Newly Transitioning Hair with Breakage: Building a Regimen

• Hi I have been watching your videos on YouTube! I am trying to put together a regimen for my hair, I am relaxed. Neck length, last relaxer was September. I have notice new growth in the front but none in the back.
  
  I try to co wash twice a week.
  I always deep condition when I use shampoo which is once a week.
  
  Here are the products I use: mane n tail shampoo and conditioner ( just bought those last week), herbal essence hello hydration and long term relationship,
  salon care cholesterol from sally's.
  I use garnier fructus leave in and hello hydration.
  My oils are peppermint, evoo, evco, and Castor oil. I also use pure glycerin and vitamin e.
  I have been taking one a day vitamins and 5000 grams of biotin.  
  
  I put my hair in pony tails 24/7. I use heat maybe once every two weeks. A couple days ago I noticed the hair in the back getting shorter and idk why. I need help, my last trim was when I got my perm. 

Hey Beautiful! Congrats on your transitioning! Your hair is growing. Don't worry about that part. Sounds like your ends are breaking. Your hair may be dry even though you deep condition weekly. Watch out with that glycerin during the winter/fall seasons. Especially if you're somewhere that there isn't any humidity or water in the air for it to pull from. It can dry your hair out. You use glycerin, and also there is glycerin content in some of the products you mentioned. I don't use commercial products (herbal essence, mane n tail, etc). They are not made for coily hair--or relaxed hair that stays notoriously dry. Use what you have (no waste). Add some oils to your shampoo or apply oil to your hair before you shampoo (and dilute your shampoo). Co-Washing is great. QUESTION: Do you have a hard time detangling?

Wow--is that a lot of Biotin? I haven't researched supplements (sorry), so I'm unsure of their effects. You're young--your hair is growing, just gotta not watch it (watched pot never boils) LOL!

A POSSIBLE REGIMEN:

1.  Pre-poo (conditioner/oil mix) and detangle with wide tooth comb. 
2.  Shampoo with sulphate shampoo to get all of the drying ingredients off of your hair. Once all cones are removed from the hair, begin using a non-sulfate shampoo, one that can add moisture. I love to use Amla for cleansing.
3.  Deep condition (all natural yogurt/honey/olive oil) Keep on for 1 hour minimum. 
4.  Rinse and condition with an all natural conditioner (or one that doesn't have cones).
5. What leave in do you use? Use one without cones (or product that can build up).
6. Seal with your favorite oil
7. Styling: Create 1 texture (for example: twists/braids with perm rod rollers at the ends), and put it in a style that will last you at least 1 week until next wash day. This will serve as low manipulation, with equals minimal breakage (and length retention). 

Deep Conditioning on Transitioning Hair is KEY to Moisture Retention

Transitioning Hair Requires a Consistent, Healthy Hair Regimen

Avoid Breakage with a Style that Will last you All Week

This could possibly serve as a base regimen for you, and allow you to watch how your hair responds to each step, and then tweak it as you go. Everyone's hair will respond differently to a regimen (for so many different reasons). I think this may be a good regimen for most, because it is a regimen that I used to "baby" breaking hair back to fullness and strength. It took me about 9 months to configure this regimen (after trial and error and some hair loss). I hope this can help you avoid the frustrations that we endured.

---Beautifully Yours


                                                                                                                   -----------tia

10 Reasons Why I Put a Relaxer on My Transitioning Hair

If you're reading this, you either think I was talking about myself (and you are shocked right now)--or you are considering to put a relaxer on your transitioning hair. Either way, I'm happy to see you.

No, I'm not transitioning--so this never related to me. My tresses are completely natural, and frankly I wouldn't know how to handle the burn from a relaxer anymore.

I communicate with lots of transitioners on a daily basis, and I want to share some of the common reasons they are tempted (or have already returned) to relax their hair.

