I wrecked my scalp

[YvetteVarie]

I had a protective style done recently (posted pictures on the Kinky 4s thread). However, it seems that the stylist had put too much tension on the style. I ended up lasting 2 days in the style and removed it. The problem is my scalp constantly hurts now, it seems like I was starting to develop scalp sores from the excessive tension and nothing I do seems to help. I have done scalp massages using grapeseed oil, and a shea butter mix containing grapeseed and castor oil but nothing seems to help. My scalp hurts so much I can barely comb my hair to keep it contained for work. What else can I do to soothe it? I have plenty of time over the weekend to dedicate to my hair.

[lucid]

Have you tried to ice your scalp?

The amount of tension you're describing is damaging and can cause traction alopecia. The stylist should be ashamed. Nothing protective about damaging peoples hair follicles. Good think you removed it, may very well have saved your follicles.

I hope you feel better soon. Maybe use another stylist known for being more gentle if you decide to go for it again?

[lapushka]

Nothing is "protective" about these tension "do's" at all. Wish you would have removed it straight away, or had gone back to her to get your money back. But... oh well, the good thing is: you took it out!

I would give it a wash. Nice warm water, a little massaging action takes care of whatever aches I have on my scalp; it might not ease it all, but it might help alleviate the issue somewhat.

Good luck to you! :flower:

[Joules]

I second lapushka's advice, give it a nice wash. I have sensitive hair follicles, and whenever something starts to hurt because of a tight style, I have to either wash or spray some water on ,y scalp. For some reason it's the water that works for me, massages aren't as effective. I've never dealt with such an extreme case of follicle pain though, but it's the best thing I can suggest. Good luck!

[lapushka]

Yep, the warm water does it a world of good (not hot, just nice and cozy warm).

[blackgothicdoll]

I agree with a nice wash. When I had tension like that in the past, I wouldn't put anything thick like castor oil or shea butter on my scalp. I'm not very sciencey, but I felt anything thick would clog my follicles, and any part of your skin needs oxygen to breathe when healing. I liked to take a spray bottle of water, put in a few drops of tea tree or peppermint, and spray that on my scalp. It kept it clean and was very soothing. Just make sure you have a high water:peppermint/tea tree ratio, too much of an essential oil could make things worse.

Try not to touch it too much after washing gently and using a spritz. I know it's irritating, but the more time and air you give it, the better it will heal.

This is part of the reason I stopped going to hair braiders. They don't care about the health of your hair, just want the style to look good and last long. When prioritizing these things, they definitely won't prioritize hair and scalp health.

ETA: Just remembered, what I did above was what I did when I had braids done. They say not to wash your hair after braids, but I would immediately go home and put a warm wet rag against my scalp to clean it, then the thing with water/peppermint or I'd water/diluted conditioner with peppermint such as trader joe's tea tree tingle, but in your case I'd suggest just water, maybe a little bit of oil in that too. In hindsight I should have also removed them since they could have caused damage, so I'm glad you did!

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I would try putting some nice warm water on it and some very gentle massage, and see how that works for you. That stylist should have known way, way better that that! Does she want bald clients?

[Ylva]

I am another who recommends a warm wash, perhaps a relaxing bath and a wash after that if you have a bathtub.

[*Wednesday*]

Look at this girl and a tension damage. She had extensions but tension is tension. These stylist need to be so careful


https://youtu.be/wS-cTkVIQ0I

[Addy]

Look at this girl and a tension damage. She had extensions but tension is tension. These stylist need to be so careful


https://youtu.be/wS-cTkVIQ0I

Oh my... that poor girl! I'm so glad that she hasn't let that bad experience define who she is. She's gorgeous.

[SwanFeathers]

Yeah just watch Traeh's horror stories on her iamtraeh youtube channel. That stuff is insane (if you have high blood pressure be careful)
CRAZY NATURAL HAIR HORROR STORIES!: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLRHvDF9voXBkGZKoTm5_h4uPERmWwSHd
P.s. a friend from work with 4c hair used these to explain to me why losing her stylist was a big deal, and now I agree!

[JennGalt]

I would suggest leaving your scalp alone after you gently wash it. No massaging, no oils unless you get reeeaalllly dry. Just leave it alone and give it some time to heal and return to normal.

[*Wednesday*]

Yeah just watch Traeh's horror stories on her iamtraeh youtube channel. That stuff is insane (if you have high blood pressure be careful)
CRAZY NATURAL HAIR HORROR STORIES!: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLRHvDF9voXBkGZKoTm5_h4uPERmWwSHd
P.s. a friend from work with 4c hair used these to explain to me why losing her stylist was a big deal, and now I agree!

OMG! The videos of hairdressers sneaking product into hair. Good lord. Aweful.

[Ylva]

OMG! The videos of hairdressers sneaking product into hair. Good lord. Aweful.

Could you kindly post the links to some of those? There are tons of videos and the only one I saw was of a friend doing that.

[AutobotsAttack]

Next time if you want to do threading, there’s absolutely no reason why it has to be tight.
I’d start a few inches away from your scalp. Enough room to fit a finger in there, and then thread.

[*Wednesday*]

Could you kindly post the links to some of those? There are tons of videos and the only one I saw was of a friend doing that.

