2nd Aphogee Treatment

Before the treatment:

The breakage on the back left side:

The Aphogee 2 Step Treatment:

The last time I did this was six weeks ago, to the day (I put it on a calendar, and I've scheduled them out). I have the bigger bottle, so I was was liberal with the application. It has the weirdest smell. I can't describe it, but I'm so glad that I have to do this only every six weeks. I followed it up with the Balancing Moisturizer and Mega Tek scalp treatment. I can't tell if the Aphogee 2 Step Treatment is working. I'll keep doing it every six weeks though.

Let's talk about the breakage. My hair is still breaking off especially on the left back side (see middle pictures). The top pictures show that the rest of my hair can cover the spots, and they're growing in from me putting Mega Tek directly on those spots. I'm so tempted to cut it all off and start again, but I'm not going to. The new growth is NATURAL. I haven't textlaxed since the disastrous last time, and I'm not due to do it again until November 15. I may not even do it then. I'm so scared. I just want to baby my hair until it stops breaking off, or until it's double the length, and I can cut off all the over processed hair. I have to say that my hair is the longest it's ever been , in my life, curly or straight. Other than sitting under the dryer to dry the Aphogee treatment, I've not put any heat on my hair since April 2009. What a journey. I have pinpointed the breakage to be from when I used the dye remover a couple of months ago. I shouldn't have ever done that. Big Lesson learned. Luckily, with my new growth as curly as it is, I can disguise my bald spots. I haven't worn a LF since August. I'm still working on getting a shorter one.

I received the greenish blue niobium jump rings, so I will start making the new Rearden Metal bracelets, in a chainmaille pattern. They will be a bit more expensive because the niobium is expensive. I love how all of this has led to me learning how to make wire jewelry. I can't wait to set up my Esty shop with all my stuff. I have to break out my knitting needles. That's what fall and winter mean to me. Knitting season.

I'm So Mad At Myself!!!

Okay, I did what I said I wasn't going to do... I textlaxed! And guess what? Gobs of my hair came out! My precious hair.... I'm not bald or anything, but gobs! That was my lesson learned. That's what I get. I don't want to see another bottle of relaxer in a loooooooong time! Totally my fault. I'm trying to figure out what did it. I'm wondering if it's because I Mega-Tekked the other day. Maybe my hair was still weak from the coloring fiasco last month. I think I'm over proteined. After I rinsed out, I put more Mega-Tek on the ends (as opposed to the roots) and slathered Silk Elements Luxury Moisturizing conditioner on my hair (sitting with it on now). I'll rinse and let it air dry. The only thing I'm doing next week is braiding up and slapping a wig on. Big lesson learned. I will diligently take the biotin and drink water. Also on payday, 2 big bottles of Nexxus Humectress ($32 each).

I just uploaded the pics above. From the pics, I can't see the breakage. That damn relaxer is like crack... must.... stay away... from .... the jar...

Sunday, I'm exhausted!

I'm so tired. What an exhausting week. Last weekend was Napa/Sausalito, then my daughter flew in from Vegas on Tuesday. She was a model in the Paul Mitchell hair show thingy. We treated her to some fine dining, California style. She had a great time in San Francisco. I missed her so much, and I really enjoyed having her here. We had a good time talking "hair". She just finished Paul Mitchell's program, but has yet to take her state boards. I know she'll pass with flying colors. I'm so proud of her. A love of doing hair runs deep in our family. My grandmother was a licensed cosmetologist, my sister is great with hair, then my daughter, and now me. I still won't be able to enroll into the Cosmetology program at SJCC until Fall 2010 because they have a year long wait list. That will give me time to get some things done and in order, and hopefully get a real job to pay for the schooling. I digress.

I like to do most of my hair research on Sunday (as well as work on my novel). I ended up on some hair growth threads on the BHM. Here is an excellent compilation of threads in one:
Topic: 101 Thread
Please take the time to read it. It's so informative. Kudos to the women on the board that find and contribute the info. They're amazing. I like the one on using Miconazole Nitrate... that's Monistat for those who are wondering. I was really surprised at that. I was looking for some Neosporin AF and came across the little tubes of the Monistat cream that come with the kit. I would toss those in my nightstand drawer never thinking I would use them. Lo and behold! I whipped a little tube out and slathered it all along my hairline... I'm still pissed at my daughter for saying my hairline looks like Wayne Brady's... back on topic. I will use this after every hair wash and see what happens. It's supposed to make your hair grow. I'm so obsessed with growing my hair out curly. I've stopped saying natural because I love textlaxing. I've resumed taking my One-A-Day vitamins. I want to go by GNC some time next week and get either some Women's Hair, Skin & Nails Formula, Women's Ultra Nourishair vitamins, or Women's Ultra Mega Multivitamins too.

I still haven't put on another unit. I washed the Virgin Mongolian, so she's on the wighead drying. I'm so scared to put the Virgin Malaysian Loose Curly back on. I'm debating on cutting off some of the Amina and cutting off the bald section of the VMLC off, then sewing the Amina part onto the VMLC. I'm heartbroken over the shedding. 2 bad wigs out of 10 is not bad enough to jump off the Rex ship. I want a Virgin Malaysian Natural Straight next, but it's going to be a long time before that dream is realized... a long time.

Because I can't keep my hands out of my hair, I parted it pie shaped wise, put MN in the parts, then I saturated it with EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), topped that off with the Herbal Essence Hello Hydration, and saran wrapped it, then capped that off with a tan wigcap. I may sleep on this and wash it out tomorrow. Back to the research.