How I nutured my hair back from overprocessing

[streets]

I was on the verge of tears. Ladies, please learn from my mistake I decided to perm my hair. Mistake 1. I didn't need to perm, but did anyway. After the perm my ends looked really course and ratty, so thinking that I didn't perm long enough, I permed again. Mistake 2. Over-processing. I blowdried, and flat ironed. Mistake 3. Adding heat onto overprocessed hair.

My hair looked horrible- chewed up ends AND it smelled like a combo of wet dog and burned hair. I tried everything but could not get the smell out. It followed in front and behind me... People around me would literally would say, "You smell like burnt hair!" Not to mention I estimate loosing 3 inches of hair due to breakage. My sink was covered in snapped, crackled and popped off hair. I wanted to

I WAS DESPERATE

Here is what helped me get out of the mess I made:
HENA: I deep conditioned using a soft bonnett for a good 1/2 hour.
Henna got the smell out
Kera Kare Reconstructor: I used this with my soft bonnett and shower cap
I Conditioned: I used Mendex conditioner again under the dryer

I airdried and flat-ironed ( I know, but I wanted to see if there was any improvement) and the breakage had minimized considerably. THANK GOD!

DAILY STYLING- I knew I could not use any heat and must use low manipulation:
At night, I would moisturize using a combo of Scurl and shea butter; apply my leave-in and seal with ORS Carrott oil. I would wrap and let air dry. During the day, I would bun, bun, and bun.

I repeated the hena/kera kare regimine for about a month.Today, I washed, air dryed and flat ironed, just to see if there was improvement. YES! I no longer looked like :burning: My ends were moisturized, and there was hardly any breakage. I resisted the urge to play with my hair, so back up in the bun it goes!.

After a month of this experience, I am happy to report that I think I'm back on the right track to recovering from overprocessing. If you find yourself experiencing something similar, try the Hena/Kera Kare Reconstructor/Deep Cond. regimine. It worked and saved my hair.

 

[fivetimestwo]

thanks for sharing! I'm glad your hair is thriving

 

[danigurl18]

glad to hear that you've recovered!

 

[Mook's hair]

It is great that you shared your experience.
I'm glad to hear that you nursed your hair back to health.

 

[NYAmicas]

Great post. I need to get those products.

 

[streets]

the combo of Hena/Kera Kare Recon/Deep Cond has helped sooooo much. My hair is still fragile, but light years away from when I first overprocessed!

 

[TaraDyan]

Thanks for sharing your experience. It's good to know that people don't necessarily have to cut off their hair if they have a mishap.

 

[hot_pepper96]

For me, even though I didn't have alot of damage, it was thinning out in the crown area all the way down the center of my head to the nape. You couldn't see bald spots or anything, but the hair in the mohawk section was definitely thinning.

I starting using Nadia Fortifying Mask, Phytospecific Revitalizing Treatment (you can use this as a hot oil treatment or mix a couple pumps w/your conditioner), and Baking Soda Washes. These things have helped my hair to look so much better. Plus I was using BT followed by WGO two-three times a week.

I think one of my main problems all along has been I've never really clarified well so my protein treatments would not work well. Using a baking soda rinse first before my hydrating shampoo cleans my scalp and hair so well and leaves it ready to accept my treatments. Plus my scalp is alot less itchy.

 

[me-T]

yup, for me it was all about gittin my moisture on. one side of my hair isnt good and straight like the rest, and my hair's been processed over and over from the beginning after i was natural. i didn't really know anything but to use a water based moisturizer and seal with oil. and like you, it took bout a month. now its all good thank God cause i should've been bald as a smiley!

 

[RosesBlack]

Great post I'm so glad you repaired your hair.

 

[HisBestFriend]

Thanks for this post. I have the most serious set back going on right now. Between the stylist and I, the decision to cut my hair was nixed.

I'm glad that there are specific products that have helped someone else. I'll definately try these products when I take this weave out for my re-install.

.

 

[Ms Lala]

Thanks for sharing. I think I will try the henna. I still have some color left in my hair from 2 years ago and that hair is fragile.

 

[cecilie]

I'm happy for you and thank you for sharing this with us .
Cecilie .

 

[Whimsy]

go girl!!!
i love these stories!!

 

[tinkat]

Great story! Thanks for sharing, I am glad your hair is getting back in shape.

 

[streets]

Ladies,
Thanks for all the positive feedback. I also need to add that I used shea butter along with the kera kare reconstructor. Last night I decided to try sealing my ends with caster oil. Here is what I did:
Used a combo of Scurl/shea butter mix to my ends
Applied my leave in
sealed with caster oil
wrapped my (wet) hair
In the morning, I would say that my hair felt good, but I think I'm going to stick with the carrot oil for sealing my ends.
Flat ironed yesterday to see how the middle part of my hair was doing. It is in better condition, but still very short and fragile. If anyone has advise on how to keep repair and then grow please help. I would post a pict, but I'm tooooo embarrassederplexed.
Keeping the faith that I will fix my jacked up hair...

 

[turnergirl]

Thanks for sharing this story. Now that I am newly relaxed. I always think my hair is overprocessed. Even though I am sure it is not. But at least I know there is hope if I ever get there.

I wish you well in your hair recovery.

 

[Anna9764]

I can relate Streets,
I over processed perming between perms, If I permed it and wanted to leave it down for another week or so I'd touch up my nape and edges, I did this for a year or maybe longer and finally my hair gave out, what was left of my nape broke off to about an inch, and I lost long healthy hair in the back. I still have some back there and a head full of hair (thank u jesus) but i'm dispointed in myself, and have only myself to blame. Been nursing it since february and it's looking really good, just not as full in the back. Starting Henna soon. It was a blessing in disguise, I found LHCF as a result so it's definately bitter sweet. On my way to Long, Healthy, Beautiful Hair .

Anna

 

[Angelicus]

Yes! Thank you for this thread. It happened to me once too. I had to stop co-washing completely and had to do deep conditioner treatments for weeks before my hair looked decent again. I am so happy you were able to fix your problem.

 

[MAMATO]

The Keracare reconstructor has been helping a lot lately with damage from color. My hair was noticely breaking after a bad color experience two years ago. In theory I should've cut it all off... but I was not ready to let go I tried it and well my hair has been in good shape ever since. I never tried the henna though. I will surely give it a try very soon.

Thanks for sharing

 

[carolinetwin]

For me, even though I didn't have alot of damage, it was thinning out in the crown area all the way down the center of my head to the nape. You couldn't see bald spots or anything, but the hair in the mohawk section was definitely thinning.

I starting using Nadia Fortifying Mask, Phytospecific Revitalizing Treatment (you can use this as a hot oil treatment or mix a couple pumps w/your conditioner), and Baking Soda Washes. These things have helped my hair to look so much better. Plus I was using BT followed by WGO two-three times a week.

I think one of my main problems all along has been I've never really clarified well so my protein treatments would not work well. Using a baking soda rinse first before my hydrating shampoo cleans my scalp and hair so well and leaves it ready to accept my treatments. Plus my scalp is alot less itchy.

Hey pepper, I'm having the same problem. My hair itches around the crown area and the hair has broken so badly where it itches. Have you recovered and if so what else did you use to help?