyond.
Sorry for ranting but i feel like i'm stuck between a rock and a hard place and dunno what to do. What would you do? I have not had any real setbacks but my first stylist being scissor happy with me for a few years. Also not always being consistent places a major part, too. Are my ends really holding me back? Something has to give. TIA.
NJoy
Here I grow again!
wheezy807
Girl, get your vent on and out of the way.
Are you ends in horrible condition? I don't think I'd take her up on it.
You already said blowing and flat ironing is out of the question so then, what can she do that you can't? Trim you every 6 wks? You'll never see growth. You know you have growth. Just focus on protecting your ends and staying away from potential scissor happy setbacks. If you keep your ends on lockdown, the growth will add up.Besides, you'r hair looks awesome to me. It's not like you can't get beyond a twa (disclaimer: no that there's anything wrong with a twa). You have beautiful length.
Trust your own judgement and care of your hair and don't allow your frustration to make decisions that you really don't want to make.
On the other hand, if you really trust this stylist and think it would help, then by all means, do what cha gotta do to take care of your hair and make you happy. But that's only IF.
Sorry you're feeling this way. But, Lord knows everyone on the board can identify with hair frustrations. Vent, recover and then get back on track. You have goals to meet.
And allow me to say it one mo' 'g'in. Your hair is BEAUTIFUL!! You're obviously doing a wonderful job with your hair. A disappointment or two is no reason to start doubting that.
NJoy
Here I grow again!
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sharifeh
Well-Known Member
im pretty much in the same boat as you, so I know how you feel.
what exactly is she going to do to your ends to get them in shape? just through her deep conditioning? can't you do that? won't it come down to what you're doing in between visits anyway? Just questions to think about.
what exactly is she going to do to your ends to get them in shape? just through her deep conditioning? can't you do that? won't it come down to what you're doing in between visits anyway? Just questions to think about.
Aggie
Well-Known Member
wheezy807,
Every 6 weeks is a bit much to talk about keeping ends in shape in my opinion. I would change that, if necessary to maybe every 12 weeks instead. I have also been at BSL once and APL 3 times already and on my way back there again a 4th time and BSL a second time.
You know, I learn something new about my hair each and every single time. I have learned now what NOT to do this time around and have no doubt that I can make it to my goals again without issues.
Learn and know what your hair hates and no matter what other people are doing, just ignore them and only do to/give your hair what it likes to achieve optimal and continual healthy length. Wigs are my friend over cornrowed hair so I am sticking with it this time around.
I am not interested in braids anymore, no twists, no buns, no rollersetting, none of that until my hair reaches my desired goal length of full APL to BSL.
I know that I have to detangle often, moisturize and oil seal my ends daily, massage my scalp a couple times a week, deep condition at least once weekly, apply some light heat (blowdrying) to keep the ssks away when necessary, etc...
Keep the love affair with your hair alive honey! You obviously pine away for a great relationship with her - like we all do here! Don't throw in the towel - we're here for you
.
NJoy
Here I grow again!
43 wks post texlax tomorrow.
Last night I found myself questioning my plan to transition to natural. I mean, on the one hand, I love the thickness that I'm seeing now. But, I'm almost always going to have to flat iron to show my length and I'm not good at flat ironing.
Then I think about the chemicals in the relaxer actually breaking down my hair and how flimsy it looks in comparison to my natural hair.
And as far as my texlaxed hair, sometimes I think it's disturbed just enough to put it into a state that it doesn't know how to act.
And wait, I'm not done. Would my relaxed hair look as skimpy if it were all relaxed? I mean, by comparison, yes. But my relaxed hair never looked skimpy until I started mixing textures. Sometimes I wonder how I allowed myself to get caught up in change when my hair was still growing while relaxed.
Oh, this is a schitzophrenic day for me. What to do? What to do?
erplexed
I guess I'll do nothing right now. But I'm thinking. I'm ready to start wearing my hair long. How terrible would it be to relax and then keep my hair strong with henna?
Last night I found myself questioning my plan to transition to natural. I mean, on the one hand, I love the thickness that I'm seeing now. But, I'm almost always going to have to flat iron to show my length and I'm not good at flat ironing.
