In 20 years will we look at women with relaxers like we look at smokers today?

[naturalmanenyc]

The comment was made at a hair event that I attended on Saturday that in 20 years we will probably look at women (and men) with relaxers like we currently look at smokers?

I am so not a natural hair nazi but the conversation did get me to thinking. The woman who made the comment mentioned that her sister would get physically ill for a few days after relaxing which was later attributed to the sodium in the relaxer affecting her body.

Any thoughts?

 

[Tamster]

nah, i am more apt to think that thats how we will view brazillian blowouts. That ish is clearly off.

Relaxers... probably not. Just don't seem AS harmful, even though we know (and I have experienced) it can burn and damage.

 

[Imsosceneic]

i actually don't think that's a stretch.

people are really starting to prefer their natural hair nowadays and are not shy at all when it comes to voicing it.

in a perfect world relaxed and natural heads would live in perfect harmony, but i guess since natural heads have always been the underdog, ppl will more likely lean to the side of of being pro-naccharal

 

[JeterCrazed]

I hope so.

Sent from my HTC Inspire™

 

[SuchaLady]

Hair trends are really nothing but fads. They come in and out, some stay longer than others, some emerge more than once, and some once gone are nothing more than a thing of the past. Who knows?

Sent from my DROID3 using DROID3

 

[danniegirl]

I don't think it would be that drastic but I do believe the movement has really started and since the whole world is moving towards s greener lifestyle I think in my life time I will see a world where so many different brands of relaxers would be removed from the shelves and replaced with honey and aloes Vera and kknt and trader joes nourish and shine

I'm just saying


Sent from my iPod touch using LHCF

 

[empressri]

I don't give a damn what others do, smokers included. Just keep your cancer stick away from me.

 

[ms-gg]

I don't give a damn what others do, smokers included. Just keep your cancer stick away from me.

*Look's at Ri's siggy*

 

[Dposh167]

no...........

 

[AimWard]

I think we may look at relaxers in 20 years the same way we look at jheri curls now.

 

[keepithealthy]

I think that will only happen if a safer way to permanently relax hair is found. I don't see the desire for straight hair disappearing imo.

 

[lustrous]

Smoking (tabacco) is directly linked to death. esp via cancer. IMO relaxers arent that hardcore for most. I've yet to read a publication about relaxers causing mutations in my DNA and gene regulation. If that was indeed where this was even remotely headed, I'd transition yesterday lol.

Some people have sensitivites that do not allow them to relax. the same can be said for certain foods. ( i can't eat box ramen. It makes me really sick. all my sibs can. moral of the story- ramen isnt the devil lol) The comment in question just seems very apocalyptic to me but i can see where the commentator is coming from. If anything i forsee something along the lines of what danniegirl mentioned - "greener" relaxers or straightening solutions. I'm all for that. Just to add -I'm not looking for a heated debate lol or trying to stir up poop. Just voicing my 2 cents.

 

[NappyNelle]

No. That work require more studies proving the harm that chemicals can cause, documented deaths obviously due to relaxing, prevalence of use among ALL of society (In the US, AAs are only like 13% of the population) and governmental regulation of companies including an age restriction for purchases. Will that happen for such a 'small' slice of the population? Highly doubt it.

I think women will still want straight hair in the future, and relaxers won't be going anywhere.

 

[BillsBackerz67]

Im not sure what the surgeon generals warning would be when it comes to relaxers comparing smoking to relaxing hair....reaching imo.

 

[PersuasiveBeauty]

No. This will not be the case.

 

[lesedi]

I don't think so nor do I think we should. (i'm a smoker by the way)

 

[liberationtheory]

No more than looking at hair dryers or French fries or credit cards-- tolls that have the power to cause damage when not used properly.

And truth be told there are a LOT of natural women out there with damaged hair too because they don't know the proper care. So being natural isn't automatically the healthiest, IMO.


Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[LittleLuxe]

Doubtful. There will always be people who desire permanently straight hair. There will always be those who are willing to explore and wear their hair minus chemicals. There will always be those who waver between the two modes of expression. I think the great thing now is people see they have options and are really exploring them, though I suspect many might eventually return to relaxers but at least they really tried.

History would suggest things will always go up and down this way, look at the 70's and 80's of black hair vs. the 90's.

I could definitely see 'greener' relaxers though.

 

[bride91501]

No, I don't. As long as the ruling class in this society has something that is "coveted" (whether the thought is conscious or not), I don't think it will ever be viewed as dangerous or potentially deadly.

I'm not a natural hair extremist either, just keeping it real.

 

[MsBoinglicious]

Comparing relaxing to smoking makes no sense what so ever! How many people have died from cancer vs a relaxer. Like come on.

And how would you be able to tell who had a relaxer vs a natural with a press and curl? Straight hair is straight hair. Would these people who turn their noses up and avoid people relaxed hair be going around taking shed hair samples to determine relaxed straight from natural straight?

Reaching!

 

[Harina]

nah, i am more apt to think that thats how we will view brazillian blowouts. That ish is clearly off.

Relaxers... probably not. Just don't seem AS harmful, even though we know (and I have experienced) it can burn and damage.

Do you mean the keratin treatment?

