Did your hair become thicker when you transitioned/ went natural?

Ms. Alainious

Well-Known Member
Thanks to the naturals saying "no". Many a stylist has pushed this to me, and I never go back to them. I'm transitioning to texlax, because I want the ILLUSION of thicker hair. I've also seen areas of my relaxed strands definitely thinned due to overprocessing.

I was considering a BC til my natural (and extremely thick haired) friend came to work with a press. It wasnt even bone straight (and I was freshly relaxed), and our ponytails were the same diameter.

Case closed.
 

glamazon386

Well-Known Member
Same here. My hair is BIGGER, but not thicker. Also, natural hair is a bit harder to get bone straight than relaxed her. So when I flat iron my own hair, it may seem thicker, but it's really just the fact that it's not as straight as it could be.

ITA... my roots are always puffy when my hair is straight which makes it look fuller too.
 

Imani

New Member
I'm transitioning (almost 9 months) and my hair does have the appearance of being thicker.

-Even when blown out and flat ironed bone straight, I think there is still some minute amt of texture left which helps to add the illusion of volume.

-Also, my hair is naturally dry, and I think the relaxer made it even drier and had a limp feel/look, so I think now my that my moisure level is up, that maybe "plumps" the strand a little as well.

-And finally, I have less breakage without a relaxer. My hair was always breaking something serious most of the time when I was relaxed. So of course, having less short broken strands is going to make my hair appear thicker.
 

mscocoface

Well-Known Member
I think the correct way to state this is do you retain more hair on your head now that you are natural versus relaxed.

I have always had lots of hair unless it was damaged but now that it is chemical free I keep waaaaaay more than I use to lose.
 

me-T

New Member
I personally believe thickness may be an illusion. When you transition from permed to natural, does the actual hair strand thickness change? More than likely, not. Because if you were to flat iron your natural hair, it would probably be similar thickness to what you had when permed (just may appear healthier/fuller due to non use of chemicals or your new found knowledge on caring for your hair).

I say this because I am natural and my hair appears thick in its natural state, but when it is flat ironed, I have the thinnest ponytail ever. So basically, the curls, windings & kinks give the illusion of thick, dense hair, when in fact my hair strands are thin.

you're exactly right.

just had another thought. hair tha'ts relaxed bone straight means a lot of the bonds & proteins were broken down. natural hair that's straightened still has it's integrity in tact, so it will be a little bit thicker than bonelaxed hair, but not anything miraculous.
 
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BillsBackerz67

Well-Known Member
When curly yes it appears thick...straight...not thin but I would say a medium thickness. I never relaxed my hair bone straight so it seemed like my relaxed hair was the same as my natural hair, i just had less curls.
 

LunadeMiel

Well-Known Member
My STRANDS are most definitely thicker as a natural. Not only that, but my hair has become more dense. A relaxer like all corosive chemical will gradually strip away the layers of your cuticle. Additionally, if the relaxer is causing follicle damage than it's definitely possible that you are not going to push out strand in an optimum state.
 

Eluv

Active Member
Well I personally think it's just an illusion. I was natural for 3yrs and my hair fine/low density hair did appear thicker, until the moment I flat ironed and then I was right back to reality.

That's the main reason I texlaxed, because I needed the texture for the illusion.
 

lovenharmony

ET / OT Bonafide Member
YES!!! My hair has thickened up dramatically to the point that I need to use two scrunchies to make sure I have a firm grip when I make my buns!
 

4bslbound

Well-Known Member
Hello ladies,

I'm totally new here, but I thought I'd add a comment:grin:

I think that it depends on how healthy you hair and scalp is relaxed. I have VERY thick hair naturally and when it is relaxed it gets very thin (less dense) and in some areas (the crown of my head for example) the individual hairs are thinner.

When I am not having scalp issues and natural, my hair thicker (numbers of hairs as well as individual hair thickness)

I would think that if you have a healthy scalp and hair to begin with while relaxed, you won't see much of a difference.....but idk:rolleyes:
 

Miss*Tress

Well-Known Member
Unfortunately, my hair is not thicker since going natural. I really expected otherwise so I'm quite disappointed. :(
 

RUBY

Well-Known Member
I personally believe thickness may be an illusion. When you transition from permed to natural, does the actual hair strand thickness change? More than likely, not. Because if you were to flat iron your natural hair, it would probably be similar thickness to what you had when permed (just may appear healthier/fuller due to non use of chemicals or your new found knowledge on caring for your hair).

I say this because I am natural and my hair appears thick in its natural state, but when it is flat ironed, I have the thinnest ponytail ever. So basically, the curls, windings & kinks give the illusion of thick, dense hair, when in fact my hair strands are thin.

ITA with this. As someone who has always had fine hair, I have the same level of thickness when relaxed/natural and the hair only appears to be thicker when natural becuase of the kinks but it isn't really thicker.
I'm jealous of people with naturally thick hair as I think that any style always looks better on thicker hair plus hair appears longer and healthier.
 

NaturallyYours2

New Member
My hair was always thick. I think that years of applying chemicals have concealed my hair's true identity. I'm happy to say that after 2 years of transitioning, my thick hair has resurfaced. :yay::yay:
 

beautyaddict1913

Well-Known Member
My hair was thick pre-relaxer days and now that Im transitioning its back to the thickness from my youth...when I had been a permie for a few years my ends were sooo thin and scraggly and my wraps were ugly and my hair had no healthy volume at all (shuttering at the memories!)
 

Iluvsmuhgrass

Well-Known Member
As a natural my hair is on the thick side. When I flat iron it's almost the same as when I was relaxed... a little bit thicker but still fine strands.
 

LilMissRed

Well-Known Member
Considering the fact that I used to comb/brush my hair to cover a bald spot.. umm Ima say hale to da yeah! :yep:
 
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