How Many Years Relaxed Before Going Natural?

[PaperClip]

Curious to know how many years one had relaxed hair before going natural? This question is also open to those who transitioned to natural and then began to relax again.

My first relaxer was at age 7-8 years old.... I'm in my mid-30s now...so at least 20-plus years.... That's a LONG TIME....

 

[brownsugarflyygirl]

I got my first relaxer when I was 12 and started going natural when I was 21....so thats 9 years....WHEW! Glad thats over

 

[SparklingFlame]

I got my first relaxer when I was 4. Yes ya'll 4! I shaved all my hair off at 26 now I'm 2 years natural.

 

[mkh_77]

20+

I decided to transition at 25 and was 100% natural at 26.

 

[PaperClip]

20+

I decided to transition at 25 and was 100% natural at 26.

So you got your first relaxer at age 5? Wow....

 

[Cichelle]

20+ years for me, too. It's hard to believe.

 

[RainbowCurls]

11 years for me. First relaxer at 12, last relaxer at 23.

 

[MzTami]

I got my first jheri Curl at 16, (I had virgin hair)
First Relaxer at around 19 or 20
I've been natural for 3 months.
= around 17 years of relaxed hair.

 

[Cheleigh]

I was relaxed for 21 years.

 

[mscounselor]

I relaxed at the end of elementary so about 10-11, and Im transitioning now at 26-27 so about 16-17 years.

 

[Tene]

Wave Noveau at 8 or 9, relaxer at 13, and natural at 25.

 

[plove]

I was natural about 3 years ago, was natural for 4 years.

 

[mkh_77]

So you got your first relaxer at age 5? Wow....

Yeah. I hate to think it! I know I won't do that if I have girl children. I would rather allow them to make that decision.

I have to add--my mother always took great care of my hair and I never had any problems until I started doing it on my own. I had majorly jacked hair from ages 13-15. At about 15 I was super serious about ballet and wearing a bun everyday probably saved my hair and I didn't even know it!

 

[so so chic]

I got my relaxer at about 12 years old and went natural at about 19 years old...I'm 24 now. So I had a relaxer for about 7 years...going natural was the BEST thing I could have ever done for my hair .

 

[babyanjel]

relaxed @ 8...last relaxer was for my 20 B-Day.

*edit* I'll be 23 in december.

 

[CutiePie0Five]

I got my first relaxer when I was 12. I'm now 20, about to be 21 next month, so I had a relaxer for 8 years. 8 years too long...Hopefully, I'll be natural by next May! yay!

 

[curlilocs]

1st relaxer at 11 after begging and begging. I wore it relaxed for 8 years, then went natural for 3 years, relaxed again for another 8 years. I've been natural again for the past year. I'm 34 now.

 

[Crackers Phinn]

The first relaxer I remember was at 5 (the night before I started kindergarten). I had my last relaxer in February of 2005 when I was 31.

 

[Cooyah]

I answered the poll wrong, i thought it was the ages posted and not hte years natural, DUH..

I was 4 for my first relaxer, and my last one was april 2006, i'll chop all the relaxed ends on independence day next year

 

[dimpalz]

It "only" took me 5 and a half years to see the light, but then I was the one who decided to relax my hair in the first place, you gotta try new things I guess. Phew, I'm glad my naps are back.

Just to add: I love my twa! rofl I kinda wish I could have it forever but I REALLY want long naps (if that's not an oxymoron). I can't wait for the days of a pony puff!!! .... okay I've calmed down now =D

 

[Sweet_Ambrosia]

19 years. *whew*

 

[pattycake0701]

I received my first relaxer at th age of 6. My mom decided to let my relaxer grow out for about year, around the age of 11 due to breakage (after I started putting my hands in my hair). Started relaxing again at 13 until 21. I self-relaxed my hair a couple of weeks before my 23rd birthday for my wedding (still looked like my regular ol nappy hair, but felt weaker). Haven't put a relaxer on it ever since (now I'm 26).

So I guess that puts me at 13-15 years.

 

[chocolate01]

I was relaxed for about 7 years before becoming natural last year at 22

 

[jngn]

I was relaxed for 12 years. I got a relaxer at 10 and went all natural at 22.

 

[firecracker]

I wore a perm from 1979 (10th grade) til 2005.

I just remembered I didn't have a relaxer in my jr high school cap and gown pics! I remember vividly that I used to use lotion and sponge rollers for a rollerset look.

I permed my daughters thick sweaty bush when she was 10 years old. She has been natural since 03.

 

[Estee]

I was relaxed for about 21 years. I got light presses around 13/14 then I started with Vigorol liquid relaxer at 14 (which I had to sneak in because my mother wouldn't let me relax); the Vigorol didn't straighten a thing... I went back to pressing, then went on to box relaxers at 15. I didn't get regular touchups for awhile and stretched relaxers by pressed the roots. As I got older and had $ I started going to salons. Then got fed the heck up with the whole process of wasting my valuable time and money and stopped in 1999.

I've been natural 7 1/2 years now. The best decision for my hair and pocketbook!

 

[Poohbear]

First relaxer: age 10 or 11

Last relaxer: age 20

I'm 22 years old now, so I had relaxed hair for about 10 years.

 

[locabouthair]

i got a perm in the 6th grade and started growing it out in the 12th grade. so six years

 

[MissMarie]

My hair was first relaxed when I was 8.
I was 23 when I got my last touch-up.

wow, when I think about it 15 years sounds like a long time

 

[prettywhitty]

I got my first relaxer when I was 10. I stopped when I was 28. 18 years. Glad that's over!