1. Breakage. My best friend began her transition shortly after I did. Her relaxed hair was thinned out by the relaxer. Her natural hair (new growth) was never as thick as mine to begin with. By the time she started transitioning, her line of demarcation (where the natural hair meets the relaxed hair) was weak and started to break. Her relaxed ends were split as well. Breakage everywhere. IS THERE A SOLUTION? Possibly. She would have needed to start a consistent deep condition routine as well as a protein treatment regimen. Nursing her hair with low manipulation styling. Not handling her hair with styling tools after her wash/style day. We ended up cutting off her broken/split ends/hair and starting fresh
2. Styling Confusion. That awkward puff. Hair styling while transitioning can be confusing, upsetting, and downright unpleasant. If  you're not a styling pro, you can quickly get tired of and lose patience with the 2 textured hair shenanigans. What to do with your puffy natural hair? What to do with your dead straight (and uncooperative) relaxed hair? IS THERE A SOLUTION? Yeah. Stay true to your style. If you are a person who loves straight hair---you may want to consider that your natural hair will be ALL curly. Embrace that. Don't fret-- styling your transitioning hair straight can be 1 option of many. Once you learn the safe way to use heat, limit your heat use to 1-2 times heat session per month. Roller sets are great. If you are ready to embrace your curly/coily hair, rolling your relaxed ends with perm rod rollers after twisting your natural hair is a great styling option. There are many transitioning styling tutorials online (check out YouTube). Research styling options, and take 1 day out of your week to care for your transitioning hair. Once you learn how to create 1 consistent texture out of both of your textures, your styling confusion will be cleared up!
3. Mean Comments. Peer Pressure can effect anyone at any age. My daughter transitioned in Middle School. That's like the most rough stage of any one's educational career already! Much less add a puffy/non-relaxed hair daily to the mix. She did well though. When kids would ask her "when you getting your relaxer?", she would tell them "tomorrow", but tomorrow never came. Now that she's in high school, the same kids no longer ask her when she's getting a relaxer. They tell her she's got to be mixed. It's pretty funny. But the lesson learned here is to "do you". If this is something you want to do (transition)--just do it. Regardless of what anyone else has to say. In the end, you will be happy you did what you wanted to do, and not what everyone else was saying to do. IS THERE A SOLUTION? Yep. Don't listen to the foolishness. Keep focused. Understand that this awkward transitioning stage is only temporary. You will have 1 beautiful texture in a little bit.
4. Not Ready. If you are not ready (mentally), then you won't be able to get ready (physically). You won't want to research and shop for the few things needed to transition your hair. You won't want to spend any time getting to know how to transition. You won't want to see your puffy roots. You will then break out a relaxer box--or head to your nearest beautician. IS THERE A SOLUTION? Pretty much. Wait until your mind is ready. Wait until you know in your heart that you have already embraced your coily hair.
5. Lack of Knowledge. There's a few things to learn once you get started. Either way, once you stop relaxing, your coils will grow out unprocessed. Soon, you'll have more unprocessed (aka natural) hair than relaxed hair. Especially if you cut off the relaxed hair ends! Another option is long term transitioning (keeping your relaxed hair while your natural hair grows in). Either way, it's necessary to learn the basics: styling, cleansing, conditioning, moisturizing, sealing, detangling. These were basics that had to be learned while you were relaxed as well. If you are transitioning with the hopes of growing long, healthy natural hair--then take a little time to update your knowledge in that direction. There's hair care--and then there's healthy hair care. IS THERE A SOLUTION? Yes. Do some Research. Have some fun getting to know your coils.
6. Think (your own) natural hair is not "good hair". As upsetting as this always is to me, I will need to bring this up. I get lots of messages from girls wondering what their "hair type" is. Trying to look through the transitioning mix of hair and determine if they have "nice hair". At times, they report back that they've relaxed their hair because it was "nappy". I'm not making this up. First I'd like to say that the hair you will see during your transition is not the hair that you will have when you are fully transitioned. Also, I want to share that the hair you will see at the beginning of your all natural healthy hair journey---is not the same head of hair that you will see a few years/several inches down the road. Your coils will evolve quite a few times. Amazingly enough, each stage it evolves is more beautiful than the one before. This topic is a whole 'nother post (SOLUTION IN THE OTHER POST).
7. Frustration. All of the above reasons (1 through 6) can lead to frustration. This can and probably will lead to breaking out that box of relaxer. Follow the solutions suggested, and it may help you get through the difficult stages of transitioning.
8. The Hard, Crusty, Dry, Ashy New Growth. This may be the most important transitioning issue that I hear a lot. My inbox gets quite a few messages from transitioners explaining that their new growth feels hard, dry, and is difficult to manage. Truth is: it probably is dry, hard, and difficult to manage. Think about it--the coily hair is a HUGE contrast from the bone straight relaxed hair. Just that fact alone will cause some difficulty. Next, the coily hair will require some conditioning treatment that is not usually addressed that close to the scalp. When you deep condition--do you make sure to thoroughly address the hair right on the scalp? IS THERE A SOLUTION? Yup. Make sure to add some body heat to it by covering your conditioning hair with a plastic cap and tying that down with a scarf. Feel free to add some oils into your conditioner treatment. Special attention needs to be given to that New New growth. Also, you can lay down the edges of transitioning hair by doing this conditioning method, then "setting" the edges when they are damp by pulling the hair back into a ponytail and tying it down with a scarf. When you remove the scarf in the morning, your edges should be soft, manageable, and laid down flat. This is great when styling buns, ponytails, sleek styles. This is just a stage. It will pass at around the 7th to 8th month (when you could have around 4 inches of natural hair).
9. Corporate Office. You think it's not Professional. Transition/Natural hair can be styled professionally, just as relaxed hair can be styled professionally. IS THERE A SOLUTION? Yeah. Research and learn how to style transitioning hair professionally--or go to a stylist with a style request.

