The deciding factor

[MrsBurns82]

I haven't had a relaxer since about May 08. I haven't had a straight relaxer since about Dec 07. I'm leaning towards going natural but something keeps me holding on. I have about of 2 inches of fluffy ng that I love to co wash but it's also 2 inches of length that would contribute nicely to my initial mbl relaxed goal. I've been natural before and it sucked but now armed with new knowledge I feel like I can really do it. What made you natural ladies who were on the curve say skrew it bc here i come.

 

[bellezanegra826]

perhaps its the fact that they realized they can take care of their natural hair and its nothing to be afraid of. i know that thing that always makes me go back to perms after months of transitioning is being afraid that i won't like the texture or that i won't be able to take care of my hair without looking like a wooly mamoth.

 

[mamauv2]

delete

 

[MrsBurns82]

I decided to BC after doing research and feeling prepared to take care of my natural hair. I wanted to go natural for a long time but seeing the ng scared me and I wasn't sure I'd be able to take care of it. I didn't transition, I just shaved all my hair off (I'm not suggesting you do that). I was just tired of the touch up cycle and excited to be the only one I need to rely on to care for my hair. Also, I realized that TO ME, there was no turning back so whatever grew out of my head, I was going to work that SHH!

The first time I went natural I shaved it all off. I had a full blown ceaser and i loved it i actually was getting hair cuts for about 4 month before I decided to let it grow back ( my waves were spinning) Then I went home dye crazy it was blond, red, orange, any shade you can think of not to mention it was super dry and crazy brittle. I actually never got to experience much of my natural hair with it's natural color because the second I got a half an inch of it I dyed it.

I'm just so impatient and my hair is now approaching a length that it hasn't been in years so to chop it all of off now it almost makes me feel like I'm hustling back wards. But it's that part of me that just says do it.

 

[BostonMaria]

It took me 7 years to finally transition and do it right. I tried unsuccessfully because I would ask my hair stylists how do I transition and they'd give me vague answers. That's like asking a drug dealer how do I detox? LOL Because why would my stylist tell me and lose like $3000 a year?!! Anyway I found motowngirl, Fotki and naturallycurly and after that I was finally able to transition.

I think you should try to stick it out a little bit longer. I know I always regretted giving in every time I got discouraged. Transitioning isn't easy.

 

[MrsBurns82]

It just so hard to come to a decision. My hair hasn't been this long and healthy in a long time yet my ng has never been so soft. I'm getting a sew in on Wed so that'll buy me some time. Either way I've decided if I like the weave I'm going to keep getting them to stretch for 6 month so we'll see

 

[naturalmanenyc]

I'm currently transitioning to natural (36 weeks with no touch up as of 9/7/08). My decision happened in several steps.

Step One - I had used a stylist every 2 weeks since age 13 when my parents divorced and I stayed with my father. I had no idea how to do my own hair and had been weaving for the last few years. My long time NYC stylist retired and moved out of state in May 2007 to become a full-time real estate salesperson. I was left with no stylist that I trusted in the area.

Step Two - I could not find a new stylist that I was comfortable enough with to relax my hair. It had taken me about two years to find my stylist who retired & moved and I did not want to start the search again. I ended up having my sister put in a mild relaxer in August 2007 when I was out of town visiting. I had been rocking half wigs and drawstring ponytails for months and I really needed to have my hair done but I did not trust just any stylist.

Step Three & beyond:
I found LHCF through RabiaElaine and started to read up on proper hair care.

I got a partial sew-in weave in August/September 2007 that could have been a disaster if left in longer than the 4 weeks I planned. The braids were not tacked down properly and my hair had begun to matte a little. Fortunately, RabiaElaine did my take down and I lost none of my length.

I then got a full weave for about 6 weeks with a straight back cornrow base - something I had never done before then. My husband helped me take down the weave. This was after a relaxer stretch from August through early December. RabiaElaine had told me to NOT relax right after the weave take down (which my stylist had ALWAYS done) so I had to manage my own hair for a few weeks. I did it with braid outs and curly styles. I had never seen my natural curly hair....or at least I had not remeber it being curly since mom relaxed me around age 10.

After 18 weeks with no relaxer, I decided to texlax instead of get a bone straight relaxer on December 30, 2007 in an attempt to have fuller hair. My intent was to get another full weave in a few weeks but plans changed. After my husband saw my texlaxed hair on 12/30/07 and the length, he asked me to stop weaving since he felt that my own hair was long.

After that I made the choice to grow out my own hair. For me personally to have thicker hair means not relaxing at all. Some ladies can maintain thickness with relaxers but after relaxing since age 10, I know that relaxing makes my hair thinner since my stylist was always super careful and did not overlap.

Over the last 8 months I have seen a definite increase in the thickness of my hair. The only bad part (besides dealing with the line of demarcation and realizing that relaxed products don't always work on natural hair) is that I agreed to not cut my hair until I reach BSL. Actually, I agreed to only cut anything under BSL. So I will have thin ends for a while. Luckily I keep my hair pinned up 95% of the time so only me and DH know about the then ends (and of course those who check my siggy and my fotki).