Anyone regret getting their hair relaxed?

[Blkprincess]

If I knew then what I've learned from this board...I would have never did it.
I was almost fifteen when I got my first relaxer, and my mom had to use to kits because the first wasn't enough. I really do believe getting relaxed completely change my hair...it used to be soft in its natural state...some water and petroleum jelly, a soft brush and I was good to go. now, 4-6 weeks without a perm and there's a brillo pad on my head. but I've learned so much on this board, still learning. especially how to tame the new growth:whipgirl:I stretched one time for almost 3 1/2 months and couldn't stop feeling my natural hair, there was the cutest little baby coil...but I don't know if I have the nerve to go back to natural state though, I dread having to cut off my progress

 

[ttlayli]

YES! I received my first relaxer when I was eleven and I looovvveedd it at first; Mainly because my aunt who gave me the perm was living with my family at the time, therefore SHE took care of my hair. Once she left, I never again had a retouch and my hair was dry, brittle, breaking, and always tangled. Plus my natural texture was never the same....it's just now getting back there.
I really do feel that if my mom knew how to do hair or at least manage mine, she never would have let my aunt relax my hair...that's what it goes back to IMO. If one KNOWS how to care for their hair, there's no need for the chemicals...

 

[Mortons]

I wish allll the time that I would not have let my mom relax my hair at 14. Although I'm natural now, it has been a long hard road.

 

[dejalove26]

I definitely regretted getting a relaxer after I had been natural for two years. I loved playing with my hair then, feeling the little curls and the softness of my hair. I had originally relaxed it myself but when I went for a touch up the woman at the salon applied the relaxer to my entire head saying that it was underprocessed then left it on longer than is needed for my very fine hair and I began to notice my hair shedding terribly for weeks after. I ended up having to chop all my hair off cause it was so badly damaged and I have not been able to get my hair back right cause not too long after that I ended up with a skin condition that has affected my hair in a bad way.Here is a photo of my hair right after did my relaxer on my natural hair:

You can't tell by looking at it(cause it was curled under) but my hair was a little past shoulder length in back and shoulder legth on the sides I MISS MY HAIR!

 

[Miss*Tress]

If I had known then how to look after my natural hair, I would never have bothered with a relaxer. Overall, having a relaxer didn't hurt, but I did go through a period of 2-3 years where bad stylists over-processed my hair and gave me a series of terrible hair cuts.

 

[curlcomplexity]

Nope

My mother gave me my first relaxer at the age of 6, before that I was natural. I have a sensitive scalp and I would cry everytime I got my hair combed. Unfortunately, she decided that I should start going to a salon and get a jheri curl on top of the relaxer. Needless to say, I was completely bald at age 9 (my mom gave my the BC). I went natural once again for 3 years. I remember if being such a hassle for me.

...fast forward to age 21, I tried going natural again for the third time after a big chop. My scalp also hurt...I mean it was throbbing. I getting lye relaxers and never turned back!

I love natural hair, I just don't think that it's for me. I love my relaxed hair. I have options, I can wear it wavy or sleek and bone straight. Since it's still thick, I can even rock a poofy "semi-fro" if I like. I don't use as much heat as I did natural. This is totally my opinion...please don't beat me!

ETA: Wow....

 

[gymfreak336]

*raises hand*

I have been natural before in recent memory but unfortunately, I didn't know how to care for it then either so I relaxed again....My boyfriends brother is sitting here playing Guitar Hero with a head full of soft thick 4b hair. Pressed it comes down his back. I have been looking at his hair ever since he came over. He has me wanting to transistion but I don't think I could do it.

 

[HoneyA]

I regret putting chemicals in my hair. If I knew then what I know now, it would never have happened at all. I've been relaxed, natural, permed, natural, texturized, natural. I permed again four years ago because it's very low maintenance and I like the wavy look. When I get bored of the perm, I'll transition but I think that'll be my last transition as long as I have LHCF.

