Question for naturals... Do you ever want to relax...?

RedVelvet310 · Apr 2, 2009

... Just to see if you could do it?

Don't get me wrong, I love my natural hair, but somedays I don't really think I gave relaxers a chance. I BCed only 2 months after I found this forum (before I even JOINED!) But after everything I've learned about both natural AND relaxed hair, I sometimes feel the urge to relax again JUST to see if I could take care of my hair properly and see if it'd actually work :look:

. Am I the only one?

zzirvingj · Apr 2, 2009

Yes....but it's kinda rare because I'm just pretty content with my hair the way it is.

RedVelvet310 · Apr 2, 2009

zzirvingj said:
Yes....but it's kinda rare because I'm just pretty content with my hair the way it is.

.. The weird thing is though, I never ever have this urge when my hair is being difficult. Its usually when my hair is doing EXACTLY what I want it to do and I have that feeling of accomplishment (thanks to you ladies :grin:

). Then I start questioning whether if I did do a relaxer it'd turn out like Macheriamour or Redhotlala's. Oii I feel like I'm going crazy :spinning:

loulou82 · Apr 2, 2009

I don't yearn for a relaxer but sometimes I want straight hair. I realized these aren't necessarily synonymous. I can't see myself getting a relaxer again but I have no qualms about flat ironing my hair to switch it up for two weeks. The advice I've received from the forum gives me the confidence I can do so. In fact, I plan to flat iron once every 6-8 weeks once I reach a length I'm comfortable with (BSL). I love my natural hair to much to straighten it permanently though.

1QTPie · Apr 2, 2009

Never, ever, ever, ever. Never. Not in the 6+ years that I have been natural. And honestly, not in the 13 years that I was relaxed. LOL

RedVelvet310 · Apr 2, 2009

I guess I really am the only one LOL

mariofmagdal · Apr 2, 2009

Like a previous poster. I do not wish to be relaxed, but I would like it straight to enjoy the length.

that_1_grrrl · Apr 2, 2009

Nope. Did the relax thing for most of my life. There is nothing about being relaxed I find remotely desirable now. Relaxed hair would be too much work for me.

LayneJ · Apr 2, 2009

1QTPie said:
Never, ever, ever, ever. Never. Not in the 6+ years that I have been natural. And honestly, not in the 13 years that I was relaxed. LOL

Okay, see. This made me pause, because I totally agree; this was why I went natural (before the forum) too. My hair was relatively healthy, I just never looked forward to having my hair relaxed. I didn't dread it, but I saw it as a "process".

To answer the OP: Nah. But you're not the only one who feels this way. There's been at least 3 different threads this week, more or less expressing the same idea.

chebaby · Apr 2, 2009

i just got my hair re-big chopped today at the salon. i have a twa and i know i will never relax again. i never liked relaxers in the first place but stylist kept telling me if i stopped getting them my hair would fall out and i believed it.

LoveLiLi · Apr 2, 2009

I never have the urge to relax. I had one bad relaxer experience and that was enough to scare me away forever. Actually, I didn't like relaxing my hair, the process made me nervous. Just knowing that one mistake could leave me bald and burnt up, looking like Fire Marshall Bill stressed me out on touch-up day.

I love being natural and I will not be getting a relaxer in the future.

glamazon386 · Apr 2, 2009

It crosses my mind here and there.

Nonie · Apr 2, 2009

No, I don't miss relaxers at all. I love the independence of doing my own hair and don't think I could ever trust myself to touch up my own hair w/o overlapping so badly that a sections gets over-processed. And the way I love my hair, I can't imagine letting anyone else do it for me. Plus my relaxed hair didn't give me the many styling options that my natural hair does. If I wanted a relaxed look, I could get it with a press. I mean, when I look at my relaxed hair and my pressed hair, I don't see any difference. But with my natural hair, I can also get an afro puff. Twists can last for weeks. I love my spirals and only developed HIH (hand-in-hair) disease after going natural coz my relaxed hair wasn't as much fun. Nah, I don't even think about it. What I do want is big hair that gets caught in the door like Que, that hef***!

giggle: Y'know I love ya, Sis!)

Likeyouneverseenme · Apr 2, 2009

Nope, not now.
I don't think I ever will. My hair is very frail and my strands are too thin to handle chemicals very well.

so1913 · Apr 2, 2009

I'd have to say I never have the urge to relax either. If I want straight hair, it's as simple as going to get it blown out and flat ironed and even that's rare. I dunno, just really don't see the need for one anymore...haven't for years.

Soliel185 · Apr 2, 2009

It's crossed my mind...but it's more a morbid curiosity than an actual desire.

