4B's: Why did you go natural?

[song_of_serenity]

I still fail to see what was so drama inducing about asking a certain hairtype why they decided to go natural.

BE REAL. We have a thread in off topic about "If you were a certain hair texture, would you go natural" and yes, MANY did say "If my hair texture WAS looser, I SHO' NUFF WOULD"

Ok?

She's not a 1A asking that question to be funny. She's not even saying "Dang, we got that bad hair, why y'all go natural?" She's a 4b herself sharing an experience of hers (may as well be natural since the relaxer isn't taking) and asking others WITH LIKE HAIR TEXTURE what is the reason THEY decided to, was it the same as, other reasons, what?

 

[bedazzled]

I still fail to see what was so drama inducing about asking a certain hairtype why they decided to go natural.

BE REAL. We have a thread in off topic about "If you were a certain hair texture, would you go natural" and yes, MANY did say "If my hair texture WAS looser, I SHO' NUFF WOULD"

Ok?

She's not a 1A asking that question to be funny. She's not even saying "Dang, we got that bad hair, why y'all go natural?" She's a 4b herself sharing an experience of hers (may as well be natural since the relaxer isn't taking) and asking others WITH LIKE HAIR TEXTURE what is the reason THEY decided to, was it the same as, other reasons, what?

Thank you. :Blush2:

Its sad because I've got more pm's regarding this thread than actual replies in this thread. It seems like alot of girls are afraid to reply because of the drama thats going to ensue I guess. But I appreciate you all for helping me out! <3

 

[PerplexingComplex]

Maybe. But the thread wasn't just about did relaxers not work for anyone else. I wanted to know peoples reasons even if it had nothing to do with mine. And my friends with 3C don't seem to have the same problems that I have so I directed it to 4Bs. Since I've included new information, perhaps you can suggest me another thread title that is more suiting and next time I'll do better.

If you didn't see the other thread, then I completely understand why this thread was made. It just seems like a dupe thread to me. Just wanting to know why other people went natural wouldn't need to have a specific hair type in the title. Also, saying 3Cs don't seem to have the same problem, makes it seem like you want to know if any 4Bs have the problem. That's what it sounded like in your original post (only because there's another thread like it), that's why I suggested that title.

 

[bedazzled]

If you didn't see the other thread, then I completely understand why this thread was made. It just seems like a dupe thread to me. Just wanting to know why other people went natural wouldn't need to have a specific hair type in the title. Also, saying 3Cs don't seem to have the same problem, makes it seem like you want to know if any 4Bs have the problem. That's what it sounded like in your original post (only because there's another thread like it), that's why I suggested that title.

I believe you're talking about the "why did you go/stay natural" thread am I correct?

Just wanting to know why other people went natural wouldn't need to have a specific hair type in the title.

But it did require a specific hair type in the title because I wanted to ONLY know why 4B girls went natural - not everyone else. Once again, my 4B strands don't act like the 3C sections in my hair, nor does it act like the 3C sections in my friends hair, and many others girls hair. So I asked.. I don't want to sift through 100 pages of majorly 3B, 3C, 4a responses to sift out the 4B's. I don't feel its a dupe thread.

 

[DeenIsFirst]

I must say that I think it's necessary to have threads directed towards specific hair types. I'm a 4b and often browse the forum looking for threads that are only about 4b hair. When I first went natural, I didnt know about hairtypes and I was trying to follow advice and regimens from 4a's and 3c's and it just wasn't working out. It wasn't until I found other 4b's that I had that "aha" moment. The 4b hair on my head behaves nothing like the 4a and 3c stuff, which actually behave more like each other. Thanks for the post, OP.

 

[BklynHeart]

I went natural:
- My mom's death, and wanted a way to honor her memory.
- My hair was past APL, but to me it was getting thin.

I've been natural for almost 2 years.

 

[lynnstar]

Thanks for asking the question OP....I can also really relate.

People would also tell me that it didn't look as if my hair was relaxed. And also, with having 4a in the back, 4b/4c in the middle & top and God only knows what in the front....it never seemed as if the correct relax strength or processing time was being used for my hair no matter which stylist was doing my hair. As a result, the top front of my hair began to thin signifigantly and my scalp in that area had quite a bit of damage.

