Any naturals who NEVER straighten?

[DarkVictory]

Since doing a BC of my locs in January 2005 I have not straightened. I'm not good at "doing hair" plus my hair is thick and I sweat a lot, so it would be a lot of work to look just as disarrayed as I do now, only shinier.

 

[momi]

I always straighten. In the beginning of my journey I did not, but constant flat ironing changed my texture. After a recent cut, my hair has seemed to recover so now I am faced with the quandry of to straighten or not to straighten...

http://public.fotki.com/mommi/

 

[CurliDiva]

Wow, thanks for sharing all of your opinions!

I guess I never thought about not EVER straightening my hair before, but many of you brought up great points about the potential heat damage.

But pass the styling challenges of getting and keeping it straight - does anyone just really prefer their curls, coils, naps or waves as opposed to straight hair.

 

[AfroKink]

I havent had straight hair consistently since I was 12 (21 yrs old now)... had a curly perm from 12 till 16. Went natural cut off all the chemical and hot combed my hair once when I was 17. Found out straight hair was not for me, it was limp and flat against my head. I dont think straight hair is for everybody. I've basically lived 10 years with curly or kinky hair and straight hair just isnt "me". So... I havent straightened my hair in 4 years and have no intentions of ever doing so.


what I need to do is stop measuring my hair by stretching it, and measure the circumference or diameter of my fro

lys

 

[dillard]

I will never str8en my hair. When I first became natural I did get it pressed and my hair NEVER went back to its origonal texture! I deep conditioned I did this and that for months before I had to just cut it off. I don't want my texture to get messed up. I don't evern blow dry it. If I want it to be a bit str8er the only thing I will do is braid it in 4 or 5 braids every night until it is str8er

when i WAS natural, this same thing happened to me. After being natural for a year, i got it pressed and it got damaged... I had to trim off quite a bit. So for the next 4 years I never straightened it...

 

[DarkVictory]

But pass the styling challenges of getting and keeping it straight - does anyone just really prefer their curls, coils, naps or waves as opposed to straight hair.

Never thought of it quite that way, but I guess I do. It kind of goes with the rest of me.

 

[youwillrise]

i definitely prefer my natural hair to my straightened hair.

even if/when i do straighten, i'll probably always be the kind of person
who'd wash their hair out really quick (like i did the first time haha)

straightening for me really is only to see length

i'll probably just start trying the whole banding thing
to get an idea of my length.

 

[Ms Lala]

I was natural for about 5 years before straightening, I did blow dry b4 twisting. I hadn't straightened my hair until I joined this board, it gave me the urge to straighten in order to check my length. After reading these posts I think I'm going back to 2-strand twisting w/o heat and give my hair a break.

 

[FlowerHair]

I straighten about once every year just for fun.
I took the time to straighten for the FOTM-pictures to show my "real" length. It was nice, but I'm not good at it and it takes around an hour. erplexed

I might do it at a salon sometime in the future, but I'm afraid of people being rough with my hair...

 

[FlowerHair]

Wow, thanks for sharing all of your opinions!

I guess I never thought about not EVER straightening my hair before, but many of you brought up great points about the potential heat damage.

But pass the styling challenges of getting and keeping it straight - does anyone just really prefer their curls, coils, naps or waves as opposed to straight hair.

I do. Everyone says I look better with curly hair (it might be because I can't handle a straightening iron). And it's easier, and healthier and yeah...everything about it is better!

 

[gradygirl]

I have not used heat on my hair since I BC in June but I probably will for my 1 year natural anniversary.

 

[LayneJ]

Wow, thanks for sharing all of your opinions!

I guess I never thought about not EVER straightening my hair before, but many of you brought up great points about the potential heat damage.

But pass the styling challenges of getting and keeping it straight - does anyone just really prefer their curls, coils, naps or waves as opposed to straight hair.

Definitely! I LOVE my natural kinks/curls. I think that's why it's easy for me to consider never straightening. I could take it or leave, easily. My natural hair is a style in and of itself! There have been days where I've literally woken up, fluffed my hair a bit, and left!

And besides that, I do really prefer my kinks to my straight hair. My straight hair looks great, it really does, but it feels too light, which I find I don't particularly like. I also can't rest easy until I've dipped my head in water, and all my kinks have returned!

 

[Maestradiva77]

I prefer my hair in its natural state as well.

 

[nappity]

In the & years Ive been natural- I straightened my hair with a blow drier once
and needless to say that lasted a few hours before my hair puffed up.
The moral for me- Lets it stay squeezable!!!

 

[BillsBackerz67]

Im one of them...I get my hair flat ironed maybe twice a year strictly for trimming. the ends are a lot more noticable when straight for my hair. other wise WNG's 98% of the time.

 

[dicapr]

I straighten every 3-4 months just for a change. I am worried about heat damage also, so so far I have done the straightening. It ony lasts a few days, but at least I know it isn't damaged. I am also worried that because my hair is 4a/4b some will think it can handle high heat. Actually I can get my hair pretty straight on a medium heat 300F. For the longest time I thought I had to flat iron at 400-425. Now I realize that was just damaging my hair.

 

[JustKiya]

But pass the styling challenges of getting and keeping it straight - does anyone just really prefer their curls, coils, naps or waves as opposed to straight hair.

