Transition Method

[itismehmmkay]

I ask because I don't want to use extensions, nor do I want to do a BC (again...for the 3rd time...long story).

I plan to just deep condition my hair w/ Cholesterol on wash day, rollerset, then apply grease and curl with a ceramic curling iron. I believe the grease will keep my new-growth moisturized and allow it to blend in better w/ my relaxed hair. I'm just a bit concerned as to how long this will last.

What are you guys doing?

 

[B_Phlyy]

I plan on using extensions. I don't really like using heat and I would like a few more inches before I BC. This is the 3rd time I am transitioned and this is the method I know will work for me.

 

[Ebonygurl00]

I'm just going to wash and condition like I normal. This is the best method to keep my NG happy.

OT: B Phlyy, you're a huge Suave and V05 junkie!!! I love V05 Strawberries and Cream mixed with my shampoo.

 

[anherica]

I went for the big chop because I was becoming frustrated with my hair. I don't think my styling capabilities are tip-top so I figured I would just go ahead, chop it all off, get used to the natural and learn how to style and take care of the new hair.

However, I admire ladies who do a long transition. It is definitely possible. From what I've read, you have to make sure to keep your new growth moisturized, and be careful with heat styling. You don't want to damage your new growth. Good luck with your transition!

 

[Sweet_Ambrosia]

I have no plans on doing the BC either.
I basically wear low maintenance/protective styles 90% of the time. Braid outs, Twist outs, Buns, French Rolls, Bantu Knots/Puffs, Rod Sets etc.. are some of the styles I like wear. CO Washes help keep my new growth extra soft and manageable, as well as my beloved S-Curl. I airdry 99.99% of the time, I rarely use heat. Simplicity works best for me, I wouldnt have it any other way.

 

[Sweet_Ambrosia]

I'm just a bit concerned as to how long this will last.

It depends.....

1. How long is your hair to being with
2. How fast does your hair grow
3. The more you trim the quicker your transition will be, the less you trim the longer it will take

Since you have no plans on doing the BC, it will take some time, thats a given. Good Luck!

 

[Candycane044]

I have no plans on doing the BC either.
I basically wear low maintenance/protective styles 90% of the time. Braid outs, Twist outs, Buns, French Rolls, Bantu Knots/Puffs, Rod Sets etc.. are some of the styles I like wear. CO Washes help keep my new growth extra soft and manageable, as well as my beloved S-Curl. I airdry 99.99% of the time, I rarely use heat. Simplicity works best for me, I wouldnt have it any other way.

I also wear Buns or a twist out bun, and of course use S-Curl, I don't know if I'll ever really do the "big chop" I'm just going to wait until my natural hair gets pretty long to where it won't be such a drastic change for me.

 

[determined_to_grow]

I VOTED FOR HEAT!!! I'VE BEEN USING A HELL OF A LOT OF IT AND IT'S STARTING TO ANNNOY ME- THAT'S WHY I'M GOING TO GET A WEAVE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. MY NG IS NOT PLAYING NICE- IT'S ALL OVER THE PLACE AND IS ONLY HAPPY WHEN I WASH IT!!! SO I'M GOING TO HIDE IT FOR THE NEXT TWO MONTHS!

 

[kitchen_tician]

I blow dried and hot curled every 2 weeks (w/grease) , for maybe the first 6 months. It worked very well. Then I went with conditioner washing and braid outs, buns, phony ponies and wigs (4 big braids under wig).

I'm 17 months post and I'm still doing the phony ponies mostly, but Im missing my sleek hair, so within the past month, I've started back with the heat. I slacked off heat initially, because I was afraid of heat damage to my natural hair, but now I'm not as concerned because I think I'll mostly wear it straightened with heat.

It was hard to vote, because I did a little of everything, but I chose "heat" because I did that for the first 6 months and most bc before then or soon afterwards. This has been a long transition, so sometimes I forget what I actually did and when.

 

[Cichelle]

I transitioned for 14 months and then chopped. I didn't use heat. I cowashed most days and kept my hair in protective styles.

