a question for naturals regarding straight hair

[Ms Lala]

I will try to borrow a camera this weekend to post pictures. I know it seems crazy but it is possible. I use alot of tension with my rollersets, because my hair can take it in its natural state. My mom has tried with less tension and I have gotten the puffy look many complain about. I leave my hair dripping wet without a towel dry. I use Nexus Humetress as a leave in alon with Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Relaxing Balm. I use small sections and large curlers. Each section is detangled with a smaller tooth comb, and I pull the section out straight with the comb as if I was going to flat iron. I make sure the ends are layed as flat as possible on the roller and roll with tention. I make sure that the hair is lying flat on the curler and make sure to maintain tension as I role. I roll the hair once around the curler, then pull up on the curler to make sure the hair is flat against the curler and their is no slack. I do this after every roll and at once done with that section of hair I give another gentle tug and then put the cover on. I have only been successful with magnetic rollers with this method. My hair is medium desity, with fine strands. This may have more to do with the ease of straightening my hair than its texture. I did this by accident while I was trying to strech my hair out and I was shocked when my hair was in straight curls and all I needed to do was finger comb and go. I does revert faster than a press, but I can easily rollerset 2x a week and still save ends. Like I said, I'll borrow a camera this weekend, because it is something you have to see to believe.

ETA-It usually takes about 9-10 hours to dry, so I usually end up sleeping in magnetic curlers.

I wonder if this will work on coarse hair. My rollerset always look a mess.

 

[nappity]

I wonder if this will work on coarse hair. My rollerset always look a mess.

No hair twin- Our texture overrules. My rollersets are a mess and not for lack of trying either

 

[ChocoKitty]

To be honest, I don't think one is easier than the other. It's apples and oranges. It really depends on how you are choosing to style your hair. If you plan on wearing your hair straight most of the time you might as well stay relaxed. Why cut all your hair off for nothing?

With natural hair there's no need for a "chemical dependency". Plus relaxers cost money, and finding someone you can trust to apply it is another issue or even trusting yourself to apply it properly.... My natural hair has much more life and shine when straightened vs when my hair was relaxed. My ponytail bounces with every step when straight (or kinky,curly & nappy). When I was relaxed my was "pretty", but it didn't really move or flow like my natural hair. Hope this makes sense.

 

[krissynick]

With natural hair there's no need for a "chemical dependency". Plus relaxers cost money, and finding someone you can trust to apply it is another issue or even trusting yourself to apply it properly.... My natural hair has much more life and shine when straightened vs when my hair was relaxed. My ponytail bounces with every step when straight (or kinky,curly & nappy). When I was relaxed my was "pretty", but it didn't really move or flow like my natural hair. Hope this makes sense.

thanks but im just asking cause i want to wear it straight all the time....... like for the most part and i wonder if that will be a hassle or not...

 

[krissynick]

What I hear in this this thread from former relaxed heads is mostly caused by bad relaxer methods. I am hearing about burned scalps and see-through ends and breakage. This is all from overprocessing. Thanks to LCHF, I think we all now understand the proper way to care for relaxed hair so most relaxed heads in this forum do not have this problem anymore. My hair is super thick in it's relaxed state, even when wet. I have not had a scalp burn since I started self relaxing and my ends are healthy. Relaxed or natural, I dont think either one is easier. I just think your techniques for caring for your hair need to be very carefully tailored for whichever way you choose.

yeah i totally agree... as far as styling is concerned its a personal thing... i may find being straight easier and someone may find it hard.. depends on the individual i guess.

 

[lierin]

I am almost done with my transition and my natural hair is sooo much easier to comb through when wet, I was really surprised at that. I had about 2 inches of relaxed ends trimmed off a few weeks ago and my hair feels so much thicker and healthier. I will probably never relax again. I have thin hair and stylists always over processed my hair, I would have major anxiety going in for a touchup because i was paranoid that they would thin my hair out even more. I am now focused on growing my natural hair and I have the knowledge to keep it healthy thanks to this board. I wear my hair straight 98% of the time and, as another poster said, heat is not nearly as damaging to my fine hair as chemicals were.

