Question for long-term transitioners

[yamilee21]

Question for long-term transitioners - Update

I was doing my niece's hair, which is from midback to tailbone in length, and ultra-thick. She had a "texturizer" (relaxer?) two years ago, but no touch-ups since, so she has about 10-14 inches of new growth and 6-10 inches of straight ends. The ends are easy to detangle, and so is the new growth. All the knots and tangles - two hours' worth of them! - are exactly where the new growth and processed hair meet. Is that what usually happens? No wonder so many seem to get fed up with transitioning and chop the ends off! She agrees that she should trim the ends, but is only willing to trim as much as will grow in the month she is spending with me, . How do you transitioners deal with the tangly border area between the textures?

 

[sweetpuff]

deep conditionning and moisturising.
i'm no long-term transitionner (my best at stretching was 5 months....) but from my humble experience and reading all the transition threads: DC and moisturising helps a lot. leaving it alone too.

hth

 

[Nubenap22]

I've heard that braiding pre washing makes it easier to deal with. I have yet to try it on my own but there is a thread around here about it

 

[Pandora1975]

Patience, lots of conditioner (and I mean lots) and a very wide toothed comb.

 

[Eisani]

All of the above! Wide-tooth, seamless comb(s) help with keeping the hair detangled. I also use a Denman to remove shed hairs. Keeping the hair detangled has been vital for my sanity and retention.

I always, always, always wash my hair in 4 loose braids. I use my fingertips to get to the scalp and apply conditioner ONLY to the braid itself, focusing on the demarcation line.

I cowash and dc usually 2 or more times per week, but she may not be up for all that manipulation. For my hair, I consider it low manip, but others find it to be too much. I moisturize and seal daily, even if I'm in a twist out or braidout. Speaking of, this is a way to have a cute style that usually lasts a while so u don't have to touch the hair for a few days to a week. I also bun a lot.

That's about it, just make sure when conditioning, moisturizing and sealing to pay extra attention to the demarcation line, don't just rub product on the surface of and thru the hair, add some extra specifically to that line to keep it moist, strong and less likely to tangle and break off.

Oh yea, unless I'm doing a WnG, I never let my hair dry loose because it's just asking for tangles. HTH!

 

[Bun Mistress]

I am in the transition for the long haul and I have just found a way to deal with this! BTW couldn't be more excited. So here is my method:

1. you really need to make sure that hair is moisturized. I use AO HSR.
2. I leave in with Gainer Sleek in shine the conditioner (not the leave in) don't wash it out just a dunk under the shower to distribute then
3. Moorcan oil for more slip and if I need it when twisting
4. Mane and tail detangler.
I know the last part was a lot of cones but it is the only cones I use for the week. I can comb through my hair with a fine tooth comb with no problems.

 

[yamilee21]

Big chop update

Two nights before her plane ride home, my niece asked me to just cut off the relaxed ends. So I gave her a "big chop" and her hair is now the shortest it has been since she was about 5 years old (she's 14)... the shortest parts are shoulder length, and the longest, close to BSL, stretched. But the difference in washing, combing, detangling is phenomenal... there are no tangles; practically nothing to detangle! And more amazingly, almost no hair coming out in the shower, comb or Denman. All the hair she was losing before must have been from breakage. Unfortunately, I cannot put up her picture, but she has such beautiful curls... the relaxed ends were really not helping. She says she will never, ever have her hair relaxed again.

 

[Sapphire_chic]

i dont get many tangles at this point, i just use a wide toothed comb and a denman once a week (the denman only in sections) maybe if my hair was as long as hers