Naturals Who Went Back to Being Relaxed?

[StrawberryQueen]

Now I did do a search, but my questions are a little diffrent, so bear with me pretty please.

What is the process that some of yall undertook in going back to relaxed? I'm a 4b, and my hair is constantly knotted. I want to be texlaxed (or relaxed about 80%) and not texturized. I know I need to comb the relaxer through to the ends, but in it's current state I can't do that. So I flat iron it or do I light press so it will be straight enough to comb through?

Also, did anyone do any hardcore protein treatments before the relaxer? My natural hair feels rough and dry, and I don't know about putting protein like Aphogee on it. Should it be done before or after?

Final question: what condition was your hair in after you relaxed it? Was it healthier than before, damaged, thin? Like I said, my hair is constantly tangled and I have a lot of single strand knots, so I'm wondering how my hair will come out.

*phew* Thanks yall!

 

[justsimply]

Queen, my hair is healthier now that I'm relaxed, but there's a logical reason. I used to have locs, cut them off and just did, or attempted to do, the loose natural thing. I didn't like twist and braidouts all that much and only wore them for during the week because I worked out. But almost every weekend I was flat ironing and didn't know about heat protectants. So my ends were done. I ended having more than a inch cut off when I relaxed.

I didn't do my own relaxer, but I don't recall her combing the relaxer through but rather just applying it in section through to the ends and smoothing it with her fingers. I didn't do any thing to my hair prior except a deep condition the day before.

 

[XXXtacy]

Queen, I am feeling like you about now. I am thinking about being texlaxed. This natural way of life is getting harder by the second.

 

[meecee]

bumping for more responses because I'm considering doing this too

 

[MeccaMedinah]

It is so odd that so many of we naturals are contemplating going back to relaxers at one time
I'm buying a wig...

 

[fuchsiastar]

I will try to answer as best as I can, but I have definitely been there. I'm currently transitioning back out of my relaxer to natural so I'm getting ready for the new thickness and am excited. My hair was APL 4a/b and I wore it in a number of different styles because i was natural for almost a decade. I transitioned from the natural to a texturizer, and I would say it was about 30% straight the first time, and then straightened out 10% more after every retouch until it was just straight. I enjoyed my hair the most when it was long and natural with no color in it, and when it was 60% texturized...I would wear a wash and go...Im confused about the knots everyone keeps referring to in their posts...either I didn't have them or i cant remember them. I mostly wore my hair in combed-through styles when it was 100% natural though, so maybe that is why I kept the knots at bay.

When I texturized the condition of my hair was fine, I didn't have any problems....I did go to a professional stylist though and wasnt on this board to know all that much about relaxed hair. Before that my last relaxer was when I was 15, so I didn't know too much about taking care of relaxed hair. You might want to consider blow drying or light pressing your hair to get the relaxer to take in a smooth way. I say this because when i got my texturizer my stylist put a blow dryer through my hair so it was pretty straight. However when she washed out the texturizer my curls were poppin.

As for apogee, I remember my early adolescent stylist putting that rock hard stuff in my hair...it seemed like all that happened was that it got shorter and shorter! Thank God for the lopsided salt-n-pepa cut, it was my saving hair breaking grace

ETA: I wish ya'll would give your hair a chance to get that pretty length to it before making the change...maybe consider a weekly braid out or something first...I only say this because it is sooo pretty and I am wishing right now I never saw a tub of relaxer...I have major natural hair envy of all of ya'll! At the end of the day though, its just a hairstyle!

 

[StrawberryQueen]

It is so odd that so many of we naturals are contemplating going back to relaxers at one time
I'm buying a wig...

This is strange. I guess it's the time of the year maybe?

 

[Energist]

I cut it all off and started from scratch again! It felt good

 

[sprungonhairboards]

Well, Im not texlaxed exactly, my hair is very close to it's natural texture. I went back to the relaxer because I wanted the option of wearing my hair straight. All the flatironing in the world would not get my hair straight for more than 5 minutes plus it was too "big" so I decided to lightly texturize. Plus all the Phyto hype was getting to me

Maybe you could use a blow dryer with a comb attachment to stretch your hair for the relaxer instead of flat ironing or pressing?

I did an Aphogee protein treatment a week before and a week after. My hair was not in better condition after I relaxed. It was in excellent condition before. Now its obviously thinner and I have to be careful of things like breakage and overuse of heat which were never issues before. But I was so diligent before I relaxed that it's not any more work than before.

Oh yeah, I haven't regretted it for a second.

 

[sunshinelady]

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=131899

Check out this thread, it may help.

 

[Eiano]

I'm gonna answer ur questions military style!!

1- Process undertook, I decided I was going to let someone else worry about it... a professional. So a week before I did a deep condition and combed it out REALLY well and wore it in 2 french braids until that Monday. She relaxed it.. well more so texlaxed it

2- I heard protein treatments left your hair brittle if you were not careful so I decided on a deep moisturizing conditioner. I used some Sally's pack that they sell right at the counter (2 of them).