 

[itismehmmkay]

I blow dried and hot curled every 2 weeks (w/grease) , for maybe the first 6 months. It worked very well. Then I went with conditioner washing and braid outs, buns, phony ponies and wigs (4 big braids under wig).

I'm 17 months post and I'm still doing the phony ponies mostly, but Im missing my sleek hair, so within the past month, I've started back with the heat. I slacked off heat initially, because I was afraid of heat damage to my natural hair, but now I'm not as concerned because I think I'll mostly wear it straightened with heat.

It was hard to vote, because I did a little of everything, but I chose "heat" because I did that for the first 6 months and most bc before then or soon afterwards. This has been a long transition, so sometimes I forget what I actually did and when.

Yay! I need to check your album, girly.

And I agree. My main reason for transitioning is to be out of chemicals. I can't wait to have the thicker natural hair as an optional style, but I will definitely still use heat for straight styles.

 

[Victorian]

I airdried in buns the first 9 months or so of my transition until the difference between my relaxed and natural hair got to be a bit much. Then it was all about the blowdryer I didn't flatiron afterwards, just blowdried so I could keep making my usual ponytails and buns without so much effort during the week. When I was airdrying I washed a few times a week but when I started using the blowdryer I just did it once per week.

 

[tffy2004]

I am doing Braid Extensions for my entire one year transition!!

 

[Cheleigh]

I transitioned for 12 months by using no heat. I mostly did flexirod ponytails and buns. I had extensions (two strand twists) for 6 weeks, but detangling was such a disaster, I never bothered again.

 

[Hareitiz]

Its only been about three months into my transition, but I've basically been bunning my hair everyday. On special ocassions I will flat iron it straight, and I've only done that once so far. I don't plan on doing the BC, I am just going to ride this out for as long as I can and trim when necessary.

 

[MsBttrfly23]

I last relaxed in April 2006 and have since done micro braids for about 2 months and then I let my hair "rest" with no manipulation, frequent conditioning treatments, lots of moisture, and no heat. I don't style it at all. I put it in a bun all day-everyday and when I come home I surge (which I also do in the mornings), comb thru with a large tooth comb and tie it up in a satin scarf for the evening/nite. I bun and surge again in the morning and I'm out the door. I try to go at least a month and 1/2 to 2 months before I braid again. I intend to repeat this cycle until summer 2007 and then where my hair "out".

 

[so1913]

I transitioned about 16 months, used heat for maybe 14 of those months and would NEVER do it that way again. The side effects were a whole new issue to deal with and to grow out after becoming natural.

 

[Proudpiscean]

I plan to wear braids on & off for a few weeks at a time, wear buns and just wash & go basically. I am also going to incorporate lots of henna treatments into my transition since I've been hearing and reading soo much about the great conditioning/strengthening benefits.

 

[Ebonygurl00]

I transitioned about 16 months, used heat for maybe 14 of those months and would NEVER do it that way again. The side effects were a whole new issue to deal with and to grow out after becoming natural.

This is exactly what I was worried about, damage to my natural hair after transitioning. I used a flat iron for the first time in months yesterday only on my relaxed hair, and I could definitely tell how damaging it was. I've promised myself to NEVER use heat on my natural hair.

 

[Crackers Phinn]

I chose 'other'.

I transitioned for 14 months by wearing my hair in a bun.

I used a flat iron 2-3 times in that 14 months. The only other heat was the bonnet dryer for deep conditioning.

 

[meia]

i know when i transitioned (just ended it in late august) that it helped for me to bun it most of the time (low and high), put it all the way up in a high ponytail (or low ponytail) or do half-up and half-down if i had some impressing to do...my NG was really hard to notice until i got VERY far in my transition because it blended with the nappy mess that existed on my head already, lol so i just played that up and teased my hair all over to make the textures appear to "blend in"....

meanwhile, i didn't use any heat (except once for my graduation), i've never tried weaves before (i did get my hair braided up once and it lasted for 2 weeks), so i just did it the low-budget way and looked broke-ass for almost a year and a half ....

