Any other naturals...

[Leeda.the.Paladin]

too chicken to flat iron, but want to? I really would love to see what my length is like now. But I'm so afraid of damaging my curls. I hope I can get up the courage by my six month nappiversary.

I would rollerset, but I suck at it. And I'm afraid to go to a salon, especially in my neck of the woods. SIGH.

*end of whining here*

 

[Seeking8Rights]

too chicken to flat iron, but want to? I really would love to see what my length is like now. But I'm so afraid of damaging my curls. I hope I can get up the courage by my six month nappiversary.

I would rollerset, but I suck at it. And I'm afraid to go to a salon, especially in my neck of the woods. SIGH.

*end of whining here*

My hair isn't as long as yours, but I came in to say - Your curls are beaUTIFUL!

I do understand though because I am afraid to just comb through my curls dry in fear a curl pattern mess up.

 

[lilsparkle825]

you know, i did a rollerset in preparation for flat ironing and never got around to it...i told myself it was because the curls were so nice but i think the other part of it was i was afraid to see little broken pieces all over the sink. last time i flat ironed i was 11 months into my transition and there was no breakage but you never know. i'll try to get around to it in september.

oh, did you try a ponytail rollerset? i cant do a regular one to save my life but i got this one on the first try.

 

[tocktick]

yes. i'm not even going to straighten until i'm apl or a little past that (2" above apl now). i'm a little afraid of heat; it took me some nerve to even do blow-outs and i'm super afraid of my hair not reverting back. that would be 6 months of transitioning and 2 years of growth, time and money down the drain .

however, part of the reason i like natural hair is for the versatility and i'd like to be able to do straight styles. and yes, i want to see my length instead of just stretching down on my hair too! i've being doing a lot of research on the boards regarding irons; i think i'll purchase a sedu. i'm looking at what protectants are best now.

 

[Fine 4s]

Yes me!

Every 6 months I postpone my straightening. I'm sure I'm BSL but I get so nervous. Now my goal is to not straightening until next summer (2009).
So I feel ya....

 

[glam-]

I was scared, plus I have no skills-- but I tried it at the end of July. I did notice a few splits afterwards. And I didn't think it looked like a nice professional job, so I ended up putting it in a bun anyway. Here were the results.

 

[Kurly K]

no fear here! i need versatility

 

[chokolate miss]

no fear here! i need versatility

you are a brave girl, LOL! i feel you OP. i'm terrified. i just dont want to do permanent damage. what was your method kieva?? i need some pointers

 

[Cichelle]

It's been over three years since I did the big chop and I'm still chicken. I'm not particularly interested in wearing my hair straight, but I am curious to see what it would look like if I used a flat iron. As I've said before, when my curiosity rises higher than my fear of heat damage, then I guess I'll do it. But it's also just not that important to me. So, I'm not sure when or if it will ever happen.

 

[Eclass215]

Well, I've been natural for 7 years now, and at first I didn't straigten my hair for the first 10 months. When I did, it didn't stay straight. When I started getting it pressed professionally, she said she had to "train" my hair because it didn't want to stay straight. After awhile, it did get too straight and my curl pattern was not the same. I say do it, but just don't do it too often and you'll be ok.

 

[discodumpling]

I have a Maxiglide that i've used ONE time. I was a bit disappointed by my length then (barely SL) and now i'm scared to be disappointed when I flat iron again when the weather gets cool.

I may just satisfy my curiousity with a roller set though. I'm very active and sweat like a beast daily

 

[1QTPie]

No fear here. I would suggest a nice rollerset.


And might I add that even though I dust all the time, flat ironing is the only time I can CLEARLY see my jacked up ends. erplexed

 

[Kurly K]

you are a brave girl, LOL! i feel you OP. i'm terrified. i just dont want to do permanent damage. what was your method keiva?? i need some pointers

thanx lol i just blow dry and use my ceramic iron and a lil oil last time i used heat protectant as well but i havent had any problems and ive had my hair straightened 4 times since the bc and its onli been 4 months

 

[jaded_faerie]

yes. i'm not even going to straighten until i'm apl or a little past that (2" above apl now). i'm a little afraid of heat; it took me some nerve to even do blow-outs and i'm super afraid of my hair not reverting back. that would be 6 months of transitioning and 2 years of growth, time and money down the drain .

however, part of the reason i like natural hair is for the versatility and i'd like to be able to do straight styles. and yes, i want to see my length instead of just stretching down on my hair too! i've being doing a lot of research on the boards regarding irons; i think i'll purchase a sedu. i'm looking at what protectants are best now.

thread hijack. your hair is gorgeous! what is your regimen? has it been the same since your bc? LOVE your hair.

