Their page was riddled with one star reviews from women who had similar experiences to mine. If I had done my research instead of going by word of mouth, I would have kept my edges.
I then decided to go visit a hairstylist I was familiar with because I was confident that she could help me with my hair.
I told her my story; she told me that she would give me some kind of hair treatment and send me off with a bunch of products that would help my hair recover from the damage.
I went in that weekend and received the treatment and noticed that my hair was a lot straighter after the wash. I asked her what she put in my hair and she said, “A relaxer for your new growth”. I nearly broke down crying. I had just experienced two major hair setbacks in less than a month.
To be clear, this was not a case of “secret relaxing” or “hairstylist sabotage”; it was just a really, really big misunderstanding. After a few genuine apologies and a deep condition, I headed home to start my natural hair journey all over again.
In the last two and a half years, I’ve experienced minor setbacks but my bra strap length hair is now fully healthy and natural.
Some of you may have not experienced something this extreme, but there are still a few things you should do to prevent an unfortunate salon mishap:
Do your research!
Checking the reviews and ratings of the salon you go to is a good idea to determine the general experiences of people who go there. Of course, not everyone is going to have the same experience but if the company has poor ratings and a ton of comments from unsatisfied customers, you should be cautious.
Schedule a Consultation
Visiting the salon and meeting a stylist beforehand will allow you to get familiar with both the stylist and the atmosphere. Observing the products/tools they use as well as posing questions to the woman or man doing your hair will help you determine if that salon is right for you.
Be very, very clear
Let your hairstylist know everything they need to know about your hair before they start working on it. Make it clear if you are relaxed, natural, transitioning, have a bald spot, allergic to certain hair dyes-everything! You do not want a misunderstanding that will leave your hair damaged.
Take care of your own hair!
This doesn’t mean avoid salons at all cost, it means to take care of your hair in between trips. You may get your hair done every other week, but that doesn’t mean that you should leave all haircare up to your stylist. Do what you can to keep your hair style looking great and healthy.
Lauren Walker says
I’m confused. If one had relaxed hair in the past; how did the stylist put one in her hair ? I’m not buying this story..sorry. It’s unrealistic to the max. YOU KNOW A RELAXER!!
Patrice Lechelle says
Hi,
She was my previous hairstylist prior to me going natural. She believed that I was neglecting my touch ups instead of understanding that I was transitioning. I do have pictures before, after, and during if you’d like to see them. Thank you.
Jacqy says
I believe you. However, I would like to see the pictures just because I would like to see the state your hair was in before and after. If you don’t mind.
MsCurlyKat says
While I agree, you do know a relaxer, it could have also been that she was in such a panic over her lost edges that she heard treatment but not relaxer, and agreed to it from there. The tip-off from my viewpoint is, that she wasn’t particularly angry at the stylist after the initial shock wore off. Her lesson in that case is, never go to the salon in a panic, wait until you have calmed down some; it’s ok to still be angry when you go, but when you are panicked you are more susceptible to not hearing everything being said.
Brenda Baltazar says
Thnks for sharing