honestly though, i think i stretched it for as far as possible (15 months i think *can't remember* but i have 3C hair it was getting FAR FAR FARRR too noticeable so i just chopped..but i found myself using a lot of natural products to get a feel for how they would work for my new growth (they were ineffective on my relaxed hair) and i just did it all like normal: washing and conditioning daily and putting a lot of pudding, and sprays in it to moisturize and treat my hair while it was up and out of the way! good luck, ladies!! HTH

ETA: I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND HEAT AT ALL (especially in the form of irons- curling or flattening)...honestly, especially if you have type 3 hair *type 3, personally speaking but generally for all hair types* because i have a STRONG belief that if you use too much heat and you attempt to flatten to much, it flattens the natural curl and you run the risk of *when you chop* having flat frizzy not defined hair....that happened to me on weird parts of my hair so just be VERY CAREFUL!

 

[longnapps]

I am transitioning right now and I am using braids ( my own hair) to transition. I find that this makes life easier because I just have to wash, condition and braid my hair once a week.

 

[leleepop]

What does one do when after a certain amount of time, into the transition,the hair starts to knot?

 

[Nightingale]

I transitioned with buns, buns, and more buns. I think I tried twist outs and braid outs, but that was maybe 4-5 times during my entire 13.5 month transition. They weren't the most stylish style, but it got me through the rough times, daily exercise, and a COLD winter. I used heat maybe every other month for special occasions, but that was it. My lifesaver was daily rinsing and conditioning. I couldn't not use shampoo, so I only used it once a month.

 

[Carlie]

I transitioned 5 mths wearing buns (90%) and braidouts/twistouts/updos (10%).

 

[InNeedofHairapy]

The 1st time I transitioned, which was in april of '03I did a lot of wash n gos. Even in the winter . I would wash, condition, apply frizz easee extra strength and curl power ONLY and let it just go. I would not comb my hair until I washed my hair the following week I cut my hair w/ regular scissors (I'd two-strand twist my hair, and cut off an inch or two whenever my hair was dirving me crazy) I deep conditioned maybe 6 times during the 2.5 years that I stopped relaxing my hair. And in the last 6 months before getting a relaxer, I was getting a press n curl WEEKLY again w/ no oils, moisturizers, deep conditions, NADA

Then I relaxed a head full of damaged hair. When relaxed, it was below bra strap, and I had No idea why they had to cut it to above my shoulders...Hmmm


Needless to say, this time out, I will treat my hair a whole lot better. Regular trims w/ trimming shears, frequent deep conditioning, lots of moisture, and minimal to no heat are how I want to do it this time. I don't want to sacrifice any of my growth at the end of my journey. I think I may consider phony ponies, falls, and braids this time out.

 

[glamazon386]

I was transitioning with weaves, wigs and braids (mostly weaves) but after about 5.5 months I couldn't take it anymore so I chopped. It was my 2nd time stretching my relaxer that long so I had a good idea of what it would look like.

 

[vsantina]

I wear twist outs and don't plan on ever doing a BC. Once a week I prepoo, shampoo, and deep condition, and twice a week I conditoner wash. S Curl and jojoba oil are my two best friends. My new growth texture wasn't really different from my relaxed hair, so the transition has been a smooth one.

 

[Faith]

I would say :

A chop (mini or big...whatver you can handle) then braids, twists and cornrows. I've been loving my cornrows. Have been having them done since end of October. I'll probably do different cornrow styles until my 1 year transitioning anniversary is up.

 

[MissFallon]

I am 8 months into my transition and I wear my hair down everyday in a wash n go style. I have no fully relaxed hair now due to my recent cut (which was supposed to just be a trim) My natural hair is almost fully down to the where my neck and shoulders meet (but not full shoulder) and my texlaxed hair comes to 2 inches past APL. When my natural hair gets to be APL I will start cutting it until I have no more texlaxed ends. Sometimes I wear rollersets to straighten out my hair but generally wet it and wear it curly after a couple of days. When the transition starts to get hard I will probably BC and wear weaves until I get to APL.