Should I Relax? (PIC HEAVY)...Semi Update

[DarkJoy]

Theres drawbacks to both. WIth relaxing you have to be careful when stretching due to weaker demarcation line--you could lose that delicious thickness. You'd also have to be even more mindful of dryness, protein usage, getting touchups, worry over under/over processing each touchup, etc. You'd still have to DC and all that. You might save 20mins time in haircare on washdays.

And you obviously know the drawbacks with natural hair.

With that gorgeous mane, I wouldnt dare risk losing thickness and body to save such little time. But that is just me.

DO what makes you happy.

 

[sharifeh]

im relaxed and I probably wouldn't relax. You also need to put a lot of time and effort into maintaining relaxed hair or you might lose it. plus touch ups get expensive, why not spend the money to get your hair straightened once or twice a month or look into a BKT, which isn't permanent. I wouldn't relax it though.

 

[kellistarr]

First, I want to say that I can't believe that you transitioned your hair (2010) all the way to waist length. That was a lot of transitioning! You must have had the patience of JOB to deal with two textures with that volume of hair!

As a new relaxed head (3 days in) I can totally relate to what seems to be your main reason for wanting the change, amongst others....IT TAKES FOREVER!!! That's how it was for me, so I do understand. I say nurse your natural hair back to health and then see where you stand. You don't have to relax all of the curl from your hair if you don't think you can fully depart from your curls. One of the reasons why I went back to being natural was because I wore so many textured styles with my relaxed hair that I just decided to stop relaxing it.

My decision to get relaxed after 13 years of being natural was nothing deep. I expect to miss my curls and I'm telling you, there ain't a curl left in this head. When I was natural, I had moments when I missed having straight hair that didn't take FOREVER to straighten and had some lasting power! It's like anything else, when you have this, you miss that. I wanted to relax so that I could get away from long detangling sessions, frizz, sometimes I just wanted to comb my hair and brush it, too. One of the styles that I missed wearing that I couldn't wear with my natural hair is the single french braid. My curls just would not allow me to complete the french braid without getting tangled up. But, my curls are my natural hair and I thought they were beautiful and I'll see them again, one day, when I don't want to relax anymore.

So, you have to do you. It's about what you feel, what you can deal with. I think your hair is lovely, but I'm sure relaxed is lovely, too. Take your time and decide. Remember your transition. Once you go relaxed it takes time to get back. I've added a few pics of my beloved curls.








Good Luck! And let us know what you decide.

 

[NaturalPath]

If only my hair could be as thick as this.......

 

[soulglo]

Don't do it

 

[syncerelyhis]

I am in awe as to how you could consider relaxing! Your natural hair is so beautiful and thick! Any reason why you want to relax?

Thanks for posting and for the compliments. Just the endless amount of time I have to spend.

 

[syncerelyhis]

I love your natural hair, and doing the reverse... Transitioning to Natural... I can only hope my hair is as fab as yours!

What about alternatinv twistouts and blow drying...

Thanks for posting. I wear lots of twistouts and braidouts but it takes so much time and my hair is easily tangled.....feel like I'm complaining lol but I remember when my hair was relaxed it was so much easier (I also had much less hair too so I don't know)

 

[syncerelyhis]

im relaxed and I probably wouldn't relax. You also need to put a lot of time and effort into maintaining relaxed hair or you might lose it. plus touch ups get expensive, why not spend the money to get your hair straightened once or twice a month or look into a BKT, which isn't permanent. I wouldn't relax it though.

Thanks for posting. BKT did cross my mind.....I need to do some more research!

 

[syncerelyhis]

First, I want to say that I can't believe that you transitioned your hair (2010) all the way to waist length. That was a lot of transitioning! You must have had the patience of JOB to deal with two textures with that volume of hair!

As a new relaxed head (3 days in) I can totally relate to what seems to be your main reason for wanting the change, amongst others....IT TAKES FOREVER!!! That's how it was for me, so I do understand. I say nurse your natural hair back to health and then see where you stand. You don't have to relax all of the curl from your hair if you don't think you can fully depart from your curls. One of the reasons why I went back to being natural was because I wore so many textured styles with my relaxed hair that I just decided to stop relaxing it.

