How it all began for me...

Before I actually made the decision to stop relaxing my hair, I realized that for the previous 2 years that I was only relaxing my hair once or twice per year. My hair texture changed and it was "straighter" than normal. Then one day in early 2010 it occurred to me that I didn't need to relax so often because my hair was thinning. That wasn't good! I didn't know what was making it thin out because I was exercising and eating healthy. I became so concerned that my hair was growing but it was thinning and breaking off so bad I went to the doctor. They could find no reason so I knew it was the heat and products I was using on my hair.

I am 8 months transitioning. My last relaxer was in August 2010 and I still had lots of hair shedding and thinning. Some of it was do to me losing weight and exercising, which was good for my body but rough on my hair I narrowed down the cause to heat damage and wrong products for my hair.

I would wash my hair and condition it then blow dry, press with the stove-top hot comb then flat iron and curl with ceramic big barrel hot curlers. As of 2 1/2 weeks ago, I have not put any heat on my hair and as of last Sunday I started co-washing. So I co-wash every other Sunday and do shampoo and condition on alternate Sundays. Deep condition once per month as needed. I am wearing braid outs and plan to keep all heat (blow dryer, hooded dryer, flat irons) off my hair for another 2 weeks.

I am wearing braid outs currently and will post pics. I decided not to do a BC because I did it before years ago and I know me, a BC would not motivate me. I would rather keep most of the length and trim the ends every other month as the relaxer continues to grow out.