Here is one from the playlist. That link is for a playlist. This girl goes through stories.

https://youtu.be/RC-oQPGorC0

[MarPreciosa]

I had a protective style done recently (posted pictures on the Kinky 4s thread). However, it seems that the stylist had put too much tension on the style. I ended up lasting 2 days in the style and removed it. The problem is my scalp constantly hurts now, it seems like I was starting to develop scalp sores from the excessive tension and nothing I do seems to help. I have done scalp massages using grapeseed oil, and a shea butter mix containing grapeseed and castor oil but nothing seems to help. My scalp hurts so much I can barely comb my hair to keep it contained for work. What else can I do to soothe it? I have plenty of time over the weekend to dedicate to my hair.

I'm so sorry - that sounds really painful. Maybe aloe would help?

[Ylva]

Here is one from the playlist. That link is for a playlist. This girl goes through stories.

https://youtu.be/RC-oQPGorC0

Yeah, I know it's a playlist, but I was referring to those videos of hairdressers sneaking product into hair videos that you mentioned. As in there are a lot of videos in the playlist, and no such videos caught my eye when reading the titles. Perhaps the one you mentioned is still in your view history.

[chiapommama]

Yeah just watch Traeh's horror stories on her iamtraeh youtube channel. That stuff is insane (if you have high blood pressure be careful)
CRAZY NATURAL HAIR HORROR STORIES!: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLRHvDF9voXBkGZKoTm5_h4uPERmWwSHd
P.s. a friend from work with 4c hair used these to explain to me why losing her stylist was a big deal, and now I agree!
Omg! Just looking at the titles just wow!

[*Wednesday*]

Yeah, I know it's a playlist, but I was referring to those videos of hairdressers sneaking product into hair videos that you mentioned. As in there are a lot of videos in the playlist, and no such videos caught my eye when reading the titles. Perhaps the one you mentioned is still in your view history.

I clicked into the link SwanFeathers posted the ones listed with stylist.

[Lizabeth94]

Try warming up a hot pack in the microwave and applying it gently to your scalp! If you don’t have one, a damp washcloth in the microwave can do the trick. I suffer from scalp pain due to migraines and sometimes the only way to ease the pain is with heat. Ice for me usually makes it worse, but of course the cause of my pain is much different than yours, so an ice pack could be worth a try too.

[YvetteVarie]

Thank you all for the feedback. I don't know how I got so complacent this time, I used to be the annoying client being fussy about everything I didn't like. I think I just relaxed after getting my way on her not washing and blowdrying my hair, and I am also too used to a gentler stylist I normally visit.

Quick update, my scalp feels better now. It just took so long for the pain to go away I was scared I had traction alopecia. But it seems like I escaped with no damage. I think I'll do the spray bottle with water but instead of peppermint eo, I'll use eucalyptus oil. Definitely saving up to go to my usual, gentle stylist in December.

[spidermom]

As well as the good suggestions already posted, I wanted to add that time should ease the discomfort. It might take a few days.

[Cymiri]

Lords, that poor woman's scalp! And she's so very beautiful... would kill for that arch in my eyes/brows... hope she's healed up from that disaster!

[lapushka]

Lords, that poor woman's scalp! And she's so very beautiful... would kill for that arch in my eyes/brows... hope she's healed up from that disaster!

Yeah, I saw that video months ago. Her scalp was a disaster area. I just don't get, though, how you can let it come that far. I mean, you have to *feel* that it's off, right, before disaster strikes? When she told everyone her scalp was bleeding and had sores? Normally you would then definitely take out the style (weave), but it appears she didn't. :( Maybe due to the cost of a weave placement? IDK, I wasn't there. But good God that was so tragic!

[YvetteVarie]

I think she stayed for so long because as black women, we are taught from an early age that beauty is pain. I remember being told as a child that looking good hurts (direct translation from my mother tongue). Some of my colleagues laughed at me after I took out this hairstyle because I wasn't willing to take the pain. I think that's why traction alopecia is common among black women

[Starchild494]

Do you have any essential oils? If so Frankensence will help with the sites. Peppermint also will help

[lapushka]

I think she stayed for so long because as black women, we are taught from an early age that beauty is pain. I remember being told as a child that looking good hurts (direct translation from my mother tongue). Some of my colleagues laughed at me after I took out this hairstyle because I wasn't willing to take the pain. I think that's why traction alopecia is common among black women

Well that's terrible. :( I'm so sad that that is the way things go. Natural hair, I feel, is beautiful. I don't even get why some (I know you do too) would want a relaxer, but it is all highly individual. :flower:

[YvetteVarie]

Well that's terrible. :( I'm so sad that that is the way things go. Natural hair, I feel, is beautiful. I don't even get why some (I know you do too) would want a relaxer, but it is all highly individual. :flower:

For me, a relaxer helps with manageability, which helps with retention. I have so much hair that when I was natural, I had very little patience to deal with it. The relaxer cuts down handling time for me. I texlax which means I leave my hair with a lot of texture (most people think I have natural hair until I tell them otherwise)

[lapushka]

For me, a relaxer helps with manageability, which helps with retention. I have so much hair that when I was natural, I had very little patience to deal with it. The relaxer cuts down handling time for me. I texlax which means I leave my hair with a lot of texture (most people think I have natural hair until I tell them otherwise)

You for sure don't have to defend yourself, not to me, or to anyone. If you relax your hair, even if a little, then it's your choice. And more power to you! :flower: