Tailbone Length Hair Challenge 2013 (open!!!)

Warning: Long rant!

Gahh... I now have a setback. I hope I can still meet my goals by the end of this challenge >_<

I've been researching keratin treatments for a little over a year and took the plunge and tried the Organix 30-day keratin treatment one a couple months back to help with stretching my relaxer, or maybe a potential transitioning if it went really well. It worked great (detangling after washing was sooo much easier) but only lasted a week even though I only used the shampoo/conditioner from the line. Another keratin treatment I did heavy research on was the Global Keratin with Juvexin... figured it must be great with almost all positive reviews, however it did contain 2% formaldehyde unlike the Organix. However, the thing that most held me back from doing it earlier than I did was the price... $170 for only 10oz. Well, this weekend I decided what the heck.. if it works really and lasts the 3-4 months it says it will, then it will be worth the hefty price tag. Especially if it will allow me to painlessly transition out of relaxers so my hair can be healthier. When it arrived in the mail, I was soooooo excited to try it. Since I work out heavily during the week, I decided I would wait until the weekend to try it. Well, that's just what I did this weekend. And it went horribly wrong...

Like an idiot, I did not do a patch test because I figure, with so many positive reviews, theres no way it could possibly go wrong! So I started putting it on my hair like I did with the Organix. I immediately start noticing that my eyes were very slightly watering. No big deal I thought... I'd read about that from the treatments with formaldehyde. Well fast forward about an hour later, I'd used more than 6oz of the treatment, more than half the bottle in my hair! I'm sure this might have made matters worse but in hindsight it might have been for the best since I was able to feel the effects of the treatment much faster and act on it. Well after I reached for my blow dryer to start the first part of the "sealing" process, I immediately start smelling very very heavy fumes. My eyes were tearing up so bad I couldnt keep them open, and my throat burned badly too. I didnt even turn the blow dryer on yet, I was only just holding it in my hands! And I was even sitting in front of a fan. Stupidly, I figure I would try to hold out as long as I can. I mean everyone warns about the fumes right? Maybe this is what they were talking about... So on i went trying to blow dry & comb. I should mention my hair was very delicate since I have about 2 inches of new growth, so I was expecting a bit of breakage with so much combing, which is exactly what I got (I had about 3-4 weeks worth of hair in my comb by the time it was over!!! AHHH!). Well, after about 30mins I couldnt take the fumes anymore and with a heavy heart decided I would just wash the treatment out. The $170 price tag kept me from washing it out sooner than I wanted and oddly enough, the amount of hair I lost. I felt like I had to make it worth because it would allow me in the long run to lose less hair. I didnt want to feel like I lost that much hair all for nothing. Thinking about it now, I don't know what the heck I was thinking.

By the time I got to the bathroom and looked into the mirror, and saw my face in the mirror... I was horrified. The side of my face where my hair was resting on, was very very red and inflamed! It was then that I started noticing that my scalp was feeling tingly and the back of my head was starting to burn! I rushed in the shower and shampooed a few times using a clarifier to try and get the treatment out. By the time I was done, the nape of my neck was burning as if I had gotten relaxer burns! Now I was getting a bit alarmed and realized that I might have just had an allergic reaction to the treatment... and was worried because I did remember hearing about people shedding like crazy after allergic reactions to keratin treatments in general. I am sooooo bummed (I still cant get over the $170 price tag!) but I guess it could be worse and I could be loosing hair... Crossing my fingers that it doesnt happen since I only just did it two days ago though! In the meantime I have been rinsing my scalp with water on and off just to make sure that I get it all out and also to sooth it.

Now I am going to be super diligent with protective styling. I am so not combing my hair more than once a week on wash day at -all-. I would usually finger comb during the week but I'm not even going to do that either. Just spritz with water/condish, smooth with my hands, tie in a couple -very- loose buns and go. Maybe this happening to me was a good thing because I'm actually leaning more towards going natural after all. Before, I was sort of on the fence about it but now, I feel more resolved.

Anyway, moral of the story... always do a patch test! :(
Pics of my PS for this week. Messy but gets the job done. On a side note, totally loving how great my henna is coming along after I have been doing for 6 months or so. It's starting to really show.

Edited by darkvalkyrie123 - Dec 24 2012 at 9:44am