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I stopped getting relaxers last year because I noticed that all around me no one was getting them anymore and stylist were fixated on making me stretch them out leading to breakage because my natural hair is very coily and coarse-obviously different from straight hair. During this time since getting then I've been in transition-I've wore braids, weave as protective styles and have gotten Dominican blow outs to keep texture all the same. While I've had breakage doing it this way has minimized it and my hair has always grown extremely fast so my hair at this point is now about 100 percent natural and a very good length. The problem? While I don't mind doing protective styles like braids and weave because they are easy to take care of I really prefer my own hair. But I prefer it straight which is why I like the blow outs. The issue is that it's hard to get them to last for more than a week and even then by the end of the week my hair partially reverts. I was getting the blow outs twice a month but would like to get them more often but honestly dont want the heat damage. While I love the natural hair movement and appreciate all the YouTube videos that guide you in different styles and products to use I find that my natural hair is very coarse, very full with lots of curls that make it hard to detangle, wash and condition without it being an all day affair and many of the styles I see on YouTube don't really look the same on my hair. I find that it is very time consuming and requires a lot of trial and error and I don't have the time nor do I want to waste any more money on products. I work full time, single mom, and I am in grad school. Just don't have the time. I liked relaxers because I like straight hair and they are manageable and don't require as much work for me to maintain. I'm also active so I don't have to worry as much about reversion as I do when i have my natural hair pressed.The only reason I stopped was because stretching was causing breakage and many stylist no longer really wanted to do them with so many women going natural. I guess I'm curious how many of you still get relaxers?
Relaxers (aka perms) are so 1990. Natural is the way to go.
I am natural. This isn't about what's in or not. For me my natural hair requires more time and manageability than relaxed hair and I've always liked wearing my hair straight. If I didn't work out as often as I did and had more time to experiment with hair I would focus on staying natural and still incorporating straight hair in the regime but since that is not the case I'm wondering if I should just go back to relaxing my hair.
I relax. I don't have the time at the moment to go natural. I can't handle too many changes at once. But I'll probably try it out soon. I am pretty much my only relaxed person in my circle. But my friends have been natural for a very long time. Most do not straighten either.
I also haven't relaxed my hair since about 2010.. But on that note, I do not wear my hair, it's either weaved, or braided, or a wig, in between styles.
Nope, I said goodbye to the creamy Crack almost ten years ago and haven't looked back. I started my locs about 8 years ago and that's how I plan to always wear my hair. Now I wonder why I ever put that toxic mess in my hair. It looks so much better in its natural state.
I use it, but very rarely. I try to avoid anything hot, or that burns, because I am trying to grow my hair back out, and thicken it back up. It got very thin from years of straightening.
Sadly it is harder to manage. because if I do it, and let it down - without straightening, it looks great for a bit. Then it gradually gets bigger, which I don't mind too much, since it makes my face look smaller.
I would say that I go natural mostly, but I have put dye on my hair recently. Usually I just get hot oil treatments and deep conditioners instead of the relaxers, and then I get my hair blown out and flattened with a flat iron. The style lasts about a week. My natural hair is somewhat coarse, thick, and very curly. If it gets wet, it will frizz, curl, and tangle like crazy. Sometimes, I don't even comb it. I just wet it, condition it, and put it up in a head band. It dries, frizzes, and creates a style reminiscent of some kind of bump from the 1980s. It can look okay if put on the right part of my head, but it's not the way I would like to keep my hair, but I never take the time to do anything else unless I get it done professionally. Another okay go-to style for me is the braid, but, again, it's not something I like to spend time on, and I don't want to pay to get it professionally done.
While I would love to have natural hair, what will it look like? I know that when I get close to needing a relaxer, my hair looks like pure hell. What styles can you put it when it's natural? I'm not wearing some big a$$ afro or something or locs. When I work out, my hair gets all coiled back up, even on relaxed hair. Cant imagine when it's natural. And when I try to be gentle on my hair and not do too much too it, I get told why don't I do something with my hair. I prefer wearing my hair straight also. And before my old hairdresser made it break off by screwing up a color she had put I, I had it growing nicely, though I was still getting relaxers. If you don't relax your hair it looks all nappy around the edges, etc.
It wont be straight, which is the way I like to wear it. also, wearing weaves is just not me. But the thing is, I always hear weaves break your hair off anyway. but I would to be able to do some type of protective styling that wont look like hell. And I fear a wig will just come off quick if someone just barely touches it or if you are active in something, like martial arts for example.
I didn't even realize a lot of people weren't getting relaxers anymore. How do they keep their hair looking decent then? Is everyone weaving or wearing a wig?
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