Pre-LHCF: What were you doing wrong?

[that_1_grrrl]

So after thinking about the fact that I've been shoulder-length for most of my life (I may have been longer before I got my first relaxer), I've been trying to pin-point what the problem was. My regimen wasn't that bad imo. I've seen members on here with similar regimens, but I think it comes down to 3 main things:

1. Not enough moisture.
2. Not enough protein.
3. Too much manipulation.

My regimen when I was relaxed was:

Wash and condition once a week, blowdry, and then either curl my hair or rollerset it.

My problem was I never put any type of moisture in my hair for the rest of the week, and I combed/brushed my hair EVERYDAY.

Oh, and I guess it didn't help that my stylists always made me get trims. Now that I think about it, I used to have noticeable growth every month, but it was immediately chopped off.

So where did you go wrong pre-LHCF?

 

[livesoundtech]

I used permanent dyes every 3-5 weeks.
I didn't know I was supposed to dye the new growth only so I dyed all of it.
As my hair became more porous, I left the dye on for longer and longer... usually for an hour each time.
I brushed my hair violently to detangle it.
I washed it with shampoo every other day.
I used excessive amounts of moisturizing conditioner to fix the damage I caused.
I flat ironed several times per week.
I slept without wrapping my hair and wondered why I had golfball sized knots every morning.

Wow... I'm so thankful for LHCF!

 

[that_1_grrrl]

I used permanent dyes every 3-5 weeks.
I brushed my hair violently to detangle it.
I washed it with shampoo every other day.
I used excessive amounts of moisturizing conditioner to fix the damage I caused.
I flat ironed several times per week.
I slept without wrapping my hair and wondered why I had golfball sized knots every morning.

Wow... I'm so thankful for LHCF!

WOW!

But I feel you on the violent brushing. I would see so much hair in the brush and not think anything of it.

I also only wrapped my hair here and there.

 

[SuchMagnificent]

Before, I was totally dependent on my stylist. I go every 2 weeks and whatever she did to my head,was all I did to my head. I would wrap my hair every night and grease my scalp in between visits, thats it. No real moisture and no real deep conditioning. I've been going to her for the last two years with no major change in hair growth and couldnt figure out why.

 

[that_1_grrrl]

Before, I was totally dependent on my stylist. I go every 2 weeks and whatever she did to my head,was all I did to my head. I would wrap my hair every night and grease my scalp in between visits, thats it. No real moisture and no real deep conditioning. I've been going to her for the last two years with no major change in hair growth and couldnt figure out why.

It almost seems like it's the little mistakes that cause the biggest problem. Like, how many people would consider letting a professional handle everything a bad idea?

 

[Qualitee]

Relaxing from root to tip........all the time

 

[that_1_grrrl]

Relaxing from root to tip........all the time

So you've always self-relaxed?

 

[Keedah]

My habits werent too bad. I didnt use heat too often and my hair was a little past shoulder length.

I washed and conditioned once a week and blow dried and flat ironed. I rollerset for the rest of the week in big rollers to keep my "flipped" razor cut. It was mostly cause i was lazy and it was quicker than flat ironing it every morning. I went to the salon about every two weeks and she really grew my hair.

I didnt mositurize properly or deep condition.

 

[livesoundtech]

erplexed My mom used to scream at me every morning because after brushing my hair, there would be tiny broken pieces of hair all over the bathroom.

I can't believe I was ripping my hair out for so many years!

WOW!

But I feel you on the violent brushing. I would see so much hair in the brush and not think anything of it.

I also only wrapped my hair here and there.

 

[locabouthair]

never use a moisturizing DC
never moisturizing
never eating well

 

[TheQueenBeeMaya]

hmmm I think I pretty much did everything wrong! I went to my stylist to get a press and flat iron every three weeks and wrapped my hair every night and that was it! I never moisturizex for the six years I went to her ( and I wondered why ihad dandruff!) I refused to wash my hair at home for fear itwould get tangled.