Then I think about the chemicals in the relaxer actually breaking down my hair and how flimsy it looks in comparison to my natural hair.
And as far as my texlaxed hair, sometimes I think it's disturbed just enough to put it into a state that it doesn't know how to act.
And wait, I'm not done. Would my relaxed hair look as skimpy if it were all relaxed? I mean, by comparison, yes. But my relaxed hair never looked skimpy until I started mixing textures. Sometimes I wonder how I allowed myself to get caught up in change when my hair was still growing while relaxed.
Oh, this is a schitzophrenic day for me. What to do? What to do?
erplexedI guess I'll do nothing right now. But I'm thinking. I'm ready to start wearing my hair long. How terrible would it be to relax and then keep my hair strong with henna?
GIJane
New Member
43 wks post texlax tomorrow.
Last night I found myself questioning my plan to transition to natural. I mean, on the one hand, I love the thickness that I'm seeing now. But, I'm almost always going to have to flat iron to show my length and I'm not good at flat ironing.
Then I think about the chemicals in the relaxer actually breaking down my hair and how flimsy it looks in comparison to my natural hair.
And as far as my texlaxed hair, sometimes I think it's disturbed just enough to put it into a state that it doesn't know how to act.
And wait, I'm not done. Would my relaxed hair look as skimpy if it were all relaxed? I mean, by comparison, yes. But my relaxed hair never looked skimpy until I started mixing textures. Sometimes I wonder how I allowed myself to get caught up in change when my hair was still growing while relaxed.
Oh, this is a schitzophrenic day for me. What to do? What to do?
I guess I'll do nothing right now. But I'm thinking. I'm ready to start wearing my hair long. How terrible would it be to relax and then keep my hair strong with henna?
NJoy what do you mean by the bolded statement?
NJoy
Here I grow again!
GIJane
Well, it's been a long time but, speaking from my last texlax, my freshly texlaxed hair seemed schitzo. It seemed that my natural ng after that wasn't tangling as much as the texlaxed hair. It didn't know whether to act natural or relaxed. I wanted it to act relaxed while looking natural. We could not come to an understanding on that. So I had to, and still have to keep her braided up. I know that I've had thoughts questioning whether texlaxing was messing my hair up. Maybe it should be an either or choice but I continued to believe it's a happy medium. I don't know if that's true. My natural NG seems to give me less trouble than my texlaxed hair. And of course, my relaxed hair, by comparison, just looks whimpy and gets caught up in the texlaxed tangles.
I don't know if that makes any sense but, these are things that I've been thinking and yet trying to find a way not to believe it.
I'm not itching to relax at all. But I'm definitely starting to feel conflicted. I miss the ease of styling (and growing) relaxed hair. But I know the chemicals aren't healthy. So then texlaxing is still exposing my hair to chemicals, albeit at a lesser intensity.
But going natural will surely require me to flat iron regularly. I'd definitely be a straight-haired natural. But when it comes to my own hair, I'm hair lazy.
*sigh* I'm still trying to decide what's best for me, girl. What to do? What to do?
I'm gonna give curlformers a try. If that works out, then that would definitely be a better option to flat ironing. Meh. We'll see.
GIJane
New Member
Thanks for responding @NJoy It sounds like you have 3 different textures going on. Let me get this straight. So you have NG (which I think is 4a/b hair, two textures in itself). Then you have texlaxed hair. Then there is the relaxed hair. No wonder why you hair is acting up. It might have a personalty crisis.
Yeah you going to have to make a decision. Meanwhile, keeping the hair braided is a good idea. I too can't decide whether or not to texlax or go natural. Luckily for me I dont have to make that decision until June. Good luck sweetie.
Yeah you going to have to make a decision. Meanwhile, keeping the hair braided is a good idea. I too can't decide whether or not to texlax or go natural. Luckily for me I dont have to make that decision until June. Good luck sweetie.
Aggie
Well-Known Member
NJoy, I have been where you are. I am fully texlaxed now and loving it. Your texlaxed hair will always get entangled with your fully relaxed hair and your natural hair is only seemlingly behaving because it's hiding under the texlaxed hair which is closer in texture to it than your fully relaxed hair. If that makes sense.
