What made you wanna go natural?

[maddywoo13]

I've been debating this since the beginning of this year about transitioning or not. I'm sorry if theres already a thread about this on the site but I think my search thingy is broken...erplexed

I've been thinking about it because I'm tired of going to get relaxers and I feel like it'll keep me from restoring the thickness I once had. When my hair is relaxed it just doesn't have that much life to me, even when i have roller curls or spirals. I'm also sick of straight hair. My mom was once natural, I told her I was thinking about it and much to my surprise she actually was considering letting me do it. The thing is is I need a little more convincing even though I'm leaning towards going through with it. I just wanted to ask everyone whose is transitioning or everyone who has transitioned about their experience. Like how did they do it, is it easier or harder to maintain than relaxed hair if not how, what made you want to go natural, and is it overall better for you. Please do share success stories =)

Thank you in advance

 

[Gracie]

I got tired of relaxing it, depending on relaxers to make me feel good about my hair and I really just wanted to see if I can handle my hair without a relaxer.

 

[Country gal]

In my fotki, you can see my transitioning pics. I knew that I didn't want to spend the rest of my life putting chemicals in my hair. The decision to get relaxed was made when I in the 5th grade. I remembered vaguely how my natural hair looked. I was on this board, I started to redefine what natural hair looked like. I always assumed it was an Afro and I learned that natural hair was versatile. I have been natural now for 3 years now. I love it. I don't want to go back to perming ever again. It was tough in the beginning but now everyone is use to my natural hair. I also have family members reconsidering going natural.

 

[xxBlackRosexx]

i learn't that my natural hair is so hot...plus there are so many products out there to get natural hair looking straight.

Those mad chemicals are entering peoples pores and they have not be out for that long...who knows what the long term effects might bring..

 

[JustKiya]

I got tired of relaxing it.
I got tired of spending half a day in a salon, and walking out with limp, bland hair.
I got tired of looking like every next girl with stick straight hair.
I got tired of curling my hair every morning.
I got tired of the everlasting smell of chemicals and toasted hair.
I got tired about worrying about touchups.

Basically, the cons of having relaxed hair (for me) outweighed the cons of having natural hair (for me).

Good luck, whatever you decide.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

My long time stylist retired and moved out of state and DH got to see my hair, without weave. That was 12/2007 and he asked me to not weave anymore but to grow out my own hair. He thought my hair was "long" although it was barely APL at the time, unstretched.

I am convinced that weaving every 8 weeks, with relaxers, thinned my hair. I want my thick, childhood hair back and to be able to wear straight & curly hair on a whim. I may still weave (braids this time) but to grow my hair and not just for the sake of weaving.

 

[Gracie]

Oh yeah, I got tired of the rain-phobia

 

[Mitre]

Cancer from relaxers
Money I could save
Low maintenance
Swimming
Constant breakage
Role model for young black girls and boys ( black hair is not ulgy that I am afraid of wearing my hair natural)

 

[lierin]

I got tired of having thin, lifeless hair.
I was tired of spending $85+ on touchups and i wasn't satisfied with the way my hair looked
My hair is naturally fine and it has thrived so much since I eliminated the chemicals.

 

[BostonMaria]

I got tired of worrying about rain and what to do with my hair after swimming in a pool.
I hated spending 5 hours in a salon only to have my hair look exactly the same
I'd wait 3 months to relax only to have my hair be the same length every time. Relaxers killed any chance of retaining length.
I was jealous of people with natural hair. My 2 daughters have beautiful curly hair and I knew I contributed to their pretty hair but I couldn't have my own natural hair.

To me natural hair is unique, beautiful, versatile. I went natural because back in 2006 I waited 4 months to relax my hair only to have my stylist jack up my hair and I had tons of split ends, my hair's length was exactly the same, and my hair was so flat I was like enough is enough and I never looked back. Best decision I ever made.

