Naturals that went back to relaxing, any regrets?

[Saludable84]

I am regretting big time, relaxers aren't for me. I had my last relaxer Sept 1, 2013 and it was horrible. Let me say that it BURNED like hell, the stylist didn't properly base my scalp. When I was complaining that it burned she decided to put some oil on my scalp, I never understand why stylists do this or try to spray your scalp thats not going to stop or ease the burning sensation. Then when she finally took it out I felt sick when I say sick like my scalp was in pain and extremely sensitive. I finally got home and I see a piece of my skin near my hairline missing, I am not even kidding . The next day I woke up and all the hair was stuck to my scalp, NEVER AGAIN. I am now transitioning again and I won't go back. I can't keep up with the you can't scratch your scalp days before the relaxers etc is too much for me plus my hair doesn't retain length when I am relaxed.

This is why I don't go to stylist.

I scratch while I'm relaxing and I NEVER have a problem. And I have a sensitive scalp :/

 

[Blessed&higlyflavoured]

I'm considering it. My hairs nice and healthy now but i cant do anything with it because it's too thick for me to handle comfortably.

But I think my scalp would revolt. I've only just recently come to realise how sensitive my skin is. I dont think i'll be able to handle it. :S

 

[coolsista-paris]

hey ive been natural for 5 years...... what to say: im bored with it now.

i used to style more when relaxed... i enjoyed mu natural hair but im done.
im fighting on a setback right now( the 1 st one îd say). i cut my crown back to ear length when the rest is bsb....
ive been trying to catch up for over a month its still the same weard hair... broken,changed texture,etc. i thought "just cut everythig"

i decided that i will finally cut to a bob style or pixie. i actually want this :

http://youtu.be/00NJ-N7Xv9k

from bsb to that short style. îll rock it until im fed up.... then let it grow (.relaxed or texlaxed).
if i ever want to go natural again,î´ll do so when i feel like it.

for now i need a change!
im gonna relax and cut on 7th december normally.

 

[LaNecia]

This is a great thread! I've been natural for 3.5 years now and while I miss the straight hair styling options, I don't miss the hair strands all over the bathroom from my hair being relaxed. My strands are super fine. Currently I'm headed to APL and my hair is the longest it's EVER been. I'm learning to maintain a moisture balance and not let my ends run wild unless I want to fight the knots. I went through about 6 weeks of pressing my hair and it got even drier, Texlaxing gave inconsistent results. I don't wear weaves and wigs anymore. Wash days are a lot of work but that's small in comparison to the work I put in for YEARS trying to get my hair just to shoulder length when relaxed. So now I leave it be and it's happy. I'm happy with it natural.

 

[longhairdreaming]

I was natural for 10years and texlaxed in March '13 after thinking about it and researching relaxers/relaxed hair care for a good year. I have no regrets and love being able to detangle my 4b/c hair so quickly.

 

[apemay1969]

I'm beginning to be afraid of my upcoming texlax. It was easy on virgin hair. I'm only 6 weeks post and I'm shooting for 10-12. I'm scurred.

 

[greight]

Yes I regretted it! I went natural back in 2009, didn't know how to handle the SSKs, the in between styling stage, etc... so I went back to a relaxer in 2010. My hair started looking all thin and lifeless again, shedding and breaking so I went back natural in 2011. And so far I don't regret this. I know how to care for my natural hair now. I know what it can and can't do, and it's longer and thicker than it's ever been. There were some good years with my relaxed hair too prior to the first time I went natural, but it was too hit or miss and I never got to a true shoulder length.

Now, I will admit though... if it weren't for the new BKT alternative treatments I probably would've texlaxed by now. So, as long as they keep making these I'm good.

This will hopefully be me.

I'm going to BKT or do Design Essentials before the end of the year. If they don't work out, I will texlax and not look back! I paid my dues, I've been natural for almost 10 years.

 

[DDTexlaxed]

I keep going back and forth between relaxed and natural. I am never satisfied. I am natural now,but I am thinking about texlaxing because my hair was more healthy. My ends are suffering from protective styles. Light heat training has failed. I will be texlaxing again for good. No more big chops.

