Calling all self relaxers/texturizers!

[Gaea]

I did it on a whim, bad me.

I had almost 6 months of new growth and I was tired of having to style two different textures... mostly because my kitchen area was all natural and it would kind of stick out and be a noticeably different texture than the rest of my hair. My twist outs on my natural hair and my texturized hair look different, so I changed it to all texturized

This is the first time that I did it myself. I mixed Lustrasilk Cholesterol and neutralizing shampoo and put it on the previously texturized hair, applied and smoothed Revlon Realistic Relaxer Lye in regular strength for 20 minutes.

(my hair is really resistant and it just laughed at this stuff because there is no way in hell that it's going to be straightened from a regular strength lye relaxer)

Then I used Mizani Neutralizing shampoo and Isoplus Neutralizing shampoo. I shampooed and rinsed, then I shampooed and kept it in for 5 minutes for three times. Finally I used Elasta QP shampoo for relaxed hair and deep conditioned with Humecto, Elasta QP breakage control serum, evoo and honey.

The questions that I want to ask are

Is it normal to lose more hair than normal during the time that you are neutralizing? I usually lose about 10-15 hairs on a normal wash day. Today I lost about 30-35 hairs.

I don't think that 30 hairs is a lot to lose, but I'm still a little worried!

After I deep conditioned I lost only a very tiny amount of hair like normal.

Also, my hair felt kind of hard and rough. I'm guessing that it was from the repeated washing with shampoo. It also improved after deep conditioning though.

Are these things typical?


P.S. I had absolutely no burning or discomfort through the whole thing, last time my hairdresser burned the heck out of me and that resulted in hair loss... but not now, so go me!

 

[model_chick717]

I think you may have lost more strands because before you texturized, maybe some of your shedded hair was tangled in with the rest of your hair do to the amount of newgrowth--6 months is a lot!

By the way, whenever I touch-up my newgrowth, my hair always feels a little different. I think relaxers disrupt hair's normal ph or something. Just my theory...

 

[Chichi]

This sounds encouraging because I am planning to self-relax too. I wanted to do it for my last retouch but I was also six months post relaxer and went to a stylist.

She did a great job but now I want my haircare totally in my hands.

It sounds like you did a good job.

Chichi

 

[Dolce_Dawn]

Also, neutralizing poo can make your hair feel rough, even when you follow it up w/another poo.

Am I reading correctly (or adding incorrectly..lol) did you wash you hair more than 3 times? Just like you suspected, OVER washing can strip your hair, too. Remember, treat your hair like silk and it will become one of your best assets!

 

[Queenie]

I tend to have drier hair after texturizing also. The chemicals dry your hair out.

I think I also tend to loose more hair when texturizing. Just baby it with moisturizers.

 

[Gaea]

After I dried my hair it was normalish... after I washed and conditioned again it was completely normal

Thanks for your replies.

P.S I know that normalish is not a real word.

 

[LABETT]

I relaxed my hair for the first time too and love the results I used Profectiv relaxer and I dont think I lost a lot of hair I only rinsed twice with neutralizing shampoo.