 

[CheLala13]

I loved my relax hair...never had a problem with it. But then I wondered why I always had to put chemicals in it. Why not be happy with the natural hair that grows out of my own head? I want curly hair! I want to be able to get it wet without being scared. I will still probably wear straight hair after I'm fully natural, but why not? It's just another hairstyle.

 

[silvergirl]

i realized i really dont like the look of straight hair on me.

 

[mscocoface]

Reasons for transitioning:
It was too much work to get the look I wanted.
It cost too much to keep the look I had.
ANYTIME I stressed my nape had severe breakage.
It was the only part of my body that I really did not know very well because I had relaxers since I was 13.
Being at the beauty salon ALL DAY!
blowdryer, hairdryer, pressing comb, flat iron, curling iron (EVERYTIME)
Bad weather, pools and water in general was the DEBIL!

Things I have learned going natural.
It is a different process for everyone. What may be a problem for me may not be a problem for someone else.
I loved learning about and watching my hair grow long, healthy and natural.
Showing others how to grow long healthy natural hair
It is an incredible adventure to see the natural healthy length and just when you think you know your natural hair, it teaches you something else you would have never found out about it.
You can challenge yourself to not do certain things? No heat, cowash weekly, etc.
While I was sick or healthy I did not have to worry about a relaxer and having to get touch ups
This was a mental switch for me about what real natural beauty (regarding hair) is on a woman of color.


If you ever get tired of the natural scene you can always go back to using a relaxer.

 

[LuyshuZ]

I have only been relaxed a little over 3yrs, I am currently transitioning after a major chop by a stylist who gave my a "trim" on tightly coiled already styled hair, leaving me from mbl conrows to above apl cornrows. At the time I was convinced I would have long hair if I relaxed so I convinced my mom to a year after the incident. Relaxed I had bsl hair fairly even hair and since suffered two butcherings at the hand of an inhouse licensed cosmetologist (aka hating on the low cousin) right back to slightlyapl in layers. My daughter has been my inspiratin to go back natural http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=216713 I want to be able to do that...

 

[jshor09]

i got tired of relaxers. i relaxed after being 1 yr natural and my scalp felt horrible. my edges started to thin again as well. i was retaining length as well. so i decided to chop it off and start over again. i think for now and maybe forever ill be natural. relaxers and my head are just not compatible.

 

[Crackers Phinn]

I hated dealing with stylists.

 

[Mrs. Verde]

I started getting perms around the 7/8th grade. In high school my hair was overprocessed and breaking. By college I started getting my hair pressed and just never looked back. My natural curl pattern came out and I liked it.

 

[Chromia]

I'm 9 and 1/2 months into a transition.

I stopped relaxing because I:
-got tired of getting relaxers - tired of the time I spent in the salon and tired of the burning feeling on my scalp.
-want thicker hair/more volume instead of flat hair.
-don't want to still be relaxing when I'm older.
-don't love straight hair and it doesn't look that great on me anyway.
-hate the smell of neutralizing shampoo.
-was tired of worrying about protecting my previously relaxed hair before a touch-up - wondering whether I put enough oil and conditioner on it.
-have envied natural styles for a while.

 

[cottoncoily]

I realized that my favorite style was a braid out or some other curly style. I never wore my relaxed hair straight and when I did I felt uncomfortable. Ever since I started lurking back in '05 I wanted to go natural. I wasn't confident in myself at that time and didn't think I could pull the natural look off. Now I don't care what anyone thinks and I did it to make myself happy. Even though I wish I did 3 years ago it's better late than never.

 

[SunnyDelight]

I've been back and forth and back and forth again between relaxed and natural hair. My reason for transitioning - yet again, is that at 43, I don't want to take time away from pursuing my passions to spend time and money in salons. There are just some things that I love way more than making sure my hair is on point and with natural hair I have more options and can keep it up myself.