Fully relaxed hair does not seem to behave well or get along with any other textured hair unfortunately. I also noticed that my texlaxed hair and my new growth get along very well.
I wish you the best with whatever decision you make.
Fully relaxed hair does not seem to behave well or get along with any other textured hair unfortunately. I also noticed that my texlaxed hair and my new growth get along very well.
I wish you the best with whatever decision you make.
NJoy
Here I grow again!
Aggie
Yes, that does make sense. My thought has always been that my hair will be easier to deal with once I free myself of the bonelaxed ends. I've already started trimming them away. I trimmed 2 inches so far. I don't really want to trim any more til later this year but that's gonna mean more fighting with the textures.
My texlaxed texture is close to the natural in the sense that it's hard to tell where one starts and the other ends. I'm hoping that things will sync when the bonelaxed hair's gone. You're response gives me hope. Thanks, girl!
Uh btw, how much ng do you have and how long do you go before texlaxing?
Aggie
Well-Known Member
NJoy,@Aggie
Yes, that does make sense. My thought has always been that my hair will be easier to deal with once I free myself of the bonelaxed ends. I've already started trimming them away. I trimmed 2 inches so far. I don't really want to trim any more til later this year but that's gonna mean more fighting with the textures.
My texlaxed texture is close to the natural in the sense that it's hard to tell where one starts and the other ends. I'm hoping that things will sync when the bonelaxed hair's gone. You're response gives me hope. Thanks, girl!
Uh btw, how much ng do you have and how long do you go before texlaxing?
You're welcome hun.
I have about 10 weeks worth of new growth now but just before I big chopped again after that mishap with a stylist who didn't know how to remove a weave without butchering my hair in pieces, I was texlaxing every 16 weeks. For me that is equal to 2" of new growth.
My hair has been behaving so well lately, I think I will stretch even longer this time around (maybe 5 or 6 months) and that's because the two textures feel so much the same to me. Stretching is not a breeze, but it is certainly a lot easier than when I had fully relaxed hair to contend with.
I bought myself a tourmaline/ionic/ceramic blow dryer to help control any SSks I might get. I will be using it on low heat and finished off with the cool blast ONLY when needed. That might be on my henna days which is about 4 times a year, and/or deeeeeep into my texlax stretches.
GIJane
New Member
Approximately 30 weeks. I am shedding like crazy. I think I have to go back to using my garlic pills. I might do a tea rinse. But surprisingly my hair is not difficult to deal with. Its real soft. I think I might have found a regimen. Hopefully, I can stick to it. It sure would be nice if I can get BSL before the end of the year. It would be the first time. How is everyone else doing?
DDTexlaxed
TRANSITION OVER! 11-22-14
I will be doing a year stretch with my texture softner. I'm very excited about my new journey.
NJoy
Here I grow again!
Aggie
Well-Known Member
NJoy, I don't know where DDT is. I asked her this same question in another challenge myself. She needs to get her butt up in here....stat!
Anyhoo, I am attempting a longer stretch than my usual 16 weeks this time around since my hair behaving a lot better since I started using Chicoro's moisture-drenched prepoo.
It just seems so soft for like at least 2 weeks after doing just one of those treatments. If I have to do them weekly to stretch longer, then so be it
. I want to add another month and take the stretch to 5 months (or 21-22 weeks) but we'll see
.
Aggie
Well-Known Member
Oh by the way, I ran out of AVG for my prepoo, so I just ordered another 32oz bottle and a 16oz AVJ just to try out and see if I would like the juice as much as the gel. I am trying not to mess with my hair too much until it gets here. Don't want to give myself a setback!
wheezy807
Well-Known Member
I've ironed out my relaxers for 2012. My calculations predict three 12wks and a 14wk. I can't deny I'm all screwed up In the head but I promise myself and everyone I won't get discouraged. I just wanna try something different In order to reach a goal. These stretches are nothing to me, I can do them In my sleep. I'll still follow this thread. Love ya ladies!
