Itchy Scalp...Dry Hair

The product junky in me is resurfacing! I have been having terrible trouble with dry itchy scalp and dry hair that is becoming brittle.

At frst I thought it was the sisterlocks shampoo as that left me scratching straight away, so I discontinued using it. Then I have found myself having to use harsher shampoos as my consultant says that I have a little build up. So far I have tried:

Pantene Clarifying Shampoo - That was good for cleaning my hair but as I was using a bottle I had for ages the last wash left my hair grey!

Mane N Tail Shampoo - That was the bomb!! but due to it's moisturising qualities my hair felt like silk, I will use this after I am fully locked as I dont want to risk my hair turning to soft cotton wool!

Jamaican Mango and Lime Tingle Shampoo - Smelt like it would do the job but again my hair had a grey cast when it was washed out

Neutragena T Gel with coal tar - Wasnt too bad but left my hair really dry as for my scalp, it was less itchy for a while

V05 Kiwi Lime Clarifying Shampoo - Brilliant for cleaning I was shocked at how dirty my hair really was! but my scalp is constantly scratching and my hair feels brittle and is breaking with the least friction


Now the problem is I am 6 months into my journey and my cosultant says that my hair is locking fast which is good but with the dry scalp and itching issues I really am starting to get disheartened. The shampoo that does work for me is still too moisturising for me at this stage. I dont think I have an actual scalp condition as my skin is contradictory all over. For example I suffer with dry skin, on my legs I have a condition named Icthyosis for which I use creams with urea and if you take a closer look at some of my pics, on my face I have small dry patches of exema. In total contradiction I sweat an abnormal amount and it can be simply from getting ready in the morning and putting on my clothes. So if I relate that to my scalp it is the same thing, I have dry scalp but then at least once a day it gets drenched in sweat and then goes back to being dry and itchy.

I have managed to go 6 months without using anything apart from water on my hair and scalp but I think it is safe to now say that my scalp does not produce enough oils to moisturise my hair.

Ohhhhhh, right now jsut so frustrated. My consultant is not really knowledgeable on hair so this means it is difficult to get recomendations and help

Just a pic

I attended my father in laws home dinner get together this weekend and was pleased with my hair so I thought I would document it. Excuse the glasses, I had a drink or two and no matter what I did my eyes kept coming out funny in the pic!

6 Month reflections

I made it through the first 6 months!!! I say that with great excitement as I am not known to sticking to one thing for too long! It's had it's ups and downs but all in all I love my locs.

Notice the picture on the computer screen, that was my hair last month, growth already!!

Ignore the lighting on this one my skin is really playing as well but you get the idea!

The slight wave you see is the result of a flat twist out that I done on Saturday evening after I washed my hair. It turned out alright I think but will look even better with some more length.

Reflection

-After 6 months on loc down it seems as though my hair is starting to loc, I am also noticing that it is growing as well.

- I am enjoying the freestyling of my locs although I wish the length was more uniform. I have done a braid out,a flat twist out and 2 cornrow styles in 6 months!

- My consultants chair is really uncomfortable and I am starting to "dread" my retight appointments as I end up suffering back pains anything up to 2 weeks after

- I have realised that the mountain of "grease" I used to apply to my hair was not needed to keep my hair moisturised, but that I do still need something...just haven't figured out what as my hair is quite dry and the ends break due to this

- I still get plenty of curious looks when out and about

My Routine

- I still braid and band when  washing

- I sleep on a satin headscarf tied to my pillow as wearing one directly makes me too hot at night

- I spritz with water sometimes!!

- Daily styling is running my hands through my hair...simples! lol

Pro's

- Freedom baby!!

- Save a ton on the "latest" product

- Not constantly worrying about my next weave!

Con's

- My mother  when talking to me, avoids looking at the top of my head

- Shampooing! I hate braiding and banding! I lost my sisterlocks starter shampoo and my consultant hasn't got any more. I have been having a hard time finding a good shampoo. I find that after I have shampoo'ed my hair that t looks grey in colour and that there is build up in my hair which as I don't use products, I have no idea where it stems from.

