Thinking about relaxing!

[naptrl]

I love my natural hair, but I'm thinking about relaxing. I like to wear my hair straight. So, when I wear it down I have to get it pressed at least every two weeks because I work out sooo much. So, why not just get a relaxer. So, when I have to wash my hair once a week I can just roller wrap it and not put direct heat in it. I can stretch a relaxer for a long time and I really miss my roller wraps...HELP!!

 

[Lynnerie]

Naptrl, don't relax your hair. Your hair is beautiful and what about when you want to wear a wash and go and other natural styles? Why don't you just get a sew in or a lacefront for when you want to wear it straight? You have the best of both worlds right now...the versatility of straight styles and curly. Don't throw all that away. I wish I was natural and if I had your hair........Girl go get you a weave! But whatever you decide you know we'll all support your decision cause your hair is beautiful either way, straight or curly.

 

[naptrl]

AWWWW thanks. It's just that when I wear the two strand twists my hair is sooooo cute.......for about a day, and then I'm washing it AGAIN and twisting AGAIN. Plus it seems to break more when I air dry. I wear it straight or in braids 99% of the time anyway...

 

[secretdiamond]

It's ultimately your decision and your hair--- which looks amazing btw. Just think about why you went natural in the first place so that you can be sure this is the right decision for you.

And airdrying can lead to breakage as well when you're relaxed.

 

[naptrl]

You're right secretdiamond. I am just in one of those "want a change" modes. But, since I exercise 6 days/week, it is hard to deal with having to wash and redo my natural hair. I just think if I was relaxed, I could just wash it once a week and roller wrap it. No extra heat like pressing once per week. UGGGHHH!! I just dont know!

 

[Catina72]

I just checked out your Fotki album and your hair is absolutely stunning!! But you do wear it straightened so why not go for a relaxer, but not bone straight. Perhaps texlaxed and only touch up maybe 3-4x each year? I say go for it!!

 

[Plenty]

When I go natural, I will sporting primary straight styles. I will flat-iron once a week, and sport bantu-knots. I found that bantu-knots will working out doesn't wet up your whole head like wraping does. I'm sure this will work, it's what I want to try. Do you thing this will help you?

 

[ReeRoberts]

I grew my hair out for one year, it got to past the neck, beautiful hair, though hard to manage (note. before joining LHCF), well relaxed with Optimum (which I later learned on the pH awareness board, was daino re-incarnate). Well my hair has been shedding, falling out in multiple strands. Now i wish I was natural, sorta. now that i have joined LHCF, i am going to try to continue to relax, but not as often, and some quite useful products, thx everyone who post here. Ultimately it is your decision, i understand how hard to manage natural hair is. if you do relax, maybe have a professional do it for you. good luck

 

[tuffCOOKiE]

Girl, you wilin out. Honestly. Think of all the hard work that went into you getting this far. YOU look at your albums and look at your BC pictures.

Go get a wash and set and have them straighten your hair. Plus if you think having a relaxer would 'make your life easier' umm, please. There are too many women on this board that can tell you otherwise.

tuff love!

 

[Honi]

Don't! You have some gorgeous hair. Besides, if you relax there is no going back.

 

[so so chic]

IMO you should stay natural...have you tried going to the dominicans to get your hair straightened?

 

[Faith]

I love my natural hair, but I'm thinking about relaxing. I like to wear my hair straight. So, when I wear it down I have to get it pressed at least every two weeks because I work out sooo much. So, why not just get a relaxer. So, when I have to wash my hair once a week I can just roller wrap it and not put direct heat in it. I can stretch a relaxer for a long time and I really miss my roller wraps...HELP!!

I hear ya! I relaxed because I liked straight hair which meant I had to use a lot of heat...BUT my hair CANNOT handle direct heat at all. It dries and breaks off. I had to weight the pros and cons and do what I had to do...

 

[naptrl]

Thanks for the comments ladies! I called my hair dresser yesterday and she refuses to put a relaxer in my hair. She said we've come to far. So, she's gonna work with me on a few different styles before I make a decision.

So So Chic---There are no dominican salons where I live! I would have to drive to ATL.