 

[NGraceO]

hey ive been natural for 5 years...... what to say: im bored with it now. i used to style more when relaxed... i enjoyed mu natural hair but im done. im fighting on a setback right now( the 1 st one îd say). i cut my crown back to ear length when the rest is bsb.... ive been trying to catch up for over a month its still the same weard hair... broken,changed texture,etc. i thought "just cut everythig" i decided that i will finally cut to a bob style or pixie. i actually want this : http://youtu.be/00NJ-N7Xv9k from bsb to that short style. îll rock it until im fed up.... then let it grow (.relaxed or texlaxed). if i ever want to go natural again,î´ll do so when i feel like it. for now i need a change! im gonna relax and cut on 7th december normally.

The bolded is how I felt/ feel abt my hair prior to texlaxing the first time.

 

[Urban]

I was natural for 8 years. Texlaxed just over a month ago. No regrets whatsoever. At this point in my life, I have no time or patience for natural hair. I was cutting so much because I couldn't be bothered dealing with tangles after spending an hour detangling. No sir. I would've ended up with no hair!

 

[JudithO]

No regrets at all. Life is much easier for me, retention is better for me too cos I have to manipulate a lot less.

 

[Anailuj]

No regrets at all. Life is much easier for me, retention is better for me too cos I have to manipulate a lot less.

I'm going to relax/texlax my natural hair by Friday. I enjoy my 4c hair but since having two more babies, I've no time to invest on it, I'm also tired off the tangles. I'm ready for a new HHJ chapter

 

[VictoriousBrownFlower]

I love the results of my relaxer. I can wear straight styles and they last longer. You can see my length. Its just all around a better world to be in. I loved being natural but I grew out of it. Now I want to wear straight styles. I did what I wanted which was see what my natural hair was like. Now I know and am ready to move forward from here.

 

[Anailuj]

hey ive been natural for 5 years...... what to say: im bored with it now.

i used to style more when relaxed... i enjoyed mu natural hair but im done.
im fighting on a setback right now( the 1 st one îd say). i cut my crown back to ear length when the rest is bsb....
ive been trying to catch up for over a month its still the same weard hair... broken,changed texture,etc. i thought "just cut everythig"

i decided that i will finally cut to a bob style or pixie. i actually want this :

http://youtu.be/00NJ-N7Xv9k

from bsb to that short style. îll rock it until im fed up.... then let it grow (.relaxed or texlaxed).
if i ever want to go natural again,î´ll do so when i feel like it.

for now i need a change!
im gonna relax and cut on 7th december normally.

I'm having a similar problem.
The area in my crown, is way s shorter (nl), than the rest (apl).
When I relax it, I'm not planning to cut it even, but what I plan to do is just bun it most of the time, and trimming it gradually.

 

[coolsista-paris]

I was natural for 8 years. Texlaxed just over a month ago. No regrets whatsoever. At this point in my life, I have no time or patience for natural hair. I was cutting so much because I couldn't be bothered dealing with tangles after spending an hour detangling. No sir. I would've ended up with no hair!

ive been combing, cutting... the " i dont care" attitude. fed up if thisw ive never liked spending hours on hair.... oh my i had to with natural hair. im already speaking in the past when i havent yet relaxed. i cant wait!!!!

 

[coolsista-paris]

I'm going to relax/texlax my natural hair by Friday. I enjoy my 4c hair but since having two more babies, I've no time to invest on it, I'm also tired off the tangles. I'm ready for a new HHJ chapter

i do like my natural 4b.... but hey, no time no patience:
work full time. 2 young kids, studying full lessons at home, applying as a trainee, searching for a new job in the futur....... tired!

 

[coolsista-paris]

I'm having a similar problem. The area in my crown, is way s shorter (nl), than the rest (apl). When I relax it, I'm not planning to cut it even, but what I plan to do is just bun it most of the time, and trimming it gradually.

good idea. as long as you get rid of the damaged parts. im ready for a fresh cut ( scared , its a lot of lenght im gonna cut)!

 

[Smiley79]

Time is a factor that would probably make me consider going back to relaxed without regret. Natural hair is so time consuming! So far I'm hanging in there though and continuing my natural journey.

 

[coolsista-paris]

Time is a factor that would probably make me consider going back to relaxed without regret. Natural hair is so time consuming! So far I'm hanging in there though and continuing my natural journey.

yes hang in. only relax when you are ready and have taken time to think of it well.
its been like a year ive had relaxing in mind.

 

[Smiley79]

yes hang in. only relax when you are ready and have taken time to think of it well.
its been like a year ive had relaxing in mind.

