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Naturals: will you EVER go back to a relaxer?

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Are you natural forever?

  • Yes. I will never relax my hair again, ever.

    Votes: 373 84.4%

  • No. I will relax at some point in the future.

    Votes: 69 15.6%
  • Total voters
    442
  • Poll closed .
I voted to stay natural forever, when I started transitioning it was only to stretch my relaxer but when I realized how beautiful my original texture was I decided to go all the way.
 
Readyone said:
Interesting! I know plenty of 4a, 4b, and 4a/b people who stayed natural IRL too. Thats all the people I pretty much have been surrounded by. I would love to say that I will stay natural, but I truely love short relaxed cuts, to really predict the future of my hair. If I look great in long hair, then yes I will never put a relaxer in my hair. The 4s that have always been natural, from what I've seen, have learned what is best for their hair. Some twist and go, others are heat trained, some wear weaves others wear their hair in wash and gos and fros, some in locks. But I don't know if I agree that once one goes natural and their isn't 'wavy' they don't stay natural.:ohwell:
Click to expand...

Readyone, you repeated my point almost. Yes, you included 4b in the middle, but you also included 4a AND 4a/b. A lot of people with 4a or 4a/4b hair can slap on a good gel and make a pretty puff, bun, etc. I tried ALL types of gels and pomades ranging from expensive to dirt cheap, and my edges would never get smooth. The only styles that were neat on me were twists and braids. I live in AL, so press would revert in a heartbeat.
 
After all of the things I have learned I would have to say that I consider relaxing my hair an option, a STRONG option but I probably would try heat training first. I only went natural to know what being natural means and IMO natural hair is just as much work as relaxed hair. With or without chemicals AA can grow and be healthy and theres plenty of testimonals to prove that.
 
I voted correctly, that I will never relax again. But the fact that you vote no to say yes and yes to say no is confusing and may yield incorrect results.
 
mango387 said:
Most of the people commenting have 3a/3b/3c/4a hair with maybe a little 4b sprinkled in for good measure. If you discovered that your hair was 4b/4c with no waves or curls at all, would you feel the same way? I think there was a thread a long time ago that asked a similar question. Truth be told, a lot of the people who are staying natural are the people who have some waves or curls. I have really only seen three or four people IRL or online who have true 4b or 4c hair remain natural.
Click to expand...


yes, yes, yes and YES! That's what I've been thinking reading this thread. Of course there are a few 4bs that don't plan on returning to relax. But all my years on the boards, I find that those who realize they have some waves or curl like pattern to their hair are more likely to stay natural and become excited when they see a wave pattern beginning to emerge while they are transitioning.
 
You took the words right out of my mouth.


Brittster said:
yes, yes, yes and YES! That's what I've been thinking reading this thread. Of course there are a few 4bs that don't plan on returning to relax. But all my years on the boards, I find that those who realize they have some waves or curl like pattern to their hair are more likely to stay natural and become excited when they see a wave pattern beginning to emerge while they are transitioning.
Click to expand...



Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using Long Hair Care Forum App
 
I don't see myself relaxing again. And I say this as someone with natural hair that currently leaves much to be desired - too much breakage, low density, fine strands; below average as far this board is concerned. My relaxed hair was average as far as IRL is concerned and could probably be great now that I have LHCF in my arsenal.

Having said all that, throughout my transition and natural journey, I've never desired a relaxer. The closest I came was a couple of weeks before my bc - I had straightened my hair and observed how long my ng was and thought "Imagine if I hadn't been doing mini-chops and instead continued relaxing while on my healthy hair journey - how much length and swang would I have right now :look:? " (I still haven't unlocked the swang achievement while flatironing my natural hair :ohwell:)

I just don't foresee a scenario where I want to go back to relaxing. I love my texture, I love my twists and my gravity-defying puffs. I can still wear my hair straight when I want (which is about 2-4x a yr), I can still wear "out and down" styles. My hair is versatile. I know how to manage and style it. It's not at odds with my professional or social environment.

The benefits outweigh the costs.
 
No, never. I love, love, love the ability to wear it straight without chemicals when I feel like it and then go back to curly without much effort. Can't get much better than this.
 
These posts are just backhanded ways of saying, "But, you got that good hair.". I'm sure that the 4b hair experience is varied.
Brittster said:
yes, yes, yes and YES! That's what I've been thinking reading this thread. Of course there are a few 4bs that don't plan on returning to relax. But all my years on the boards, I find that those who realize they have some waves or curl like pattern to their hair are more likely to stay natural and become excited when they see a wave pattern beginning to emerge while they are transitioning.
Click to expand...



Sent from my Zio using Long Hair Care Forum App
 
Brittster said:
yes, yes, yes and YES! That's what I've been thinking reading this thread. Of course there are a few 4bs that don't plan on returning to relax. But all my years on the boards, I find that those who realize they have some waves or curl like pattern to their hair are more likely to stay natural and become excited when they see a wave pattern beginning to emerge while they are transitioning.
Click to expand...

This is just an observation of mine, but I find that most of the women that say they will stay natural is because relaxers were too harsh on their hair type/texture.

There are hair textures that thrive off of relaxers , and to be honest, if I had that texture, I'd probably still be relaxed because doing my relaxed hair was a lot less time consumming that doing my natural hair.

Relaxers stunted my hair growth and caused severe thinning to my hair--so for me, it wasn't about curls and waves, but about which option is healthier for my hair.

The bottom line is to do what's best for you & your hair--and I will not knock anyone for choosing to relax if that's their choice.
 
in a moment of weakness i did now i'm transitioning again cause i let my beautiful hair and hard work go down the drain :(
 
This is always an interesting topic for me. I was natural all my childhood, then locks for years, then a short fro, long 'fro, short fro.... then... a relaxer.

