Naturals that NEVER straighten...why not?

[LunadeMiel]

Are there any naturals in here that never straighten? Why not? Lately I've been losing the desire to straighten my hair. It has always been my plan to straighten once in a while to do length checks but now I have no desire to do so. Any other ladies feel the same way.

 

[FlowerHair]

Re: Natural that NEVER straighten...why not?

I straighten maybe once a year - at the most.
I don't have the energy...

If it was harmless, I would go to a salon and have it done more often, but I'm afraid of the heat damage.

 

[AfroKink]

I like my hair texture the way it is

Lys

 

[adw425]

I straightened in July and last week. I thought when I went natural that I would straigten all the time because I loved straight hair, but last week, although my hair turned out nicely and I still retained 90% straightness after working out, I couldn't wait to get home and co-wash to get my waves and curls back because I like them better. It took me an hour to flat-iron, too. So, for me, flat-ironing is very time-consuming; I like textured hair on me better now; and I still want to co-wash every night and I work out Monday - Friday, so it is counterproductive.

 

[anon123]

Re: Natural that NEVER straighten...why not?

I don't straighten. The last time my hair was really straightened was about 6 years ago, and that was just to satisfy the parents so they could get a "nice" picture of me. I used to use a blow dryer regularly, but it would just stretch the hair a little, still a very tight afro, just not a 100% shrunken afro. Now I mostly use twists to twistouts for that. I *just* bought a flat iron, though. Why haven't I straightened? In general because I don't know how and I won't go to salons to have it done. I went natural primarily out of hatred of salons. I used to have a flat iron a while ago, but since it was cheap and I had no idea what I was doing, I just got a blow out look:
http://public.fotki.com/mwedzi/pre-2007/shinae.html

But this Solia I got looks like it can get it pretty straight. I tried it out on just one twist, but I think I will do my whole head in a couple of weeks or whenever I build up the energy. For the most part, though, I don't care for straight hair on me enough to do what's necessary to have it. But we'll see how this flat ironing goes.

ETA: I just saw the poll. I checked all of them, haha. I'm afraid of the flaming tools of hair torture (considering my tenderheadedness that is a very accurate description for the pressing comb), it takes a lot of time (which I have but don't want to use straightening my hair), I prefer my hair kinky, I wasn't afraid of the damage before hair boards but now I am, and the "other" because I don't have the knowledge and hate salons and their painful ways too much to have someone else do it. Hahaha, I guess it's easy to see why I haven't straightened in so long.

 

[NigerianGirl]

I am afraid to straighten my hair because it is healthy for the most part and has had no heat at all for 2 years................................

 

[JustKiya]

I like my hair 'curly', and I'm scared of heat. I've got very fine hair, and I've got bad memories of hot combs/curling irons/heat in general on my hair, and I'm cheap, so I haven't brought a flatiron, and I refuse to step foot in a salon for them to put heat on my hair (that's just ASKING for damage) and I'm lazy, and I live in a humid city, and I think totally straight hair is kinda boring, and even if I did straighten it, I would most likely slap it right up into a bun or twists as I HATE having strands of hair brushing on my ears/face/eyes/lips, so........ yeah. I haven't had straight hair since.... *thinks* 97? 98? And I really don't miss it, in the least.

 

[mscocoface]

I started on a challenge of no heat for a year and that was 2 years ago and I just haven't bothered.

I still remember what it took to make my hair look straight, blow dry, pressing comb then flat iron.

I have the type of hair that has to be trained to be straight because it will revert in literally a day or two.

It is a lot of work so I am have not tried to do it, although I have thought about it, but those thoughts have been few and far between.

 

[KEWLKAT103]

I'm not in the Never category, but I rarely straighten. Once so far for this year and probably one more time at years end.
My reasons:
I like my hair natural
It's less time consuming
I work out often and don't want to worry about keeping the straight look
I don't want to risk the damage

 

[BKVincy]

I straighten my hair last weekend to trim and check lenght
that was the first time in two years since ive been natural that I straighten. But now that im on LHCF I now how to do it without causing damage (yes it can be done)

I will continue to do once a year

 

[Fine 4s]

I haven't had a straight style in over 1 year and these days managing my natural BSL is getting difficult. All the tangles and knots are driving me KKKKrazayyyy. I need to get a trim and see how that goes.