I stopped relaxing because I needed to stop the insanity of trying to avoid working with what God gave me. I needed to stop paying people to chemically damage my hair/scalp just to make me hair "easier" to manage.

Finding LHCF has been a true blessing for me in discovering that I can successfully handle my own hair and can be in control of my on HHJ.

 

[shae101s]

Thanks OP for making a specific thread..It's hard as you've mentioned to have to sift through endless pages, just to find the answer to your one question..And I totally understand what you meant about needing answers from your like hair type by only your like hair type..I took no offense at all to the title.

Anyways..I'm a 4a/4b hair type..and I have experienced while I used to do relaxers where for a while, nothing really relaxed my hair, then I would have to do over the time limit to get it really straight..
But I decided to go natural mainly because for one I was natural for 15 years before I decided to get a relaxer (smh)..and also I really missed my hair..the texture, the thickness, even the shrinkage and surprises that comes along with that! And now with all that I've learn't plus found I can get a nice flat iron and have my hair be relaxer straight..Im good with my Natural Let us know what you end up deciding after that time period is over.

 

[Nonie]

If you didn't see the other thread, then I completely understand why this thread was made. It just seems like a dupe thread to me. Just wanting to know why other people went natural wouldn't need to have a specific hair type in the title. Also, saying 3Cs don't seem to have the same problem, makes it seem like you want to know if any 4Bs have the problem. That's what it sounded like in your original post (only because there's another thread like it), that's why I suggested that title.

I saw the other thread and I think I even answered it. But even then, this particular thread didn't bother me in any way. I know my hair used to need two applications of "super" (not sure what relaxer it was) for it to take; so had I been relaxed, and had an experience of it "not taking", I'd want to know if it was the same for other people with my hair type and if that made them want to go natural. Indeed, I'd want to know if other 4B's had the same problem I have. And if that's how OP's original post sounded like, I still don't see anything wrong with that.

It's amusing to me how the word 4B seems to make some uneasy or put them up in arms when I'm so into my 4B hair and all it can do that I have to remind myself to stay humble. I don't know if I'd be into my hair if it were any other texture as I am into it now, coz I think its versatility and ability to look different depending on what I do to it (the chameleon factor) and ability to do what I want it to do, are some of the reasons I absolutely love it.

Like a lot of people, when I joined the forum, I gravitated toward people with hair like mine. Daughter and Mufasa were among the first people I PMed. I didn't post a thread to ask my question because there were only a handful of naturals in 2003 so it seemed easier to PM to get answers for my type of hair.

This interest in "hair like mine" is also the same reason that I read "natural" threads before I read relaxed threads, coz there's a bit of selfishness in all of us that looks after #1 before caring about anything else. The same reason that if you took a group photo and you finally see the photo, you tend to look for yourself first before you look at the other people.

OP, great thread!

 

[bedazzled]

Thanks OP for making a specific thread..It's hard as you've mentioned to have to sift through endless pages, just to find the answer to your one question..And I totally understand what you meant about needing answers from your like hair type by only your like hair type..I took no offense at all to the title.

Anyways..I'm a 4a/4b hair type..and I have experienced while I used to do relaxers where for a while, nothing really relaxed my hair, then I would have to do over the time limit to get it really straight..
But I decided to go natural mainly because for one I was natural for 15 years before I decided to get a relaxer (smh)..and also I really missed my hair..the texture, the thickness, even the shrinkage and surprises that comes along with that! And now with all that I've learn't plus found I can get a nice flat iron and have my hair be relaxer straight..Im good with my Natural Let us know what you end up deciding after that time period is over.

You know usually when you hear/read about people discussing shrinkage they're saying how much they hate it. But you on the other hand said you missed it. That really made me smile. And I will inform everyone on what I decide to do.

 

[ceecy29]

Thanks for this thread. While I didn't go natural because of my relaxers not taking, I can relate to your experience OP. I even had stylists put relaxers on my ends just because it was "too thick".

In answer to your question though, I found the hair boards while trying to grow some hair. I then stumbled on pictures of beautiful naturals and before I know it I was unconsciously transitioning. 7 months later I bc'ed and now I'm almost 2 years natural and loving it!!! Like Nonie, my 4B hair amazes me with all the things it can do.

 

[nevaeh]

I thank you for the thread. I have recently upgraded from lurker status and definately understand your dilemma because I am there. My hair is at its best when not relaxed bone straight. Well my stylist who I've been going to for relaxers only (Mizani Butter Blend) used a different relaxer on me twice (Silk Elements) and both times my hair came out bone straight. What does this mean for me? Major breakage, mostly in the back. So now I'm actually dealing with my natural 4b hair in the back and the rest of my hair I started texlaxing myself (MBB) and stretching my relaxers till hopefully the back catches up to a length were I feel comfortable cutting too. The rest of my head is about 2 inches past SL and I saw APL in my near future but not any more . The point of all of this is. . . . the natural section in the back is No Joke! My mother use to say I had hair that fought back . Now I know what she meant. But thanks to this board and all of my new knowledge I think that I am winning the battle. But it just makes me wonder do I have the time and energy to deal with a whole head of 4b natural hair and what will it take to get me there. So hearing from other women with the same type hair is encouraging.

 

[Platinum]

I don't see anything wrong with this thread. Why is it when somebody starts a thread for 3b's, nobody gets on to the OP about it? So why does the OP of this thread get static for asking a legitimate question in regards to others that have the same texture? Geez...

I'm a 4b transitioner and my reasons for wanting to go natural are similiar to yours, Bedazzled. I also decided to transition because I was tired of scalp burns, breakage, and underprocessed hair. I'm sure the breakage was the result of leaving relaxers on longer than the recommended time. So, what's the point in putting myself through all of this and not getting the results I was looking for?

After I made the decision to transition, I started checking out youtube vids and fokti's of 4b naturals. Now the only regret that I have now is that I didn't transition sooner.

Bedazzled, thank you for starting this thread.

 

[Je Ne Sais Quoi]

Op you are cute as a button

 

[seraphinelle]

I appreciate this thread being specific.

I went natural the last time, because of the convenience at the time.

I'm going natural again, because I don't want to have relaxed hair while my daughters (future daughters) are told to love themselves and their natural hair.

 

[bedazzled]

I appreciate this thread being specific.

I went natural the last time, because of the convenience at the time.

I'm going natural again, because I don't want to have relaxed hair while my daughters (future daughters) are told to love themselves and their natural hair.

I've thought alot about this. I don't want my daughter (future) to EVER feel bad about her hair so what better than set an example.

Op you are cute as a button

Thank you.:Blush2:

 

[dynamic1]

OP, I have witnessed many with 4b hair believe they require extra super duper strength relaxers and they end up with overprocessed, porous, dry hair. They follow up with extra heat and then mistake this outcome with reversion when it is actually damage from overprocessing (cottony appearance).

ETA: Not to say this is your issue, just food for thought.

I was always under the impression that 4b hair is easier to relax than looser hair types because of shorter bends/curves. I see 3b/cish hair still curl after getting a relaxer (as did the back of my own hair). I could see where density could propose a problem with application/timing for some but think a lot of people over do it at relaxer time.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[PerplexingComplex]

I believe you're talking about the "why did you go/stay natural" thread am I correct? I don't want to sift through 100 pages of majorly 3B, 3C, 4a responses to sift out the 4B's. I don't feel its a dupe thread.

Yes. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on the duping aspect.

I saw the other thread and I think I even answered it. But even then, this particular thread didn't bother me in any way. I know my hair used to need two applications of "super" (not sure what relaxer it was) for it to take; so had I been relaxed, and had an experience of it "not taking", I'd want to know if it was the same for other people with my hair type and if that made them want to go natural. Indeed, I'd want to know if other 4B's had the same problem I have. And if that's how OP's original post sounded like, I still don't see anything wrong with that.

I don't either.

 

[bedazzled]

OP, I have witnessed many with 4b hair believe they require extra super duper strength relaxers and they end up with overprocessed, porous, dry hair. They follow up with extra heat and then mistake this outcome with reversion when it is actually damage from overprocessing (cottony appearance).

ETA: Not to say this is your issue, just food for thought.

