The "Super Long Transitioners" Thread!

Butterfly_Curlz · June 2011

Okay ladies...here it is! The place for us who are transitioning for at least a yr or longer. A place where we can post our struggles, excitements, questions, pics,etc. all related to our long term hair journeys.

I actually just did my hair & finished like 20mins before I got online so I will take a texture/length pic next week & post. Thanks to you ladies in the other thread for the 'official name' of our new thread!

Can't wait to see how far we all go!

annabananalise · June 2011

Yay! I'll post some pictures, too. As soon as I figure out how. (:

This phone makes accurate punctuation unnecessarily difficult.

Butterfly_Curlz · June 2011

Lol. I just figured out how to do those myself just a few weeks ago. I just sent them to myself via email, saved it to my desktop, cropped the pics & then posted. It's a little long doing it that way but its the only way I know how to do it & it works for me.

Hopefully some of the other ladies from the other thread will join as well.

annabananalise · June 2011

I'll try that.

Hey how much relaxed hair do you have left? Like in inches? I'm behind on the trimming so I have more than necessary lol

This phone makes accurate punctuation unnecessarily difficult.

NYCgirl · June 2011

Great thread/discussion. As a long term transitioner I would have loved to have had something like this to refer to throughout my journey. My last relaxer was July/August 2007, I kept my hair at a little longer than shoulder length and never did a BC and have been completely curly since Oct/Nov 2010. What a journey it has been.

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Rusycurly · June 2011

Yay! I love this! God knows we need the support. Because there are days when you get so desperate with the hair that you just wanna chop it all off.

Butterfly_Curlz · June 2011

annabananaliese wrote: »

I'll try that.

Hey how much relaxed hair do you have left? Like in inches? I'm behind on the trimming so I have more than necessary lol

This phone makes accurate punctuation unnecessarily difficult.

It's different depending upon where in my head you are looking. Lol. In the very middle of my head its all completely natural, in the very front bang area its like a half inch of permed ends left, in the rest of my head it varies as well...some parts there are like 2 & 3 inches left.

My hair just grows unevenly (the rt grows slower than the left) & then you take shrinkage into account, its no wonder I have different lengths all over my head!

However I really don't think it matters so much about the trimming of your hair. If you are taking really good care of your hair then you won't need to dust/trim alot, so then you would be hanging onto your relaxed ends a little longer anyway. I used to dust on a set schedule (which was a bad idea) however now I just dust my ends whenever I see they need to be done.

Butterfly_Curlz · June 2011

NYCgirl wrote: »

Great thread/discussion. As a long term transitioner I would have loved to have had something like this to refer to throughout my journey. My last relaxer was July/August 2007, I kept my hair at a little longer than shoulder length and never did a BC and have been completely curly since Oct/Nov 2010. What a journey it has been.

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Wow. Congrats on a successful long term transition! Your hair looks beautiful btw. Even though you are no longer transitioning please keep checking in & posting. We can all learn from those who came before us & I'm sure the other ladies would also love to hear your opinions/advice!

I am past shoulder length now & about 1 to 2inches from apl. I am hoping to either get to full apl or reach bsl (by January at the latest) & then maintain my hair at that length until my natural hair reaches either apl or bsl. However we all know how unpredictable this journey can be so I'm trying to focus on maintaining the health of my hair vs gaining length.

Butterfly_Curlz · June 2011

Rusycurly wrote: »

Yay! I love this! God knows we need the support. Because there are days when you get so desperate with the hair that you just wanna chop it all off.

Lol. Yes I know! I get the urge pretty often now to just chop but then when I think about not being able to put my hair into a bun I quickly change my mind.

Sometimes I would chop (& I do mean chop) out of frustration (not due to my hair not cooperating but emotional frustration) & now I'm mad bc I think about where I would have been if I had never done it. No point in crying over spilled milk, however I still dream! Lol.

Rusycurly · June 2011

JaylensMami10 wrote: »

Rusycurly wrote: »

Yay! I love this! God knows we need the support. Because there are days when you get so desperate with the hair that you just wanna chop it all off.

Lol. Yes I know! I get the urge pretty often now to just chop but then when I think about not being able to put my hair into a bun I quickly change my mind.

Sometimes I would chop (& I do mean chop) out of frustration (not due to my hair not cooperating but emotional frustration) & now I'm mad bc I think about where I would have been if I had never done it. No point in crying over spilled milk, however I still dream! Lol.

