Is anyone from the Milwaukee area? I am intrested in having a thermal reconditioning for my daughter. Would like to find a salon that can do it well. Has anyone here had it,? If so, were you happy with your results?

My daughter is 11. I have such a hard time with her hair. I'm white, and she's mixed race. I didn't have a CLUE about African hair!!!!! Have been learning..but WHEW!! No matter what (except braids) everyting involves a lot of time in the mornings or evening. I have had her hair straightened, had a "wrap" done, had it cut short, flat ironed...you name it. Have so many lotions, creams and scalp conditioners. Flat irons, blow driers, hood dryer, curling iron and hair pieces.. Help.. all she wants it to not have to go through all of that everyday. Thing is we live in a white bread suburb. Jamie wants to "look like the other girls" Poor kid !! I love her so much and want her to feel good. We moved "out here" from the city...thinking ti would be good for the kids. Now I miss the diversity of the city sooo much!!!!

Any info  on thermal reconditioning will be appreciated.

I am not from your area so I am sorry but I have no salons to suggest.  I will say that thermal straightening is a big investment and is permanent.  Also not all hair is suitable for the technique.  Whatever you decide, definitely go to a very reputable place that has a lot of experience with the technique and with hair similar to your daughters and get a consultation first.  Then wait a week or two before you actually do anything.  I would just hate for you and for your daughter to go through a lot of trouble and not get the results you want.

I understand that the issue is more that she would like to have straight hair like her friends.  That is a more complicated issue and yes, I am from NYC so I too appreciate diversity.  I bet her hair is beautiful in its own right, maybe not the easiest to manage, but still beautiful. Are there any women of color who your daughter admires?  I think that however she wears her hair, it may help to reinforce the idea that she is beautiful and remind her that beauty comes in many forms, shapes, sizes, colors, and is not just physical.  Also, even if she goes straight now, she may discover someday that she wants to go natural for differenct reasons.  She is at a tricky age which I can totally appreciate.  Good luck.

Ahhh!  11!  I remember when I got my first relaxer, I was 11 too!   Back then I was sooo happy to get it, b/c the other girls in the class kinda mocked me for not having one.

Anyways... I also am not in your area, sorry   So I can't suggest a salon either.

Once again, sorry I couldn't be of greater assistance.

Thank you both so much for your kind words and expierence. It is appreciated. You both hit the nail right on the head. Jamie (my DD) wants to look like the other girls. I guess I was the same way. I have tried to get her to wear her hair in a more "natural" way..but she really doesn't like it. Also..it takes a lot of care. If she goes to bed with her hair natural, she will wake up with knots and tangles.

Afrolatina, are you still in NYC?? My favorite place!  The day the adoption was finalized we took the kids to Manhatten!! We could have went to Disney World...but decided the diversity of NY would be much better!

Thanks again to both of you. A little advice and caring go a long way.

Margie

Hi Margie.  I think it's great that you are trying to learn about your daughter's hairtype.  I know exactly how it is because at that age I would've given my right arm to be able to get my hair straight.  I used every product with no results.  It took lots of trial and error!  When I was 15 I got it relaxed and I was so happy but my hair was not.  I experienced breakage and shedding and my overall hair health was not where I wanted it to be.  I have come a long way since then.  I've grown out the relaxer and now enjoy my hair in it's natural state but I can still wear it straight also.  If your daughter really wants straight hair she can achieve it by using a flat iron.  I recomend the Maxiglide.  I just bought it and it's awsome!  I have some pics of the results in my Fotki album and you can also see my hair before (very curly!). The maxiglide gets it stick straight and it lasts until the next shampoo.  I can get my hair straighter with this flat iron than I could when it was relaxed. 

I think that in due time your daughter will become more accepting of her natural texture which is very important.  HTH!

You let her sleep with her hair loose???

If you do, that's a big No No.  No wonder she has tangles and knots in the morning!

You should try putting her hair into two or three big braids (plaits) at night.  That way, in the morning you can take the braids down and comb her hair without the pain of tangles.

Braids also help to partially straighten or stretch out tightly coiled hair.  Big braids of course, not those teeny tiny ones.  

Also, do you use any detanglers?

And oh yeah, when you comb her hair, do you wet it with something before you comb it?  Combing AA hair while dry will break it off and make it not as easy to comb through.

Sorry Im asking soo many questions but I see you say you're learning and I just wanna help anyway I can.