Easier to grow hair in relaxed or natural state?

[Opulence]

I KNOW MANY OF YOU HAVE HIT THIS POINT IN YOUR HAIR
CARE JOURNEY AND IT CAN BE VERY FRUSTRATING AND EMOTIONAL...PLEASE GIVE ME SOME ADVICE ON WHAT
TO DO OR THINK ABOUT, BECAUSE I AM TRULY AT MY
WITS END WITH THIS.​

Thanks in advance!

I have been natural now for about 3 yrs. The transition was rough at times but for the most part it was easy if I stuck to a routine. The texture of my hair was manageable until the last 3 months. I had a serious growth spurt and now my hair is just very hard to handle. I am having a hard time finding a protein/moisture balance and it seems to be much coarser and lifeless. My theory was/is that I may have finally got all the relaxer out of my system and now I'm dealing with my "real" hair texture. I had a texturizer about 10 months ago and that has pretty much grown out, it's at the tips of my hair now.

Because of the difficulty I'm having with the protein/moisture balance I feel that my hair growth will slow or even stop (I've been shedding a lot). The purpose of going natural was to get my hair thick again. I feel that I have achieved that and I think that if I go back to relaxed (very very mild, and only once or twice a year) I can take care of it better.

Any suggestions/advice is welcome. Thanks!

 

[discodumpling]

If your goal was to relax all along then just do it!

 

[dlewis]

I feel you have to do what you think is best. If you feel you want to relaxer and that relaxer hair would be easier to manage I would do it. The problem is not with growth but with managing and keeping your length you have gained.

If you relax I would stretch out the relaxer until you feel you need to retouch. I don't believe in relaxing every two months, six months or twice a year. Relax when you see you need it because hair grows at different rates throughout the year. You may need a relax every two months during the summer but you can stretch it out to every 5 months during the fall and winter.

 

[HeChangedMyName]

I don't think its the growth that is an issue. I believe that retention is where we all miss the mark

I am currently relaxed(transitioning 13 weeks post) and I can say that having relaxed ends can be a challenge because the hair has been chemically damaged and is therefore weakened so you have to take special care to retain your ends

my 4 yr old DD is natural of course and I find that her hair grows just find, BUT that the challenge is keeping her hair moisturized enough that it doesn't shed AND break and that her hair stays moisturized all the way to the ends to prevent splits. Also, keeping her hair detangled properly and avoiding knots and tangles that end up getting snatched out is a biggie.



So it really depends upon what you can handle

 

[LaFemmeNaturelle]

Relax if you want. Your hair will grow at the same rate you just have to work on your retention skills. For me personally, retaining length was easier relaxed than it was natural. Granted, I wasn't taking care of my hair in either situation but when I was natural, my hair never grew past apl once my mom stopped taking care of it and I did. Relaxed, my hair grew to bsl. So now that I know what to do, I'm hoping that I will retain just as easy natural as I did relaxed. But do what you want to do. Don't feel you have to prove anything or justify why you are going to relax.

 

[Opulence]

thanks ladies this is great advice.

 

[brucebettye]

I believe it does not matter if you are relaxed or natural. As seen by this hair board you can have long beautiful hair either way. It just depends on how you take care of your hair. It is just a personal decision if you will be relaxed or natural.