I'm a Weather Anchor in New York City trying to balance career and motherhood (and everything in between). I write about my adventures with Princess, my job, and getting off the creamy crack . Please check back in to check out cool pics and interviews with other "Rockin' Mamas!"
Pages
▼
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
OMG! I'm Missing Teeth!!
I'm at my wits end! I'm almost 4 and 1/2 months post relaxer. I'm losing my mind and my hair. Now, I'm missing teeth. Can things get any worse? Ugh.
Sounds like it's time for a BIG CHOP. You're creating more work for yourself at this point. I always tell women transitioning that it's like dating your hair. You have to figure out it's quirks and personality. What products it likes and which ones it doesn't like. What works for one person doesn't work for everyone. Date your hair.
It will get better. I promise. I'm 100% natural after transitioning for 2 years. The easiest way to get through this time is to Big Chop or wear a protective style. The daily/weekly handling of transitioning hair will only raise your blood pressure. Consider braiding your hair and wearing extensions or a wig. Only redo your braids and cut relaxed ends when they loosen (wash hair while braided if you go the wig route). Beleive me. It's the easiest way to get through this time. Hang in there! :)
Thanks! You make me feel so much better! When did it start getting easier for you? I've been wearing it in braids lately. I rock a wig at work, then shampoo and condition on the weekends. If I work out, I my co-wash mid week. Thanks for the tips!
^^^^^^^^^Anonymous seems to have some great advice! I would say braid till its long enough to cut to a comfortable length too. I have had tough times with growing my hair out before from a short pixie cut and it was hellacious. Hang in there! I started wearing my natural texture so no more blow dry or flat iron or curls. Well, sometimes I will. But everyday I wear it natural. Its been more frustrating dealing with the weird wave and frizz but I can tell my hair is healthier for it. Oh yeah, and no more color too. Did I mention I am a hairstylist? Haha so yeah sticking with my natural texture has been interesting! Take care hang in there and it will get better! =]
I plan on straightening once in a while too. I love wearing a wig to work. It keeps me from stressing over my real hair. lol I can also see the difference in my hair too. It feels much better. Thanks Ashley!
I couldn't imagine going over my hair with that dyer comb. I remember as a child my mom would try to use it on me and it would just pop off the dryer but the teeth wouldn't break. I already know my hair is too thick and I'm not trying to fight with that. I'll use a wide tooth comb then go back with my denman brush to really define my hair and get all the tangles out. To help with the detangling for myself, I love my Giovanni's Direct Leave-in Conditioner. Put it in and wait a couple seconds and all the tangles will be gone. It works better than the Kinky Curly Knot Today in my opinion. Keep trying. Transitioning is the toughest part. Once you're done, you'll think your hair is a piece of cake.
I transitioned for eleven months; it was no joke at all. It was so horrible, I hated wash day. I would try aloe Vera juice, it really help prior to washing your hair. I would also try washing your hair in sections (at least 10 sections) when you wash your hair, hold on to the section. RenieceHairTV has a great video.
I'm really starting to hate wash day too! I've heard about aloe vera juice. I wish I had 10 sections! I still have a huge chunk of my hair M.I.A. lol I can do four though. Do you wash in the shower or over a sink? I've been using the sink. The drain in my shower gets clogged.
WAM - you are such a strong woman. It's amazing that you lasted this long already. All I can say is goodluck, I know you will be happy in the end when you have beautiful, healthy natural hair. Who knows, this could be inspiration for me to start a journey too (I am not there yet tho, I am still just on my healthy hair journey)
Try Silicon Mix that is a dominican hair product. It is an intensive deep hair treatment. It works. It worked for me! I stopped relaxing my hair in 2006. This product helped me during transition. It softened and strengthened my hair. I'm of Dominican decent and I have thick & curly hair. Try it. It will work. Best to you always.
Dominican products is wonderful but don't always work on Afroamerican hair. Although Dominicans hair may look almost like we have some of the same grain but their hair is very much difference difference. That is why they can get the bow out after a roller set. Our hair will break and thin out doing that to our hair, it looks good and bouncy but our hair will show evidence of heat damage 3 cycle of getting another wash and set with a blow. When I used to get roller sets from the Dominicans I would skip the blow and just have her wrap or pin me up.
Transitioning sucks I have been natural for over a year and still keep it cut since my hair texture is much nicer because it's curly when wearing a TWA (teeny weeny afro) next month I will start wearing box braids not micro braids box braids using human hair. My hair grows pretty fast but I hate the thickness and tight curlyness of dealing with it once I achieve the desired shoulder length which causes me to either relax it then I'm back and phase the again with the cutting it wearing a TWA. Gah!