Yes I agree. the last time I gave up natural, it was for that exact reason and I regretted it after a few months. So I'd hate to make the same mistake twice. Overall, being natural is great for my scalp which is something that a relaxer can't offer me. But, sometimes I feel like the time spent on my natural hair is not realistic to my schedule so it can be a little discouraging, lol. (Especially when the outcomes of the time spent are rarely cute)
BUt I got a trick: whenever I feel this way, I'm slapping some box braids in my head before I have a chance to slap a relaxer in my head.
I may relax one day again, who knows; But I been there done that aleady and am enjoying doing somethign new, so for now I wanna continue my HHJ as a natural.

I totally went off topic with my reply. Sorry!

 

[naturalagain2]

I've been feening to relax my hair! I'm so scared though. I knew nothing about a HHJ when I was relaxed and would love to see how far my hair would go with a relaxer.

 

[Smiley79]

I still believe that relaxed or natural, anyone can have a HHJ. Just gotta go with what works best for your hair.

 

[coolsista-paris]

I've been feening to relax my hair! I'm so scared though. I knew nothing about a HHJ when I was relaxed and would love to see how far my hair would go with a relaxer.

i also kneW nothing about a hhj when relaxed. i bet îll do fine this time.

i really am chocked of the way i treated my relaxed hair before..... omg! the most stupid stupid mistakes that of course kept me to sl.....

 

[SunRai Naturals]

Whatever happens I am not going to have any regrets because I am not afraid of shaving it off & starting my natural journey again. I've been natural for 14 years & I'm ready for change.
I'm looking forward to using what I've learned about hair care on my relaxed hair & hopefully it will thrive. I'm still researching but I've already decided that Im going to do it.

 

[LuxeDoll]

I don't regret it at all. Couldn't stand the shrinkage of being natural, plus styling time was a pain. I didn't go back fully relaxed because I didn't want very weak hair and I still wanted some texture, so I ended up texturizing. (pics below) I can do wash n' go's, very low maintenance styles, etc. with no fuss. Love it !

 

[Urban]

I did a retouch yesterday which came out great. Just came back in here to say my only regret is actually not texlaxing sooner. My hair would be so much longer by now. All that time wasted on detangling plus all the chopping

 

[Renewed1]

I love being relaxed. Like I loved being natural and texlaxed. Hair, IMO - black hair, is more versatile so I can do whatever I want.

But with relaxed hair I have more time on my hands.

 

[coolsista-paris]

well after my post in october...... im transitionning. sounds silly huh? lol
i relaxed in december 2013 after being relaxer free for 6 years.
i havent touched up... im 10 months post!

first of all... the styler relaxed bone straight in my opinion.... it was ok, but i felt bald When she finished styling it.

i then told myself i will do my touch up alone (after visiting salons, none of them inspired me)..
as i have fine hair, and medium a little, i was so scared to do it myself and mess it up . so i thought, ok wait and see..... that how i accidently ended up transitionning.
at 4 month post i said "ok why not try again and go natural, learn more of being a straight natural"

sorry for being long. wanted to share

 

[*CherryPie*]

I love having relaxed hair. I loved having natural hair. But relaxed hair is easier for me. It's almost one year since I relaxed my hair. I have no regrets. Anyway, if I want my natural hair again, I know where to find it.

 

[Perfexion]

I'm so glad I came on the board today and found this thread. I'm sitting in my bathroom now with a box perm trying to decide if I'm really throwing in the towel after 3 years of being natural. I'm only half way through the thread but I've already decided to go through with it.

I went natural because I thought it was healthier and I really thought I was going to have hair like naptural85- big and shiny and thick, and I was going to always have it in some awesome natural style. Well 3 years later and I have yet to pull off a successful braid out, or twist out, I can't cornrow to save my life and I've worn my hair in bun styles so long that my hair line is starting to break off and thin. I also wear wash n gos and puffs but I don't have to tell you what a nightmare that is to detangle! I dread wash day!

I never had this problem when I was relaxed. As a matter of fact, I went one summer where I washed my hair every day and wore wet buns and my hair went from shoulder length to bra strap length in 3 or 4 months. My natural hair has been stuck at shoulder length since last September. I was trying to find a new regimen for length retention and the answer seems to be to spend MORE time on my hair. I can't do it. It's gotten to the point where I hate my hair now. I used to love doing my hair. Now it just seems like a chore.

I got my hair professionally straightened a month ago and it took 2 people ripping through my hair and a million watts of heat to get it straight. I wanted to get it done again though because my hair looked amazing when they were done, but I don't want to go through that experience again. So I'm relaxing my hair. I feel like a quitter and I probably will regret it at some point but I'll get over it eventually. I need to fall in love with my hair again.