 

[ShiShiPooPoo]

I was natural for three years and swore that I would never relax my hair again. I got so frustrated from wearing my hair in a ponytail all the time and when I wanted it straight, I would seriously blast it with several different heat sources and it never looked good and smelled burnt up. There just weren't all of these things that cater to natural hair then that people have now-you know where you can go to a salon that specializes in natural hair and have them give you a cute blow out and there definitely weren't any Dominican salons in my hometown. I finally gave in and went and got it relaxed. Sometimes I get so bummed when I think about where my hair would be now (it was shoulder length unstretched when I got it relaxed). Oh well, so is life...

 

[luvinwife]

At times i regret it and at times i dont. The only time i do regret it is when i come on this board and see beautiful natural heads. My dd is 2 and has the most beautiful 3b/c hair and i know i will never relax it and hopefully when she is old enough to decide, she wont either.

 

[Bubblingbrownshuga]

Nah. I don't regret it. I experienced it and it was fun while it lasted. Since being on the boards, I have considered texlaxing again since I really now have the mental tools that I need, but I have come to far in my natural journey to turn back!

 

[prospurr4]

Not at all!

I got my first relaxer at a salon when I turned 21 and have never looked back. I take care of my own hair and haven't been to a salon in years. I'm texlaxed now and love how versatile my hair is...I can wear it straight, w/o using heat or poofy, for the "big hair" look. Texlaxing is the best thing that I could have done to my hair.

 

[locabouthair]

no I dont regret getting it relaxed. I do regret who relaxed it though.

 

[Princess Pie]

I don't regret it one bit.

Since I've been stretching relaxers, I have an idea of what my natural hair would be like, and it has made me appreciate my relaxed hair even more.

My new growth is wonderful, but I like to wear my hair straight, and it would take a ton of manipulation and heat for me to straighten my natural hair.

At 3 mos post I have tons of pen spring size spirals, and my hair is fine too. I would lose a ton of hair trying to straighten/style it. The relaxer works better.

 

[Peaches75]

I went natural twice and I gave in both times. So this time I don't regret getting a relaxer because I can maintain it better and it is in better condition thanks to LHCF!!

 

[SmartyPants]

I went natural three times (after my first relaxer at 13). I do not regretrelaxing my hair at all. I regret that I didn't find this site before my last BC because I would have never done it. I've learned to care for my relaxed hair so my hair is thriving.

 

[bklynLadee]

Nah. I don't regret it. I experienced it and it was fun while it lasted. Since being on the boards, I have considered texlaxing again since I really now have the mental tools that I need, but I have come to far in my natural journey to turn back!

Omg PLLLEAAAASSSEEE DO NOT PUT NOT EVEN A SLAB OF THAT CREAMY STUFF ON YOUR BEAUTIFUL CURLS!!!! I WOULD DIE!!!!!

I put a relaxer on my hair last year in the summer and I think I put it like a max of 2x maybe 3...I think 3 cause I did it going into the winter, January was the last time and I personally regretted it. I spent most of my life not putting a perm on and all I could think is sheesh im tired of not being able to leave my hair straight!!! Well after that time my hair got soooo thin and the breakage was terrible...I mean if I found this board when I permed my hair I would have taken better care of it. But I just decided to go natural because

1. My hair was uber thin
2. There was tooo much breakage
3. Lacked Luster
4. could not wear my hair in nice curls
5. Felt trapped by new growth, knowing I always had to go back and get a "touch up"
6. I felt like everyone else.

All of these reasons made me decide to go BACK to MY natural hair...which is beautiful by the way.

I personally recommend it to everyone...if not a nice texlax or just take care of your permed tresses

 

[Anancy]

I relaxed my hair when i was 16 and naive, everyone around me was telling me not to do it, my mum was dead against it. All i wanted was long looking flowing hair that i thought would make me look good.
When i was relaxed i was APL, but i didn't know it coz i didn't pay much attention to it and thats when it went down hill.

I didnt regret getting it done then and i still dont regret choosing to get it done, but im so much happier now that i've gone natural and im sure its down to the help i get from LHCF.