- My scalp itches from dry scalp

All in all it's been a great experience and I am looking forward to the next 6 months xx

Braid out on short hair

This was kind of an accident! I braided my hair on Friday with the intension of washing later that night. Unfortunately I have been really unwell so decided not to let water touch my head. My retight appointment has been rescheduled for next friday but I thought I would go ahead and wash anyways. So last night I washed my hair with the same braids in and sat under a hooded dryer to keep the cold from getting to my head. This morning I undone my braids for work and this is what I was left with. As my hair is quite uneven I had to tuck it up and under a little to create eveness.

Can't wait to try this out when I have some more length, this will probably be my everyday style as I have always loved curls!!

5 Months...the joys of!

Hey everyone well I have just passed 5 months and this last month has been an experience! On the previous 2 visits to my consultant she discovered build up in my back row so after some research she suggested I try an ACV rinse. So...braided and banded I go to the bathroom and carry out the nesesities. Mr Mac inspected and said that there still seems to be some left although not as much as before BUT low and behold for the 1st time since having my locs there was major slippage! Considering that my locs were retightened two weeks before I could fit a pinky and sometimes his bredren between my roots and the locked section of my hair! I was horrified. The ones around the front all but slipped out.

Decisions had to be made... so armed with my NL tool off I went to work. Now considering that I had only retightened a few in the back row and maintained the 6 babies at the front...this was gonna be a mamouth task! So I spent all of half an hour watching my fav youtube diy'ers and begun..It took me two evenings but I fixed the problems and my locs were once again defined. I felt a great sence of accomplishment and then came the realisation that I only have 3 weeks left before my retight! So i prayed lol Thank God I now have another inch regrowth in that time and am due for a reight this weekend.

Whilst I was up in my head I also had a look at some of those combined ones that was causing me concern with my partings and after watching another video seperated them and re combined them along a different line so that the partings at the front are more defined again.

Anyhows, here are some random pics of my hair in month 5, I still cannot do much in the way of styling but that is ok, although I am having a few nervous moments as my one year wedding anniversary is coming up and I need to look my best.

Moral of the story, is that when it looks as though you cannot do a thing...wait until your back up is against the wall. Of course I was terribfied that I mess something up, but it all worked out ok. Oh..pics are not after my retight! x

My Partings...

As you know I've been looking into the partings situation and identifying any possible problems that I may have so that I can rectify them sooner rather than later and here are the pics...what do you think am I being anal?

Center part...take one

Center part take two...trying a different angle, dunno if you can see it but the front two to the left are actually in the center part

Until next time x

Happy New Year!!

Wishing all my readers a very Happy and Prosperous New Year for 2011, I hope all your dreams and wishes are achieved.

Well, it has been a busy holiday season with both sets of parents coming around for our first Christmas dinner at home...can you imagine...I aint never cooked so much food in my life lol and the last thing I wanted to worry about was my hair. Thank God for sisterlocks! I decided I would go and get another canerow style after my retightening and my little one practically begged to let her do the canerows, now I must admit I was apprehensive, not that I dont believe that she could do it, just was worried that it wouldnt be what I expected. With a hairdresser you can tell them you dont like it...with a 12 year old you gotta be more diplomatic!

That being said, I must admit, she doen a pretty good job! not perfect but better than I expected. The style is simple canerow with a plaited ponytail for variety! Now I know the use of external hair might no be for some, but for me making my own ponytail adds to my styling and besides, it was a special occassion!

Overall the process of my hair has been good, it is growing and forming nicely. I am still braiding and banding which gets on my nerves but I understand why so will stick with it. The sisterlocks shampoo, I am not o thrilled with. It leaves me with a very dry scalp which itches for days after. I also have been told that in my back row I have...BUILD UP! I dont use products on my hair only occassional water but I am what you call an oily person and sweat all the time including winter so oftern times my scalp is hot and sweaty...hence a build up of all. I have found that the shampoo is not shifting this oil only drying the scalp so I am looking on various blogs to see if there are any other recommendations.

I am becoming more and moer frustrated with the parting structure and am thinking I need a second opinion. I think i blogged before about the ones at the front being really small and I was concerned about the partings then. Now nearly half of the front ones have been combined which further changed the partings and it is hard to find anything resembling a straight one. I wouldn't mind so much as I want healthy roots at my locs but what is frustrating is that when I mention it, I feel as though I am being dismissed and told "that is just how it is". I think my next post will show what I am talking about and maybe anyone reading can advise me whether to seek a second opinion. If it is dodgy then I have to have it rectified asap. For now here is a pic with my hair out and as promised a pic from the Dinner Dance in November x