Your biggest problems encoutered while Transitioning?

[meia]

....I know with my hair, i've encountered some huge problems...all being:

-retaining moisture for the new growth and the relaxed ends (either or would be well moisturized but now that i'm almost a year into my transition its hard to keep both textures moist and soft)

-keeping hair detangled (somewhere between the new growth and relaxed ends- the "demarcation" line to be exact, it tangles slightly...but so far as my relaxed hair thats what tangles the most)

-finding shampoos, conditioners, and leave-ins without parabens, alcohol, and sulfates (its very complicated for me because sulfates and alcohol seem to do the most damage- because most products i encounter come with a combination of the above ingredients)

-the hair ends and keeping them from splitting (i don't use brushes- only combs and only when wet while doing so gently)...even if i wrap it does nothing

-acheiving second day hair (with 3C hair unless you bun it and wrap, its a complicated thing to keep it moist and soft for very long)

-trying not to do the BC (it gets to be so complicated some days you just want to cut it all off at whatever length but you find it hard really using scissors lol)

-trying to accelerate my growth rate (its a complicated thing for me, but i want to increase my growth rate and ability to maintain said growth...which im finding is harder than it seems)

with so many transitioning ladies who have opted to wait to do the BC and grow their hair out first what obstacles have you all faced so far? did you find your own way to conquer the problems or are you still facing them? as you get farther into the transitioning has it gotten easier or harder for you to maintain your hair?

 

[Tene]

I'm almost 3 months into my transition and I have some scab hair. I was very frustrated but I'm glad I started back using coconut oil. I don't know why I stopped that stuff is a godsend. It keeps my hair so soft and moist along with co washes and my homemade spritz.

 

[meia]

I'm almost 3 months into my transition and I have some scab hair. I was very frustrated but I'm glad I started back using coconut oil. I don't know why I stopped that stuff is a godsend. It keeps my hair so soft and moist along with co washes and my homemade spritz.

ughh...i hate scab hair...i had that too for a while and it was all flaky and weird...hmmm or that could've just been sores from relaxer that got left on my hair too long..lol i'm STILL frustrated and will be so for a while! lol some days i just want to take a damn box of perm to my hair! thank goodness i'm broke most of the time! coconut oil is very good! i've gotten back to it too but my hair is funny and can get overloaded very easily!

I used to do CO washes but they did'nt do anything for me after a while and made my hair quite dull even when i clarified with baking soda and water...shoot and that would've been economical as anything too!! lol save on shampoo costs! lol i've noticed that greg's juice (from oyin) has been a godsend for me with the two textures and makes the hair so much easier to deal with!

 

[Nightingale]

Lack of styling options. At the beginning of my transition, i flat ironed as usual. Once I had 3+ inches of natural hair, I started bunning. Sadly, bunning is pretty much all i can do now. I workout hard 6 days a week, so most styles don't lasts and I get the itchies. Everyday, I rinse, condition and bun...everyday....Even my bun is looking bad. you can see the natural hair and the relaxed, but I'm stuck so, oh well....

 

[Tene]

ughh...i hate scab hair...i had that too for a while and it was all flaky and weird...hmmm or that could've just been sores from relaxer that got left on my hair too long..lol i'm STILL frustrated and will be so for a while! lol some days i just want to take a damn box of perm to my hair! thank goodness i'm broke most of the time! coconut oil is very good! i've gotten back to it too but my hair is funny and can get overloaded very easily!

I used to do CO washes but they did'nt do anything for me after a while and made my hair quite dull even when i clarified with baking soda and water...shoot and that would've been economical as anything too!! lol save on shampoo costs! lol i've noticed that greg's juice (from oyin) has been a godsend for me with the two textures and makes the hair so much easier to deal with!

Ooh I've been wanting to try some oyin products. When I get some money I'm going to order that greg juice and some other stuff. I noticed that the patches of hair where it's rough, thick and dry around my edges and nape that's where I got the most damage from relaxers and dye. My hairline have been broken off and overprocessed a lot by hairdressers.

 

[Tene]

Lack of styling options. At the beginning of my transition, i flat ironed as usual. Once I had 3+ inches of natural hair, I started bunning. Sadly, bunning is pretty much all i can do now. I workout hard 6 days a week, so most styles don't lasts and I get the itchies. Everyday, I rinse, condition and bun...everyday....Even my bun is looking bad. you can see the natural hair and the relaxed, but I'm stuck so, oh well....

Don't feel bad all I can do is clip up my hair. I can't style hair to save my life. I don't know have to do any other style but clip it up. I said when I get some money I'm going to go to the salon and get a style foe a change or get cornrows.

 

[mscounselor]

My problems with transitioning are:

Keeping my scalp clean. Something Im doing is causing flakes in my hair.

Detangling so I dont rip out my hair

Styling my hair since it has retained ALL the layers I had cut in October 2005

Not having the expendable income to invest in organic/natural products.