My hair looks similar to Southern Tease's siggy when wet. Kinks on the top, straight hair on the bottom but mine is due to heat damage and not a perm. I haven't straighten my hair b/c I'm scared to undo all the hard work I've put in to get healthy hair AND I want to achieve a certain length before I blow dry.

If my trim is not too deep, I should be where I'm aiming for by the end of this year and then I'll revisit the straightening option erplexed

Honeslty, I haven't explored all my options natural such as a straw set, a flexi rod or a rollerset. I have to do all that before I go all out bone straight (just the thought of that scares me).

So for the ladies who haven't straightened yet, are you EVER going to?

 

[laurend]

I'm afraid of heat and I teach 5 group exercise classes a week, so it would be a waste of time.

 

[ladylibra]

I'm not in the Never category, but I rarely straighten. Once so far for this year and probably one more time at years end.
My reasons:
I like my hair natural
It's less time consuming
I work out often and don't want to worry about keeping the straight look
I don't want to risk the damage

ditto to everything sis. usually when i straighten it's to trim, which isn't really necessary but i only trim once a year so i figure why not see what it looks like straight while i'm at it.

i'm blowing one of my once-or-twice-a-year flat ironings sometime this month cuz i'm gonna visit my stylist. i might not even do it later in the year if Curlformers work well for me (or ever again for that matter).

 

[InnerSoul]

I don't want to risk the damage of heating tools on my hair. Of course I am also waiting on length. When I become SL unstretched then I may purchase a ceramic flat iron and use a heat protectant.. but it would be that one time, but I will still be nervous and really don't want to risk the health of my hair. I understand all about length checks but I can just stretch with my finger to see how long it is, and I refuse to become dependent on heat for styling​

 

[JustKiya]

So for the ladies who haven't straightened yet, are you EVER going to?

I suspect I will, at some point. Maybe a rollerset? I've got some foam rollers in the cabinet...

I don't know. If and when I do straighten, I know that I will be doing it at home, and that's going to require the purchase of additional equipment (unless some Fairy HairMother blesses me with a MaxiGlide), and I don't see the purchase of one anytime in my near future - so I can't say NEVER, but I can say purt damn unlikely.

 

[discodumpling]

I straightened in December and it took longer than I expected for my hair to get back to an acceptable texture. So hell yeah i'm scared of heat damage and hot flaming tools of torture.

It was not time consuming to str8ten but having flat, pin str8 hair just didn't look right on me anymore and I was reminded of some of the reasons I stopped relaxing.

I like wetting my hair everyday. I accept shrinkage as just another of my hair's natural protection mechanisms.
..I hope my Maxiglide doesn't get rusty

 

[gmw]

I am not in Never category, but in the past 10yrs I have put heat in my head 5 times.

And I did it myself. I am not going to a salon for a damn thing! They are crazy.... (not all of them but er uh... ) Plus my hair is thick... too thick to think about heat styling all the time. Working out, daily washes, and a whole bunch of other reasons, stop me from wanting my hair straight that often... It just isn't worth it....

 

[Cichelle]

I haven't straightened my hair in years for various reasons. I haven't straightened it since the big chop because I didn't come this far to experience heat damage. I think I've read a few too many bad stories. I am always thinking of straightening it and planning on it...but I never go through with it. Part of the reason is that I prefer wearing my hair as it is, so I don't need to worry about reversion or running from the rain, etc. Laziness plays a part in there, too. But I might straighten this year. Really.

 

[loolalooh]

It's a combination of a number of those things, but I'd say my number one reason is HEAT DAMAGE. I already have a bit from while I was transitioning (it only took ONE time) and that's enough to scare for a long time.

 

[LunadeMiel]

Thanks for the replies ladies.

People keep pressuring me to straighten my hair and frankly, that's not something I want to do right now.

OT:
Cichelle...my stalkee...please update that album. I need a fix. Like an insane person, I clik on your fotki several times a day hoping for an updated. Please end my misery....

 

[mscocoface]

Thanks for the replies ladies.

People keep pressuring me to straighten my hair and frankly, I that's not something I want to do right now.

OT:
Cichelle...my stalkee...please update that album. I need a fix. Like an insane person, I clik on your fotki several times a day hoping for an updated. Please end my misery....

You do you. When and if you want to straighten your hair then that is when you do it. No one is going to deal with taking care of it so don't let them pressure you.

