Are Naturals out numbering Relaxed Heads on LHCF?

What is your hair?

  • Total voters
    980
  • Poll closed .
I'm transitioning, i've only been relaxing for about the past 3-4 years, before that i was natural my entire life, i just wanted something different basically and i love straight hair so i started relaxing, didnt know how to care for my hair and it started breaking really badly about 2 years ago, my hair would never pass shoulder length.

I found LHCF a year ago and my hair started to thrive after that, its a lot healthier but not much longer since i've done a lot of chopping to get rid of the pre-LHCF damaged hair. I realized i could take care of my hair now and started wondering if i'd be able to manage my natural hair better now with the new stuff i learnt. I was satisfied with my relaxed hair but then i got tired of how weak it was compared to my natural hair and i decided i wanted my thickness back so thus begun my transition.

Also back in the day i didn't even know flat irons existed! I had a blow dryer but it was a hassle to use it every time i washed my hair so i hated it. If i'd known about flat irons i probably would never have relaxed. Now that i know, i'll probably be a mostly straightened natural but we'll see. Currently 17 weeks post.
 
Mook's hair said:
I don't think the scales have tipped on LHCF but I do notice that many people I know are making the journey to natural and I'm bombarded with transitioning questions.

I think that many ladies get inspired when they run across someone who has done it or who is currently doing it.
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Mook!!!! OMG your hair is fab!!!! :drool:
 
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I have always been natural with the exception of a relaxer @ 16 and another one @ 20. I am not suprised by the poll results. Maybe because my hair is natural and most of my friends and family dont relax thier hair I just assume that women I meet have natural hair unless told otherwise. I have always gotten blow-outs and roller sets and flat ironed my hair so unless I see a black woman with stick straight hair in the rain I assume her hair is natural.
 
I think there are still a lot of relaxed heads on LHCF--they just don't post as much. And you'll see some of the "natural" heads go back to being "relaxed" heads in a year or two. Being a natural is incredibly freeing for me. But the reasons I went natural were not the same reasons many others do--I simply hated the feel of the relaxer cream on my head, hated the burn. I still do hate it, so I'm not at all interested in ever going back to the relaxer.

But hair is a journey, full of change. The kind of natural I was when I was transitioning and the first few years of being natural is not the same kind of natural I am now. I'm still in love with my hair, but I don't treat it the same way I did as a newbie. I think that's the neat thing about hair--it changes as you do.
 
Lucie said:
I don't think it's a fad. I think it has to do more with self-awareness, more confidence, more women BCing giving others the courage to do so, coupled with the loss of desire to spend so much time on their hair. Last Friday at work I got the worst anxiety about all I had to do to more hair. I prepoo Friday night with castor oil. Wash it out. Condition. Rollerset. Sit under the dryer to dry. Mind you I was BSL getting very close to MBL (my goal for the summer). I became manic at work and if I had scissors at my desk I would have started chopping like a madwoman. 3 hours laters, I was getting my hair shaved off. If you had asked me two/three years ago this same question, I would have said no but it seems so many woman are running from the relaxer to the clippers. By no means am I am relaxer-basher but it does make me happy. :)
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I didn't know you BCd!! Congrats! Man, ya'll making me miss my natural hair more and more! It looks great Lucie!
 
ThePerfectScore said:
Idk when the last time we had a roll call, so forgive me, but in light of all the recent BCs...filthyfresh's, L.Brown1114's, Iluvsmuhgrass's, vainღ♥♡jane, mine... I wonder how many people on this site are either natural or transitioning to natural.

One of my guy friends was saying every black woman he knows is going natural :rolleyes:, but seriously is this now a fad due to an increase of self-awareness? I know the only reason I stayed relaxed for so long is because I was not aware of what my natural texture was like and I was totally oblivious to how to take care of it....

Heck is it because it's black history month? We're trying to get back to our roots... literally? :yawn: But seriously I love this website not only for the beautiful relaxed people, but also the wonderful naturals. I find myself drooling over both :drool:...

but how are the scales balanced on LHCF is it mostly natural, relaxed, or about even?
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I think there are a lot more coily girls than relaxed - but... I don't mind either way....:yep:
 
My last relaxer was in April 1997, nearly 13 years ago, I transitioned (that was my third attempt) for about 10 months before chopping off on a whim. I don't even have the urge to straighten anymore, I'm kinda scared of heat, I think my last press was in 2005? Though I didn't have major hair damage issues, I am so glad to be free from feeling the need to chemically alter my hair.

Now I'm seeing some family members go natural but where I live I don't see very many natural women on a regular basis.
 
I am natural and loving it. I tried going back to a relaxer but I am tp hair lazy. I tried a lil texurizing but had to cut it rite back out. I love my shrinkage and the elasticity of my coils. I may texturize later but dont really know if I want the curls to drop. I rock my funky afro and puff amongst a world of straight hair women. Lol

Not a fad but a way of life for me.
 
Natural for life, checking in. There is no other way for me.
Left the relaxer alone 2 years ago and my head/hair is thanking me for it.
 
Relaxed head here!

I do think there may be more naturals than relaxed heads on the boards b/c a lot of ppl are learning that they can in fact manage their natural hair, contrary to how most ppl felt before finding the boards. I also think that naturals post more than relaxed heads, you'll see a thread about a big chop a lot more than a I just relaxed my hair thread...

One day I may transition, but not now...
 