 

[ShaniKeys]

I was relaxed in my pre-LHCF years, and here's what I was doing wrong:

1. not just relaxing the NG, but also the hair that had already been relaxed, I only changed this the last two years of my relaxed life
2. not DCing
3. no protein conditioners whatsoever
4. not moisturizing
5. I also made two failed attempts at going natural b/c I had no idea how to take care of my natural hairerplexed

ps: I was also using shampoos with sulfates in them, they just dried out my hair

 

[Superfly Sister]

I didn't moisturise enough
I I straightened most days (touch ups)
I washed my hair once a week some times once a fortnight
I slept with my hair loose
No vits
It never occurred to me to use protein

 

[Menina Preta]

-Never moisturizing...and using oil once in a while if it got too dry looking.
-Skimping on DCs
-Combing dry hair vigorously
-Too many "trims"
-Having my hair blown out from root to tip every 2 weeks at the Dominican hair salon

 

[Bretagne]

1. Relaxers
2. Dying my hair

 

[Qualitee]

So you've always self-relaxed?

Yeah kinda

 

[yuriko]

Ooh, I got a long list here for this

1. Never slept with a silk scarf, every now and then I would try a cotton scarf, lol
2. I violently combed and brushed my hair daily
3. I moisturized my hair only when it was very dry, but I never failed to grease my scalp
4. I relaxed too frequently, I only stretched when I was lazy and wanted to do a weave or braids, never really intentionally
5. I only DC on relaxer day
6. I washed my hair only once a week or week and half
7. I used fine tooth combs, rubber bands and all sorts of accesories that ripped my hair out.
8. For some reason if I had on a weave or braids, I assumed i no longer had to moisturize my hair
9. I had never clarified before coming on here.
10. I never used protein.
11. I rarely air dried, I used to go to town with my blow dryer
12. never used a heat protectant.
13. Way way way too many trims

I am almost upsetting myself thinking about all this, phew, well thank God its all behind me now

 

[nichelle02]

I'd never heard of protein/moisture balance
I used curling irons every other, if not every, day
Rollerset? What's that? It was blow dry or die
I neither covered my hair nor used a silk/satin pillow at night
I rarely moisturized my hair
I used damaging, drugstore relaxers 'in a box'

It's a wonder that I had more than an inch of hair on my head. I only wish I'd found LHCF years earlier. After one month of subscribing to this board, relatives were shocked. What a difference it made.

 

[PGirl]

Blow drying with a brush attachment weekly
Never DC'ing
Never ever moisturizing
Using a flat iron basically every day
Getting a relaxer every 5 weeks (sometimes 4 weeks)

How embarrassing to admit this now!

 

[MsOmri]

I cut all my hair off and grew it natural for a year. It was thick, BSL and I had no idea how to take care of it so I relaxed in Mar 08. Wish I hadn't, I hate bone straight hair and how easily my hair can get "unhealthy". I plan to grow it out natural in 2009 now that I've learned so much on how to manage my natural hair.

 

[Amelia456]

I was not applying moisturizer to my ends daily which led to severe split, dry, brittle, rough, ends that needed to be trimmed often because I live in a very cold area.
I was not dc/ing weekly, so my hair was not as soft as it is now.
I did not know the benefits of wearing protective styles.
I found the best shampoo (Joico).
I did not know that honey was a humectant.
I did not know the benefits of Aloe Vera Juice.
I did not know that every applying a water based moisturizer to my ends, I should follow with an oil (castor oil is my oil of choice) to seal in the moisture.

I was not aware that there were more people who were extremely meticulous about when it came to their hair.
I wasn't aware that there was a name for the condition I was suffering from: "Product Junkie." By the way, I am in recovery. I set a personal goal for myself: Only one new product every 2 months.

 

[Simply_Kelz]

Well, my hair wasn't actually damaged when I was going to my stylist. She was just scissor happy, so in spite of my bad habits, the bad and broken ends were immediately trimmed off. Never made it past neck with her. The REAL problem came when I moved, and trusted some quack to do my relaxer .. which caused me to search for LHCF.

-Never DC'ed. Ever.
-I would just get a wash, wet wrap, flatiron every other week. 2 minutes of condish. Combed my hair a million times a day. No moisturizer because I didn't want to lose the swang.
-Scalp greasing three times a day to get rid of the flakes. That were still there ..
-Trims with every relaxer. Cuts actually ..
-If I couldn't wear the wrap 2 weeks, the second week I'd wash at home, condition, blowdry, and gel and brush it to DEATH into a weave ponytail.
-The occasional glue-in weave.
-And what's a protective style?
-Before I learned how to wrap, I'd put my hair on rollers, then brush out the next morning, then flatiron. Every day. Thank God my flatiron broke.
-If I had braids .. then NOTHING would ever be done to my hair that month. Except the occasional scalp greasing.
-Rattail combs.

