Underprocessed vs. overprocessed (or neither)

[alona]

I'm going to decribe my hair tell me if you think it is over or underprocessed.

When wet it's curly from mid way to ends, from mid way to root it's straight. A hairdresser told me it was overprocess. Someone else described their hair as the same as mine when wet but their hairdresser described it as underprocessed.

Can somebody help me out?

tia

 

[Neroli]

I have similar texture when wet and my dominician stylist says its underprocessing (I surmise it's probably from my unforturnate venture into self relaxing about a year ago). She absolutely refuses to "fix" this went I asked because she says will cause more harm then good (this, I tell you made me fall in LOVE with her!) and told me the best thing is to grow it out and in the meantime, just work with it (I do rollersets each wash and my hair dries light and full of bounce without any noticeable difference in texture). We are slowing doing "little chops" as I progress.

BTW, I am 4b relaxed.

 

[Leslie_C]

neroli, I was strongly considering a corrective relaxer but I am rethinking it. I went to a dominican stylist just to talk to her and she said if my hair is breaking its not the time for a corrective and I needed to do some treatments to make it stronger.

but its the two different textures that are causing breakage because the underprocessed part tangles easily and knots up, so when I comb it out, sometimes I end up combing out knots of hair(hence breakage)...part of me thinks the only way to correct it is a corrective relaxer, but part of me thinks it can make it worse if not done correctly.

There is someone on a different board who had one and her hair is very nice. Also, there are people who consistently apply relaxer from root to tip and have their hair recover from it over time once they start taking care of their hair and stop the overlapping.

*sigh* Im really on the wall about this corrective thing!

 

[Neroli]

Leslie C: I think you have to do what is right for YOUR hair. I know from bitter experience that my 4b hair cannot withstand consistent applications of relaxer from root to tip -- it will not recover no matter what I do. Period. Others with different hair types can do this, but I simply cannot if I wish to have healthy hair. I think a corrective relaxer is a similar thing, reapplying the relaxer over previously relaxed hair, so I'm willing to wait rather than take such an irretievable step that could set me back for years -- IMO, it's just not worth it.

With regard to tangles, I just take my time when I wash my hair -- the different textures are not noticeable when my hair is dry and I don't have tangle problems generally. I NEVER attempt to detangle when my hair is wet because it is the most fragile at this point AND that's when the textures are obvious. I know others detangle with conditioners under the shower, etc. I can NEVER do that, a comb does not come near my hair when it's wet. Period. I massage and comb out my hair BEFORE I shampoo and then I go through the process WITHOUT combing at all, just work shampoo in, rinse, work conditioner in, rinse. Then I towel dry BEFORE I start to comb, and then I am extra special careful, slowing detangle hair from ENDS to ROOTS, never comb from roots to ends - that's how knots from. I towel dry first and then comb out as I do my roller sets. So far, it's working for me and I am comfortable with my regimen. Indeed, folks always saying how nice my hair is and some folks even like to touch in order to look for tracks (I take this as a compliment!)

 

[Tene]

bump

 

[Leslie_C]

yeah that makes sense...maybe I just need to try to stop combing it when wet bc I know others say they ONLY comb when wet, but this is when I lose the most hair. I think I need to let it dry for a while before combing it. Mine sounds the same way, it is most fragile when wet, but Ive noticed its gotten better lately. Also, Pantene Detangle light spray conditioner has been heaven sent!

how often do u get touch ups? Im currently 8 weeks and plan to try for two more but my hair is extra fragile right now and manipulation causes breakage. Im going to use light protein(GPB) and profectiv breakfree until I get my relaxer. In the meantime, it will give me time to think over whether I should get a corrective or not.

 

[bollyhair]

Hmm!

Now you've got me curious. I will describe my hair and can somebody tell me if they think it's overprocessed or underprocessed. Last night I wet my hair (root to tip) and put some styling creme in it to slick back in a ponytail and covered w/ a phony ponytail. Anyway, this morning, the front of my hair all the way to the part that was NOT in the ponytail was DEAD STRAIGHT, but the rest that was IN the ponytail is all curly frizzy poofy. Is this over or under processing? This happens often when I wear a ponytail.

 

[Neroli]

Yep, I read others saying how they only detangle in the shower and I'm like NO WAY for this girl. I really filter thru what others do and take the stuff that works for me and discard the stuff I know won't work for me, even though others have good results with it.

I get touchups every 10 weeks. I tried to go 12 (again, others do this with no problems) but found that my hair was breaking waaay too much after 10 weeks and so have concluded that for ME, 10 weeks is my max. The only way I have been able to strech to 12 weeks is when I braid my after week 10, then I can go as long as I want.

 

[Leslie_C]

bolly, yours could really be neither. This is why most black women think its against the law for us to airdry(the look at me like Im crazy when I tell them I do it). Most of us have a problem with our hair frizzing and poofing without the help of heat.

the front of your hair was pulled taut so it was straight but the ends were loose so they frizzed. Ill bet if u put rollers on the ends they would be straighter too. just think of how shiny and healthy most ppls hair APPEARS when its flat ironed or whatever. Its just appearance but doesnt really mean its healthy or unhealthy.

 

[deborah11]

it sounds like your hair is underprocessed because it sounds like my hair. I transitioned for almost 2 years but recently got a texturizer and this is how my hair looks. At some point I may want it relaxed straighter but I certainly will not do this anytime soon. i now plan to get a relaxer only 3 times per year.