Are you still natural if you do a BKT?

[laurend]

I don't think so but that's my opinion. Anything that turns nappy hair straight even when you add water to it, I think is no longer natural. I feel if you do a BKT treatment that's fine but I don't think you should call yourself natural anymore. What do you think? No fights please.

 

[Kismet79]

I agree with you.

 

[that_1_grrrl]

Hmmm... I don't know about that one. BKT is not permanent, so are they only not-natural until their hair reverts again?

I really don't know the answer to that.

 

[simplie_lovable]

Well you have a good point here. To me it is a lot like getting a relaxer (they can both be reverted) but, the BKT takes you back to natural faster than a relaxer would. Another thing that makes it different from a relaxer is the fact that if you are transitioning you can put it on and when it reverts you are back to where you left off not starting all over.

 

[Keen]

I think you're still natural because the changes are not permanent. But enough with the terminology, as long as you're happy with your hair does it matter?

 

[Maracujá]

I wanna read different viewpoints.

 

[MsBoinglicious]

Hmmm that’s a tricky one. I don't know a lot about the treatment but from what I understand, that after 3-4 months it wears off and your natural state returns? So I guess that would just make you temporarily not natural? It’s not permanent like a texturizer where you have to cut it out...the straightness just wears off!

I will let the BKT ladies chime in on this one and see what others say. Because I thought about this as well.

 

[LiberianGirl]

I wanna read different viewpoints.

Me too and hopefully people can give their opinions in a respectful mannererplexed

 

[natural_one]

I dont have BKT, but I believe you are still natural since it doesnt permanently change your texture like a relaxer does. A relaxer doesnt wear off after a certain amount of time..If you arent considered natural after a BKT, then are you still natural after putting in color? Color is permanent, BKT isnt..

 

[FlowerHair]

What is this BKT really? What is the chemical in it?
I've seen all the threads, but never read them...

ETA ok after reading more about it, I'm inclined to say that you're not natural until the chemicals have worn out of your hair. I don't know why it should matter though...
Formaldehyde is quite strong.

It all depends on how you define natural, of course.

 

[glamazon386]

Well you have a good point here. To me it is a lot like getting a relaxer (they can both be reverted) but, the BKT takes you back to natural faster than a relaxer would. Another thing that makes it different from a relaxer is the fact that if you are transitioning you can put it on and when it reverts you are back to where you left off not starting all over.

A relaxer is permanent. It can not be reverted. That's why people have to cut all their relaxed hair off to get back to natural.

 

[MummysGirl]

It temporarily alters the structure of hair so I guess you're still natural because you can get your natural texture back eventually.

P.S. A relaxer can never wear off... it is permanant. Even when the hair reverts due to underprocessing, it's still permanently altered to it's under processed state.

 

[Keen]

I dont have BKT, but I believe you are still natural since it doesnt permanently change your texture like a relaxer does. A relaxer doesnt wear off after a certain amount of time..If you arent considered natural after a BKT, then are you still natural after putting in color? Color is permanent, BKT isnt..

Great point. Although colors are chemicals, they dont alter the hair texter so I don't know if that counts. But I guess when you flat iron your natural hair or use a pressing comb you're no longer natural either because it temporarily changes the hair texter.

 

[Wanderland]

I don't think so but that's my opinion. Anything that turns nappy hair straight even when you add water to it, I think is no longer natural. I feel if you do a BKT treatment that's fine but I don't think you should call yourself natural anymore. What do you think? No fights please.

I think there is a fallacy in your argument. If that is the case then sabino moisture block + flat iron = straight hair that reverts with water and by your definition NOT NATURAL. If you put on BKT but didn't go through the process of straightening it with blowdryer and flat iron then you would still have curls. It's not like applying a relaxer washing it out and then you have permantly straight hair.

Well you have a good point here. To me it is a lot like getting a relaxer (they can both be reverted) but, the BKT takes you back to natural faster than a relaxer would. Another thing that makes it different from a relaxer is the fact that if you are transitioning you can put it on and when it reverts you are back to where you left off not starting all over.

Relaxer in general don't revert. If that was the case then over half of LHCF wouldn't be transitioning and would just keep washing their hair until it "reverted". Relaxers permanently break chemical bonds (why it is often called "perm"). Now for some when you underprocess you realize after a couple of weeks that your bonds were not all broken but in general the bonds are permantly altered.

I don't get why people are so eager to classify someone as natural vs non-natural. Would you not do something just because the rest of the nappy police no longer see it as acceptable.
I just think you get into a slippery slope when you try to define someones naturalness.
To me hair color isn't natural. It a chemical that permantely changes the color and at times the texture of your hair. It also can't be washed out and by Laurends definition does not "revert with water" but I'm sure lots of people would get their panties in a bunch if I took away they natural card because of color.

Live and let live. Stop letting other people try to define you

 

[Arewa Girl]

I think I am still natural even with the BKT.
My hair just feels so soft. Like after a Deep deep conditioning with your favourite conditioner made just for you.
The only difference is it lasts longer and you have to cough your lung out to get there

 

[mariamichelle]

I have the BKT and I am still natural. My hair will still sweat out and it still reverts when I wash my hair. My curls are just a little bit looser. The further that I got into my natural journey I realized that the labels do not matter. You should just do what makes you happy and do not worry about what other people think of you.