 

[shellzfoshizzle]

Lack of styling options. At the beginning of my transition, i flat ironed as usual. Once I had 3+ inches of natural hair, I started bunning. Sadly, bunning is pretty much all i can do now. I workout hard 6 days a week, so most styles don't lasts and I get the itchies. Everyday, I rinse, condition and bun...everyday....Even my bun is looking bad. you can see the natural hair and the relaxed, but I'm stuck so, oh well....

You summed up everything I wanted to say. Be careful with bunning. I am wearing buns now and I am starting to worry about the hair in the crown of the bun. It's starting to look alittle on the thin side. My rollersets look a mess so that's out the question. Because of my lack of styling options, I'm BC'ing in two weeks.

 

[Suri]

Styling- My hair was pretty short when I started my transition so all I could do was bun(ponytail) or blow it out. When it came to sytling I would have to literally play in my hair until a certain 'look' looked good and I would play with it from there. For those of you with longer transitioning hair you should have NO problem finding styles, you really have to be creative.

Moisture- Products like, carols Daughter Healthy Hair Butter, S-curl, IC Styling Gel, KeraCare Oil Moisutrizer with Jojoba Oil, Elasta QP( Mango Butter) for some, Infusium, Pure Shea Butter, Citre Shine Curl Booster, and Surge are great moisturizers for hair with two textures because it takes care of the relaxed and natural texture. If these products don't work for you, try similar products.

Detangling- Conditioner, Conditioner, Conditioner. When I first started transitioning I found that I was using more conditioner, now I use almost half a bottle a wash . I detangle my hair in the shower and bun it in the shower. If you're having a hard time detangling, I would try this method. You can part your hair in 2 or 4 and detangle in the shower and pony those sections and when you get out, dry the hair while they are in the pony's and start applying your products by section.

My staples during the height of my transition were Parnevu Tea Tree Leave in (it's creamy and light weight), Pure Shea Butter to moisturize that NG, Surge (EXCELLENT MOISTURIZING DETANGLER!) Citre Shine Curl Booster and IC Sytling Gel with Sparklelites.
Mane n' Tail was my conditioner and sometimes I used a little as a leave in. Also KeraCare Oil Moisturizer. HTH

 

[onepraying]

Biggest problem for me: Finding a style that lasts all day. I could go out looking good but after several hours, I'm looking like a frizz ball. I really dislike frizz, (Sorry SO1913 I know you LOVE your frizz ) I just want my hair to have a smooth texture, whether it is curly or straight. My hair is frizzy to death and I must get used to it... All I can say is, thank God for emergency hair kits!

Everything will be alright once my hair is all one texture....nappy!

 

[caligirl]

My friend just twisted my hair using Carol's Daughter Healthy Hair Butter. It made the twists VERY smooth and shiny. No frizz in sight.

 

[Sweet_Ambrosia]

The only problem I had earlier in my Transition was scab hair, I didnt know there was such a thing!
Now since all my scab hair has grown out, things are much much easier. Detangling is a breeze, my hair doesnt shed half as much as it used to, my new growth is extra soft and more managebale than ever, which makes styling less of a hassle for me. As each month passes, and the more my natural hair grows out its getting more and more easier.

 

[Country gal]

Trying to look great despite having two different textures was a big problem. Most of my problems were mental. Getting use to becoming natural despite having a relaxed mind.

 

[blackbarbie]

The only problem I had earlier in my Transition was scab hair, I didnt know there was such a thing!
Now since all my scab hair has grown out, things are much much easier. Detangling is a breeze, my hair doesnt shed half as much as it used to, my new growth is extra soft and more managebale than ever, which makes styling less of a hassle for me. As each month passes, and the more my natural hair grows out its getting more and more easier.

What is "scab hair"?

 

[Suri]

What is "scab hair"?

bumping. As long as I've been transitioning/natural I still don't know what this is.

 

[Cheleigh]

bumping. As long as I've been transitioning/natural I still don't know what this is.

If you do a search, you will see there's some debate whether it exists or not.

I don't provide an opinion on that, but the closest I came to having "scab hair" is sometimes that first 1/4"-1" of NG when I would get a retouch. It was coarse, dry, and unmanageable. For some folks, I think it might a by-product of getting a chemical treatment, but it feels horrible and was one of the reasons I thought my natural hair was that way too. It's not--my natural texture feels nothing like the first spurt of NG.

 

[curtainbluff]

I am 11 weeks from my last relaxer, and detangling is my worst problem. I am in need of a good detangler.

 

[inthepink]

My biggest problem with transitioning (18 mos.) was tangles. To conquer this, I would wash (co wash) only twice a week with my hair in two sections. I'd only detangle in the shower with a cheapie conditioner while holding my head under water. Once I'd do my updo, I'd keep my hair in a scarf while at home so I could have 3rd day hair. I wouldn't do much to it in the meantime except smooth the front.

I didn't have a problem with split ends b/c I kept my hair trimmed about every 4 months and I rarely used heat while I transitioned.