I understand about the stalking and needing a fix of an update. I am a happy camper when Sonce and Sera 252 update their fotkis. I think I need an intervention!

 

[LynnieB]

i know you asked for never ever's and the only thing never ever about me is to never relax again LOL (dang they took away the smilies).

i use heat occasionally and prefer blowing it out more than flatironning. whichever i do the appliances are always on their lowest settings and i always use heat protectants even for a warm/cool blowdry.

i'm also very concerned about heat damage so i keep it down to maybe every couple months but it's gotten to the point where flatironed hair feels weird and i prefer keep some texture by lightly blowdrying over the stick straight look and i really prefer natural styles above either one.

Sometimes it's nice to switch things up and enjoy your hard work by doing what you want to do when you feel like doing it, you just have to be very careful.

funny you posted this topic cause i just did a light blow-out this morning hehe.

eta: @ least with a blow-out, who cares whether it reverts or not !!!!

 

[InnerSoul]

i know you asked for never ever's and the only thing never ever about me is to never relax again LOL (dang they took away the smilies).

i use heat occasionally and prefer blowing it out more than flatironning. whichever i do the appliances are always on their lowest settings and i always use heat protectants even for a warm/cool blowdry.

i'm also very concerned about heat damage so i keep it down to maybe every couple months but it's gotten to the point where flatironed hair feels weird and i prefer keep some texture by lightly blowdrying over the stick straight look and i really prefer natural styles above either one.

Sometimes it's nice to switch things up and enjoy your hard work by doing what you want to do when you feel like doing it, you just have to be very careful.

funny you posted this topic cause i just did a light blow-out this morning hehe.

eta: @ least with a blow-out, who cares whether it reverts or not !!!!

Lynnie, girl you know you have some pretty hair atop that head of yours!

 

[ladylibra]

eta: @ least with a blow-out, who cares whether it reverts or not !!!!

your avi and your siggy are GORGEOUS LynnieB! off to do more Fotki stalking

 

[LynnieB]

Lynnie, girl you know you have some pretty hair atop that head of yours!

Thank you Innersoul - you do too!!!!

eTa a thank-you to LadyLibra (girl you're crazy (yea my smilies came back)).

 

[Cichelle]

Thanks for the replies ladies.

People keep pressuring me to straighten my hair and frankly, that's not something I want to do right now.

OT:
Cichelle...my stalkee...please update that album. I need a fix. Like an insane person, I clik on your fotki several times a day hoping for an updated. Please end my misery....

I'm sorry! We are in the middle of getting our home ready to sell and packing up to move. It's a lot of work! When we are done with this remodeling/packing, I'm going to really try to update my fotki. I'm hoping no later than June. Thank you so much for keeping up with my progress!

 

[TaraDyan]

i know you asked for never ever's and the only thing never ever about me is to never relax again LOL (dang they took away the smilies).

i use heat occasionally and prefer blowing it out more than flatironning. whichever i do the appliances are always on their lowest settings and i always use heat protectants even for a warm/cool blowdry.

i'm also very concerned about heat damage so i keep it down to maybe every couple months but it's gotten to the point where flatironed hair feels weird and i prefer keep some texture by lightly blowdrying over the stick straight look and i really prefer natural styles above either one.

Sometimes it's nice to switch things up and enjoy your hard work by doing what you want to do when you feel like doing it, you just have to be very careful.

funny you posted this topic cause i just did a light blow-out this morning hehe.

eta: @ least with a blow-out, who cares whether it reverts or not !!!!

I'm not fully natural yet, so I can't add to the conversation. I just wanted to pop in here to say:

LYNNIE ... YOUR HAIR IS !!!

 

[spacetygrss]

I simply have no desire to straighten. 7 years into this natural journey and I adore my kinks and coils!

 

[Sweet_Ambrosia]

I haven’t straighten my hair in nearly 2 years, mainly because I prefer natural/curly styles over straight. If I’m craving a straight look (which is rarely) I usually do a ponytail roller set w/o heat. I will dust off my flat iron eventually though maybe this Sept. just to check my length more accurately.

 

[Sunshine0801]

I have never straightened my hair since I did the BC four years ago. I plan to straighten it once it reaches WL (I'm an inch or two past BSL right now), but no sooner. I don't really like the look of straight hair on me if it is not very long.

I do love my naps though. When I finally do straighten my hair, it will probably only be once a year.