2008 Reflection...Some Sobering Truths

[Christelyn]

It is hard for me to believe, but my hair actually does better (e.g. doesn't break as much, tangle and generally look a hot mess) when it's straightened. Earlier last year I was part of the No Heat Challenge, but regretfully, I must withdraw.

When I first endeavored to go natural--wearing twists and twist outs, rollersets--I was so emboldened and so sure that my hair would thrive. I couldn't have been more wrong. For me, my natural hair snapped more, split more and broke off much more than when I washed and pressed my hair every two weeks, as opposed to every few days wearing a natural (I had to, or it would dread, and we all know what a mess that can be).

So, with my ends newly trimmed, well...not so newly--it's been since before Thanksgiving, I'm going back to the press and curl every two weeks. Luckily for me I've learned enough from this board and all the You Tube videos that I can do it mostly myself, except for the occasional trims.

Anyone else have a similar story?

 

[Lucky's Mom]

I know centered Girl has discussed this with me..
I plan to wear straighter styles this year.

I can TOTALLY relate!

 

[Christelyn]

I know centered Girl has discussed this with me..
I plan to wear straighter styles this year.

I can TOTALLY relate!

I glad you can. But I wonder why, I mean from a structural standpoint, would that be the case? Applying stress (pressing/straightening) actually reduces more stress (less points for breakage).

 

[Healthb4Length]

You must do what works for you, if pressing every few weeks and maintaining works for you continue to do so. I know your hair will strive!

 

[Christelyn]

bumping...wondering if others have also experienced this. And perhaps some insights or explanations...

 

[SUPER SWEET]

Well my snapping and knots have gotten so bad, i actually thought about going to CVS in the middle of the night to get a relaxer The only miracle product has been sabino moisture block. But that only does so much when it's time to wash, detangle and blowdry.. I wonder if i keep doing the straight style will I be able to wash and go? Or will I have to do twistouts or strawsets for a coil look.

 

[Libra08]

I completely understand you. Rollersets are great and all, but I get so much breakage and my hair seems so much dryer. Now I just blow dry on my hair straight on cool and do braidouts. Works like a charm! I hope you have much success in the new year!

 

[nakialovesshoes]

Well my snapping and knots have gotten so bad, i actually thought about going to CVS in the middle of the night to get a relaxer The only miracle product has been sabino moisture block. But that only does so much when it's time to wash, detangle and blowdry.. I wonder if i keep doing the straight style will I be able to wash and go? Or will I have to do twistouts or strawsets for a coil look.

I've posted a thread about being fed up w/my natural hair. I have retained way less hair than I was retaining when I was relaxed & that's mainly b/c of the microscopic knots. @ 1st I was sure I wanted 2 go back 2 relaxing & then I considered the BKT...

But 4 now I've decided 2 just be a straight haired natural & @ least make it 2 BSL b4 I even entertain chemicals again.

Check out Pinkskates thread on naturals that straighten - that is 1 of the best threads 4 straight haired naturals. BTW, she still has her texture & she straightens every other week.

HTH...

 

[anniev2]

I feel you! I just wrote a blog about going back to the chemicals. But after I read this its like i forgot that duh i can straighten my natural hair myself and not use chemicals. I straightened it last week and the sheen was unbelievable. I can't wait to do it again. I have bantu knots in now (with a sore scalp.) If these don't come out looking nice then tmrw I'm straightening my hair and not looking back. I'm going to get the first FHI hot off the production line and keep it moving.


One of the first tidbits of wisdom I got when I came to this board was "you've had your hair forever, remember what you've done in the past that worked for you to help make common sense decisions." I'd like to think that's what I'm going to do now by deciding to be a 75% of the time straight natural (whatever that means)

also, i want to enjoy my hair and not have it to be a chore. if i have to pop a pill to get some growth or prevent shedding for the rest of my life then i really don't want the length or lack of shedding/breakage or whatever it is i'm trying to achieve as a result of that regimen because I know me and I wont be able to keep it up forever.