I think that will only happen if a safer way to permanently relax hair is found. I don't see the desire for straight hair disappearing imo.

There is already a safe way to relax hair, just like there is already a safe way to dye hair. It's just most peeps don't know how to do it.

 

[sunnieb]

No, but I think most of the relaxers on the shelf will look different and have "greener" ingredients.

I also think stretching will be the norm and the era of monthly relaxers will be long gone.


Sent from my Comet

 

[hothair]

My mum is finding all this "movement" business hilarious as am I. Things happen in cycles, natural hair is back in fashion and that's great, but I can bet in the next year folk will be going back to wearing straight styles as fashion changes.

The difference would be that there would be more natural/less harmful relaxers such as Phyto for straightening, John Frieda too now has a 3 day straightening line, and I'm sure many more will come into the market

 

[candy626]

Interesting comparison. I agree with another poster, who mentioned Brazilian Keratin treatments may be looked at this way in the future (most contain formeldhyde which is known to cause cancer just like smoking)

But relaxers on the other hand? Probably not, UNLESS a safer and similar alternative is developed--one that is cheap and easy to use just like the current relaxers on the market.

 

[candy626]

No, but I think most of the relaxers on the shelf will look different and have "greener" ingredients.

I also think stretching will be the norm and the era of monthly relaxers will be long gone.


Sent from my Comet

I agree with you. All companies are trying to go "green" now because that's the trend. We'll see how long that lasts...

 

[Aireen]

In 20 years we will probably look at women (and men) with relaxers like we currently look at smokers?

I really think this question does not have a definite answer. It really all just depends. The increase of those going natural can be permanent — as time elapses, more people will be seen with their hair unaltered; can be a trend — an increase for a long period of time then a plateau or slow decrease; can be a fad — an increase with a heavy decline.

To take this question literally though, do people REALLY care? I know opinions of men with relaxers tend to be seen as unnecessary, unusual, unorthodox, etc. with side-eyes given but I really can't take this question literally especially for women. Women alter their appearance ALL the time for ANY given reason; sometimes to achieve a perceived standard of beauty, for their own preference, for the preference of someone else, etc. In my opinion, ultimately there will be men and women of all races always straightening their hair since it's an alternative style option. It seems silly that some people would take the time to care and judge others (regardless of gender) because of the way THEY choose to style THEIR hair. Just like it's silly to judge smokers for what they're doing to their own bodies — this may be pardoned though for the case of family members.

To be quite honest, I think that everyone should just focus on themselves and go on with their own lives regardless of any factors involved such as what an individual practices or how time has evolved beyond what said individual is practicing. It's hard to do though, it took me a while to just wake up and STOP worrying myself and STOP constantly taking time out of my day to care about what others are doing or not doing.

EDIT: I forgot to mention, I don't think the risk factors and side-effects of relaxer usage can be compared to that of smoking. From what I know, the worst case scenarios of relaxer usage are scalp burns and hair loss. From smoking, the risks are cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, etc. Smoking affects your health drastically, relaxing can affect vanity and health but in a more minute way in contrast to smoking. Another reason why I can't understand why in the future people will look at those that relax in the same way smokers are viewed.

 

[cabellera]

No. That work require more studies proving the harm that chemicals can cause, documented deaths obviously due to relaxing, prevalence of use among ALL of society (In the US, AAs are only like 13% of the population) and governmental regulation of companies including an age restriction for purchases. Will that happen for such a 'small' slice of the population? Highly doubt it.

I think women will still want straight hair in the future, and relaxers won't be going anywhere.

I agree, there won't be any deep studies done in regards to relaxers and besides it's a highly used product by choice and the Users aren't complaining. Can't say that it causes harm to others around them either.

As for people with relaxers getting the side eye, by WHO? The people who are the gate keepers with the access to educational, social and economical opportunities still have smooth and/or naturally straight hair. Relax heads fit in and do not threaten the status quo. I think the biggest change will be naturals investing more time, thought and energy in finding out and accepting the many characteristics of their hair, as well as bringing more products to the market and styling tools for natural afro hair. They'll begin to focus away from what people w/relaxers are doing and focus on themselves. IMO, this would be the more healthy direction.


Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[Blkrose]

Some go natural and just don't know how to act. Going natural isn't for everybody just like relaxers. There's a right and a wrong way to do relaxers just like a right and wrong way to treating natural hair. Nothings going to change but products. If anything being natural IMO is not going to be so taboo keep in mind way back when (I'm a 80s baby) there was no such thing as flat irons.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Nexus S 4G

 

[LiftedUp]

Who's this "we"? Women do many things to their hair and I think that 20 years from more new technology may allow women to permanently straighten their hair using other methods.

I will not equate the effects of a relaxer to that of smoking. Also if your friend gets sick from the sodium hydroxide that's in a relaxer then she should stop using products with sodium hydroxide in it. I get allergic reactions to benzoyl peroxide so I don't use products that has it but I won't equate it with smoking. Especially since it doesn't affect everyone in the same way.

 

[LongLeggedLife]

Its doubtful. Its gonna take far longer than 20 years for black women to collectively take pride in their natural hair, but I do think/hope we are headed in that direction.