3- Afterthe relaxer, man I love my relaxed hair. I liked my natural hair but I wanted moer versatility when styling. Now when I wash it and let it dry naturally, it has somewhat of a curl, or I can keep it straight if I like by wrapping. I HATED those damned knots at the end of my hair.. I wouldn't let them be... anytime I found one I pulled it out or snipped it. I made me upset b/c sometimes it'd be near the root and I felt like I was losing progress....


Good luck!!

 

[ayoung]

I'm 4b and was natural for after doing the BC for 3 years.
I relaxed last year--not bone straight. (but i have no curl pattern at all--so when i wash and air dry--it doesn't look good enough to wear out--but it is full and not flat)

My hair was in pretty good shape b/f my relaxer and I did not do a protein treatment before.

Also--because my stylist did not want to over process--she did not leave it on until it got to the desired straightness that first time. She did that over the course of about 3 touchups (u couldn't tell my hair was underprocessed *i guess that is the word* until i would wash it and u could tell there was ALOT of texutre left)--but that sounds like maybe what u want.

I would do a protien treatment after and be a MANIAC about DCin w/ moisture and keeping your hair moisturized b/c ur hair will be dry in the beginning of your new 'hair adventure' lol! I'm talking EVERYWEEK!

 

[Empress Yahudah]

I got my hair relaxed April of last year...I would suggest going to a good stylist to have it done...she did not comb my relaxer through just worked it thru with her hands....my hair was in good condition before the relaxer I just made sure I did a good deep conditioner 5 days before hand ...keep my hair moisturized except up until I got the relaxer so that it would take.
i got my hair cut to above shoulders thats the only part I regreted ...But I LOVE BEING RELAXED NOW

 

[StrawberryQueen]

Thanks for all the replies yall!

 

[StrawberryQueen]

bumping! ............

 

[BeatriceFly]

this is great as i am planning to get a relaxer for the first time very soon
learning some things

 

[dillard]

I cut it all off and started from scratch again! It felt good

yup, this is what i did too. i wanted a short pixie cut so i relaxed it and chopped it off about 6 months ago, my natural hair was actually damaged from coloring too much and the texture had also changed. if i hadn't damaged my natural hair I might not have gotten a relaxer, I don't know.... i went to the salon, i didn't do any deep conditioning or aphogee or anything (this is before discovering hair boards) but I loved my little short 'do and it actually felt thick and healthy.

 

[StrawberryQueen]

yup, this is what i did too. i wanted a short pixie cut so i relaxed it and chopped it off about 6 months ago, my natural hair was actually damaged from coloring too much and the texture had also changed. if i hadn't damaged my natural hair I might not have gotten a relaxer, I don't know.... i went to the salon, i didn't do any deep conditioning or aphogee or anything (this is before discovering hair boards) but I loved my little short 'do and it actually felt thick and healthy.

Your hair looks GREAT!

 

[MizzP]

i went back to a relaxer after being natural for 18 months. For me being natural just became too much work. Washing and twisting would turn into an all day affair. My twistouts only looked good for a day and I got tired of people complementing me on my dreads. I also just wanted a more polished look. After relaxing my hair, I noticed I had a lot of breakage. I guess it came from trying to detangle my natural hair. I also had a lot of knots in my hair strands. Sixth months later my hair looks better now than it ever did when I was previously relaxed. But i still have alot of knots in my hair. Every now and then I will see some beautiful natural hair and wish i had some but I'm good.

 

[StrawberryQueen]

yup, this is what i did too. i wanted a short pixie cut so i relaxed it and chopped it off about 6 months ago, my natural hair was actually damaged from coloring too much and the texture had also changed. if i hadn't damaged my natural hair I might not have gotten a relaxer, I don't know.... i went to the salon, i didn't do any deep conditioning or aphogee or anything (this is before discovering hair boards) but I loved my little short 'do and it actually felt thick and healthy.

Did they blow yall hair out before they put the relaxer on or anything?

 

[meaganita]

It is so odd that so many of we naturals are contemplating going back to relaxers at one time
I'm buying a wig...

That's what I did. I even have some of my relaxed girlfriends rockin' the wigs now. It's easy and looks good as long as the wig isn't too "wiggy" looking. I've thought about relaxing or texlaxing from time to time. But I love my natural hair and I'm not ready to trade it in.

 

[dillard]

Your hair looks GREAT!

Thanks Queen!

My natural hair texture had changed so much, if I put it in a ponytail and tied it down it would be straight almost like I had flat-ironed it! So they didn't have to blow it out or anything, as soon as they put the relaxer in, it got BONE straight in like 10 minutes. Even my stylist was like... I might go back to natural again but for now, I'm loving this!!