Again, i think people who stay with it are determined and i'm sure that exudes in other areas of their life. I just don't want my hair to be like a 5th limb. Why wear a cast all the time to protect your arm just b/c it might break. Then u never end up using that arm and enjoying the function of two arms. Anyway, its late and i bet i'm NOT making any sense.

 

[girlyprincess23]

when my hair was texlaxe and very curly and was wet most of the time it was in the worst shape every. My hair actually likes heat and prefers to be dry and straight or loosely curled by rollerset most (all) of the time.

 

[luxe.li.]

I was wondering about this. When I was transitioning I kept my hair straight and it grew 3.5 to 4 inches in 6 months, now I plan to keep it in its natural state until March 31, because bootcamp to see if I can get my hair to grow longer faster.

I'll see if washing my hair all the time will stunt my grow just purely on manipulation. I need to find a steady regimen because I try any and everything and that could also stunt my growth; no consistency.

So my regimen until March is flat iron once a month for special occasions until March 31st, pre-poo once a week, clarify and cleanse once a week, conditioner wash 3-4 times a week, apply Giovanni Direct Leave in, Knot Today, and throw on a head band, or a beanie cap for days I don't feel like showing hair.....

I can say I wore my hair in its natural state for a week straight and when I finally straightened it for an event my friends said my hair look amazing shiny! And when I do straighten I'm going to use Chi instead of oil.....

 

[Christelyn]

I feel you! I just wrote a blog about going back to the chemicals. But after I read this its like i forgot that duh i can straighten my natural hair myself and not use chemicals. I straightened it last week and the sheen was unbelievable. I can't wait to do it again. I have bantu knots in now (with a sore scalp.) If these don't come out looking nice then tmrw I'm straightening my hair and not looking back. I'm going to get the first FHI hot off the production line and keep it moving.


One of the first tidbits of wisdom I got when I came to this board was "you've had your hair forever, remember what you've done in the past that worked for you to help make common sense decisions." I'd like to think that's what I'm going to do now by deciding to be a 75% of the time straight natural (whatever that means)

also, i want to enjoy my hair and not have it to be a chore. if i have to pop a pill to get some growth or prevent shedding for the rest of my life then i really don't want the length or lack of shedding/breakage or whatever it is i'm trying to achieve as a result of that regimen because I know me and I wont be able to keep it up forever.

Again, i think people who stay with it are determined and i'm sure that exudes in other areas of their life. I just don't want my hair to be like a 5th limb. Why wear a cast all the time to protect your arm just b/c it might break. Then u never end up using that arm and enjoying the function of two arms. Anyway, its late and i bet i'm NOT making any sense.

That cast analogy was perfect, despite your sleepiness you make complete sense. Looking back on what worked best for my hair, I'd have to say the press, hands down. It was the only time I was APL.

 

[AtlantaJJ]

Thanks so much for posting this. I know for a fact that with my hair type and the way it loves to curl on itself, I am going to have to STRETCH my hair and wear it stretched in some way to retain length. I have resigned myself to that.

Bint recently posted in a thread something similar. She said the hair has to dry stretched to avoid the knots and splits. So even if I don't straighten I will at least have to do a braid out on blow dried hair.

So you won't be alone!

 

[luxe.li.]

I might already know what this mean, but how do you stretch?

 

[Christelyn]

Bumping to see if anyone else would like to join the discussion!

 

[Renewed1]

It was like that for me when I was transitioning. I tried to transition twice but it was bad. I couldn't do anything with my 4b hair. I couldn't take it anymore so I went back to relaxing. Now I just take better care of my relax hair.

I regret trying to go natural; I believe my hair would have been longer by now. Oh well!

 

[Junebug D]

I might already know what this mean, but how do you stretch?

Stretch in twists or braids, some ladies do banding. Anything that doesn't let your hair dry in its shrunken state.

In my sig pic, I dried in a few big haphazard twists for the first time in forever, the difference is remarkable.