I was always under the impression that 4b hair is easier to relax than looser hair types because of shorter bends/curves. I see 3b/cish hair still curl after getting a relaxer (as did the back of my own hair). I could see where density could propose a problem with application/timing for some but think a lot of people over do it at relaxer time.

Good luck with your decision.

I'm sure that is true in most cases but I don't use super. Super makes my hair fall out because the relaxed hair becomes very thin/fragile & the new growth is really thick, so it breaks off right at the demarcation line & results to what happened on the left:

I actually use a regular lye relaxer. I used to use a no-lye but my hair would be sooo dry. If I use a regular lye relaxer I can get my hair bone straight after I have blow dried and flat ironed .. but it won't last. I don't know how to describe it but after that first wash if I want it straight again, i'll have to blow dry & flat iron & keep doing that after every wash. My hair always looks like its 10 years post relaxer. I just find myself having to take all these unnecessary steps to keep the 'relaxed' look when everyone else seems to have it until their NG pops up. After my first wash, I'm literally rocking a fro.

 

[seraphinelle]

That is my hair.

I don't get as much breakage, although people are surprised when I say that I'm relaxed. LOL.

Anyway, good luck with your journey!

I'm sure that is true in most cases but I don't use super. Super makes my hair fall out because the relaxed hair becomes very thin/fragile & the new growth is really thick, so it breaks off right at the demarcation line & results to what happened on the left:

I actually use a regular lye relaxer. I used to use a no-lye but my hair would be sooo dry. If I use a regular lye relaxer I can get my hair bone straight after I have blow dried and flat ironed .. but it won't last. I don't know how to describe it but after that first wash if I want it straight again, i'll have to blow dry & flat iron & keep doing that after every wash. My hair always looks like its 10 years post relaxer. I just find myself having to take all these unnecessary steps to keep the 'relaxed' look when everyone else seems to have it until their NG pops up. After my first wash, I'm literally rocking a fro.

 

[Kay.Dee]

Didn't like the look of relaxed hair
I only relaxed 3 or 4 times a year, most of the time I was in braid extensions. When I found hair boards I continued to relax and my hair was in better condition, but I was still wearing braids and preferred not to wear my hair out because I did not like the look of it.

And I'll admit that people challenging my decision to go natural made me want to do it even more.

 

[Platinum]

I'm sure that is true in most cases but I don't use super. Super makes my hair fall out because the relaxed hair becomes very thin/fragile & the new growth is really thick, so it breaks off right at the demarcation line & results to what happened on the left:

I actually use a regular lye relaxer. I used to use a no-lye but my hair would be sooo dry. If I use a regular lye relaxer I can get my hair bone straight after I have blow dried and flat ironed .. but it won't last. I don't know how to describe it but after that first wash if I want it straight again, i'll have to blow dry & flat iron & keep doing that after every wash. My hair always looks like its 10 years post relaxer. I just find myself having to take all these unnecessary steps to keep the 'relaxed' look when everyone else seems to have it until their NG pops up. After my first wash, I'm literally rocking a fro.

This is one of the main reasons why I decided to transition. My hair looked like the first pic for years. I noticed that my nape improved after I stopped relaxing it.

I feel you on this.

 

[bedazzled]

This is one of the main reasons why I decided to transition. My hair looked like the first pic for years. I noticed that my nape improved after I stopped relaxing it.

I feel you on this.

I hope I can be successful at this transition thing. Last time I quit transitioning after 4 months because the ng seemed painful to work with. Im guessing I still have to get past the 3 inches of scab hair that a person is expected to get. If you ever get the itchies to relax pm me and we can be transition buddies. I haven't had a relaxer since april 08 2009, so we are right on this journey together.

 

[ryanshope]

Your thread title isn't inflammatory at all


I went natural because I LOVE the way natural hair looks. Please pound for pound natural hair is fuller, more resilient, and more luxuriant than relaxed hair when it is straightened. And when I don't want the straight look...it takes a shampooing to get back to nap. Love it

 

[Mook's hair]

Similar to MissCooth,
My hair is extremely thick I never felt that I had to leave relaxers on extra long but I usually left them a bit longer than recommended.

Even though I was relaxed, I still had to blow it out & flat-iron my hair. It was growing fairly well because I was deep conditioning weekly. But I was always seeing broken hairs all over the place and I started reading more and more about going natural.