 

[krissynick]

Relaxed, there were so many limitations to what I could do with my hair. Every turn I took was a wrong one. For example, excessive combing, brushing, washing, styling, conditioning (yeah), and even touching damaged my hair. I just never understood the need to have a permanent hairstyle. Straight hair was a hairstyle for me, never meant to be an everyday thing.

As far as manageability, I don't see what was so manageable about relaxed hair I could barely pick up off my scalp. It was slick straight all the time. I could never get braids, micros, cornrows, anything! And it was always so thin and see-through.

Natural, I can do more styles, curly or straight. I can pull my hair in a ponytail without worrying about my ends breaking off. I can get straight hair with body, wear very unique hair-dos, and do some things I'd otherwise never be able to do with relaxed hair. Also, I actually have full, thick hair and it shows when I press it. Its so big!

Also, I hated being "exposed" when my natural new growth started to grow. I didn't want to have to be a slave to getting a relaxer. I thought about it and was like "What do I have to hide?" So I went natural.

But in all honesty, I dont think relaxers, hair color or perms are bad. Its just not good for me. Neither are they our only solution to having more manageable hair. I just dont think that it should be widely accepted as the standard for an entire ethnic group.

ok once again im not trying to be rude but your hair type says 3 something and we all know here that although we are all black.... we all have different textures and correct me if im wrong... but i feel that sometimes those with the hair type 3 have a slight easier time cause of a looser curl pattern( not that they dotn struggle let me make that clear).. like styling may be a tad easier for you than a person whos 4a/b... tight coiled kinky hair.. i mean i may be wrong so please correct me if i am.. but sometimes 3 hair types give advice that wont work on a more tight texture but some get upset cause they say its all the same but it not... let me know what u think abou that.. thanks

 

[TrustMeLove]

Even though this topic for the OP may null and void after I read another post. Someone else may do a search.

I say stay relaxed. There is no need going through the hassle of straightening your napps to get something you are getting now. As you can tell some people can straighten there hair easily and others are still trying to find the magic combination. Not to mention you will be cutting all of your hair off or transitioning. I guess if you decide to start pressing your new growth as it comes in now you will see if you like it.

However, you will have to train your hair to take the heat and hold the press. It is a process.

And I know some pressed folks and they had to train their hair to keep it straight. You can see it when they get a fresh press. Don't let them sweat because that new growth that was just press will start to puff, but not the rest of their hair.

And not everyone who goes natural had bad relaxer methods. Sorry. Not true. Some peoples hair just dont do relaxers well. And some people just decided to stop relaxing. I was relaxed for about 1 year while a member of LHCF and I was at the shop faithfully. Relaxers and maintaing lenght and fullness just didn't work for me. Period.

 

[Ms Lala]

No hair twin- Our texture overrules. My rollersets are a mess and not for lack of trying either

Well I"m glad to know that it's not just my technique. I thought I was doing it wrong. I just end up w/a big fro that I could have gotten from doing some twists or something.

 

[JustKiya]

Well I"m glad to know that it's not just my technique. I thought I was doing it wrong. I just end up w/a big fro that I could have gotten from doing some twists or something.

Totally OT - but ohmigods, how did you do that style in your siggy????? :drool I suspect my hair isn't long enough for it yet - but soon enough!

 

[momi]

I am natural and I wear my hair straight 99.9% of the time. I work out at least 4x a week and my hair does not revert because the moisture level in my hair is above par. When your hair does not have enough moisture it grabs it from an outside source and causes reversion, when the moisture level is proper it has no need to seek moisture from an outside source.

I blow dry and flat iron weekly. The pic below is about 1 1/2 years after my BC (2"). I recently cut it and am desperately growing it back but it is coming along nicely: pic two