Detangling Woes Leads to Changes...

Dearest Ebony:

It has been a while. I have not had much to update you on but now I do.

I took my yarn braids out a few days ago. My hair strands were sticking out of the yarn because of frequent washes after working out (cardio). I had them in since Jan 26/11. That’s about as long as I can stand extensions in my hair.

I was happy to take them out and see my hair, and it took no more than 3 hours to remove which was about the same time it took to install them. I sprayed a section with water to cause less friction when untwisting to remove the yarn and finger detangles to remove shed hairs. Before going to sleep, I applied Africa's best herbal oil/an my own blend t my hair focusing on the ends. This method can be classified as 'prepooing'. The next morning, I went to the gym with a plastic bag, under my bandana and even relaxed in the sauna/steam room to work some magic on my hair with the help of the oil.

Before washing my hair in the evening, I had decided to try Lisa Akbari's 'Get the Length' method to baby my dry hair. I washed my hair with twists in, but they slipped out with the help of my fingers after washing and adding Tressemme Naturals Conditioner. I dried using a trusty cotton T shirt and proceeded to apply a protein treatment called Elasta QP Anti breakage Serum followed by Organic Root Stimulator Replenishing Conditioner. As prescribed by the hair doctor, I popped on my Heat Therapy Wrap for 10 minutes with a conditioning cap (courtesy of 1mits on the YT-Xmas contest. I applied more conditioner after 10 minutes and repeated this step once more ending with a total of 30 minutes heat conditioning. I noticed that my hair was taking in the conditioner well, and it was soft... and I imagined that detangling would be a breeze, but I held off because as the Hair Doctor prescribes in her book, the best time to detangle while using the hair growth program is AFTER conditioner is rinsed and leave in as been applied (wait for 5 minutes). Prior to this method, I had learned to detangle BEFORE Shampooing with a light conditioner (pre-poo) and then plait my hair for washing.
Anyway, after rinsing the conditioner, my hair was still soft but was drying quickly with the help of my Cotton T shirt which I used to blot dry. I then applied my leave in, diluted Giovanni Direct Leave in.
I ran my fingers through, but I felt knots... I left the leave in sit for a few minutes and proceeded to detangle while watching Misfits in bed with my partner. I put my hair into 4 parts, and each of the four would further divided for more manageable detangling. This is when I realized that I was living a N.I.G.H.T.M.A.R.E.!!!!! AAAAH my hair was so tangled and matted... it was as if I was attempting to remove mature locs form my head.

I was UPSET (WELL DOWNSET.. haha.) A hideous seen followed... I could not stop the salty water from running from one eye and weirdly both eyes were bloodshot. I wanted to cry out from the depth of my soul... I recalled a similar situation last time I removed yarn braids and the hair loss induced by detangling that followed. I knew then and there that something had to change. I cried because I was sad, sad that I couldn't stop my hair from tangling, matting. I had always joked around that my hair wasn't meant to be combed or detangled and always struggled to do so- even with techniques I had learned and people swore on.

I could not deal with it at that late hour (my suggestion: do your hair when you have time and your mind is clear). I added more conditioner to the four sections, wrapped up and rolled around in bed until morning. The tossing and turning was due to several facts:  sleeping with a plastic bag topped with a bandana and soft hat is uncomfortable; my mind was processing the events of the night; I knew change was coming because that event changed my relationship with my hair and my perceptions and fears.

Please read the Next blog to see the changes I am making.

-Ebony Coils <3