Im natural again but may relax again. I dont feel like hair is always a statement of a philosophy. My actions express my philosophy and people do different things with their hair for different reasons. I embrace my ethnicity and my work, even how I spend my leisure time allow me to expresses my passion and love all things black. Am I less passionate or expressing self hate with straight or relaxed hair....NO... am I more passionate or more 'black' just because Im natural.... definitely not!

I do enjoy seeing black women embrace their natural hair. My mother who has the most beautiful locks well past her waist, also taught me to go past the physical.
 
Brittster said:
yes, yes, yes and YES! That's what I've been thinking reading this thread. Of course there are a few 4bs that don't plan on returning to relax. But all my years on the boards, I find that those who realize they have some waves or curl like pattern to their hair are more likely to stay natural and become excited when they see a wave pattern beginning to emerge while they are transitioning.
Click to expand...

Meh. I voted I would never say never. :look: I love the look of straight hair, but I hate all the blowdrying that it takes to get it that straight.
 
I love my natural hair too much to go back to relaxers :yep: My hair is thicker, softer and fuller in it's natural state, plus if I want the straight look, I can rollerset or flat iron. I have the best of both worlds :love:
 
Brittster said:
yes, yes, yes and YES! That's what I've been thinking reading this thread. Of course there are a few 4bs that don't plan on returning to relax. But all my years on the boards, I find that those who realize they have some waves or curl like pattern to their hair are more likely to stay natural and become excited when they see a wave pattern beginning to emerge while they are transitioning.
Click to expand...

They are more likely to come forward on the natural hair boards. No-wave naturals tend to stay in the wooly-edge shrunken-puff loving closet here on LHCF. (Might get a beat-down just for saying that).

Probably natural (and poofy, mostly) for life, though, as others have said, you never know.
 
DarkVictory said:
They are more likely to come forward on the natural hair boards. No-wave naturals tend to stay in the wooly-edge shrunken-puff loving closet here on LHCF. (Might get a beat-down just for saying that).

Probably natural (and poofy, mostly) for life, though, as others have said, you never know.
Click to expand...

What closet is that? The natchal and loving it closet? :lol:
 
if only for the sake of vanity i'd have to stay natural. to me, my natural hair is just prettier than my relaxed hair. besides that i couldn't trade in the versatility of my natural hair for all the Giovanni Direct in Whole Foods. :lol:
 
chrisanddonniesmommy said:
These posts are just backhanded ways of saying, "But, you got that good hair.". I'm sure that the 4b hair experience is varied.



Sent from my Zio using Long Hair Care Forum App
Click to expand...


Whatever :rolleyes:

This is my observation and opinion from being on the boards for years. Heck, I can see it up and through some of the replies in this thread.
 
Brittster said:
yes, yes, yes and YES! That's what I've been thinking reading this thread. Of course there are a few 4bs that don't plan on returning to relax. But all my years on the boards, I find that those who realize they have some waves or curl like pattern to their hair are more likely to stay natural and become excited when they see a wave pattern beginning to emerge while they are transitioning.
Click to expand...

Somewhat common threads:
"I'm transitioning and I can't wait to see my curl pattern!"
"Guys, is this a curl???"
"OMG, I have waves!!"
"Oh no, is this scab hair???"
"Guys, I don't think I have a curl pattern >("
"Any gel recommendations to pop curls that don't naturally exist?"
"Shingling, anyone?"
"I know there's a million hair typing threads but...what's my hair type?!"
"I'm a frustrated newbie natural with no curl pattern! Help!! Is something wrong with my hair?!"

the list is endless....
 
femmedusiecle said:
Somewhat common threads:
"I'm transitioning and I can't wait to see my curl pattern!"
"Guys, is this a curl???"
"OMG, I have waves!!"
"Oh no, is this scab hair???"
"Guys, I don't think I have a curl pattern >("
"Any gel recommendations to pop curls that don't naturally exist?"
"Shingling, anyone?"
"I know there's a million hair typing threads but...what's my hair type?!"
"I'm a frustrated newbie natural with no curl pattern! Help!! Is something wrong with my hair?!"

the list is endless....
Click to expand...

:lachen:yup

And personallllyyy, in MY opinion, in many of the "what's my hair type" threads, the person asking is only trying to ensure that they're NOT a certain type.
 
chrisanddonniesmommy said:
These posts are just backhanded ways of saying, "But, you got that good hair.". I'm sure that the 4b hair experience is varied.



Sent from my Zio using Long Hair Care Forum App
Click to expand...

Okay, I was the one who posted about hair types initially in this thread. chrisanddonniesmommy, I don't believe in good hair and bad hair. My hair is Type 4b, thick, and easily APL without doing anything special to it. That was true when I was natural and it's true now as a relaxed head. (I've also never experienced a single thin or bald spot as a result of relaxing, but that's another story. My major problem with relaxers is the use of chemicals whether my hair/scalp is damaged or not) Needless to say, I don't believe in the good/bad hair hype. Moreover, how am I going to call the hair that God gave me bad? My hair is uber nappy and gorgeous when styled natural or relaxed.

All I am saying is that it's a little more difficult for a 4b to maintain natural hair than a 3a-4a. Moreover, I am wondering aloud would the responses be the same in this thread if the majority of the people commenting were 4b. Even in this thread, most of the people commenting DO NOT have 4b hair. If I am wrong, then I will stand corrected. I just haven't seen that I am wrong yet.
 
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