 

[hothair]

I think I am, especially 1. it wears off (like a temporary rinse) 2. My hair looks exactly the same so for description purposes... 3. I'm coloured and have heard that in itself would make me "not" natural. 4. Don't really care what labels are on my hair as long as I love it and I do

 

[Leeda.the.Paladin]

I think I am still natural even with the BKT.
My hair just feels so soft. Like after a Deep deep conditioning with your favourite conditioner made just for you.
The only difference is it lasts longer and you have to cough your lung out to get there

See, that statement right there makes me want to say "No!" to the original question

But, really I don't have an opinion just yet. I just know that I won't be getting one.

 

[shae101s]

I dont have BKT, but I believe you are still natural since it doesnt permanently change your texture like a relaxer does. A relaxer doesnt wear off after a certain amount of time..If you arent considered natural after a BKT, then are you still natural after putting in color? Color is permanent, BKT isnt..

That's exactly what I was about to say..If coloring is altering the pigment of your hair, are you still natural then if the BKT is being looked at as something that is temporarily altering the texture of your hair?
I haven't had the BKT, but from my understanding, you're still natural. No permanent change is done, to me it's just a press using a specific heat protectant that lasts longer.

 

[cmw45]

First, for the purposes of this post the word "natural" is meant to imply relaxer free.

I would like to cosign on the logic used in Wanderland's post. I mean, by the same logic of the OP and some of the other posters, any naturals that use hard proteins like Nexxus Emergencee would also not be considered natural anymore either as they also temporairly alter the stucture of the hair as well.

In the grand scheme of things, I really don't think that this is a big deal and I would rather see more positive and uplifting representations of natural hair. I mean, I think that their tends to be a Nappy Heirarchy of sorts, that also somewhat oppresses those with naturally looser textures, and I feel that it is counterproductive to the image I would like to see of natural hair. I would rather a currently non-natural feel like she has more options if she makes the decision to become natural than to never consider going natural because she feels like natural hair will be stressful.

ETA: For full disclosure. I am natural, I have not BTK'd but I will not say I would never consider it.

Just my .02
CMW

 

[Nightingale]

Natural implies relaxer free, IMO. No more or less. Because BKT isn't permanent, I would still consider the user natural (even though relaxed heads like it too).

I hate for people to get caught up in whats more natural because at the end of the day it's your hair and you should enjoy it without restriction.

 

[Rei]

Yes, I think you are still natural. Much like you would still be natural if you flat ironed your hair. Neither is permanent. I personally think you're still natural even when you color. I guess it depends on what the definition of natural is for people. My definition is relaxer free.

 

[Bachelorette]

naturals that flat iron their hair are what?

 

[msa]

All I know is I'm natural (no color, no bkt, no heat, no synthetic products) and that's all that matters to me. I may not agree that someone with bkt is natural for many reasons, but it's not my head. If they want to call themselves natural, fine. All I ask is that they make it clear they've used bkt so that others don't get confused.

 

[Kay.Dee]

I don't care, whatever they'd like to consider themselves. Technically I'd say they are still natural because the treatment wears off. There's no point in telling someone else how to refer to their own hair.

Like KCcurly said, I won't be doing it anytime soon it sounds scary. The whole process sounds difficult and the ingredients are questionalble, and I'd rather just get a plain old relaxer if I had to. NO offense to anyone.

 

[Maracujá]

All I know is I'm natural (no color, no bkt, no heat, no synthetic products) and that's all that matters to me. I may not agree that someone with bkt is natural for many reasons, but it's not my head. If they want to call themselves natural, fine. All I ask is that they make it clear they've used bkt so that others don't get confused.

I understand where you're coming from, the ladies from Miss Jessies consider themselves natural too, and Dickey from Hair Rules didn't agree and neither do I because they (or one sister at least) use a silkener (?)...so the idea of what is natural is starting to become more and more questionable for some reason.

 

[Hairsofab]

Supposedly BKT is not permanent. I don't think it means you are not natural. A person can be natural and flat iron their hair. The product supposedly protects the straightened hair longer from reversion, but it still reverts.

 

[msa]

Also, for all you people who are annoyed by the labelling, you forget that the labels serve a purpose here on this board and elsewhere.

There a many threads titled "natural, how do you...?", for example. Obviously, labels/categories matter, especially when people are trying to gather information. Stop pretending that the "hair police" are the only ones to whom labels are important.

 

[Br*nzeb*mbsh~ll]

>>>Natural<<<

naturals that flat iron their hair are what?

 

[CurliDiva]

I don't know the answer but from my impressions from reading some of the BKT entries this process has a collective effect -meaning your hair gets straighter the more you apply.

The fumes....the heat to activate.....IMO, this does not seem "natural" to me, but this just my opinion.

Are there any examples of anyone who let the process WEAR off?

For example, if I permed my natural, virgin hair ONCE....it would start to look still "natural" especially if air dried over time, but it would still not be the same as my virgin natural hair.