Natural-Losing too much hair!

brittanynic16

Well-Known Member
Keep that women away from your head! If she didn't care that she was ripping out your hair then I would't go to her again. If you get someone else to do it then you might want them to wet the hair a little while running the comb thru it.
 

LisaG

New Member
Yeah I'm noticing that my has alot of shorter pieces. My hair is growing but its breaking. BTW my hair is natural. I don't think that my like to be touched that much. I'll doing that Braid Challenge starting tomorrow afternoon. I just can't comb my natural 4/a hair I don't care how big the spaces are between the teeth of the comb. Can more experience Naturals please come to our rescue what is that I'm doing wrong?
 

Nonie

Well-Known Member
I agree with Brittany, avoid her like the plague. You might also want to invest in a braiding video or take a friend to get her hair braided and watch how they do it, so you can learn how to do it yourself. Heck, buy a doll and practice on it. You could then undo one of the braids you just had done when they start looking untidy and try re-braiding it yourself (that's how I taught myself).

I can't tell you what peace you'll get when you can entrust your hair's care to the one person that values it more than anyone else in the world: you.
 

Nonie

Well-Known Member
LisaG, you need to give us more info on your regimen so people can tell if you need to change one of your practices or not.
 

Ipanema

Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
LisaG said:
Yeah I'm noticing that my has alot of shorter pieces. My hair is growing but its breaking. BTW my hair is natural. I don't think that my like to be touched that much. I'll doing that Braid Challenge starting tomorrow afternoon. I just can't comb my natural 4/a hair I don't care how big the spaces are between the teeth of the comb. Can more experience Naturals please come to our rescue what is that I'm doing wrong?

[/ QUOTE ]

If it's breaking like that, then you might need more moisture to retain the hair's elasticity. Have you tried products containing glycerin, like S-curl & Sta-Sof-Fro? Also, when you comb, are you starting at the ends & working your way toward the roots?
 

zoya_j

Well-Known Member
Tamala- please get another braider do not let that woman near your head again. Try combing your hair when it's wet and has conditioner in it.

Nonie- you have beautiful hair:)
 

Nonie

Well-Known Member
I would like to share sth that may seem pretty obvious but which to me was like a new discovery.

As you know, I keep my hair in braids all the time. Well, a few months ago, I undid the front section of my hair and washed it, deep conditioned and then took a good look at my natural hair. I was fascinated to see that each strand resembles pen springs. These springs stay contracted when in their natural state and because they are closely packed, they sort of intertwine. (Picture two springs pressed against each other and then allowed to contract.) What I realized is, the only way to comb my hair with the least stress on the strands and least risk of breaking it was to stretch it up with one hand and hold it stretched and then insert the comb at the base with the other hand and slide it through gently. If I just inserted the comb at the base of my shrunken hair and tried to pull it through, what I'd wind up with is, stretched hair below the comb (stretched by my pulling the comb) and tighting contracted springs that are wrapped around each other above the comb which are impossible to penetrate. Even if I started combing from the top/ends, moving the comb lower and lower on the strands each time, my hair strands would still wrap around each other once the comb had passed through and we'd be right back to where we started.

So I believe that's what happened to you Tamala. Your stylist was only concerned with getting the comb through by hook or by crook. (She is probably used to working with straighter hair.) So instead of gently seperating your springs, she just yanked them off coz they were in the way of her getting the comb through.

My acquaintance with my springs further confirmed to me the importance of washing your hair in braids and letting it air dry still in braids so it's a little straighter and easier to comb. And even then, gentleness and patience have to be a part of your care regimen if you have any intention of keeping your hair.
 

Nonie

Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
zoya_j said:

Nonie- you have beautiful hair:)

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Zoya, it's very easy to achieve hair like that if you go to school at Hogwarts. Click the link in the caption below my signature picture and then click the orange square inside the picture that opens to enlarge it and read about the wonders of polyjuice. I'm surprised no one has ever mentioned this wonderful supplement for achieving the look of your choice.
I mean, every time I take it, people swear that Cybra isn't just my sis by personal choice, but that we are true blue identical twins. Now if only I knew how to disapparate I could be in Paris too; I tried floo powder but I haven't quite figured out the floo network to France.
 

Height

New Member
<font color="purple"> </font> Don't comb your hair dry. Bring a spray water bottle with you. Wet your hair yourself. Tell your braider, don't I repeat, do not comb my hair dry. As a matter of fact, ask your braider if that will be a problem before you even make the appt. <font color="black"> </font> My hair is in wet plaits all over my head and she or I will undo only the braids that are needed.
 

DragonPearl

Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
nonie said:
Your stylist was only concerned with getting the comb through by hook or by crook. (She is probably used to working with straighter hair.) So instead of gently seperating your springs, she just yanked them off coz they were in the way of her getting the comb through.

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ITA. It is unfortunate that most stylists do not know how to comb natural hair. That's why I experimented until I learned how to braid my hair myself.
 