The not being able to put my hair up, specially now that it's hot it's exactly what's keeping me from cutting my hair. My new growth is about 4 inches but it looks much shorter than that because it is sooo curly. So I know that if I cut a lot of hair it'll take me forever to grow it to where I have it now. I'll probably just cut big chunks several times instead of doing one big chop. I have a dilemma between my curls and my length. I either cut it really short now and rock my very beautiful but very short curls or I keep my long hair with two very different textures...

Butterfly_Curlz · June 2011

[/QUOTE]

The not being able to put my hair up, specially now that it's hot it's exactly what's keeping me from cutting my hair. My new growth is about 4 inches but it looks much shorter than that because it is sooo curly. So I know that if I cut a lot of hair it'll take me forever to grow it to where I have it now. I'll probably just cut big chunks several times instead of doing one big chop. I have a dilemma between my curls and my length. I either cut it really short now and rock my very beautiful but very short curls or I keep my long hair with two very different textures...[/QUOTE]

Why is it that every dang time I write a long, detailed response & go to submit it this website always kicks me off?! Its beyond annoying!

Anyway I believe we all have that dilemna when it comes to transitioning long term. Everytime I wash my hair I look at all those beautiful curls/coils & I think 'I wanna be natural rt now'! LOL in full tantrum mode! LOL.

However I KNOW I would not be happy w/the current length I'm at now. I really believe that people underestimate the power of shrinkage. I have not had a perm in a yr & if my natural hair were permed it would be at/a little past my shoulders. However w/the shrinkage it sits well above my shoulders. Since I will be wearing my hair 'curly' the majority of the time I need to be at a length that I am comfortable with before I completely let go of the permed ends.

At the end of the day we all have to do whats best for us. If you decide you want to chop go ahead. If not we will still be here as a support. I do know that when I really get the urge to chop I just dust my ends. That way I satisfy the urge to cut w/out sacrifcing my length. Then when its all said & done I'm always happy that I just dusted my ends instead of cutting my hair!

BeLikeTee · June 2011

Hey yall!

I'm 10 months in and I'm starting to have a difficult time handling my hair. I'd probably get a relaxer if I hadn't come so far already.

I've always had long hair, and I'm not interested in short hair at all. The tangles are out of control! I can pass the comb thru, grab a clip, change the channel, do anything really, I go back to it and it's tangled again! So frustrating!

I don't know if the tangling is b/c of the relaxed ends or what. But I don't really see how that can be the case.

I'm brushing BSL straightened, and I plan to cut 3-4 inches as soon as I get the cajones.

Dunno what to do abt it being so difficult to handle tho. :thumbdown:

naturalnewb · June 2011

RealChic4eva wrote: »

Hey yall!

I'm 10 months in and I'm starting to have a difficult time handling my hair. I'd probably get a relaxer if I hadn't come so far already.

I've always had long hair, and I'm not interested in short hair at all. The tangles are out of control! I can pass the comb thru, grab a clip, change the channel, do anything really, I go back to it and it's tangled again! So frustrating!

I don't know if the tangling is b/c of the relaxed ends or what. But I don't really see how that can be the case.

I'm brushing BSL straightened, and I plan to cut 3-4 inches as soon as I get the cajones.

Dunno what to do abt it being so difficult to handle tho. :thumbdown:

I just wanted to offer my words of encouragement to all the long-term transitioners. I transitioned for about 18 months and I wish I had seen a thread like this during that time. I also wish I had taken more pics so I could look back on the progress I had made. I'm taking pics now tho...I have a long way to go before I reach the length that I'm comfortable with.

@ RealChic:
I'd say most of my tangles/knots are due to dead hair falling out and tangling with the surrounding hairs. I could easily rock a twist out for over a week without detangling my hair...but on wash day, I pay for it. So, I try not to go more than 5 days w/o detangling.

I have found that detangling dry relaxed hair is fine, but doing the same to natural hair is :thumbdown: To avoid some (but not all

) of my tangles, I started detangling in the shower. A good thick conditioner will give you slip and if you comb/brush through your hair while standing under the water, the stream of H20 will rinse away some of those shedding hairs. If your hair is shoulder length or longer, you might have to detangle in 4-5 sections.

Also, your hair might be craving moisture...you might want to try a deep conditioning treatment and see if that has an impact on the number of tangles you get.

