Any Naturals Going/Gone Back To Perming?

[spicyc30]

Hi everyone! I am going to perm my hair. I have been natural for four years now and I'm tired of my look. But I'm a little scared about having my hair permed...you know, being overprocessed. How was your experience? Do you have any regrets or any hairloss? Is there anything I should do before I perm it?
Thanks!

 

[miss_brown]

I don't plan on relaxing again, but a friend of mine recently went back to perming after about 3 years natural. She loves it and her hair looks beautiful. Whatever you do, please go to someone who knows what they're doing. Virgin hair - especially when it's medium or long - is especially hard to relax properly without over- or underprocessing. I doubt you'll have any hairloss (especially if you didn't when you were permed before), but you may miss your natural hair. My advice is just to be secure in your decision because it is permanent.

 

[Crysdon]

You could consider texturizing your hair, that way you'll still be able to wear natural-type styles and switch to straight hair without a lot of manipulation.

 

[Ipanema]

I went back to a perm after about 3 years natural. After the relaxer, my hair was really long & not too straight (I told the hairdresser that I didn't want it bone straight). It looked good for a while, but eventually became overprocessed due to overlapping. It was stick straight & lifeless. It started breaking off & kept getting shorter and shorter. I think it was just permanently damaged. I would have had to wear short styles all the time to keep it looking nice. I wish I had known about this board then, but I have started over, and don't plan on relaxing ever again. I've learned to take care of my natural hair & I can't wait for it to get long again. I have so many styles that I want to try.

 

[skegeesmb]

No. I like my natural hair. I know it is really healthy now, and it feels soft and nice without many products. I can get a straight look without doing too much. I'll regret relaxing due to the fact I can achieve many looks without relaxers, and I know if I did perm I would miss my natural hair.

 

[BabyCurls]

<font color="purple">I would never even dread going back to wearing my hair relaxed. I've learned my lesson from past experience of breaking hair and not taking care of it the right way. If I did relax it, I would miss my natural hair. And besides, my hair is too fragile to let it get damaged from processing and touch ups. I love my hair just the way it is right now. And I would never trade it, even if someone offered me a million dollars to see if I could use a relaxer on my hair. LOL

</font>

 

[Brownie]

[ QUOTE ]
You could consider texturizing your hair, that way you'll still be able to wear natural-type styles and switch to straight hair without a lot of manipulation.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. Overprocessing also becomes less of a problem the further apart you space your touch ups. Many ladies on the board like to wait 3-5 months to avoid this problem. If your hair is texturized, versus, relaxed bone straight, it would make it easier for you to extend the times of your touch ups.

Good luck on your decision. You have to do what's best for you.

 

[Daughter]

I tried to transition for bout 6 months the first time but I gave up as I didn't have much information or was truly ready to deal with my hair.

Been natural for 5 years and I don't see myself going back to the relaxer.

 

[londongirl3]

IMO, I don't think all hair can handle a relaxer (I can't stand that word perm). I do think that if you're going to choose a chemical process, carefully consider it. If in the past you experienced breakage or hair loss with a relaxer, and your practices were sound then consider using a texturizer instead but remember that it also has complications when retouching. Also really investigate the relaxer you were using before, did it work or did you have to stay with it for longer than was recommended? Was it too high a strength ? Was it the right relaxer for your hair type?

I have gone through the relax natural cycle more times than you can imagine. However, I'm very content to have found curl activator (thanx Adrienne) and now I can have my natural hair without it being dry and with some substantial length. I thought I'd get 5 inches in a year but my hair is growing long and fastttt thanks to reduced breakage and moisture moisture moisture. Curl activator saved my life.

 

[sassygirl125]

[ QUOTE ]
Whatever you do, please go to someone who knows what they're doing. Virgin hair - especially when it's medium or long - is especially hard to relax properly without over- or underprocessing.

[/ QUOTE ]

I second this. My cousin had been transitioning for almost two years. Her natural hair was past her shoulders. The relaxed part was inching past mid-back length. She got a relaxer in April and now has four different textures on her head instead of two... The same guy does a decent job on her aunt's touch-ups so no one knows what happened. Maybe he's not used to relaxing an entire head...

She will be a senior in high school this year and is understandably upset.

 

[Valerie]

No, relaxing is very hard to keep up with. I just put my hair in twists and bantu knots, generally leave my head alone for at least five days, only thing I do is rinse daily, when it was relaxed, I would comb it and look at it and I suffered greatly from thin ends. I can't stand doing my hair every 3 months or so. No thank you.

 

[Chipmunk]

I'm thinking of relaxing my hair. I can't really say going back to, b/c I've been natural moreso than relaxed. Only thing is I was pretty lazy back in the day, and how do I know I won't become lazy again.