As a natural you can always relax - it takes mere minutes for years of hair growth to be changed forever - but if you relax, you can't go back to natural with a snap o thee fingers. You have to go through the whole process of transitioning, uncertainty, and grow out all over again. That's enough to stop me riiiiight there. Plus I hate taking that huge risk 4-5 times a year. Every touch up is another chance for your hair to break, shed, or just mutiny. It's never an "exact" science. Depending on experience you can minimize the possibility certainly - but even the most experienced person occasionally has one that "didn't take". Heat is dangerous too - but no one can convince me that one dominican blow out carries the kind of permanent damage risk that a relaxer does. (I've never had a dominican blow out, and I don't plan on it but tis not the point.)

If I really want my hair straight, I'll flat iron. :yep:

Essensual · Apr 2, 2009

1QTPie said:
Never, ever, ever, ever. Never. Not in the 6+ years that I have been natural. And honestly, not in the 13 years that I was relaxed. LOL

Ditto. Especially now that I have the options to roller set, blow dry, and flat iron any time I feel like having straight hair. :look:

saved06 · Apr 2, 2009

No, because I know I will just want to go natural again. I love being natural...the freedom and variety.

Shandell · Apr 2, 2009

NEVER! Seriously, my hair can not handle relaxers and I really don't like my hair straight. I embrace the natural texture even in the short phase because its different and beautiful. Last time I made a haste decision to relax the stylist had my hair straight as it had ever been and two days later I had a permenant mohawk from the missing edges. I will not be relaxing my hair again. I adore my twa.
Much Love,
Shandell

btrflyrose · Apr 2, 2009

The only time I wish I could permanently alter my texture is when I have to contend with the frizz and my hair going :afro:

after I've styled it down or straight or in braidouts.

I think I need to get to a place where I'm comfortable with it just as it is, not stretched, but I still have not reached that point yet.

I don't want to relax though.

pinkchocolatedaisy · Apr 2, 2009

I won't lie...i think about it. But I know in my heart of hearts its not what I really want. I just get so impatient waiting for the length to come that I think maybe I should...but I like the uniqueness of my hair and all the cool styles I can try on it. If I were to be relaxed I know it would be the same thing I did before flat ironing and blow drying and trying to force it to have some texture. I even had a nightmare the other night that I relaxed! I was so crushed in my dream lol.

PinkSkates · Apr 2, 2009

I can honestly say that I will NEVER relax my hair again! Why relax and give up my natural texture when I can temporarily straighten my hair with heat whenever I feel like it! And if my hair reverts while its straight...so what, that's what my natural type 4A texture is supposed to do! :yep:

Hairsofab · Apr 2, 2009

I think about relaxing sometimes. My hair does not straighten easily and I don't want to heat damage my hair. However, relaxed hair takes a lot of work too. I'm just scared that if I relax I will lose my length progress.

LynnieB · Apr 2, 2009

Been there, done that and I'm done. No more keeping track of new growth since it's all new growth :grin:

My regimen, products and styling routines are very simple and I'm totally at peace with my natural hair and it with me.

So my answer would be no - I never want to relax my hair again (but I'll pull out my flatiron in a heartbeat when I want to switch things up).

TaraDyan · Apr 2, 2009

Not even a little bit.

nappi · Apr 2, 2009

i never get the urge to relax

i had relaxed hair for most of my life and don't miss it one bit

Aviah · Apr 2, 2009

I was just thinking about this recently... And I wanted to, but today realized why I went natural in the first place. When I had relaxed hair I got bored. Though I did Bantu knot-outs braid outs, buns, etc etc, I still got bored. It was always straight, it was always thin (and with me having a long face it just doesn't work out) and when it rained I had trouble on my hands to get it back in mint condition. Times when stretching my relaxer weren't cute, having to be more cautious about chlorine when swimming, AND it always being around the same length got to me.

Now I can have it thicker, I can have it afro (and shorter), I can have it straight (and longer), I can put yogurt in it and loosen the curls temporarily, I don't really bother with protein treatments, and though I do get frustrated sometimes and want pin straight hair, I still wouldn't do it ( at least, not for now). I may just get a hot sew in instead...

diva24 · Apr 2, 2009

Well I was relaxed for most of my life that I can remember. I went natural for no reason at first other than lack of a stylist. Then it evolved into several different reasons. Years later those reasonings evolved into things I no longer believed in. Then I got the urge to relax. I pushed it away for a while. Then a year later after heat damaging my hair from wearing it straight so much I relaxed. And about a week later I was outta love and missing my napps. Im now 7 months post. (I think Ill have to check my siggy after posting). BTW I had a VERY long transition (over 3 years) Nothign against relaxed hair. I just miss my big hair. Im currently wearing a braidout and its nowhere near the size of my natural braidout :-(

Leeda.the.Paladin · Apr 2, 2009

Past that first nerve wracking month post BC I can say that I really haven't wanted to relax. Maybe straighten, but not relax. Actually, the idea kind of makes me shudder.

Ramya · Apr 2, 2009

No, not at all. I'm enjoying my natural hair with all it's quirks. :yep:

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