To protein or not, What to do after a lye relaxer

[disgtgyal]

After a few years of being natural I relaxed my hair in june with vitale lye and it was okay at first, but then about a month ago my hair became really dry, brittle and breaking. From june to now I've done about three hardcore protein treatments which seemed to slow the breakage down to a slight breakage problem. My hair dryness issue has been corrected for the most part, so my question is to avoid increasing the amount of hairs lost should I do a hardcore protein treatment immediately following my lye relaxer? I've read the thread about ceramides (sp?) and how its beneficial to relaxed hair also in that thread was the importance of protein to lye users so am i correct to incorporating more protein into be regimen? Oh yea stretching isn't an option right now there is way too much new growth and i already have pieces that broke at the demarcation mark thanks ladies....

 

[disgtgyal]

bump bump bump....

 

[Coffee]

I think it depends on if you used a hard protein treatment before your relaxer, if so I wouldn't do a hard one again. I would use something milder I just relaxed my hair on Friday, but the last shampoo before that I used a mild protein so after my relaxer on Friday I used a hard core protein treatment. HTH!

 

[cocomochaa]

hey hardcore protein treatments should be used before the relaxer not after. search sistaslick she has amazing advice on protein and relaxing!

 

[Aggie]

At this point after so many protein treatments, you really should be concentrating your efforts on deep moisturizing treatments right now to get the elasticity back in your hair. I only do a mild protein treatment within 7 days of my relaxer, always followed by a deep moisturizing conditioning treatment. You really should read Sistaslick's articles on hair care and relaxing. They are awesome. She can be found on www.associatedcontent.com then print Sistaslick in the search field and her articles will come up.

 

[disgtgyal]

Thanks everyone for ur advice i appreciate it i did a protein treatment and now i relax 2moro so i'll post pics and let u guys kno how it turns out. I do think i need some elastic back into my hair hopefully humecto and biolage conditioning balm will nurse me back to elastic

 

[Puddles]

I use protein after rinsing out the relaxer and before neutralizing. Hardcore protein should be used weeks before relaxing.

But from what you posted......sounds like you need to start moisturizing. Too much protein and not enough moisture is not a a good thing.

 

[morehairplease]

hey hardcore protein treatments should be used before the relaxer not after. search sistaslick she has amazing advice on protein and relaxing!

co-signing. I read this again Sunday(trying to prepare in advance for my relaxer application next month).

 

[disgtgyal]

thanks puddles i guess i focused more on protein since i have a lye relaxer but i plan to deep condish with biolage conditioning balm to add more moisture and elasticity to my strands

tishee, i wished i prepared better for this relaxer but i guess next time around will be better its just that i was natural for so long i forgot about preparing for a relaxer and the do's and dnts

 

[jamaraa]

Yes, another vote for moisture.

 

[CoffeeBean]

I use AO GPB immediately after rinsing the relaxer out. Before neutralizing I let this sit for approx 5 min. Then neutralize, followed by a moisturizing conditioner. My hair can't stand hard proteins and the GPB is effective and gentle.