PLEASE HELP MEEE!!!!! I DONT WANNA GO BALD!

Hi everyone! I'm a 19 year old college student looking to reach longer lengths and improve the overall health of my hair. Currently my hair is about shoulder length(its uneven really) and thin. From Sept 06 to May 07, I sported a weave with the front section on my hair left out. Unfortunately I suffered major breakage in the front, while in the back I noticed some new growth. I want to put weave in again but im unsure of how i could best take care of the part the has to be left out.

But right now I am looking for a hair care regimen that would be best for how I plan on keeping my hair: weave-out in the summer, weave-in during fall winter and spring I've been browsing through a lot threads and I see sooo many success stories that give me motivation, but im still unsure of the best products to use, the terms and abbreviations used here, and how to get involved in the challenges you have on this forum. Can somebody help me get started?

Hi Janaykay - welcome!
I would start off by reading the Where's My Favorite Sticky? thread - lots of great information there!

Welcome to the board! I think that since you're just beginning your journey, you should try to stay away from weaves for a while until you learn how to care for your hair. You need to develop a regi and find products that work for you. It took me about a year to do this. Like lovenharmony said, you should start off with the "Newbie's guide to starting out" http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=50291

ETA: You have to be sure to take care of ALL of your hair while in a weave, not just the part that's left out.

Janaykay said:

Hi everyone! I'm a 19 year old college student looking to reach longer lengths and improve the overall health of my hair. Currently my hair is about shoulder length(its uneven really) and thin. From Sept 06 to May 07, I sported a weave with the front section on my hair left out. Unfortunately I suffered major breakage in the front, while in the back I noticed some new growth. I want to put weave in again but im unsure of how i could best take care of the part the has to be left out.

But right now I am looking for a hair care regimen that would be best for how I plan on keeping my hair: weave-out in the summer, weave-in during fall winter and spring I've been browsing through a lot threads and I see sooo many success stories that give me motivation, but im still unsure of the best products to use, the terms and abbreviations used here, and how to get involved in the challenges you have on this forum. Can somebody help me get started?

Click to expand...

Hi and welcome
I have never had good experience with weaves...they always broke my hair out and made it an uneven tangled mess. And its also difficult to care for hair under the weave.
Your hair sounds rather damaged and i'd suggest that you baby your hair and nurse it back to health before even considering putting in another weave.
HTH

This year was my first time ever wearing a weave. The thing that is making me sort of pro weave here is that I experienced severe breakage only in the front of my hair that was NOT sewn in. The rest of the hair that was sewn in was fine and little longer than before. I actually think it is good option for me personally because i am flat iron happy

I'm guess that in addition to the flat iron, you are also relaxed. How often are you getting/doing touch-ups? I'm gonna see what I can find for you. Babying your hair is a good idea, and definitely figuring out a regimen and what products work for your hair. I remember when I first came to LHCF, there was so much info, it was hard to process everything. But we're like one big (mostly) happy family round here, and plenty of the ladies will help you out.

I would also recommend looking up Sistaslick (doing a member search). She has a lot of great links to posts/info. in her signature about how to get started, make a regimen, etc.

^^^agree

also--if u don't want the hair that is left out of the weave to get damaged etc.. u can get a full head sewin w/ none of ur hair left out. That was all of it is protected and u can be as flat-iron happy as u wanna be! lol

u can get short, medium, long lenghts--curly, wavy, straight, color etc.. all w/o damaging ur hair. Just be sure to MOISTURIZE ur hair underneath, wash it like ever 2 weeks and don't keep it in more than 8 weeks and u will be good!

i luv sewins---I retain a lot of growth with them. Getting another one next month!

I would do a good protein treatment on ur hair and then a moisturizing DC and then a protective style where u don't have to put heat on ur hair. (rollerset, cornrolls, twists, oceanwaves w/ a ponytail (my next style!), a sewin...) I know putting weave back in may not sound good--but if u r like me--when my hair is shorter--i can'tdo as much with it to make it look cute. so if u take care of ur hair--putting a weave in won't be bad--imo.

Just keep it simple and u will start to see big changes in ur hair!

Janaykay said:

This year was my first time ever wearing a weave. The thing that is making me sort of pro weave here is that I experienced severe breakage only in the front of my hair that was NOT sewn in. The rest of the hair that was sewn in was fine and little longer than before. I actually think it is good option for me personally because i am flat iron happy

Click to expand...