BronzeBrown

New Member
I have too much experience with such braiders. I think what aggravated the breakage in these incidents was me braid-stretching my hair (just my real hair) for a few days before getting the extensions. I thought that having my hair in a stretched out state would ease the braiding - but I've come to realize it just ends up drying out my hair and making it prone to breakage. As an alternative, I suggest thoroughly moisturizing and detangling your hair for the few days before braiding - but leaving it in its shrunken state.

I'm considering learning how to do braids myself. I know how to do "repair" work on small sections of my hair once my new growth starts coming, but I'd love to be able to do my whole head - and have it look neat
.

Definitely avoid braiders that have no qualms about ripping your hair out - if not you just end up mad at yourself once you see that pile of broken-off hair on the floor next to you.
 

loverofnaps71

New Member
Never again will I subject my naps to such turmoil and destruction. I wanted braids, but those "stylists" do not know how gentle nappy hair is...
 

syoulee1

New Member
[ QUOTE ]
loverofnaps71 said:
Never again will I subject my naps to such turmoil and destruction. I wanted braids, but those "stylists" do not know how gentle nappy hair is...

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Amen to that
 

cherish

New Member
I don't think I've ever had my hair done at a salon/braiders to my total satisfaction!

I completely agree that you should avoid that woman, and also take the time to learn to do your own braids. It'll be a pain in the butt at first, but in the long run you'll be so much happier and feel empowered that you did.
 

Ire_manzi

New Member
[ QUOTE ]
Tamala said:
I got my hair braided yesterday, and I could not belive how much hair was lost before and during the braiding process.
She sectioned my hair, and combed through the ends, and it felt like she was ripping my hair out, and I would look and see my tightly curled ends on the floor
,there was just too much hair on the floor to be regular shedding.
Prior to braiding my hair, I washed/rinsed my hair everday, and moisturized on a regular basis.
I don't want to lose so much hair again,and I am wondering what I should do now.

[/ QUOTE ]


I experienced the same thing when I had my hair braided a year ago. I agree with other members of this board when they say that you should never go back there again. I never did and I am proud of myself for doing that. By the way, I learnt how to braid my own hair and now I spot some beautiful braids that people admire so much.
 

NGC

New Member
Tamala - how do you feel about having your hair blow dried?

It's been about two years since I've had a stylist put braid extensions in my hair. When I did, she would wash my hair, detangle it while it was wet, then blow dry it to slightly straighten it before putting in the braids.

I don't know if that was damaging to my hair or not b/c I was not as hair smart as I think I am now. But it's a thought


I do agree with the other ladies - the best option is to do it yourself.
 

sengschick

The Bun Master
Tamala,

I've been warned that conditioning braided hair can cause it to rot at the root b/c you are unable to remove all of the conditioner. We all know this is the last place you want to weaken your hair!!! I was advised to instead use a leave-in or lightly condition with less frequency. Hot oil may help as well as a substitute. And just my general rule of thumb... hand over the comb and let me detangle, b/c no one loves your hair like you do! Best Wishes!
 

ricochet

Member
Natural hair rule #1.....Do not comb your hair unless it is wet, full of shampoo or conditioner OR in a straight style...Do not even attempt to comb your hair while it is dry.
 

Chimma

New Member
Be careful with who is braiding your hair!

I had a bad experience with one lady who braided my hair, and just didn't care about being gentle.

But I have a friend who knows how to braid hair, and her braiding my hair was a wonderful experience.

Every braider is not created equally! And most professional ones do not care much about your hair.
 

thatscuteright

Well-Known Member
Thank you all, and I have ordered the hair lady's braiding video from groafrohairlong, and I have started to take out one braid at a time, and braid it myself. I paid for these braids, and I lost so much of my own hair, that I want to keep them in until about end of April, and I will try to rebraid my whole head one section at a time. It makes no sense to grow your hair, and then have it ripped out by somebodyelse.
 

carameldiva

New Member
I had a bad experience a few months back like this- i went to this place that everyone but me raves about. I wanted to get cornrows. This chick looks at me and says this type of hair needs to be blowdried first. So ya'll know i am already upset. So i told her ok- but only on low heat and with the large attachment comb. She proceeds to use high heat and a small attachment comb and rip though one area of my head. I got up and called my gf -in tears- telling her i had to go this girl was not gonna destroy my hair for some cornrows. So when i go back this chick tells me that she needs to talk to me outside and then has the nerve to ask me to go next door and let the hispanics blow-dry my hair (cause she doesn't have time) and then come back and pay her to do my cornrows. Not. I went down the street -prayed that the area she did get her hands in didn't break off and found someone that could do my hair without using heat. It cost me much less and they were quite gentle.
 

Sharpened

A fleck on His Sword
Thank you for not sitting there and letting her tear your hair up! You should have made this post its own thread--folks need a reminder they should not let any professional treat them in a way that goes against their gut.
 
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