Sounds like it's time for a BIG CHOP. You're creating more work for yourself at this point. I always tell women transitioning that it's like dating your hair. You have to figure out it's quirks and personality. What products it likes and which ones it doesn't like. What works for one person doesn't work for everyone. Date your hair.
ReplyDeleteWhoo... I hope things start getting easier for you. Poor thing. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.
ReplyDeleteMe too! Thanks Tara!
DeleteIt will get better. I promise. I'm 100% natural after transitioning for 2 years. The easiest way to get through this time is to Big Chop or wear a protective style. The daily/weekly handling of transitioning hair will only raise your blood pressure. Consider braiding your hair and wearing extensions or a wig. Only redo your braids and cut relaxed ends when they loosen (wash hair while braided if you go the wig route). Beleive me. It's the easiest way to get through this time. Hang in there! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! You make me feel so much better! When did it start getting easier for you? I've been wearing it in braids lately. I rock a wig at work, then shampoo and condition on the weekends. If I work out, I my co-wash mid week. Thanks for the tips!
Delete^^^^^^^^^Anonymous seems to have some great advice! I would say braid till its long enough to cut to a comfortable length too. I have had tough times with growing my hair out before from a short pixie cut and it was hellacious. Hang in there! I started wearing my natural texture so no more blow dry or flat iron or curls. Well, sometimes I will. But everyday I wear it natural. Its been more frustrating dealing with the weird wave and frizz but I can tell my hair is healthier for it. Oh yeah, and no more color too. Did I mention I am a hairstylist? Haha so yeah sticking with my natural texture has been interesting! Take care hang in there and it will get better! =]
ReplyDeleteI plan on straightening once in a while too. I love wearing a wig to work. It keeps me from stressing over my real hair. lol I can also see the difference in my hair too. It feels much better. Thanks Ashley!
DeleteI couldn't imagine going over my hair with that dyer comb. I remember as a child my mom would try to use it on me and it would just pop off the dryer but the teeth wouldn't break. I already know my hair is too thick and I'm not trying to fight with that. I'll use a wide tooth comb then go back with my denman brush to really define my hair and get all the tangles out. To help with the detangling for myself, I love my Giovanni's Direct Leave-in Conditioner. Put it in and wait a couple seconds and all the tangles will be gone. It works better than the Kinky Curly Knot Today in my opinion. Keep trying. Transitioning is the toughest part. Once you're done, you'll think your hair is a piece of cake.
ReplyDeleteI've gotta get a denman brush. I hear they're great! Really? I gotta check it out! I can't wait for that cake! lol
DeleteI transitioned for eleven months; it was no joke at all. It was so horrible, I hated wash day. I would try aloe Vera juice, it really help prior to washing your hair. I would also try washing your hair in sections (at least 10 sections) when you wash your hair, hold on to the section. RenieceHairTV has a great video.
ReplyDeleteI'm really starting to hate wash day too! I've heard about aloe vera juice. I wish I had 10 sections! I still have a huge chunk of my hair M.I.A. lol I can do four though. Do you wash in the shower or over a sink? I've been using the sink. The drain in my shower gets clogged.
DeleteLook up the curly girl method on you tube. Mahagony curls has some good videos and a very informative blog. Hope this helps.
ReplyDeleteWAM - you are such a strong woman. It's amazing that you lasted this long already. All I can say is goodluck, I know you will be happy in the end when you have beautiful, healthy natural hair. Who knows, this could be inspiration for me to start a journey too (I am not there yet tho, I am still just on my healthy hair journey)
ReplyDeleteHi Stacy!
ReplyDeleteTry Silicon Mix that is a dominican hair product. It is an intensive deep hair treatment. It works. It worked for me! I stopped relaxing my hair in 2006. This product helped me during transition. It softened and strengthened my hair. I'm of Dominican decent and I have thick & curly hair. Try it. It will work. Best to you always.
Dominican products is wonderful but don't always work on Afroamerican hair. Although Dominicans hair may look almost like we have some of the same grain but their hair is very much difference difference. That is why they can get the bow out after a roller set. Our hair will break and thin out doing that to our hair, it looks good and bouncy but our hair will show evidence of heat damage 3 cycle of getting another wash and set with a blow. When I used to get roller sets from the Dominicans I would skip the blow and just have her wrap or pin me up.
DeleteTransitioning sucks I have been natural for over a year and still keep it cut since my hair texture is much nicer because it's curly when wearing a TWA (teeny weeny afro) next month I will start wearing box braids not micro braids box braids using human hair. My hair grows pretty fast but I hate the thickness and tight curlyness of dealing with it once I achieve the desired shoulder length which causes me to either relax it then I'm back and phase the again with the cutting it wearing a TWA. Gah!
ReplyDelete