Girl you are fighting to keep that weave . You could always try quick weaves(half wigs).

Check out RabiaElaine's weave regimen. Do a search on it and it should come up for you. Rabia gives step by step instructions on how to put in and care for a sew in weave.

Welcome to the boards! You will find answers to all your questions here and the ladies are wonderful and very knowledgeable...I ask this board questions before my hair dresser

As for the weaves. I would take Kacie's advice and get to know your hair for a while and then go back to them. Try to find a regimen that works for you whole head and that way you will know what to do with the hair that is left out. I spent hours, when I first joined, thinking of questions that I had and then searching for the answers, I would bring up old threads and ask questions and the ladies were always ready to answer or at least point me in the right direction. Developing a solid regi is hard and I have yet to do it and I have been on this board since Feb. but I am constantly noticing what works and what doesn't work with my hair. Since I am newly natural, I have to start all over again, well not completely because some things that worked before still work now. Its all about time and patience and if you are committed to having those 2 things, you are going to have a wonderful journey, with some ups and downs, but your hair is going to continue to flourish....

Now Kacie...where were you when I was getting weaves and didn't realize that I had to take care of the hair underneath..and wasn't properly taking care of the front because that constantly broke off....what a shame I didn't know about LHCF back then...

Kacie said:

Welcome to the board! I think that since you're just beginning your journey, you should try to stay away from weaves for a while until you learn how to care for your hair. You need to develop a regi and find products that work for you. It took me about a year to do this. Like lovenharmony said, you should start off with the "Newbie's guide to starting out" http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=50291

ETA: You have to be sure to take care of ALL of your hair while in a weave, not just the part that's left out.

Click to expand...

Blackoutzangel05 said:

Welcome to the boards! You will find answers to all your questions here and the ladies are wonderful and very knowledgeable...I ask this board questions before my hair dresser

As for the weaves. I would take Kacie's advice and get to know your hair for a while and then go back to them. Try to find a regimen that works for you whole head and that way you will know what to do with the hair that is left out. I spent hours, when I first joined, thinking of questions that I had and then searching for the answers, I would bring up old threads and ask questions and the ladies were always ready to answer or at least point me in the right direction. Developing a solid regi is hard and I have yet to do it and I have been on this board since Feb. but I am constantly noticing what works and what doesn't work with my hair. Since I am newly natural, I have to start all over again, well not completely because some things that worked before still work now. Its all about time and patience and if you are committed to having those 2 things, you are going to have a wonderful journey, with some ups and downs, but your hair is going to continue to flourish....

Now Kacie...where were you when I was getting weaves and didn't realize that I had to take care of the hair underneath..and wasn't properly taking care of the front because that constantly broke off....what a shame I didn't know about LHCF back then...

Click to expand...

Girl I've been lurking in the shadows for umh... (covers my face in shame) a couple of years.

Kacie said:

Girl you are fighting to keep that weave . You could always try quick weaves(half wigs).

Click to expand...

haha ahhh you caught me!!! but its just soo easy when im running late for class and can just pass the flat iron over that hair real quick
i know we have some ladies that still rock weave on here right?

but I know I can do vitamins and try infusing my hair with some healthy stuff....so far i went about 8 weeks without a relaxer with my real hair out, and i have been massaging my head everyday and using some store bought coconut oil (all before i found this board). That something i wasnt doing before, my hair seems to respond to it.....?

i've been using doo gro too

ayoung1981 said:

^^^agree

also--if u don't want the hair that is left out of the weave to get damaged etc.. u can get a full head sewin w/ none of ur hair left out. That was all of it is protected and u can be as flat-iron happy as u wanna be! lol

u can get short, medium, long lenghts--curly, wavy, straight, color etc.. all w/o damaging ur hair. Just be sure to MOISTURIZE ur hair underneath, wash it like ever 2 weeks and don't keep it in more than 8 weeks and u will be good!

i luv sewins---I retain a lot of growth with them. Getting another one next month!

I would do a good protein treatment on ur hair and then a moisturizing DC and then a protective style where u don't have to put heat on ur hair. (rollerset, cornrolls, twists, oceanwaves w/ a ponytail (my next style!), a sewin...) I know putting weave back in may not sound good--but if u r like me--when my hair is shorter--i can'tdo as much with it to make it look cute. so if u take care of ur hair--putting a weave in won't be bad--imo.

Just keep it simple and u will start to see big changes in ur hair!