I got tired of the chemical burns & scabs. My hair type was never a deciding factor. I just wanted to try it because I figured I could just blow dry and flat iron any way for straight hair, just eliminate relaxing.
When I relax my hair it does look relaxed but not straight.

So why should I keep relaxing it? Now I will say this. My natural hair consumes much more of my time on wash day. That's a big difference for me.

I also prefer to get the majority of my hair advice from other type 4's That's just what makes sense to me.

 

[Rei]

I kept on getting burns and scabs, and I was really sick of that. Although when I first started to transition, I didn't know I was a 4b. I was all up on the looser haired women's fotkis, thinking I had nice spirals Until I realized it was the weight of the relaxed hair after I chopped it off. Now that I know that I'm mostly 4b with some 4a, I'm staying natural because I like it! Relaxed hair is boring to me. Don't get me wrong I'd like to swang it with the best of them when it gets longer, but I kept on seeing women with huge floppy fros and I thought it was so cute. That and I was DYING to dye my hair and dye+relaxer never worked for me, it kept me at necklength for years.

 

[Bella02]

So I have alot of 4B in my hair & I noticed that my hair doesn't 'hold' relaxers very well. I'll relax on Monday & by next Monday it'll look like I need another relaxer. And people will tell me 'hair doesn't revert'..'yew have no clue what yew tawkin about'...but after one wash my hair looks like a press leaving no sign that it was even relaxed & even my friends will say "Omg girl didn't you just get a relaxer last week? OMG you need another one!" Even as a kid this is why my mother had me getting a relaxer every 3 weeks:burning: and I know So I am 6 months post & I decided to flat iron a piece of my hair & see how it looked flat ironed. My 4B new growth was slick plus It looks NO MORE different than it does when it does 1 week post relaxer/first wash. Sure it may lay a bit flatter but it got me thinkin like, why in the honkey dorey am i even bothering with a relaxer?

So my question is to all my 4b's..why did you decide to go natural?

The bolded so applied to me. In fact I remember one summer I moved to another state for an internship and starting going to a new stylist one week after I had a relaxer applied and she swore up and down that i was underprocessed. This was before I found LHCF, so I let her relax my hair during the next visit only to have her make the same comment one week later during my next appointment. Needless to say my hair fell out throughout the summer and I returned to school with severe breakage.

From that point on I took control of my hair care and decided to transition to natural. I believed my hair in its natural state would get just as straight as one week post relaxer and with the proper regimen would grow to healthier lengths than with a relaxer.

 

[JustDoIt]

Hi I'm 4B/4C I think.. I went natural because I honestly couldn't find someone to relax my hair and was tired of getting my hair braided..
DH encouraged me to do it and try it for a few months and see if I like it.. he was so supportive..otherwise I don't think I'd have the courage to do it.

Now I find my hair is stronger and grows more than when it was relaxed and is a lot thicker than when it was braided..

Hopefully I can keep it up for the long haul.. I have a bit of ADD in all departments of my life so I'm constantly changing things up.. consistency is a big issue for me...

 

[angelgrl135]

I'm not exactly a 4b, (I actually don't know my true texture yet b/c I'm only 3 months post! ) but I can tell you I chose to stop relaxing b/c I pretty much was in the same situation as you.

Right after a relaxer I would hate when my hair would stick so flat to my big head (making it look even bigger- lol) so I would wash about 5 days later and then I was back to looking like I needed a touch up! Within my 6 week relaxing cycle I would say only about a week was spent being totally satisfied with the condition of my hair. I began to see how pointless they cycle was for me personally, and how much $$$$$$$$ I had been wasting for my elusive 1 week of hapiness....

i could go on and on, but you probably get the point HTH

 

[RubyWoo]

I decided to become natural because I was curious to see what my hair looked like. I had been relaxed since I was 12 and honestly didn't know what my natural hair looked like.

My sister is 4a/b and she has been natural for going on 9 years. I've done her hair (wash, deep condition, trim and braid) from time to time and fell in love with her hair. I love, love, love doing her hair! I always believed that I needed to relax to make my hair manageable. However, doing my sister's hair taught me otherwise and further inspired me to become natural.