Common Transitioning Hair Issues: Dryness & Styling

TRANSITIONING & NATURAL HAIR BLUES

Are you starting to get frustrated with your transitioning or natural hair? I hear from many people daily, and honestly, I can relate. I remember when I was at 7-10 months into my transition, my natural hair was getting really thick, while my relaxed hair was looking pretty scrawny. It is a true trick to master 2 contrasting hair textures at once (some folks are even juggling 3 differing textures). You're doing great!

Here's a few things that I did (and still do) to alleviate my styling woe's:


EVALUATE:

• What products are you using? I have to read the ingredient label of any new product I'd like to purchase. Adding a new product to your hair care drawer can add new and improved problems to your daily styling. For instance, If you are using products with certain "cones" like Dimethicone, this may be a reason for dryness. A solution to that could be to first use a sulphate shampoo and wash (to remove the silicone). Afterwards, you'd benefit from a deep conditioner treatment (preferably one with natural ingredients). Afterwards, as a follow up you could do a mid week oil treatment (just put your favorite oil or olive oil on your hair, put a plastic cap and let it sit for a few hours).

• Are you shampooing too much? Natural and Relaxed hair are quick to get dry, they don't need any additional help from harsh shampoos, or even any other surfactant prepared to remove those precious natural oils. Assess how many times a month your hair truly needs dirt removal/cleansing. This will of course be based on your environment, sweat factors, or basic cleansing needs.

• If your products are not what's causing the dryness, then make sure you're doing deep conditioning treatments. 

• When I was transitioning and I got tired of styling my hair, I put in human hair braided extensions. That gave me about 2 months of a break, and all I had to do was spritz a moisturizer daily. If you're unable to do that, maybe you could bun up your hair after stretching your roots. Bunning is great for long term transitioners. The ends of the hair is kept tucked away (after moisturizing). Just don't pull too hard on the edges, or that can cause damage to the hairline. Check out transitioning hair buns on YouTube if you need a tutorial.

• Don't overlook perm rod rollers! They can put the relaxed hair "in check" for days! Because they're so small, they give a tight curl to otherwise dead straight hair. Also, the curl you get from the perm rod rollers lasts for days. Additionally, they are a great way to preserve your ends during your transition. They keep the ends of the hair "tucked away" in the moisturized curl. You will only need to tousle the curl with your finger to achieve your style. Once you've got the perm rod roller texture, you are free to style as you please (banana clip, buns, ponytails, wear it loose, etc).

• Another thing I did was go to the hairdresser for a break. Instead, I think I got 10 more gray hairs LOL! I ended up being very aggravated instead of relieved and de-stressed. Most stylists I've been to have been rough with my hair (transitioning & all natural)!

First and foremost, just take a deep breath and then assess what needs to be done first (ie. moisturizing, then de-tangling, possibly stretching your coils by braiding or twisting). Then after all of that has been done, the best style option will be one that can last until your next wash day (maybe 5-7 days).

FOR MORE IDEAS & SOLUTIONS FOR TRANSITIONING HAIR ISSUES, YOU MAY WANT TO READ WHY I PUT A RELAXER ON MY TRANSITIONING HAIR.

Much Love--tia

Transitioning Hair Trick #1: HOW TO LAY DOWN THE HAIRLINE

I will dedicate much time to transitioning hair information. Only because I was a long term transitioner, and I've pretty much gone through anything and everything that a transitioner can go through. During month 3 through month 7, I wore a lot of buns, and pulled back styling. During this time, the "new growth" is peeking through, but there's mostly relaxed hair at the shaft and ends. 

THE PROBLEM: How do I style my hair with all of this new growth?

SOLUTION #1: Moisturize your hair properly. At night time, soft brush your hairline (edges). Plait into braids (or not--you can do this to a plain old ponytail style), and tie down your hair with a satin head tie. Make sure to lie the scarf along the hairline so that your morning styling will have a smooth hairline (if that's the look you're going for).

SOLUTION #2: Invest in a few headbands. They must be sturdy enough to keep the hairline down. This is used after you've done your night-time scarf trick.

Transitioning Hair, Month 4 "New Hair Growth" Waves

Hair Band Helps Keep "Fly Aways" in Place

Transitioning Hair Bun Styling is Great During Months 4 through 8

Transitioning Hair and Buns Are Great All Year Round