Growing out relaxer w/o big chop?

[Connie]

How many of you with shoulder length hair (or longer) you have grown out your relaxers without doing a BC, and if so, what styles worked for you during your transition?

My relaxed hair is shoulder length..about an inch or two past. I want to stop relaxing and go natural with the occassional press or iron now and then. I'm trying to decide whether I should grow out my relaxer by letting as much new growth come in as I can before doing a big chop, or taking on the challenge of nuturing my new growth until it's as long as my hair is now, and then cutting off the relaxed ends. I really don't want to do a BC, but I will if handling the two textures proves too cumbersome or I notice a lot of breakage.

 

[CocoaButterflyy]

I did it and basically I trasitioned several ways... I did presses where the roots were pressed, I did roller sets (flexirods and straws), braidouts, and braids. For each style whenever I would go to the salon (once a month) I would have them cut off between a half of an inch to an inch. So my length never really changed because I cut off the same amount of relaxer as there was new growth.

Sets worked the best only because you weren't constantly bothering the hair and the textures were similar. there area few transitioning pics in my album. HTH

 

[SherryLove]

[ QUOTE ]
CocoaButterflyy said:
I did it and basically I trasitioned several ways... I did presses where the roots were pressed, I did roller sets (flexirods and straws), braidouts, and braids. For each style whenever I would go to the salon (once a month) I would have them cut off between a half of an inch to an inch. So my length never really changed because I cut off the same amount of relaxer as there was new growth.

Sets worked the best only because you weren't constantly bothering the hair and the textures were similar. there area few transitioning pics in my album. HTH

[/ QUOTE ]

CocoaB---your hair is so pretty......

 

[CharUK]

CocoaB - you make me wanna go back natural!

Great hair!

x

 

[CocoaButterflyy]

thanks

 

[alibi]

Okay, I must be the only one that can't see Coco B's pics???

Anyway Connie, I'm transitioning w/o the big chop, and it's not that easy, but once you get the hang of it you'll be fine. The most important thing for me during my transition has been proper detangling after shampooing (CO's w/ slip are a MUST), keeping the new growth moisturized, and styles that require little manipulation. I flat ironed my roots and wrapped my hair in the beginning, but now I CO wash every morning and slick my hair back in a bun.

 

[Isis]

Your hair is very pretty CocoaButterflyy!

 

[Connie]

So you CAN flatiron your new growth while transitioning, or does it all depend on the texture of your new growth? I was considering doing it that way but I didn't know if that such a good idea.

 

[CocoaButterflyy]

yep you can... my stylist used to either blowdry it fairly straight and then press the non relaxed part and flat iron the rest or give me roller sets on the huge rollers and then flat iron with the chi iron

 

[alibi]

Yes you can flat iron the new growth, just be careful not to use too much heat though, b/c I have heard that it can ruin your natural curl pattern if you're not careful. I used to flat iron mine once a week and wrap every night, and I didn't have that problem.