So you all know that I was washing my hair weekly in three ponytails. I had started only combing through with a shower comb while soaking wet, and letting it dry in the ponytails. I think we determined that was where the problem started. Previously I was combing once or twice during the drying process with a normal-sized comb, but I stopped that when my hair started coming out in large quantities. Coincidentally (or not), it started coming out in large quantities when I went two weeks without washing or combing my hair.
Now when my stylist got to my hair, she looked quite befuddled as she tried to figure out how she was going to get through all of the matted hair. She put a detangling conditioner on it and put me under the dryer for 15 minutes before she even attempted to shampoo it. She said washing it in the state it was in before would only do more damage. After that, she gave me a protein treatment AND a deep conditioning treatment before carefully blowdrying and straightening my hair. All in all, the process took over three hours!
Once it was straight, the temptation to relax again was overwhelming, especially with my husband showering me with compliments all day.
I will never let my hair get like this again. No more ripping and no more laziness. My transitioning 4b hair requires a lot more care than that. Honestly, I'm thinking I will keep my hair straight most of the time throughout the transition by visiting my stylist every 4 weeks. Once the relaxed ends are gone I think I will enjoy my natural hair more.
Without further adieu, my straightened hair:
The Lesson: Even though life is a bit busier with my loving little baby boy, I still have to take time for myself to take care of my hair. I feel like when I'm not at work I always need to be caring for him. Sometimes I forget that I have a supportive husband and wonderful mother who are more than willing to watch my dear son while I take some time for myself. So now, Saturday mornings are all for me. I will either wash my own hair and take better care to remove the tangles, or go to the salon.
Congrats on finding a good way to manage your transition and have your hair look great and healthy at the same time! I got a Dominican Blow Out last year, and my husband was the same way with the compliments. I actually hated it because I think that was his "nice" way of saying that he prefers my hair straight instead of textured.
ReplyDeleteAnywho, I'm glad that you're taking time for yourself. You're a wife and a mother, you need time for you! Luckily, you have family to lighten your load so that time can be available to you.
Lastly, I don't know if you mentioned this before, but are you going to do a BC or will you have your stylist trim your hair gradually until you are relaxer free? If you are going to BC, do you have an idea as to when you'd do it?