My decision to get relaxed after 13 years of being natural was nothing deep. I expect to miss my curls and I'm telling you, there ain't a curl left in this head. When I was natural, I had moments when I missed having straight hair that didn't take FOREVER to straighten and had some lasting power! It's like anything else, when you have this, you miss that. I wanted to relax so that I could get away from long detangling sessions, frizz, sometimes I just wanted to comb my hair and brush it, too. One of the styles that I missed wearing that I couldn't wear with my natural hair is the single french braid. My curls just would not allow me to complete the french braid without getting tangled up. But, my curls are my natural hair and I thought they were beautiful and I'll see them again, one day, when I don't want to relax anymore.

So, you have to do you. It's about what you feel, what you can deal with. I think your hair is lovely, but I'm sure relaxed is lovely, too. Take your time and decide. Remember your transition. Once you go relaxed it takes time to get back. I've added a few pics of my beloved curls.

Good Luck! And let us know what you decide.

Thanks for posting. It's funny because I started transitioning before I even knew anything about transitioning. I honestly don't remember being frustrated by the two different textures....I'm not sure why....in fact it was easier then than it is now (ex. Humidity)....

Your curls are beautiful! Do you have any relaxed pictures?

And you are so right about styling options. My hair is NOT gonna get into one braid no way no how....I am forced to wear a bun, twistouts/braidouts, or spend all day flat ironing only to have it poof up with one drop of water.

 

[India*32]

Would cutting a few inches help?

 

[gn1g]

I was natural for 3 years went back to relaxer for 3 years because I was tired of dealing with natural hair and now I am natural again. Yes, it takes foreeeeever to get it to look nice. but I am not going back to chemicals ever again. Relaxers are damaging to the entire body IMO.

 

[syncerelyhis]

Would cutting a few inches help?

No way! The length is not the problem. My hair was longer than this when I had relaxed ends (about 5 in)....there's something different about having a full head of natural hair....

 

[syncerelyhis]

I was natural for 3 years went back to relaxer for 3 years because I was tired of dealing with natural hair and now I am natural again. Yes, it takes foreeeeever to get it to look nice. but I am not going back to chemicals ever again. Relaxers are damaging to the entire body IMO.

Why did you go back to natural?

 

[kellistarr]

Thanks for posting. It's funny because I started transitioning before I even knew anything about transitioning. I honestly don't remember being frustrated by the two different textures....I'm not sure why....in fact it was easier then than it is now (ex. Humidity)....

Your curls are beautiful! Do you have any relaxed pictures?

And you are so right about styling options. My hair is NOT gonna get into one braid no way no how....I am forced to wear a bun, twistouts/braidouts, or spend all day flat ironing only to have it poof up with one drop of water.

The pictures below are of relaxed hair after I blow dried/using a round brush and the wave is from 4 bantu knots. The picture in my avatar and siggy are the day I relaxed after a blow dry and before I experimented with round brush.

 

[Mystic]

Why don't you go to a salon and heat train it then? That way it won't poof up so much.

 

[biancaelyse]

I would recommend BKT but I see that you are pregnant and I haven't researched those products on pregnant women.

Anyway, I wouldn't recommend that you relax your hair right now. With the amount of hair that you have it is a big decision and it will take you a long time to transition back at that length.

If you have damaged ends, cut them off and start treating your hair properly. Even lay off the heat if your hair is telling you that it needs a break.

I've been natural for going on 15 years and you couldn't pay me to get back on that creamy crack!!

 

[sistatv]

What about a low maintenance weave or some braids to give you a break from the hair grind? You and your hair are gorgeous!

 

[syncerelyhis]

The pictures below are of relaxed hair after I blow dried/using a round brush and the wave is from 4 bantu knots. The picture in my avatar and siggy are the day I relaxed after a blow dry and before I experimented with round brush.

View attachment 229551

View attachment 229553

It looks really good! I love it!

 

[syncerelyhis]

Why don't you go to a salon and heat train it then? That way it won't poof up so much.

Hmm.....That sounds like a good idea......I need to do some research on heat training vs. relaxing and see which one is less damaging.

 

[syncerelyhis]

I would recommend BKT but I see that you are pregnant and I haven't researched those products on pregnant women.