 

[Je Ne Sais Quoi]

I stopped perming because it was eating my hair out But, this was before I was a member here so possibly I wouldn't have the same issues but who knows? For me, growing out and handling my natural hair has been a blessing and a curse I think once i can get over a few humps it will all be a blessing

 

[RegaLady]

I put a relaxer in my hair after debating if I should stretch or go natural. I soooooooooooooo regretted the relaxer. My natural hair is hot, and so is my daughter's. And I want us to represent that hotness. My DH loves the hockey stick out of some natural hair. I don't have anything against relaxers, but this last touch up showed that it is not for me.

 

[sharentu]

i wanted to give my hair a rest from the chemicals.

 

[JustKiya]

I've been back and forth and back and forth again between relaxed and natural hair. My reason for transitioning - yet again, is that at 43, I don't want to take time away from pursuing my passions to spend time and money in salons. There are just some things that I love way more than making sure my hair is on point and with natural hair I have more options and can keep it up myself.

That's another thing for me - it felt freeing - like I didn't have to depend on anyone but myself to keep my hair up. I could travel, and not have to worry about getting my touch-up at some foreign salon, or trying to carry my chemicals along with me.

It made life simpler, for me.

 

[Country gal]

i learn't that my natural hair is so hot...plus there are so many products out there to get natural hair looking straight.

Those mad chemicals are entering peoples pores and they have not be out for that long...who knows what the long term effects might bring..

I had the same concern with long term effects of perming my hair.

 

[dlove]

• I went natural after looking at Caligirl's Fotki!!
• That and the fact that I let a "beautician" slather a Mizani relaxer from new growth to end tip. My hair started breaking off at 150 mph. She called it a corrective relaxer. Trying to get the cuticles to be all of the the same smoothness. I did a BC in May of 07.
• I love being able to do my own hair
• I love that I'm saving money and time

What has made me stay natural?

All the encouragement of you ladies of the LHCF, especially Mscocoface. Thanks again girl. I'm seeing heathy thick hair with no breakage. If I want to wear it straight, I will press. I have learned so much about how damaging relaxer were if in the wrong hands. My problem? I keep sitting in the chairs of the wrong hands. I had over processed breaking hair.

 

[kriolagirl]

When I turned 30 I realized I wearing a relaxer since I was 11...and it freaked me out. I also looked at my mom....she had beautiful, thick hair when I was growing up but as she got older it has now become thin and brittle...i don't know if it is the relaxers but I just figured it was time. I had tried transitioning 2 times prior and only made it to 6 months before breaking down and getting a touch-up. Now I'm 14 months post-relaxer and while it has been a journey, I am SO glad. My hair always grew with relaxers and I've been blessed w/ good stylists, but it is so great to keep all that money in my pocket and not in theirs! I've gone from a girl that didn't own shampoo to one that now mixes her own concoctions lol. But all in all this board and you ladies on here are truly an inspiration.

 

[NappFrizz83]

my hair was relaxed when i was 3 so like alot of other little girls i thought relaxers were normal and around where im from the only kids that didnt have relaxers were the mixed ones with "good" hair..one day i was on the internet searching for how to grow black hair long and i found LHCF and started searching through and found CHICORO and IRIS (irresistible) and from there i KNEW i wanted to go natural and atleast give the hair that comes out of my scalp a chance..plus my mom relaxed my hair VERY often and my scalp is kind of sensitive so i always ran around the house with a perm on whining about how it burned and of course my mom said it meant it was "working". at this point in time im natural for life..i dont think i will change my mind..if i really feel like i just want straight hair i will straighten it

 

[spacetygrss]

-I didn't see the point of relaxing my hair just so that I could live up to someone else's ideal of beauty.
-I spend alot of time making sure that what I put IN my body is healthy. I feel that it is equally important to be careful what I put ON my body (plus, I don't know of any studies researching the long-term effect of using relaxers).
-God decided that I should have this hair type and who am I to go permanently changing it just to [once again] live up to a man-made beauty ideal?
-I've got better things to do with my time and money than relaxing my hair and then having to try to avoid overprocessing, breakage, etc. My natural hair is much lower-maintenance.

 

[LongCurlyLocks]

I missed the hell out of my curls and the perm was KILLING my hair!!!