I completed my retightening using my nappylocs tool. It took 3 days off and on. I used a total of 1 1/2 hours a day. I read on Dewdrops blog that she retightened every 4 weeks. I think that would work for me because I only had to make one rotation. However on a few I had to make several rotations using the 4 pt pattern. If you have the nappylocs book you know that there are more rotations such as the 6pt and the 8pt rotation. I noticed that my hairline is thinning. It might be chemical alopecia( permanent hair loss from use of relaxers).I know its not traction alopecia because I don't do the braids thing to the degree that it would pull my hair out by it's follicle. It's noticeable on the pictures but not in person unless you just staring at my head. I must admit however that when I took my sisterlocks out in Dec 2006 that the hair came out pretty bad. I was quite depressed because the hair and hair follicle or bulb did come out in some places. I was angry that my hair came completely out. I wondered if it would grow back the way it did before. It did but it was much thinner. I am pleased with the progress. I am learning patience.
My Lesson
I remember back in the day when there was this lady name Pink e on lock it up. She always referred to her hair as a "hot mess". I definitely internalized her hair issues and thought that my hair would never look right. I remember when Creyole joined lock it up then she was using her real name"L"... and I remember when Blaqkofi joined. I say this to let you know how long I have been trying to be patient with this hair thing. I was on lock it up daily reading every post. I think it was a gift and a curse. I say it was a gift because you could see the progress of others and it was a curse because then it gave you a point of reference for what your hair was not doing. "yeah we all know that every one is all different but that doesn't mean anything when you want your hair to look a certain way. The only pictures then were on the file and in peoples fotki . At any rate I was extremely dissatisfied and I thought well my hair is a hot mess too. However when I think back it wasn't. I let someones issue become mine. There were not blogs like knots and locks and doc locs or other women who had nice hair with relaxers.Mybe there were but by that time I had decided to take them out and removed my name from the list at lock at up. Sure their was Brunsli but she was mixed and didn't relate to her hair story.Her hair texture is different and if you have mixed friends like I do you know what I mean. This time around I don't read negative stuff and I don't let others hair experience determine what my end result is going to look like. Don't get it twisted I have my favorites and hope that my hair will be similar and then there are those that I say "hell" hope my hair don't look like that!
Penny's
Locked Jan. '08"
Work in progress
8 comments:
This post is on point because the only time that I feel a twinge of unhappiness with my locks is when I start comparing them to others. So I try to check myself and make sure that I am only admiring other locks instead of doing a comparison.
Oh yeah,congrats on completing your first DIY! It looks like your hair is progressing nicely.
Thanks!! We all get lock envy but it's the comparison that gets us trouble because we base our hair on their hair. I know I look at permies and their transitions especially noting the month when they did the big chop of their straight ends. I look at the ends of locks and the parting, hairlines, and the thickness. Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment. By the way your hair looks great. When did you cut your ends off. I won't cut entirely yet. I do keep trimming. It's addictive to me. I have compulsive tendencies!
Penny you said, "I style my hair with a braid out at times with a lil curl at the end or sponge or rods." I love that style myself. I have also taken to rolling my hair with pipecleaners after two-strand twisting it. It comes out really curly/crimped-- love it!
Your hair looks great! It appears you are still rockin' your permed ends. They look cool with the color on the end. I was just ready to chop mine when I could so I could just wash and wear my hair and GO, if I wanted. (MINE was NOT a good look having UNDONE permed ends and locked roots.)
BTW... this DIY retightening thing is a trip! I love that I CAN do it... I just HATE doing it! I'm coming to realize that I may just be stressing myself out to get it all done too fast. I'm a teacher who is off for the summer. So I have the time now. I'm having trouble imagining retightening my hair over days when I start back to my real daily rotation with will include working outside the home. Whew!
Got any pointers for a sistah!?
On another note... You also said, "[You] will link [to my Natural Journeys blog] on [your]site." Thx in advance for that!
>>Three girls Momma
Thanks! I want to trim my ends too but I don't feel the lock is full enought yet.I am not stressing over it today. Not today but tommorrow is another day. You know how some peoples lock just stick up and look full. I wouldn't mind that look because it's sort of like a fro but my hair will just lay there limp and pitiful. We are in the same profession!!Teachers rock! It's the summer thats why I blog so much too much time on my hands. Don't rush I took three days. Retightening is not fun! Just glad I can do it and not pay anyone and keep my money $90!
In the fall I will probably always keep up my hairline and do some on saturday morning and sunday afternoon and maybe a little everynight.(like one hour before bed after the kids are in bed) We are good at multi-tasking! You know how we do.
Your locs are so cute.
i love our locks and your blog. I cut my perm at about 6 to 8 months. I wanted to make sure i had enough hair to cover my ears. Thanks for stopping by my blog.
Hey Penny,
Sorry it took me so long to reply. You're compulsive and I'm impulsive lol. I was trying to be good and trim them a little at a time but one day I just decided to up and cut off all of my permed ends... looking at my pictures I'd say that was some time before my 5th month.
You did an excellent job. I can't believe that you tightened in fewer hours than I did, but that's good! I hope to make my sessions a little shorter but I still have to work on that with the number of locks that I have.
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