Click to expand...

yesss! yeah for me overall i noticed positive results with the weave. Its like if i cant see it i wont mess with it (excessive gel, heat etc.) what kind of protein treatments do you use?

welcome to the boards we won't let you go bald!! Besides all the good advice already given, you can checkout Macherieamour's Blog/Healthy Textures especially the Beginning Your Hair Journey section. RabiaElaine is actually writing over there now, and she has an article called Healthy Weaving 101

belladionne922 said:

I'm guess that in addition to the flat iron, you are also relaxed. How often are you getting/doing touch-ups? I'm gonna see what I can find for you. Babying your hair is a good idea, and definitely figuring out a regimen and what products work for your hair. I remember when I first came to LHCF, there was so much info, it was hard to process everything. But we're like one big (mostly) happy family round here, and plenty of the ladies will help you out.

Click to expand...

Thank you! yes relaxed for 7 years.... so from 0-12 years i was all natural and my hair never grew much then but i think it had to do with my mother trying to see how much hair she could pull out with the comb

before the weave i was getting touch ups every 6 weeks (or again when I would have money to go), now a couple months roll by before i get one

LHCF Acronyms

Black Cardinal's LHCF How-to Guide

Excellent Product Ingredient Definitions

A Newcomer's Guide To Starting Out

(Updated) The Complete Vitamin Guide

Shorthaircareforum Discussion Board

Stuck At SL Support Thread

Baggying 101

Breakage 101

Supergirl 's Breakage Thread

Best Speedy Hair Growers

Relaxer Stretch Support Thread

Another Relaxer Stretch Thread

Janaykay said:

Relaxed for 7 years.... so from 0-12 years i was all natural and my hair never grew much then but i think it had to do with my mother trying to see how much hair she could pull out with the comb

before the weave i was getting touch ups every 6 weeks (or again when I would have money to go), now a couple months roll by before i get one

Click to expand...

Stretching your relaxers is a good idea, but you really have to take care of your hair at the demarcation line. The difference in textures can cause hair to break off there, and then you will have ruined all of the goodness and hard work of stretching. I keep having to remind myself of this! I just did an 11 week stretch a few weeks ago, and ended up with breakage all over the place from simply not taking better care of my hair.

Also, are you drinking enough water? I know that for lots of people, it's hard to eat a healthy diet while in college, but if nothing else, drink your water. You hair and skin will thank you.

Thank u soooo much!!! these links are very helpful to me! i feel special

Janaykay said:

Thank u soooo much!!! these links are very helpful to me! i feel special

Click to expand...

You are special! So welcome to the board and happy hair growing (HHG).

Miss*Tress said:

You are special!

Click to expand...

Short bus special? Sorry ya'll, I couldn't resist.

welcome!

It may be hard to quit the weaves cold turkey. I've been there with my braids.

But like the other ladies said, you are in the right place.

I think one of the biggest things I had to realize about my relaxed hair that it is a continuous process to keep it thick and healthy. We can't do a protein treatment and walk away. It is an ongoing effort.

If you can quit the weave cold turkey, go for it. It was the best thing I ever did (giving up braids).

BUT - they can be good for you too!! If you want to do weaves, I say go for it. I would suggest the braids underneath be done with some synthetic braid hair to protect your hair more. Keep them moisturized. You should care the the part that is left out with conditions and treatments.

But, please consider just wearing your own hair. Up your conditions and treatments and before you know it weaves will be a thing of the past and you will be like this at your hair.

Don't let the desire for lenth get you off track. It is easy to do that as you see others here with hair longer and longer and longer ... Be happy with your hair at the length that it is and concentrate on health, the length will be sure to follow.

Janaykay said:

yesss! yeah for me overall i noticed positive results with the weave. Its like if i cant see it i wont mess with it (excessive gel, heat etc.) what kind of protein treatments do you use?

Click to expand...

Janaykay,

I use Nexxes Emergency the wash after my relaxer. Always followed my Nexxus Humectress DC.

Inbetween relaxers--like every other or every 2 washes I use a protein conditioner like Nexxus Keraphix or Motions CPR---alwasy followed my a moisturizing DC.

It may be overwhelming at first to start ur healthy hair care journey--but just read up, keep it simple and u will be just fine!

I wore a weave for years, it became my security blanket and was hard to quit. If you don't want to stop then I suggest quick weaves aka half weaves aka 3/4 weaves. This way you can remove the weave at anytime and still keep a regime. This has worked with me. HTH (hope that helps ). And welcome to the boards!