Why did you go/stay NATURAL?

[meandmine4]

My son asked me what I thought was a deep question: WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WEREN'T AFRAID? Afraid of what I asked and his response was: afraid of rejection, criticism, failure. My first answer was GO NATURAL and after deciding that I want to be ME and not worry about what others thought about it I made the decision to go natural. I have not BC'ed because my husband isn't quite ready for it yet.lol and I have to respect him but im not giving him too much longer.lol Another reason was that perms were thinning me out and I haven't been happy with my relaxer in a while.

 

[BrownEyez22]

I voted influenced by other naturals and wanted to see how my natural texture felt.

Relaxed hair was all I knew and I wanted to do something different. My hair was already short, so I figured I would try growing it out with no chemicals this time around.

I'll probably relax again (no time soon) and be natural again too.

 

[lynnstar]

I stopped relaxing because no matter what stylist was doing my hair, no matter what relaxer product was being used, no matter how my hair had been based I would inevitably have a burned scalp at one point or another.

As a result of years of chemical burns, healing, burning again, healing again, and on and on....the hair at my crown and front started thinning (and I have ALWAYS had very thick hair) I was actually afraid that the damage may be permanent.

The decision to stop relaxing was a result of making an appointment for a retouch and then deciding that relaxed (thinning) hair was NOT my only option. I needed to embrace what God gave me. I needed to take the time to nurture and cultivate what God had blessed me with and I haven't ever looked back.

 

[Stormy]

For one, I just got tired of the limp, flat look I suffered for weeks after a fresh relaxer. My daughter and I went to Vegas last October and took tons of pictures. When I saw my lifeless looking hair in those pics and you couldn't even really tell that my hair was nearly shoulder length... I said no more! I'm sick and tired of this! I looked at other pictures of myself with natural hair from high school and my hair looked so thick! Back then it was neck length, but looked more shoulder length. Weird I know. I also looked at some pictures where my hair did look thick relaxed, but it was because I was 2-3 months post relaxer and shoot that was always too difficult to manage, so I figured I'd give natural a try one more time.

So far it's been a journey and I'm still learning. I think I'm going to stay this way.

 

[jamaraa]

Love my own hair and used to caring for it au naturel. I dislike/distrust most hair dressers of any stripe, so it's simple really. Nothing deep and profound.

 

[Bettina]

I went back to my natural hair texture because...

1. I did not have the knowledge of how to take care of my relaxed hair
a. My Natural hair is fine and my relaxers used to sit on my head for 30-35 min smoothed out bone straight! (for maximum potency)
b. I was ignorant to the moisture/protein balance
c. I was dependent on a stylist to upkeep the health of my hair, so when money
was unavailable ....my hair went along with it.


2. I did not have a clue what my texture was -(even though I have been natural before) and wanted to know how to take care of my hair and get it to maximum health.

---I am happy with my hair now it has never been this healthy in my adult life thanks ladies! (Now for the length to come) I'm still learning more about myself everyday.

 

[shamarie]

Mook's hair is ROCKIN in that avi! Makes me want to be natural.

 

[caramelkisses1107]

All my life I have a head full of thick coarse hair.It was hard to manage I was extremely tender headed. To manage my parents tried every tatic they could. By age 13 I had been bc'd twice ,jheri curled,permed and texturized not to mention the numerous extensions and press and curls sometimes three or four of these would be going on at once. I took over when I was about 12 and continued this proccess thinking that if they did it I must need it. At 19 I decided to go with just press and curls this lasted for a while and then at 22 I decided to go short but reverted back to texturizers so I would not look "nappy". At 25 I started thinkin "my dad is a 3a and my maternal grandmother is a 2a my hair can't be that bad" I bc'd and outside of some color have been natural ever since.

 

[PerplexingComplex]

didn't want a relaxer in the first place
straight hair bores me
relaxed hair is too much work

 

[wild curls raquelle]

Unfortunately I didn't make the decision to get a relaxer, my mom did when I was 17 thought it would be easier for me to managed. I spent the next 4 1/2 years having hair fall out, break off, irritated scalp. So I made the decision to go back to what I knew.(And now everybody hates that I'm natural. IRONY!!) I may have not known how to do my hair at the time, but I knew if it fell out at least it wouldn't be because of some chemical. And I like having my hair free in the wind

 

[Taina]

Just because i love curly hair!!!

 

[jennboo]

Real talk, my permed hair can't even phluck w/my natural hair.

My relaxed hair was beautiful, but my natch hair is out of this world.