 

[Poohbear]

It is hard for me to believe, but my hair actually does better (e.g. doesn't break as much, tangle and generally look a hot mess) when it's straightened. Earlier last year I was part of the No Heat Challenge, but regretfully, I must withdraw.

When I first endeavored to go natural--wearing twists and twist outs, rollersets--I was so emboldened and so sure that my hair would thrive. I couldn't have been more wrong. For me, my natural hair snapped more, split more and broke off much more than when I washed and pressed my hair every two weeks, as opposed to every few days wearing a natural (I had to, or it would dread, and we all know what a mess that can be).

So, with my ends newly trimmed, well...not so newly--it's been since before Thanksgiving, I'm going back to the press and curl every two weeks. Luckily for me I've learned enough from this board and all the You Tube videos that I can do it mostly myself, except for the occasional trims.

Anyone else have a similar story?

Interesting... I somewhat feel the same way. I feel like my natural hair is thriving better (retains more length) when I have it straightened from heat. When I wear it in it's natural state (shrunken, twists, afros, puffs, etc.), I tend to manipulate it more for some reason and want to switch up different styles all the time. With it straightened, I can leave it alone more.

 

[Christelyn]

It was like that for me when I was transitioning. I tried to transition twice but it was bad. I couldn't do anything with my 4b hair. I couldn't take it anymore so I went back to relaxing. Now I just take better care of my relax hair.

I regret trying to go natural; I believe my hair would have been longer by now. Oh well!

I feel that way too. I won't relax, just press. But I feel like I lost a lot more length during the 6-8 months I tried to go completely natural.

 

[~VicTorIAn~]

::Agrees:: My hair thrived when I straightened consistently, although I was hair care ignorant. Everyone should do what works for them and not what other people say will work for them. To each his own right?

 

[Christelyn]

Some things that I will do in the future: do pin curls instead of plastic rollers (too much mechanical breakage, plus balding spots where follicles were blocked). I'm also going to continue bun-ing and remain in that challenge.

 

[miss Congeniality]

I realize that my hair does better in protective styles. Wearing my hair out strains my ends. It is better to work with my hair in quads.

 

[Faith]

I have had to start blowdrying my hair. I was thinking maybe start flatironing 1x/week but that may be too much heat. Then I thought why not 2x/month but that means not washing for 14 days...that's also too much. So today I tried blowdrying and it straightening my hair enough to avoid the knots on the ends and it gave me enough length to bun my hair up. I think I will blowdry 2x/week on low/cool. Maybe give that a try.

 

[Cheleigh]

I dunno. I might try to straighten my hair more this year. My hair grew from a 5" BC to just below bra strap with almost no straightening, and not a whole lot of protective styles except bunning. HOWEVER, in order for my hair to not get a lot of knots, dreads, and splits, I MUST DC and detangle weekly, and that's what's NOT happening.

So, maybe if I wear my hair semi-straightened or fully straightened more often, it will compensate for my lack of interest in detangling and deep conditioning, or maybe I'll be more compelled to DC more often because I'm so concerned about heat damage? perplexed Like I said, I just dunno. If I could stick to my regimen, I wouldn't need to think about doing this ((sigh)).

 

[LadyPaniolo]

We are >>>>>>>>>>here<<<<<<<<<<<< on straightening to avoid knots and tangling. Combing out all the snarls and knots is costing me so much length! My ends are thin from having to constantly comb out tangles, which breaks my hair off.

I'm going to try be a straightened natural, and if that doesn't work, I will go back to relaxing. I will give this natural thing 6 more months. My 30th birthday is coming in June. If I haven't gotten the hang of this yet by then I will relax.

The only thing is that I plan to have more children and I refuse to use relaxer while pregnant.... and 9 months is a LONG time to stretch a relaxer.

 

[kelkel]

quick question..... where do the knots come from? it seems like every other strand of my hair has a knot in it......

 

[Christelyn]

Quick update: This method is really working for me. I'm seeing way less breakage and my hair holds moisture so much better.