It's a hard decision for me.

 

[LakinkyFemme]

Please don't take this as criticism folks, but I have a question.

For those of you thinking of going back to relaxing, do you think the longhaircareforum has influenced you in any way? By that, I mean the fact that you see so many relaxed ladies with healthy long hair, must surely make you wonder if you could have a relaxer without breakage?

Lakinkyfemme

 

[pebbles]

That's a fair question.

 

[sassygirl125]

Maybe for a few seconds, but I get over it!

Yesterday I considered a texturizer for about 10 minutes... But I'm convinced that my hair is weird and just can't handle chemicals. Even after discovering hair boards, my relaxed hair never looked that great. I was always battling "ski jump hair" in an effort to keep my hair moisturized. It was never smooth, bouncy and flowing like everyone else's...

And my wet roller sets were just sad. Someone commented that I looked like the man on the Quaker Oats box.

Or maybe it was George Washington... Whatever! That was not the look I was going for!

 

[spicyc30]

The reason why I went natural is because I thought that it would be less time consuming to deal with and much easier to handle and of course, the look.
At the beginning, yes, it was wonderful. But as it got longer, it became so difficult to manage. My hair is shoulder length and very thick and coarse. It takes a lot of time for me to wash it. And trying to keep it moist daily is really costing me a lot. The only style I wear it in is twists and twistouts.
I never really had much of a problem with my hair when it was relaxed. Now I do no that when it was unhealthy it was because of too much heat.
I've been considering doing this since last fall. This forum has only shown me how to take care of my hair to make it healthier not to influence me to change.
I'm sure in a few years I'll probably go back to natural and just keep it short. But right now, I can't deal with it.

 

[Chipmunk]

[ QUOTE ]
Please don't take this as criticism folks, but I have a question.

For those of you thinking of going back to relaxing, do you think the longhaircareforum has influenced you in any way? By that, I mean the fact that you see so many relaxed ladies with healthy long hair, must surely make you wonder if you could have a relaxer without breakage?

Lakinkyfemme

[/ QUOTE ]

How could this be construed as criticism?

Anyway, the Long Hair Care Forum has nothing to do with my possibly wanting to go back to relaxing. I've been thinking about it since before becoming active in this board.

I never really went natural like so many others (meaning making a concious decision to be natural). So it's different for me than for some. It's not as big a deal.

 

[AFashionSlave]

[ QUOTE ]
Please don't take this as criticism folks, but I have a question.

For those of you thinking of going back to relaxing, do you think the longhaircareforum has influenced you in any way? By that, I mean the fact that you see so many relaxed ladies with healthy long hair, must surely make you wonder if you could have a relaxer without breakage?

Lakinkyfemme

[/ QUOTE ]

I am not one of those women who is thinking about going back to a relaxer. No this board has not influenced me in going back to a relaxer. I will never again break down my hair with chemicals just to achieve a straight look.

This board has not influenced me to have straight hair but, this board has helped me to develop an obsession with obtaining long hair.

 

[sweetcocoa]

The ladies on this forum have beautiful hair both relaxed and natural. I was unhappy with my hair at first....but my sides and bangs(which never grew before) have really taken off. I like wearing my hair straight...but not enough to go back(at least at this moment)to relaxing. I am looking for looser waves(rather than curls) when I air dry...but I'm trying to find a way without relaxing again.

 

[organicevolution]

I have been natural for 3 years. I always kept my hair short in a TWA and always coloured in a fierce colour. Now that I am growing out my hair, I do sometimes feel the urge to texturize. I wish didn't have so much shrinkage sometimes. Yesterday after I conditioned washed my hair I saw how long it was getting (well long for me), and then - poof! - as it dried it shrunk up. Even though I considered texturizing my hair I didn't do it cuz I remembered how damaged it was before. I had my hair texturized and relaxed in the past it was damaged as a motherF***! It is really hard for me to grow hair and have it chemically processed. I think it would be easier for me to get to my goal length and then try to maintain my length. I must say that this board makes me think about texturizing more and more because I am seeing beautiful chemically processed hair. I don't know if I could go through with because my fuzzy naps feeling wonderful in my hand. Hmmm.....

 

[ChocolateCutee]

going back to a relaxer is really up to you but I know for sure that i won't. imo both natural hair and relaxed hair need looking after but in different ways. With me I was allways having my hair done. Talk about maintenance

hwell:

Now that its natural i never go to the salon to do anything. I do my hair my self. Its only 5 inches long but i just love how it is. I know that when it gets longer its gonna take much longer to look after but thats what i am prepared to live with. God doesn't give me more than i can manage so i am cool with that.