Anyway, I wouldn't recommend that you relax your hair right now. With the amount of hair that you have it is a big decision and it will take you a long time to transition back at that length.

If you have damaged ends, cut them off and start treating your hair properly. Even lay off the heat if your hair is telling you that it needs a break.

I've been natural for going on 15 years and you couldn't pay me to get back on that creamy crack!!

Oh Lord! You almost gave me a heart attack!!!

I'm not pregnant!!!!! My son is 3 years old......(LOL....it has been that long since I have been on LongHairCareForum)

I am about to change my siggy immediately!! lol

Your hair is extremely beautiful. How is the BKT working for you?

 

[syncerelyhis]

What about a low maintenance weave or some braids to give you a break from the hair grind? You and your hair are gorgeous!

Thank you girl! That is a good idea too!

My husband will have a straight up heart attack if I get a weave. I will NEVER hear the end of it.

But braids......hmmm

 

[biancaelyse]

Oh Lord! You almost gave me a heart attack!!!

I'm not pregnant!!!!! My son is 3 years old......(LOL....it has been that long since I have been on LongHairCareForum)

I am about to change my siggy immediately!! lol

Your hair is extremely beautiful. How is the BKT working for you?

syncerelyhis

My bad!! I don't BKT but I do both of my daughters' hair and that is who you see in my siggy pic.

It works great for them, they have 25-50% less shrink, a lot less tangling and their hair dries faster. If they want it straight once in a blue moon, all it takes is a short blow dry or they can air dry and use 2 passes of medium flat iron to straighten.

The nice thing about the BKT is that in the summers when they live in the pool, they take a break from it. Their hair fully reverts to curly and loose waves respectively with no heat damage or straight ends.

I use a formaldehyde free formula and I did a thread on it a couple of years ago with pics if you search.

 

[syncerelyhis]

If I had curls like yours, I wouldn't dare relax! *yummy*

I LOVE YOUR HAIR!!!!!

please give me your regi!

 

[Fhrizzball]

If BKT and heat training isn't your thing you can go the bkt alternative route and use amino acids to help keep your hair smooth. Design Essentials has a system that is pretty popular and I think you can by it on ebay or something like that too if you're not one to spend time in a salon. There's a thread or two about it going around. I might try it myself once I get to a decent length.

 

[syncerelyhis]

UPDATE I DID IT! - Should I Relax? (PIC HEAVY)...Semi Update

I DID IT! I used ORS Olive Oil Relaxer.

Tired...But I love it!!!!!!!

 

[syncerelyhis]

http://http://public.fotki.com/syncerelyhis/hair-growth-progress-1/starting-over-new/#media

 

[JudithO]

Hey .. looks good. I feel you on the time... My wash day went from 6 hrs when natural (wash, detangle, DC, 2 strand twist) to 1.5 hr (Wash, DC, air dry, detangle, bun)... It looks good... Now stick to a solid reggie... Prepoo, wash, dc, airdry, detangle and bun. HHG!!

Make sure your DC has protein in it as a relaxed head.. ORS Replenishing condish is pretty safe and works well for everyone I know. LEARN TO SELF RELAX if you love your hair... you wont regret it.

 

[Lita]

Thank you Lita! Yours is extremely beautiful. Is your regimen posted? That is a lot of natural hair.

syncerelyhis Awe,Thank You^^^Hi! Sorry,I'm just seeing this question.,,

I wash/dc 2xs a week during the spring/summer...Fall/Winter once a week..Depending on what my hair needs at the time,I might pre poo with a Ayurvedic or heavy oil.,,Also do monthly protein/semi protein treatments.Daily moisturizing,sealing with oils/butters..Always,I mean,I always use a leave-in after...My hair is in twist/braids/buns most of the time.

Happy Hair Growing!

 

[Lita]

Your hair came out really nice with ORS relaxer..You still have body too..Nice job.

*Keep your protein/moisture level up..

Happy Hair Growing!

 

[BEAUTYU2U]

Obviously, I need to post again in the Jealousy thread I "allowed" Lucie to relax and Whimsy to cut but this is too much devastation for me!

Lovely (relaxed and natural) hair, ladies!