I 'went' natural because:
I look sexier w/my natural hair.
My natural hair is thick and voluminous.
It's ME, and not fake.
Its's healthier just by virtue of the fact that it isnt laced with caustic chemicals.
I have so much more confidence rocking natural styles.

 

[Filmatic]

I never really thought about my natural hair. Relaxer was all I knew since 4/5 y.o. so it was like a habit.

When I got here and realized I couldn't remember it. I longed for it like a long lost friend.

On top of that relaxer never lasted long for me. After a couple of weeks my curls would pop back up like nothing was relaxed. Why waste the time and money?

 

[bablou00]

I went natural for many reasons. I started to watch my diet and was learning about juicing and natural living and I thought well one thing in my life is not natural...my hair. A run in with a bad relaxer and was fed up with finding something one to relax my hair. I've seen my natural hair before and that was before I knew about LHCF or any other hair sites. So I knew what to expect I just didnt know if I was ready to commit. However my natural hair has been way easier then being relaxed and I have been able to do a lot more w/o worrying about my hair. I just wish I didnt relax in 06 when I had been hiding my beautiful coils under braids Oh well you live and you learn. Even though my sisters hair is natural she was a big part of choosing to go natural. I like the variety that natural hair allows me to have!! Last, but not least I knew that when I was 60-70 yrs old I didnt want to be up in someones salon getting my hair relaxed so what better time then to start now and get a regimine down...and for the future kids Im gonna have...

 

[Nonie]

I found a new stylist a little too late when my relaxed hair was damaged from overprocessing. After trying to give me a touch up and and intensive treatment to revive my hair, she made the remark that my hair may not be the kind that can handle relaxers. Ooh, no she di'int! So my decision to transition was just so I could go back to her with my virgin hair and show her that my hair was much more than she thought and could so take a relaxer, thank you very much!

But during my transition, I became more acquainted with my hair and learned how to care for it and saw it grow to lengths I'd never known. Length had always been my dream and seeing it was possible without any change to my hair was quite an awakening. What's more, the more I understood my hair, the more I fell in love with it. Before long, I was enjoying its versatility and loving the independence of doing my own hair myself. Truly having such a blast with my hair that relaxing was the last thing on my mind.

 

[prettybyrd]

I decided to embrace my natural hair when I was influenced by older naturals who were supportive of my decision, but they didn't push.

I stay natural because I just love my hair. I think that what God gave me is best for me.

It doesn't hurt that I don't have to run at the first sight of rain, or worry about my workouts/incessant hair washing demolishing my perm.

 

[Kurlee]

• always loved curly hair and then realized I had it
• wanted to learn about my real texture, since I had my first relaxer at 13 and wasn't paying attention before that
• wanted thicker hair, since relaxers made them thin over time
• wanted to get past shoulder/apl without damage taking over
• wanted to be able to enjoy getting my hair wet
• wanted to be able to do my hair myself
• hated the feeling of wet relaxed hair, sticking to my face like 'sea moss'
• rebellion against my scissor happy stylist who would constantly cut my hair shorter than it was before my last touch up, in the name of 'health'

 

[GreenD]

I voted that chemicals were affecting my hair health, but it was more like the stylist was affecting my hair health with the use of chemicals. She kept wanting to thin my hair out, by putting on a strong relaxer and using a LOT of heat. So I wanted my thickness back, but also realized that I'd love to see and experience my natural hair/texture, etc. Plus, I saw how friends and other naturals hair just flourished, so I thought it was a good way to regain my hair's health and thickness. (In retrospect, I probably just could have stretched, but I didn't know about that at the time. I transitioned for 9 months before I chopped because I couldn't deal with the two textures so that probably wouldn't have worked anyway).

Plus I'm able to save a ton of money not having to get a touch up so often!!!

For now I think I'll stay natural because it just works for me and it's so versatile and easier to manage for me personally. Plus anything I want to do to my hair, I can do myself and not worry with trusting my locks to someone with chemicals!! erplexed I think my hair loves me for it!!

Oh and I forgot to mention that having the first African American President in the White House pushed me a little more to just getting rid of the creamy crack a little quicker. (I tried going natural previously but my stylist wasn't very supportive and I hadn't found LHCF so that didn't quite work out). I felt as though this country has moved in a different direction and I felt empowered to do the same. A CHANGE was need in me!!

Great thread OP!!