 

[Lady S]

-Confusing moisturizers with grease or oil.
-Underestimating silk scarves.
-Using shampoos with sulfates. Never even considered it was worsening my scalp issues.
-Not even thinking about using protein.
-Or half wigs.

On the flip side, I had a lot less products befor LHCF. I'm blaming all y'all for my product junkie status.

 

[Sarahh.]

Basically using too much heat and not trimming. My hair was extremely damaged from heat and a hair stylist severely overprocessing it, but if I had of just done the BC back then to stop the breakage I could be well on my way to BSL by now. Oh well.

 

[Crackers Phinn]

relaxed from root to tip every time for 40+ minutes....I only relaxed 4-5 times a year.

The only shampoo and conditioner I used was whatever came in the relaxer box.

Whenever I was wayyyyy post relaxer I'd use the blow dryer with comb attachment to straighten my roots then curl the ends...every morning.

I'd wash my hair every 2-4 weeks.

I'd grease my scalp with vasaline to moisturize.

It never occurred to me to use protective styles.

 

[Latomian]

So after thinking about the fact that I've been shoulder-length for most of my life (I may have been longer before I got my first relaxer), I've been trying to pin-point what the problem was. My regimen wasn't that bad imo. I've seen members on here with similar regimens, but I think it comes down to 3 main things:

1. Not enough moisture.
2. Not enough protein.
3. Too much manipulation.

My regimen when I was relaxed was:

Wash and condition once a week, blowdry, and then either curl my hair or rollerset it.

My problem was I never put any type of moisture in my hair for the rest of the week, and I combed/brushed my hair EVERYDAY.

Oh, and I guess it didn't help that my stylists always made me get trims. Now that I think about it, I used to have noticeable growth every month, but it was immediately chopped off.

So where did you go wrong pre-LHCF?

1) I never deep conditioned.
2) I would wash once a week, blow dry my wet hair and then flat-iron it THEN go over it with a curling iron.
3) No protein. Ever.
4) I would comb every 5 seconds with a comb that had very very small teeth.
5) No clarification...ever...
6) Satin scarf? What satin scarf?

 

[Shay72]

I relaxed from root to tip every time for 40+ minutes every 6 weeks if I remembered

The only shampoo and conditioner I used was whatever came in the relaxer box.

Whenever I was wayyyyy post relaxer I'd use the blow dryer with comb attachment to straighten my roots then curl the ends...every morning.

I'd wash my hair every 2-4 weeks. If that much. I'm surprised my hair wasn't stinky.

It never occurred to me to use protective styles.

JCoily I had to copy your list with a few minor adjustment.

Also I never slept with anything on my head.

Moisture, what's that?

 

[HoneyA]

1. Wearing weaves and braids to protect my hair and stimulate growth without realising that I still needed to take care of my own hair underneath
2. I NEVER DCed.
3. I NEVER protein treated
4. I never moisturised as I should have
5. I didn't use essential oils

The result was breakage like you wouldn't believe. Now that I've stopped all the extensions and I'm taking care of it like I should, my hair is thriving! Thank God those days are over.

 

[brittneyy92]

-Blowdrying when my hair was SOAKING WET
- Using a paddle brush to harshly "detangle" my hair.
-I heard eggs & mayo were good for hair, so I "Deep conditioned" with them. (protein overload!!)
-Blowdry and flat iron once a week, twice a week, three times a week....

-Putting an excessive amount of product on my hair to "tame" it.
-Throwing it in a soaking wet, TIGHT messy bun (destroyed my ends)
-Over 1'' Trims every three months to "keep it healthy". Which means I would grow 1.5 inches...and cut 1.5 inches....
-Trying to put my hair in a french braid when it was soaking wet...this caused a lot of breakage.
-Greasing my scalp with DUKE

AY KARUMBA!!

 

[JayAnn0513]

So many things...
Not enough moisture.
Way to rough on my hair
Wearing glued in weave ( I know, I know but its so common down here I didn't think anything of it)
Not wearing a silk bonnet every night
No deep conditioning when not going to the salon.
Basically if it was wrong I did it. My hair only retained length when it was under the care of a stylist who always alternated moisture and protein treatments. But she also relaxed me every 6 weeks when it should have been more like 10-12.