 

[Candy_C]

at the end of the day its ur choice. my take on it is, if your hair is strong enough then why the hell not!!!!!

you can always grow it out again! with all the knowledge on the board you can treat it well. natural, relaxed its hair at the end of the day. if you want it done then get it done. if natural is the way 2 go then u probabley wouldn;t want it straight all the time ya know what i mean?

 

[MariposaMorena08]

I was/am (?) going through the same thing..hair boredom! That is why after being natural for 5 years, I relaxed it in 2004. I wore a relaxer until I BC'd in Feb. of this year. Somehow I find myself considering getting another one because I do love straight styles. On the other hand I absolutely *LOVE* my natural hair. I am a bit indecisive at this point but am leaning towards remaining natural (today anyway! heheh!). What holds me back is that once I get a relaxer I will have to transition again and I hated doing that, and that I know that I will miss my texture. I hope that your stylist will give you some great styling options. Make sure that you take plenty of pictures!!

 

[naptrl]

Its good to know that someone else is going through this! I'm not making and split decisions. I love my natural hair and the texture too so I just don't know what to do!

 

[AnjelLuvs]

Well I am going thru the exact opposite... the more I see the beauty in natural hair the more I want it...

I wish we could switch heads... I have BSL hair... LOL... and due for a relaxer....

 

[metro_qt]

Its good to know that someone else is going through this! I'm not making and split decisions. I love my natural hair and the texture too so I just don't know what to do!

Hey Naptrl, i'm going through the samething right now.

I've been natural for 3 years, and texturized for 1 year and a half, but now, I have 6 months of new growth on top.

I think next week. I make the plunge and I relax the whole thing. I am officially done. I like straight hair too much to be continuously messing with weaves.

Good luck in your decision! like others said. It's hair. it'll grow back whatever you do.

 

[naptrl]

Hey Naptrl, i'm going through the samething right now.

I've been natural for 3 years, and texturized for 1 year and a half, but now, I have 6 months of new growth on top.

I think next week. I make the plunge and I relax the whole thing. I am officially done. I like straight hair too much to be continuously messing with weaves.

Good luck in your decision! like others said. It's hair. it'll grow back whatever you do.

I know what you mean! And since I have BSL hair, I hate wearing BSL weave because it's hard enough to convince people that it's my REAL hair when I DONT wear weave!! who cares though, right!

 

[avyance]

I am so glad that I am not the only one. I have decided to go back to a relaxer this weekend.

I like the straight looks, I like that it doesn't take me for ever to do my hair, and my hair actually grows really well either way. Now that I have some more tips on how to care for my hair, I am confident that I can have beautiful healthy hair with a relaxer.

Good luck on whatever way you choose to go, but just know that you are not the only one going through this.

 

[Synthia]

I love my relaxed hair. I would never be interested in being natural. Sure my new growth is fun to play with ... but when it comes to styling, no natural styles appeal to me ... except for those who can coax curls like Joan on Girlfriends. Natural spirals are sooo awesome.

But my hair spirals are so tight, I can't get such curls, except for when I'm straight and put rollers in.

Anyway, I prefer straight styles. Love them actually.

Relaxers are so much safer and healthier now.

Also, if you long for a fro, put some small Carusos in and curl it tight then pick it out. Seriously. .


I mean, you're straightening it anyway....

 

[Synthia]

As for the weave suggestion ... I can't imagine why anyone would want to cover their own hair under hot, heavy fake hair.

I love touching my own hair, and I sure will too ...natural or relaxed. To me hair is a glory when its yours. No bragging rights with weaved hair.

 

[naptrl]

I am so glad that I am not the only one. I have decided to go back to a relaxer this weekend.

I like the straight looks, I like that it doesn't take me for ever to do my hair, and my hair actually grows really well either way. Now that I have some more tips on how to care for my hair, I am confident that I can have beautiful healthy hair with a relaxer.

Good luck on whatever way you choose to go, but just know that you are not the only one going through this.

Thanks for the support!! I'm still in micros right now thank goodness, so I don't have to make any split decisions. I would like to remaing natural. We'll see how it goes. My hair doesn't really revert when I get it pressed, but I just hate using that heat. That's my only issue! LHCF has made me paranoid.

 

[KhandiB]

Its not like you cant change your mind..