What ever you do be happy with your choice.

 

[LakinkyFemme]

[ QUOTE ]
I have been natural for 3 years. I always kept my hair short in a TWA and always coloured in a fierce colour. Now that I am growing out my hair, I do sometimes feel the urge to texturize. I wish didn't have so much shrinkage sometimes. Yesterday after I conditioned washed my hair I saw how long it was getting (well long for me), and then - poof! - as it dried it shrunk up. Even though I considered texturizing my hair I didn't do it cuz I remembered how damaged it was before. I had my hair texturized and relaxed in the past it was damaged as a motherF***! It is really hard for me to grow hair and have it chemically processed. I think it would be easier for me to get to my goal length and then try to maintain my length. I must say that this board makes me think about texturizing more and more because I am seeing beautiful chemically processed hair. I don't know if I could go through with because my fuzzy naps feeling wonderful in my hand. Hmmm.....

[/ QUOTE ]

I know what you mean Organice and Fashion Slave. It is the shrinkage that kills me. I love the texture of my hair, but I really do wish it would hang. Oh well. Maybe it will when it gets longer.

Lakinkyfemme

 

[londongirl3]

LKFemme, I don't personally think that this site would influence me to be either relaxed or natural. I think its purpose is long hair.

There are examples of long relaxed and long natural hair. I have seen people go natural and go relaxed on this site. Additionally there are different reasons why people are relaxed or natural.

Personally I always wanted my natural hair because it was always longer. Other people will have social reasons, personal reasons and medical reasons.

At the end of it, provided someone makes a choice that suits them personally then it is fine.

I think so much emphasis is placed on hair texture. Some woman at the gym came and hugged me and told me how proud she was of me for being natural. I was polite to her because she was older but frankly I didn't care.

It seems there is unnecessary politics in hair choices. At the end of it, IMO, it's just hair. If you relax and change your mind, you can cut it, if you go natural and want it straight, you can relax it and every three years it will fall off and a new one will grow.

 

[sweetcocoa]

Shrinkage!

The only time I don't get shrinkage is when I do my coils...but sometimes I want to just wash 'n' go....

 

[Janice]

I have comtemplated it before but I think my issue is not so much having straight hair but longer hair. If my hair was my goal lenghth then I would not care about it being straight. The only reson why I kind of want it straight right now is to show off my true length.

My hair is really long when stretched out but looks like something of a sideshow bob when wet due to shrinkage. So the longer my hair gets the less shringkage.

I am trying to get my hair long enought so that when it shrinks it is at least ching length. So for me that would be another six more inches to go.

 

[Momstar]

I thought about going back when I reach my goal length but I just tell myself that to keep me from relaxing now. I don't think I am gonna go back even when it gets long. I keep picturing myself with these long,bushy ponytails like Rudy wore on the Bill Cosby show. I LOVE her hair on that show. I want mine like that. When it gets that long I won't be able to keep my hands off of it! As long as there is no heat in my hands, I'll be fine. So no chemicals for me, I want my flowing bush.

 

[leejure]

[ QUOTE ]
I have comtemplated it before but I think my issue is not so much having straight hair but longer hair. If my hair was my goal lenghth then I would not care about it being straight. The only reson why I kind of want it straight right now is to show off my true length.

My hair is really long when stretched out but looks like something of a sideshow bob when wet due to shrinkage. So the longer my hair gets the less shringkage.

I am trying to get my hair long enought so that when it shrinks it is at least ching length. So for me that would be another six more inches to go.

[/ QUOTE ]

I feel your pain! I was seriously contemplating getting a perm for the smae reasons that you gave. I have big time shrinkage when wet (see pictures). It is only when pressed that one is able to see my length. It was not until recently that I washed and wore myhair "out" and have noticed that my curls are now starting to give/hang a little bit more, that I decided against perms. But boy, oh boy...sometimes, I want to run to the nearest shop and yell..."Perm me Please!"

 

[organicevolution]

[ QUOTE ]
I thought about going back when I reach my goal length but I just tell myself that to keep me from relaxing now. I don't think I am gonna go back even when it gets long. I keep picturing myself with these long,bushy ponytails like Rudy wore on the Bill Cosby show. I LOVE her hair on that show. I want mine like that. When it gets that long I won't be able to keep my hands off of it! As long as there is no heat in my hands, I'll be fine. So no chemicals for me, I want my flowing bush.

[/ QUOTE ]

I love her hair!!!! Rudy's hair on the Cosby Show is my hair goal. Long, bushy, thick, and nappy!!! Thank you for mentioning her!!! That has pushed texturizing out of my mind. I think I will make a hair album of my goal natural hair to give me a little motivation for when I feel like texturizing.