Back and forth between relaxed and natural hair

[LoveisYou]

I big chopped twice, first in 2007 and then again in 2009. My first go at natural hair, I relaxed after about 14 months the second time, I relaxed after 8 months. I love my natural hair short, the in between stage always gets to me though. Now I am relaxed I am sort of tempted to go natural gain, indecisive much? lol

So what about you, have you been back and forth between relaxed and natural hair? why?

 

[iri9109]

why did you big chop? why did you relax?...if its the in between stages that bother you, maybe you could wear your natural hair straightened/stretched more often during that time...because when you relax its not like your hair gets automatically longer than what it is, its just permanently stretched so you can see the length.

 

[Your Cheeziness]

I don't see anything wrong with switching. I change and cut my hair at whim. I have commitment phobia when it comes to my hair. I'm already thinking about what I'm going to do with it next.

 

[Mystic]

I feel you on that because I have been there. Right now I am in the same boat and undecided what to do but I promise, I will never BC again! I know the pros and cons of both world but my biggest goal is length. As a natural, my hair had no nice curl definition so I never wore it in a fro. I also hated having to straighten it. It would poof up in the worst way, not pretty at all. I messed it up with BKT - I really regretted that. I relaxed it in the end but, problem is, the stylist relaxed it too straight; it became too thin - hated it! I decided to become a DIY, and my hair has done very well under my care but I am scared to self-relax and sabotage my length. On the other hand, I do not want to go to the salon and have it over processed. So, this is why I say I feel U, cause I am totally there with you. I am not pro natural or relax, I just want healthy long hair.

I big chopped twice, first in 2007 and then again in 2009. My first go at natural hair, I relaxed after about 14 months the second time, I relaxed after 8 months. I love my natural hair short, the in between stage always gets to me though. Now I am relaxed I am sort of tempted to go natural gain, indecisive much? lol

So what about you, have you been back and forth between relaxed and natural hair? why?

 

[nik83]

I don't see anything wrong with switching. I change and cut my hair at whim. I have commitment phobia when it comes to my hair. I'm already thinking about what I'm going to do with it next.

This is my 5th, yes 5th time going natural in the last 10 years. The first time I big chopped it was because I had damaged my hair so much with at home relaxers, texturizers and coloring. I decided I was going to stay natural because I got so many compliments about my natural hair texture and with short hair. I got it cut regularly and then decide I would grow it out, after a fair amount of growth I ended up relaxing it based on a hair style I saw, or no longer liking what the texture felt like. This went on for years of back and forth. At one point I was going to do locs but I felt it was too much of a commitment and I would end up wanting to cut it by the time I got to a decent length. I have currently been natural for the last year and I am almost past the stage where I usually get antsy and relax. I hate the in between of a TWA and where my hair has enough weight to hang (check out EllePixie, I keep refering to her because I love her hair!! Can't wait till mine looks like that!) Being on LHCF is really motivating me to stay the natural course, and the product suggestions have my hair feeling like it never has it a good way.

 

[LoveisYou]

Wow I am so happy there are people who can relate. I wish I wasn't so indecisive about my hair or that I had a strong preference for one thing

 

[DDTexlaxed]

I have done this 10 times, going back and forth between relaxed and natural. I wasn't successful at taking care of my natural hair and could not styles it. I felt really bad about it because my hair looked like crap. I have done my final BC. I am thinking my problem is that my shrinkage makes my hair look so short. I love how relaxed hair shows length. I've never been natural longer than 6 months. I have been natural now for almost 8 and a half months,now. I am missing the ease of not needing to wet my hair daily to style it. Once I figure out how to care for my hair properly and how to moisturize it, I think my hair will be fine. If I ever use chemicals again, I would not relax bone strait again. I prefer some texture, so it would be a light texlax. My hair thrived while I did this and I did not need to have my hair sopping wet or weighed down with gel to wash n go. I had a happy medium. Maybe you can find that for yourself. I wish you the best on your decision.

 

[locabouthair]

I was talking about this with another LHCF member. I think you look good with both. I really liked the twa on you. If I had the face for both I would go back and forth too. I think thats the beauty of black hair. It's versatile.

Now if you are trying to grow long hair then yes this would be counterproductive. If you dont care about length I don't see problem with it.

I was natural in from 2002 to 2006. I find myself thinking about transitioning again but I'm not sure if I really want to.

 

[melo14609]

wow, I am glad that I am not the only one that had to do the natural thing over again. I just started transitioning( 4months) and I think this time I will transition for at least a year. The first time around I cut my mid-back length, relaxed hair( it was very damaged), I gave up on being natural because it was too much time that I had to put into my hair once it grew past shoulder length. It frustrated me every time I had to do it lol! I'm glad that this forum is around because this time I have more tips and support.

 

[LoveisYou]

I was talking about this with another LHCF member. I think you look good with both. I really liked the twa on you. If I had the face for both I would go back and forth too. I think thats the beauty of black hair. It's versatile.

Now if you are trying to grow long hair then yes this would be counterproductive. If you dont care about length I don't see problem with it.

I was natural in from 2002 to 2006. I find myself thinking about transitioning again but I'm not sure if I really want to.

Thanks loca, to the bold, that's where I am right now. I want long hair, so I am going to do everything in my power not to cut. Whatever it is I do, there will be no more cutting for now lol le sigh....

 

[Qtee]

I went back and forth a couple times..the key for me was to hide it under wigs after my last bc until I reached a comfortable length...

Sent from my LS670 using Long Hair Care Forum App

 

[DDTexlaxed]

Thanks loca, to the bold, that's where I am right now. I want long hair, so I am going to do everything in my power not to cut. Whatever it is I do, there will be no more cutting for now lol le sigh....

BTW, there is a misconception about that. You can do a long transition and trim your relaxer off slowly. I wish I had been a patient transitioner.