 

[Sunshine0801]

I hear you. I used to be afraid to straighten my hair, but I was determined to learn as much as I could about the proper way to straighten, since I knew it was possible to flat iron without damage after seeing all the natural ladies on here who do it. I'm still learning, but I plan to flat iron my hair for the first time since I have been natural when my hair reaches WL, which should happen soon.

I am so excited to see the length of my hair!

 

[Nice & Wavy]

No fear at all. Using the right tools and have the right person do it....curls always pop right back.

I totally understand though.

 

[tocktick]

thread hijack. your hair is gorgeous! what is your regimen? has it been the same since your bc? LOVE your hair.

thanks so much! my reggie has pretty much been the same since my bc. i have experimented with deep conditioners, shampoos and conditioners here and there but not much. my simplified reggie is below. the full reggie and products info is here.

once a week

- wash with shampoo. rinse well.
- apply ordinary conditioner. do not rinse.
- apply DC mixed with olive oil. leave on for 10-15 mins and rinse.
- apply castor oil all over damp hair.
- air dry.

i apply some essential oil blend to my scalp every few days and henna every 2-4 months. i also try and protective style at least 4 months a year and for the rest of the time, i try to stick to low-maintenance styles. that's pretty much it. hth!

 

[JustKiya]

Me, me! Paaaaranoia! I'm not going to anyone else, and none of my girls flatiron (whose hair I like, that is.... )

I might try a blowout. Maybe. Doubtful, but I'm more likely to do that before I take a flat iron to my hair. I've got a thing about heat & my head......

 

[LaLa85]

I am... I'm recovering from heat damage right now, trying to grow out an area in the front that's pretty much just frizzy waves.

I've been lurking and searching hair boards trying to figure out which flat iron and heat protectant and techniques i'll use if (when ) I do straighten again.

 

[PinkSkates]

Nope...not afraid at all. I too love the versatility. I've been pressing my natural hair for years.

 

[blasiancurlie]

i feel ya! i'm terrified of heat damage. even when i was just transitioning i stopped using heat after a while because i thought it would ruin my new growth. i pull my hair back to go to work and i don't even like how the denman brush pulls my curls straighter....i have to do a good co-wash to get the curls back. if i don't like what a brush does, i don't know how i'll handle a flat iron! i do want to try it one day though...

 

[ctosha]

I am definetly one of those who is scared to straighten just because of fear of heat damage although as my hair grows it is not more wavy than curly anyways. I even got my girl to get me a all over ceramic jilbere tourmaline flatiron from the states and I haven't used it. Im really just lookin for a good heat protectant. I know when stretched my hair is maybe little towards BSL but like I said this time around Im going to find a good heat protectant

 

[mj11051]

I've been natural for 2 yrs and I haven't use any heat. I don't care about the length as much as I care about the health of my hair. I don't need to see long it is.I can usually see the length when I twist it.

 

[EMJazzy]

I want to flatiron.....to scared to flatiron

 

[AsTheCurlzTurns]

Well I'm not chicken about doing it, but I told myself that I would not attempt to flat-iron my hair until I was at least SL unstretched! I'd just like to be surprised!

 

[blkbeauty]

too chicken to flat iron, but want to? I really would love to see what my length is like now. But I'm so afraid of damaging my curls. I hope I can get up the courage by my six month nappiversary.

I would rollerset, but I suck at it. And I'm afraid to go to a salon, especially in my neck of the woods. SIGH.

*end of whining here*

Nope! Only because for 3 years of being natural and practicing the no heat thing my hair did not retain much length which I think has a lot to do with it getting tangled. Ironically, since I started using heat every 2 months, my hair has grown from collar bone to almost APL.

My curls are the same.

 

[IntelligenceisBeautiful]

I don't want to do it until my one year anniversary

 

[sound]

A little scared.

 

[QT]

My first time will be this weekend..... and I'm soooooo scard to say this least, I dont want to lose my natural texture

 

[pattycake0701]

Yes, I'm very afraid. I'm afraid my hair will break off and I'll have to start all over again. I really want to see me length as I have no idea how long my hair is (siggy picture is from June 2007).