BeLikeTee · June 2011

naturalnewb wrote: »

I just wanted to offer my words of encouragement to all the long-term transitioners. I transitioned for about 18 months and I wish I had seen a thread like this during that time. I also wish I had taken more pics so I could look back on the progress I had made. I'm taking pics now tho...I have a long way to go before I reach the length that I'm comfortable with.

@ RealChic:
I'd say most of my tangles/knots are due to dead hair falling out and tangling with the surrounding hairs. I could easily rock a twist out for over a week without detangling my hair...but on wash day, I pay for it. So, I try not to go more than 5 days w/o detangling.

I have found that detangling dry relaxed hair is fine, but doing the same to natural hair is :thumbdown: To avoid some (but not all ) of my tangles, I started detangling in the shower. A good thick conditioner will give you slip and if you comb/brush through your hair while standing under the water, the stream of H20 will rinse away some of those shedding hairs. If your hair is shoulder length or longer, you might have to detangle in 4-5 sections.

Also, your hair might be craving moisture...you might want to try a deep conditioning treatment and see if that has an impact on the number of tangles you get.

Thanks for the suggestions. I deep condition every wash, but I don't sit under a hooded dryer. Maybe that would help out too.

And since you mentioned twist-outs, I'd love to wear that style, but it looks like garbage when I do it. I need to find something with hold that's not a gel.

I'll probably go to the BSS today to look around. When I do them, they are fat at the roots and crinkly at the ends. The different textures kill it imo. But I still try it. Will likely attempt some kind of twist out tonight...just to end up with a loose bun tomorrow. smh

ravenm721 · June 2011

I'll be a year post on July 9th, and I plan to transition between 18 months through 2 years.

Ladies, what are your methods when it comes to trimming your relaxed ends? I want to try and trim in twisted sections, but I am nervous. I really can't afford to go to stylist, and I rather not straighten my hair for it.

Butterfly_Curlz · June 2011

ravenm721 wrote: »

I'll be a year post on July 9th, and I plan to transition between 18 months through 2 years.

Ladies, what are your methods when it comes to trimming your relaxed ends? I want to try and trim in twisted sections, but I am nervous. I really can't afford to go to stylist, and I rather not straighten my hair for it.

Every week I wash my hair I style it into bantu knots to stay in until the next wash day. Like this week I dusted my ends. So since I do everything in small sections (wash, detangle & style) I just twisted each piece & then lightly dusted each end before I made each bantu knot. Very simple & effective.

I don't believe you really need to trim your hair unless you want to, you're in a rush to get rid of the relaxed ends or they are very damaged (well I can't even say that. My hair was badly damaged when I started & I never did a dust or trim until 4months in & there were no major issues). However I would not necessarily recommend doing the same to others.

Some people swear by cutting straight, others wet & curly. You will just have to experiment & see what works best for you and your hair. However I would really suggest only dusting if your apprensive about cutting your own hair. When you dust you cut soooo little off anyway it really won't effect your length anyway.

annabananalise · June 2011

My goal is to trim every three months and I usually just have it straightened. I'm way behind now, though.

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Butterfly_Curlz · June 2011

annabananaliese wrote: »

My goal is to trim every three months and I usually just have it straightened. I'm way behind now, though.

This phone makes accurate punctuation unnecessarily difficult.

Are you trimming on that schedule just because or another reason?

I'm just curious bc initially I too had a 'trim every 3months schedule' until I realized it really wasn't working for me. Sometimes I would see a raggedy end & be like do I cut or wait it out... however now I only dust on an as needed basis, thats it. If I see my ends looking ruff I dust no matter what time frame has gone by since my last dusting. By doing it this way it saves me the trouble of having to 'cut' bc I eliminated a major split issue before it could even begin.

annabananalise · June 2011

I'm lazy and broke so three months seemed doable. Turns out it's not, and I'm lazier than I thought haha

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Butterfly_Curlz · June 2011

annabananaliese wrote: »

I'm lazy and broke so three months seemed doable. Turns out it's not, and I'm lazier than I thought haha

This phone makes accurate punctuation unnecessarily difficult.

Lol. I hear u. However w/the way I do mine I just make it a part of the styling process. I pull my shears out along w/my water bottle, whipped shea butter, clips, etc & have them handy so that as soon as I finish twisting I examine the ends and if I need to snip a little I do so and move on.

