Uggh... I have too

This year has been filled with so much discovery about my hair. I've spent countless hours researching black hair, AGA, and products that I honestly can say I am an expert on my hair.  That makes me happy to acknowledge.

I've been stretching my relaxers from the every 4 weeks that I use to do.  Now I have worked my way up to 12 weeks and I feel both excited and sad.  Excited because I achieved my goal.  I can control my hair to my satisfaction for the most part regardless of the condition of the week. Sad because the reality is, there isn't that much to relax at 4-8 weeks like I was doing.  I'm not joking.  There is literally no noticeable growth in my hair until 10-11 weeks. Interesting that I felt the need to relax ever 4 weeks.  What was I relaxing? My nerves apparently.  Any way my hair at 12 weeks has about 1/4" of new growth in some places, and much less in others.  My hair appears noticeably thick and healthy.  No breakage ( this week) and no shedding.  I am nervous to  push the relaxer past 12 weeks as I do not want to temp fate.  I really don't want to relax my hair because I absolutely hate how it feels without the new growth.  hate. it.   yes my hair is longer but the straighted roots also highlight the thinness of my hair.

So, I will relax this week.  I am not looking forward to the process, but I understand my mission: " Protect my ends first, the roots will grow when they are ready" I will section off my hair and process it in stages according to new growth thickness.    I washed, and treated my hair with protein today so that I can straighten my hair and leave it that way until my relaxer at the end of the week. That way, I won't confuse wrinkled roots with new growth and relax it unnecessarily .

a better day today,
~JKPS

Wars, Battles and messages from the universe

A war can go on for years, decades and centuries... Battles are short and are usually decided by quick action one way or another.  The war between me and AGA rages on and I'm losing. I have an iPhone and I'm addicted to taking photos of my hair from some of the craziest angles. This week I zeroed in on the nap and edges of my hair. Both areas are strangely different texture than the rest if my hair. Armpit length sparse, and baby fine,  the nape is so stringy it can barely hold a roller.  It's hard to look at and hard to touch.

My edges are not too too bad but still very unnaturally fine. At this point, only the very middle all the way around my head is the only part that grows. It's so healthy that it's growing enough to cover all of my balding.  So far, it's 1 inch from my bra strap in the back and armpit in the front. I just don't feel much like celebrating the lenght when there's no undergrowth. I can only imagine if I weren't balding.... Sigh.

On top of the war between me and my hair follicles ... I still have "normal hair" problems. This week battle is breakage and dryness. Strange too is that the breakage is localized and fierce. I look at that section of my hair wrong and it snaps. The battle to hang on to what I have hinges on me stopping the breakage and additional damage.  I purchased and used new products that are supposed to curb this condition, but so far....

In "universe news", my co-worker who is Greek and addicted to lifting her dark tresses red told me today that I "have such great hair"  She said its "always so thick , and healthy and I love your curly sets".  After I thanked her, I Thought... I'm not losing, I'm still in the war and I'd better start listing to all the messages that the universe is sending my way and appreciate what I have left.  I keep getting these messages from the universe, always so positive and encouraging. 

 Acknowledged.

later~