Damaged or underprocessed?? PLZ PLZ HELP!!! (image heavy)

[preciouslove0x]

So I've been looking at the forum archives for the past three days now and I'm still not sure if my hair is damaged or just years of being underprocessed. I'm getting to the point where I just want to chop my hair off!!!! I'm so frustrated.

I'm really about to come out of the closet now.... PLEASE DONT JUDGE ME!! But anyway, I'm 18 years old. I have NEVER taken care of my hair properly and didn't realize the damage I was doing to it until the beginning of July when I stumbled across LHCF. My hair has never been past NL (and even shorter on the sides and crown) because I would always comb it out and it would break off. To keep my hands out of my hair I started with single braids (from ages 9-13) and from there I went to sew-in weaves (14-18). And when I say I was constantly weaved up or braided up, I mean CONSTANTLY. As soon as I took them out I put them right back in (with no more than 7 DAYS between for resting). So here it goes... brace yourselves ladies... My last weave....... was in... for approximately.... 7 MONTHS!!! Yes I know... I had bought the indian remy hair and I swear it looked as amazing as it did from day one to day bajillion. It never never never got old. The color, the texture, the everything still looked like I just came from the salon. I finally took it out because I wanted to get my hair done for prom. But anyway my hair has NEVER been this long before and EVEN. I'm almost to APL. I took out my hair (weave) in late june and thought I wasn't finished taking it out cuz it was sooo long (keep in mind I've never been past barely NL). The next morning I woke up thinking it was a dream. And it WASNT!! I could not believe how long my hair had gotten!!

So anyway, the reason why I'm telling you that is because the opportunity for my hair to be wayyyy underprocessed is GREAT. I would go years w/o getting a relaxer when I wore braids. Then when I went to sew ins the stylist would only relax the top where the hair would show. But with that being said, I feel like since I've gone to weaves I've gotten more relaxers (atleast every 3 months). I'm just not sure... I use to flat iron the top of my hair where it shows when I wear weaves EVERY SINGLE DAY. And the top looks AMAZING. Its healthy and strong. How is it though?? I flat ironed literally everyday so I could create the perfect swoop and for my real hair to blend in with the weave. But the rest of my head..... looks like I never got a relaxer before. It looks like a 4z natural and possibly damaged head.

PLEASE HELP ME. I'm desperate. And I'm also sorry for the long post but I wanted to give as much detail as possible.

Also the hair that is either damaged or underprocessed has the texture of cotton. It's soft and moisturized and yet rough at the same time. After I cowash, I airdry my hair. The top of my hair drys so smoothly and nicely but the rest of my hair dries kinky and slightly wavy.

the smooth and healthy front

crown area and closer to nape

strands from crown area

strands from crown and closer to nape area

 

[beebstt]

hmm.. i'll let the experts weigh in but imo, you can always do a corrective or go for the "texlaxed look" although that doesn't seem like what you want..

 

[msa]

It sounds and looks like you still have some relaxed hair. When was your last relaxer?

You've done a great job protective styling with the weave. Now you just need to figure out a regimen to keep your hair healthy. I suggest you visit sistaslick's fotki and read her hair articles. Just search for her in the member list and thelinks are in her siggy.

 

[ceebee3]

Girl you had me bracing myself in my seat. Your hair does not look that bad at all. It looks dry but I'm sure it's nothing some protein and moisture can't fix.

What have you been doing to it since you took out the weave? Will you be relaxing or transitioning?

 

[preciouslove0x]

no texlax for me... maybe if I get a corrective ill be able to tell if my hair is damaged???

but now that i know sooo much about healthy hair care im scared to go back to my old stylist.....


anyone recommend a salon in the atlanta or metro atlanta (smyrna/marietta/mableton) area??

 

[preciouslove0x]

i got a relaxer at the beginning of july. but right after i cowashed my hair maybe a few days later... it didnt look like i got ANY type of relaxer... for years....

 

[myronnie]

Just because the top is smooth doesn't mean that it isn't damaged! It seems to me like it is just underprocessed growth in the areas that you described. It's not damaged.

 

[msa]

i got a relaxer at the beginning of july. but right after i cowashed my hair maybe a few days later... it didnt look like i got ANY type of relaxer... for years....

Yeah it sounds like your hair is just underprocessed, and not necessarily damaged. Getting a relaxer is NOT the way to figure out if you have damage. And since you just got a relaxer you should wait a while anyway. Also, your hair in the front is probably heat damaged and putting a relaxed on it may cause a disaster.

I suggest you read sistaslick's articles on doing a wet assesment on your hair, building a regimen, and protein/moisture balance.

 

[hillytmj]

It definitely looks underprocessed (i.e. texlaxed) to me. This is not damaged hair; please do not let anyone convince you to cut it. My ends are like that right now.

 

[bedazzled]

Well I just wanted to say one thing from my own experience... My hair was straight on top and looked underprocessed at the bottom but it was actually over processed x10. I would just see how your hair reacts to certain things.

 

[preciouslove0x]

Well I just wanted to say one thing from my own experience... My hair was straight on top and looked underprocessed at the bottom but it was actually over processed x10. I would just see how your hair reacts to certain things.

Really?? So how did you ultimately figure out that it was actually overprocessed rather than underprocessed???