Once you get the hang of it, it really only adds maybe another 5mins to my total styling time. This is my lazy girl routine! Lol.

annabananalise · June 2011

I tried cutting my own hair once when I was younger and....it wasn't cute haha

So now I am super apprehensive about doing it myself so I wimp out and go to the salon.

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Butterfly_Curlz · June 2011

I was that girl who cried EVERYTIME I went & got my hair cut or trimmed at the salon. I'm telling you the stylists dreaded everytime they knew I was getting my hair trimmed!:lurk: (that was them everytime I walked in). Lol.

So trust me I completely understand the apprehension. However for me this journey is not only about getting healthier hair but becoming more independent in regards to my hair care needs/maintainence instead of relying on a hair dresser/salon.

That being said, I researched & researched about self trimming, cutting,etc. I invested in a pair of hair shears & went at it. As time went along & I dusted more & more the apprehension went away & now dusting doesn't phase me at all.

However if the thought of doing it yourself really bothers you that much, I would just try to save up my money so that when your 3month time period comes around you have enough $ to go to the salon.

MommyPrice · June 2011

I still have about 7-8 inches. I have been keeping my hair about should length.

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Butterfly_Curlz · June 2011

Well welcome! How long have you been/how long do you plan on transitioning?

LaCurlyMariposa · June 2011

Hello ladies! I've been transitioning for about 10 months now and the journey is a challenge! Regardless, I love how fun my hair is.

My favorite style really is a flat-twist out with the ends wrapped around flexi rods. I get a really cute curly style to play with all day. Too bad it doesn't last more than two days =/ . I've never been good at maintaining styles more than two days.

Anywhoooo, I don't know when I'll cut the relaxed ends off; maybe when I get tired of the relaxed hair ruining hair styles. Haha

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Butterfly_Curlz · June 2011

LaCurlyMariposa wrote: »

Hello ladies! I've been transitioning for about 10 months now and the journey is a challenge! Regardless, I love how fun my hair is.

My favorite style really is a flat-twist out with the ends wrapped around flexi rods. I get a really cute curly style to play with all day. Too bad it doesn't last more than two days =/ . I've never been good at maintaining styles more than two days.

Anywhoooo, I don't know when I'll cut the relaxed ends off; maybe when I get tired of the relaxed hair ruining hair styles. Haha

Sent from mah Droid. Oh yeah...HU! You know!

I really need to learn some new styles. I really wanna learn how to flat twist/cornrow too. I've seen some really cute styles that came from flat twists but everytime I even attempt to do one it looks a hot a*s mess! Lol.

annabananalise · June 2011

^^ I could never get flat twists to hold so I've been doing multiple smaller French braids. I make a part separating my hair making a top and bottom section and I make French braids out of the two layers....if that makes any sense lol.

The sections for braids are like 1.5 inches. And French braids are loose enough not to cause much tension.

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Butterfly_Curlz · June 2011

annabananaliese wrote: »

^^ I could never get flat twists to hold so I've been doing multiple smaller French braids. I make a part separating my hair making a top and bottom section and I make French braids out of the two layers....if that makes any sense lol.

The sections for braids are like 1.5 inches. And French braids are loose enough not to cause much tension.

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Yes that makes sense, however I can't french braid either! Lol. The most I can do is plait...thats it! I really need 2practice & up my hair styling game before I have another child & I can't do her hair! Lol.

my3curlies · June 2011

I transitioned for about 3 years. It wasn't something I actually decided on doing, I was expecting my 2nd baby and that 1st trimester had me so exhausted I was too lazy to relax it lol. I had probably 4 inches of unprocessed hair before I realized what I was doing.

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annabananalise · June 2011

When does new growth stop being new growth, and is just hair? Just curious. It's not a very serious question. I just thought about it while brushing my teeth.

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NYCgirl · June 2011

I think the reference to "new growth" is used primarily when one is dealing with a combination of relaxed hair and natural hair. I definitely used this terminology during my transition and would say that once I had the last of my relaxed ends trimmed off, I no longer felt the need to differentiate and simply used the word "hair" from that point on.

Why differentiate? IMO its a matter of over a period of time having to deal with (and discuss) the needs of 2 different hair textures on ones head.

Funny thing is once folks have completed their transition it then becomes a matter of differentiating the different curl types and the needs associated with those.

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The "Super Long Transitioners" Thread!

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