Im looking forward to growing my natural hair long and experimenting with the array of hairstyles that are open to me, i enjoy taking care of my hair now and seeing what i can achieve.

I do think that if i chose to relax my hair again i'll be okay because i've gained so much knowledge from LHCF.

 

[Blkprincess]

I agree Anancy, the wealth of information on this board is great, and everyone is so helpful. But I think whether relaxed or natural, LHCF has really given us the tools and information to properly care for our hair

 

[silvergirl]

in general no. i didnt mind my relaxed hair.


however.......... there is one relaxer session i do regret. July 05. before that i was attempting to transition and had gone 1 year an a couple months without. Had i not relaxed my hair then i wouldve been 4 and a half year natural by now (

 

[Extremus]

Not really, my first relaxer was when I was 8. I knew nothing about relaxers except everytime I couldn't slick my hair back it was time for a relaxer (that's was my mindset at the time) . My grew hair APL w/o much "care" either .

 

[DDTexlaxed]

I miss my relaxed hair, because I really don't know how to care properly for my natural hair. There is a shortage of salons where I live, so when I used chemicals in the past, I screwed my hair by switching lye and no lye relaxers together. My natural hair is a challenge because it is so thick, it breaks combs and resists my attempts to twist it. I'm getting better so I'm sticking with it.

 

[jaded_faerie]

no i don't regret it, it has been an experience....
....i know how to care for my relaxed hair...
...and plan to experience and learn my natural tresses.

 

[glamazon386]

I thought about it while I was in the dom salon getting my hair done the other day. But I really think I would regret it after the fact. I didn't cut all my hair off for nothing. All of it has grown back in the past year since my BC so I guess that's good. But on the flip side I'd be APL now if I hadn't chopped it.

 

[BeautifulFlower]

Nope, no regrets.

I was relaxed since 7 years old. My mom really didnt know how to care for hair but even if she did I know she would have still relaxed it or maybe I would have in my later years.

I have 4a, thick, coarse hair. It can take alot of abuse and still keep on ticking. I love to wear it straight and still have thick hair and ends.

I regret playing with no-lye relaxers for so many years. I use lye, and thats no lye sorry for the corniness.

Natural or not, you will still experience breakage and shedding so I guess to me, I can grow it long either way.

 

[DDTexlaxed]

Wow, my hair never got strait with lye. Which relaxer did you use?

 

[Ms Red]

I regretted getting relaxed as soon as I touched my hair. I was 19 and I wanted hair with swing... not pressed and oily. My hair was past APL, almost BSL... but over the years, overlapping, not conditioning enough... it broke off... I tried relaxing three times a year... twice a yr... once... but my hair and relaxers just don't go well together. I honestly dont think I would have ever relaxed if I'd had some heat protectant and a good CHI iron

Going back to natural was the best thing I've done for the HEALTHof my hair. Styling is not always easy but my hair is so much stronger, versatile, longer and healthier than with the chemicals.

 

[Evazhair]

Nope, because I really wanted to relax when I did & know I can always go back to natural. At some point later on in life, I plan to transition back to natural. I ain't doing no more b.c.'s. With all I've learned on LHCF, I know I'll be better at keeping my hair straight.But for now, I'm loving the relaxed life!

 

[thefineprint]

yes, i definitely regret my mother letting me relaxed at age 10. i think my self-confidence and esteem would have been much better in high school if i hadn't been so caught up in my hair! all the breakage, shedding, burning relaxers, bad hair cuts...every stylist did such a terrible job and always relaxed BONE STRAIGHT. There was never any body or volume...i think texlaxing would have been a better option for me...also having LHCF would have helped back then

 

[BeautifulFlower]

Wow, my hair never got strait with lye. Which relaxer did you use?

Nairobi Lye. It works very well. You have to go to a salon to get that. They only distribute to stylist so my last two relaxers have left my a bit underprocessed but I dont mind a bit. Maybe I'll transition to texlax or just go to the salon for my next relaxer in February.