After a year of wearing extensions, my hair had grown to the coveted “bra strap” back length, and was thick and healthy. Wellll…after admiring a friend’s hair, she told me she had gotten it done at the local dominican hair salon for a great price. So, I decided to try it out. I thought it would save me time (no appt. required) and money ($25). And I decided, “What the heck, I’ll even let them relax it for me!” BAD MOVE!!
I went the salon at opening time, and 10 women were already waiting. So many women were coming, they were handing out number tickets – just like they give you at the DMV! They had a 40 hair dryers, 10 styling booths and only 3 wash bowls. They were herding us through there like cattle!! Okay, so needless to say, with 50+ women and only 3 wash bowls, there was a serious bottle-neck at the wash bowls. After my stylist relaxed my hair, I couldn’t get my chance at the bowl and sat there forever with chemicals in my head. Yes, I was getting concerned, but I thought “Surely they see me sitting here with relaxer in my hair, and surely, they won’t let it sit too long”. WRONG. Oh, my hair looked nice and flowing when I left, but the next day I started to see how much damage was really done! My long beautiful hair was so weak, it was coming out – all over my bathroom floor and in my hands when I would run my fingers through my hair. So, after 10 months of multiple trimmings, protein treatments, and wet sets, I am down to about 4 inches of healthy hair – all of it new growth. And the hair they relaxed? All gone!! Back to extensions I go! We’ll see what happens in a year. 
-Nicole A. Bragg