 

[Makenzie]

My hair was thinning. Since I've gone natural my hair is thicker and longer. I'm just really tired of the humidity stealing my curls and I'm extra tired of buns. I want a stylish look. *sigh* Seems like its beauty or health. *extra loud sigh*

 

[LatterGlory]

__________________

 

[yaya24]

Overall heath of my hair-

I chose to go natural because I wanted to explore the versatility of natural hair. I can be curly when I want and straight when I want. With all of the knowledge available on the internet, I went from Damaged NL to almost APL in just a little over a year while relaxed. I want to see my hair flourish while natural so I decided to take the BC plunge and ask questions later.. Natural hair so far has not been a walk in the park. It takes dedication to learn and understand what your natural hair thrives on, and then stick with it. I thank God that I have been blessed with patience, and I am looking forward to all of the things my natural hair can do. I am not going to "relapse" relaxers are just not for me. Plus I think of the day (in the future) when I will have my own little girls. I want them to love their hair just the way God made it to naturally be.

 

[Charz]

I love the fro! I was trying to do the curly fro look even when relaxed!

 

[infojunkie]

Love my own hair and used to caring for it au naturel. I dislike/distrust most hair dressers of any stripe, so it's simple really. Nothing deep and profound.

Hi lady, I haven't been on in a while and was thinking about you. Glad to see you're still around.

Mook's hair is ROCKIN in that avi! Makes me want to be natural.

Mook's hair is always on point, she's my new hair idol.

I never really thought about my natural hair. Relaxer was all I knew since 4/5 y.o. so it was like a habit.

When I got here and realized I couldn't remember it. I longed for it like a long lost friend.

On top of that relaxer never lasted long for me. After a couple of weeks my curls would pop back up like nothing was relaxed. Why waste the time and money?

Pretty much sums up my journey, except I was hard pressed at 4 or 5, then jheri curl when I started playing ball in middle school and a perm once my basketball career was over up until I started my transition at age 34 and chopped off the relaxed ends for my 35th birthday.

Best decision I've made for myself in a very long time.

Now, if I can just stick to exercising...

 

[LynnieB]

After all was said and done; it was as simple as deciding to wear what God gave me.

All the horrible events that occurred in 2005 had me asking myself a lot of questions. One of the minor ones was why do I do this crazy thing once a month, every 2 months, every 3 months, etc.?

Just why? No really good reasons at all. **crickets chirped**.

I'm so glad I went natural. I feel totally free. My only regret is that I didn't have this epiphany earlier in my life.

 

[blazingthru]

I agree I think relaxed hair was just to much work. being natural I can just be me all the time and I love it. I been natural come April almost 4 years and no I haven't met my goals but i am happy this way. Now I do get jealous of my sisters bounce curls but they fall limp after a very short time. I also can't seem to keep my hair straight unless I go to a professional and she hooks it up but yet it smells terrible. Naturals have a hard time dealing with that burn type of smell after being away from it so long. I just can't stand it and it takes atleast a month of washing to get that smell out I hate it and rather not have heat on my head. I use my maxiglide on my bangs only and thats pretty much all that gets straight on my head.

 

[Lyoness]

I like natural hair.. plain and simple really..

...other than that the relaxer burns were not appealing... I also watched relaxer eat up my families edges.. I wasn't going to let that happen to me.. my fam are natural now

 

[ryanshope]

Because natural hair is beautiful.

 

[PretteePlease]

Went natural because of lack of retention, scissor happy stylist, and a longing for my natural hair. I always wanted a big natural fro and I remembered the lovely waves I got when I went behind my mothers back and brushed water thru my hair

After getting a scalp fungus my hair grew back like straw and my hair was never the same texture and moisture wise. It was like scab hair if that really exists. I stay natural because I know chemicals break my hair off and I don't want permenantly straight hair. I love texture. I'm only staying natural out of fear that a texturizer might dry out and break off my hair. I am seriously thinking that I still might try it

eta went natural for the 2nd time at 21 then text in like 04 then natural then text then natural again in 08
i want the happy medium.

 

[bludaydreamr]

Why?The condition of my hair was deteriorating, I was no longer happy with my hair, and why it didn't seem to get any longer. I started to go to a new stylist who let me know I could maintain my hair without relaxers which was different from what I was told my whole life. I am glad that I transitioned because it allowed me time to get use to not having straight hair, and learning how to manage it.

I have stayed natural because I am truly happy with my hair. My relaxed hair looked nice, but my natural hair is just so much better.

I would tell anyone to give you natural hair a real try because it might just surprise you. I would also let someone who stretches relaxers know that once you BC some of the issues you had while stretching/transitioning, may not be so much of a problem after you get rid of the relaxed ends.

 

[Sherbetcane]

Bad Hair Color...I lost all my APL Hair. so i just cut all off....