Get a relaxer and if you dont like it , grow it out again..

You gotta do what you feel is right for you

 

[jwhitley6]

I love my relaxed hair. I would never be interested in being natural. Sure my new growth is fun to play with ... but when it comes to styling, no natural styles appeal to me ... except for those who can coax curls like Joan on Girlfriends. Natural spirals are sooo awesome.

But my hair spirals are so tight, I can't get such curls, except for when I'm straight and put rollers in.

Anyway, I prefer straight styles. Love them actually.

Relaxers are so much safer and healthier now.

Also, if you long for a fro, put some small Carusos in and curl it tight then pick it out. Seriously. .

I mean, you're straightening it anyway....

There is a difference between straightening chemically and temporary (press/flat iron). I agree that it is a personal decision, but there is a lot more danger with relaxing. I will never relax again. It's not good with my hair...and I know I'm not an exception to the rule. It still took 2 hours to do my hair and have it look/feel decent, still had to use heat, curls didn't hold as well as in my natural hair, less body, and my hair was noticibly weaker. I got one or two touch-ups and grew that mess out. If I had to wash, condition and press my natural hair everyday it would still be healthier than when I was relaxed.

Please take your time to make an informed decision. Remember how your hair felt then, why you decided to transition in the first place. If you feel like you could be happy with relaxed hair again, fine....But don't think that you won't have challenges with a relaxer.

By the way, I'm not bashing relaxers...I just know that they aren't the best choice for everyone.

Good Luck!

 

[~*~ShopAholic~*~]

I love these threads, lol, it's funny how when someone that's natural thinks/wants to relax you get all the "DON'T DO IT, YOUR LIFE IS GONNA END" post, but when someone wants to go natural, you get a bunch of Congrats, and way to goes, .
I say Congrats either way, whatever makes you happy. That's the beauty of hair you do w/it as you please and it will continue to grow.
One of the reasons I'm not natural again is because I can see myself pressing on a regular basis, and what fun would I have w/my natural hair if I'm always pressing anyway......

ETA: Just remembered an experience I had at the first salon I worked at after graduating from Gordon Phillips yrs ago, My boss at the time was going on vacation and had decided to give two other girls and myself her clients while she was away on vac., one of the ladies I had was about 80 yrs old or so and had been pressing all her life, well I didn't know that because when I shampooed and conditioned her hair, her hair remained straight except for her roots, well long and behold she had been natural all her life and pressed for a looooooooooooong time, so long that her hair became permanently straight from the yrs of pressing, and it was sooo thin too.

 

[Bublnbrnsuga]

I love my natural hair, but I'm thinking about relaxing. I like to wear my hair straight. So, when I wear it down I have to get it pressed at least every two weeks because I work out sooo much. So, why not just get a relaxer. So, when I have to wash my hair once a week I can just roller wrap it and not put direct heat in it. I can stretch a relaxer for a long time and I really miss my roller wraps...HELP!!

I understand how you feel- I miss my roller wraps,too, but I know I would miss my nappy hair MORE if I relaxed.

 

[Tene]

There is a difference between straightening chemically and temporary (press/flat iron). I agree that it is a personal decision, but there is a lot more danger with relaxing. I will never relax again. It's not good with my hair...and I know I'm not an exception to the rule. It still took 2 hours to do my hair and have it look/feel decent, still had to use heat, curls didn't hold as well as in my natural hair, less body, and my hair was noticibly weaker. I got one or two touch-ups and grew that mess out. If I had to wash, condition and press my natural hair everyday it would still be healthier than when I was relaxed.

Please take your time to make an informed decision. Remember how your hair felt then, why you decided to transition in the first place. If you feel like you could be happy with relaxed hair again, fine....But don't think that you won't have challenges with a relaxer.

By the way, I'm not bashing relaxers...I just know that they aren't the best choice for everyone.

Good Luck!

I agree with this

 

[ChocoKitty]

I went through this not too long ago... But whatever your descision is you got LHCF behind you. I wish you the best!

 

[Candy_C]

i think a weave is a brilliant suggestion! why an earth not.

at least then naptrl could have a straight weave while her natural hair rests and grows even more. u wont need no heat naptrl and your hair will be fine...just my view,