Keeping my hair moisturized was handled mostly with CD products -healthy hair butter on new growth and hair milk on relaxed ends. I'd moisturize again at night, with a spray bottle and oil mixture. Sometimes I'd oil my ends section by section.

Transitioning was really tough for me b/c I was transitioning due to a bad relaxer so I had breakage that stuck up all over the top of my head making it very hard to have a nice smooth look for a very long time.

I hope things get better for you.

 

[beyondcute]

**sigh** Waiting out my transition. Ive always been good with styling and detangling and dealign with 2 textures aitn so bad eiher (Ive completed a year stretch before) but waitign fro my length so I can comfortably BC is whats bothering me. I want to be all natural btu Im not comfortable with short hair so another year will have to be in the bag befroe I consider chopping... Let the countdown continue....

 

[so1913]

Biggest problem for me: Finding a style that lasts all day. I could go out looking good but after several hours, I'm looking like a frizz ball. I really dislike frizz, (Sorry SO1913 I know you LOVE your frizz ) I just want my hair to have a smooth texture, whether it is curly or straight. My hair is frizzy to death and I must get used to it... All I can say is, thank God for emergency hair kits!

Everything will be alright once my hair is all one texture....nappy!

LOL...well, I just came to accept that a characteristic of my natural hair IS frizz!!! (also made styling easier and faster when I realized it) So when I happen to get rid of it during styling (i.e. shingling or wearing my hair straight) I just get this feeling and I'm like "I want my frizz and poof back!!!". Granted, I do use products to help aid in definition, but leaving a little frizz and fuzz gives me more character

Once you complete your transition, and your hair is all natural, you'll realize... frizz ain't so bad

 

[Summer_Rain]

i'm only 17-18 weeks into my transition, but patience has been my biggest problem. like BeyondCute said, I'm waiting to get to a length where I will feel comfortable in doing a BC.

Right now I'm wearing a sew-in, with my front exposed. but i plan to go to kinky twists or some other totally protective style. I'm sure the heat that i have to apply daily to get my roots straight is doing more damage than good

 

[MzTami]

self esteem--I looked a hot mess walking around with dry, dull, 3 different textures of transitioned hair. I was not confident in my apperance at all.

style challenged--I didn't know what to do with it. Like Onespraying said, it would look okay when I left home and look like I was hit by a car when I arrived at work 30 minutes after styling it.

breakage--Transitioning really broke the crown area of my hair. When I BC, I hardly had any relaxed ends in the crown.

 

[StartinOvah]

my problem was/is also breakage in the crown. i don't think i have any relaxed hair there.

i am also running out of no-fuss hairstyles. i like having my hair in braids but i am sick of wearing them.

i don't know what state of mind i'm in. i want to bc. i have an appt next week to bc. but i think i'm going to cancel. i'm nervous. i don't want straight hair, so i don't think i still have a relaxed mind. but i'm not sure about short hair. and having short hair has never ever ever been an issue for me before. i've been damn near bald short. i'm talking tiny barrel curling iron short. but for some reason, i think at the same time i want to cut, i also want to wait. arrrgggh!

the two textures and moisture have been good to me. now its about the style and seeing my all natural hair for the first time in like 20 years.

 

[shellzfoshizzle]

self esteem--I looked a hot mess walking around with dry, dull, 3 different textures of transitioned hair. I was not confident in my apperance at all..

Yea, I feel like crap. I know I look like crap too. But I hope to be looking good again by next week!

 

[lovelymissyoli]

I had a relatively easy transition that I'm thankful for. (Maybe that's why I'm a little biased when I read posts about people wanting to give up). The first time I transitioned in 2004 I gave up because I saw all my new growth after 7 months and didn't know what to do with it, or what products to use. When I decided to transition again, I was armed with styles in mind, and the proper products to use.

The biggest problem I had during my transition was heat damage. Pressing my hair every 2 months was a big mistake! Other than that, strawsets, flexi-rod sets, and cornrows got me through the year.

 

[dynamic1]

Some of my biggest problems during my long transition include....

Detangling - I have to clear out my shed hair, or it gets really tangled. So if I try to do the "no manipulation" thing, my hair turns against me.

Shampoo - My hair hates shampoo. When I do shampoo, I have to use a very moisturizing shampoo most of the time and a stronger clarifying shampoo sparingly.

The bun is getting to be a problem for me as well, my hair just wants to be free! But I am so not ready and I don't think I will be when I do my final clip in September. It's very big!

My biggest problem on my very long transitioning road would have to be "other people's issues". This hair thing is serious. I could tell you stories, you wouldn't believe. But that would have to be another thread.

 

[RavenMaven]

I'm almost 3 months into my transition and I have some scab hair. I was very frustrated but I'm glad I started back using coconut oil. I don't know why I stopped that stuff is a godsend. It keeps my hair so soft and moist along with co washes and my homemade spritz.

Yeah definitely. I am stuck on Hot Six Oil.

 

[Poohbear]

The biggest problem I had was breakage at the demarcation line where the natural roots and the relaxed ends meet. So I did the big chop after almost 8 months of transitioning.