I do, I do!!! It's one of the reasons I want long hair - I think my natural hair will be just AMAZINGLY fabulous - it's soft, and it's coily, and it makes the coolest little circles, and shrinkage is amazing - and, yeah, seriously, I love my hair as it is.

I guess that makes it a lot easier to avoid being 'tempted' into straightening it - I really have nothing to complain about.

 

[blazingthru]

I think once you get use to it, your use to it. I can't say never because I am sure I want to see it straight but I am use to my natural and I feel like its me when its in its natural state. When its straight i am always worrrying about it, worrying about the weather, worrying if I will sweat and it revert -- its all to much. I dont' have to worry about as much in its natural state. I do use heat very rarely, the last time I had it blown out was March and don't plan to get heat on it until around the New Year. I am not worried about heat damage right now I will just go get it blown out, I did it before and it wasn't a problem. but it only last about 5-4 days then I run and wash it out. I just rather see my natural hair everyday. so No I can't say i will not straighten I think I rather do it for special occasions. Besides my family is use to me now and they have accepted that this is who I am and that makes it all complete. Curly hair all the way.

 

[angroca]

When its straight i am always worrrying about it, worrying about the weather, worrying if I will sweat and it revert -- its all to much.

Me too, especially weather(rain) so I prefer my curls = no stress.

 

[Guapa1]

I have 4b thick thick hair, and when I heard of people getting damage I thought 'that's them thin haired folks, nothing could damage this thickness'. I got a press a few years back and had to cut off a lot of hair and I was devastated.

I blew out my hair twice earlier this year and it was a lot of work and my hair looked like it does when I banded and I lost a lot of hair. Plus even though I used a heat protectant my ends felt dry and disgusting and I ended up trimming.
I thought it was because I was rubbish at using the dryer so I went to a hairdresser and my hair looked slightly bigger, but my ends felt worse and I had to trim them again!

So no, heat is not for me.

 

[Sugar Brown]

Wow, thanks for sharing all of your opinions!

I guess I never thought about not EVER straightening my hair before, but many of you brought up great points about the potential heat damage.

But pass the styling challenges of getting and keeping it straight - does anyone just really prefer their curls, coils, naps or waves as opposed to straight hair.

This is me. I straighten when I feel like it but I just love my napps and coils. :blush3:

 

[JustKiya]

I have 4b thick thick hair, and when I heard of people getting damage I thought 'that's them thin haired folks, nothing could damage this thickness'. I got a press a few years back and had to cut off a lot of hair and I was devastated.

I blew out my hair twice earlier this year and it was a lot of work and my hair looked like it does when I banded and I lost a lot of hair. Plus even though I used a heat protectant my ends felt dry and disgusting and I ended up trimming.
I thought it was because I was rubbish at using the dryer so I went to a hairdresser and my hair looked slightly bigger, but my ends felt worse and I had to trim them again!

So no, heat is not for me.

Yeah see, that's EXACTLY what I'm scared of happening to my hair....

 

[sonce]

But pass the styling challenges of getting and keeping it straight - does anyone just really prefer their curls, coils, naps or waves as opposed to straight hair.

I do.

I've never straightened my natural hair and by God/dess' grace, I never will. Apart from the fact that I believe that napptural hair in its shrunken state is the epitome of beauty, my reason for not straightening is the same as that of the nappy described in the OP--honoring my hair. I honor my hair by wearing it as it grows out of my head, as it was created. I do not alter its texture and I do not alter its color.

 

[Starr1]

I fall into the rarely straighten catagory- mostly because I'm far to tempted to check the length every six months or so. I've only straightened twice this year and I plan on going until April, but as my hair gets longer it takes more time to straighten and I highly doubt if I'll be straightening for very much longer.

 

[tinkat]

I have been natural for a year and I have never straightened my hair. I got it blowdried before getting sew-ins..but now that I am wearing my hair out, I am not gonna to blow dry it.

 

[gradygirl]

I have straightened once this year to trim my ends.

 

[BroadstreetBully]

I no longer use heat to straighten and never will. Don't like how it makes my hair feel. However, I will straighten naturally sometimes. But banding and braiding. It works VERY well and gets my roots bone straight.

 

[miss Congeniality]

Ok, I really wanted to do a length check so I did a blow out. My hair got really straight and I am worried about damage now. I am so praying that there isn't any. I tried to but some twist in, but its like doimg it on relaxed hair. I am going to wash and I am praying that it shrinks back up. I will not be complain about shrinkage for a long time.

OT: My grandma nearly lost her mind about how much hair that I have and how thick it is. It surprised me too.

 

[EMJazzy]

This is me. I straighten when I feel like it but I just love my napps and coils. :blush3:

OT: I have finally found my HAIR TWIN!!!!

Ok, I really wanted to do a length check so I did a blow out. My hair got really straight and I am worried about damage now. I am so praying that there isn't any. I tried to but some twist in, but its like doimg it on relaxed hair. I am going to wash and I am praying that it shrinks back up. I will not be complain about shrinkage for a long time.

OT: My grandma nearly lost her mind about how much hair that I have and how thick it is. It surprised me too.

I get to use this smiley:

 

[miss Congeniality]

Well, I broke my camera so I cannot post pics. I am planning on getting one for christmas. I ain't planing on cutting my hair any time soon so I will post some pics then.

I washed last night and my hair just became frizzy. So I am about to do a protein treatment.