**SaSSy** said:
In real life I seen an inflation of weaves, braids, and twist which could mean that's just a style or they are transition to natural. I haven't seen too many BW with natural hair and I live in a mecca of diversity. When I was natural I rarely seen BW then with natural hair which I kind of liked because I love being unique, but now that I'm texlaxed I still don't see more naturals walking around. I think since we are members on here we think it's the norm, but outside our little secret society we are still the minority.
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This is my opinion but these days with rollersetting and blowouts you can't tell who is natural and who isn't. Just because a sista is not walking around with a head full of curls doesn't mean she isn't natural. I'll wear my hair straight until the summer and most Black women will look at my hair and swear I have had a relaxer.
 
I came back - realised I hadn't voted. Natural since birth and that ain't never gonna change. It's just gotten better and better since I learned the practices and products that suit me and my hair best.
 
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Wow. There are so many natural heads here. I never even gave the ratio of relaxed: natural any thought. But it looks as if the relaxed heads are outnumbered.
 
I'm transitioning and am feeling the urge to cut off my relaxed ends cause when I play in my curly fluffy hair, it makes me so happy! My natural hair is so thick and gorgeous! When I look at my relaxed ends they look so much thinner... :look:

I believe that stopping the relaxers is what has made me grow my hair out to the longest it's ever been, so why go back?
 
It's interesting that you are seeing more naturals on the board.

But in the real world, I am seeing more Naturals going back to Relaxed or straight hair.

:imo: being natural NOW, is a fad. Too many women are going back to being relaxed or straight-haired. And not just regular women, but I am seeing this among other celebrities as well.
 
I'm transitioning....last relaxer June 2008. Most of my hair is natural with some stragely, straight ends in the front.

I absolutely LOVE my natural hair! I am in love with the fact that I accept and love what GOD has given to me (not saying that relaxed heads don't).

In reference to not relaxing or going natural, I don't know if it's a fad (and don't know if even matters) but if it is, it's a GOOD one! People get caught in some many trends that don't enrich on enlighten, I think this is a great bandwagon to jump on!

Even if the ladies that don't know what they're doing or doing it for, end up relaxing again, I hope that they do it knowing that (relaxing) is a CHOICE! It's not a necessaity. If there was one message I could convey to BW it would be that..relax because you choose too not because you feel you HAVE to.

Funny story, my mom was natural all her born live until about 60 when her brillant daugther :blush: convinced her to relax :nono::nono:. She was a straight healthy natural with beautiful medium/thick hair. She's lost a lot of her thickness due some to age but mostly she attributes it to relaxing. She regrets that she realxed. She feels that she's to seasoned to transition but wishes (along with me) that she never relaxed.

This is my second time going natural (first time I BC'd and stayed an un-informed/uneducated natural for 5 years) and it will be my last. I've learned so much about taking care of my hair that relaxing will never be a choice for ME.
 
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LaidBak said:
Does it matter?
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Yep. haha :lachen:I appreciate all the hair on this board and just wanted all my lets to rep whats on their head! HOLLA! :grin:

AvaSpeaks said:
It's interesting that you are seeing more naturals on the board.

But in the real world, I am seeing more Naturals going back to Relaxed or straight hair.

being natural NOW, is a fad. Too many women are going back to being relaxed or straight-haired. And not just regular women, but I am seeing this among other celebrities as well.
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I know I came to this board for advice on my relaxed hair, to get it healthy and long again. I just was not satisfied. Also I never in a million years thought I'd go natural. I used to think going natural was only for mixed girls with type 3 hair. (obviously I knew nothing about how wonderful my hair texture is form the 3s to the 4s). I really think I came into LHCF a relaxed head and will leave (well I don't think I'm going anywhere lol! ) a natural. It was exposure for me that made all the difference... exposure to a positive view on both relaxed and naturals. So basically whatever path I took with my hair was a win-win.

brownbean96 said:
I'm transitioning....last relaxer June 2008. Most of my hair is natural with some stragely, straight ends in the front.

I absolutely LOVE my natural hair! I am in love with the fact that I accept and love what GOD has given to me (not saying that relaxed heads don't).

In reference to not relaxing or going natural, I don't know if it's a fad (and don't know if even matters) but if it is, it's a GOOD one! People get caught in some many trends that don't enrich on enlighten, I think this is a great bandwagon to jump on!

Even if the ladies that don't know what they're doing or doing it for, end up relaxing again, I hope that they do it knowing that (relaxing) is a CHOICE! It's not a necessaity. If there was one message I could convey to BW it would be that..relax because you choose too not because you feel you HAVE to.

Funny story, my mom was natural all her born live until about 60 when her brillant daugther :blush: convinced her to relax :nono::nono:. She was a straight healthy natural with beautiful medium/thick hair. She's lost a lot of her thickness due some to age but mostly she attributes it to relaxing. She regrets that she realxed. She feels that she's to seasoned to transition but wishes (along with me) that she never relaxed.

This is my second time going natural (first time I BC'd and stayed an un-informed/uneducated natural for 5 years) and it will be my last. I've learned so much about taking care of my hair that relaxing will never be a choice for ME.
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wow.... but seriously I am so glad I had a relaxer in my hair. I think there are some major advantages to relaxers, and I loved the look I got. So I am happy that I have that experience. Now I want to experience going natural. But I think it's amazing to go 60 years natural... which is funny, the simplest thing for other races is like an awe inspiring feat in our race. Whoduh thunk that not chemically altering your hair would be so rare for a group of people... :drunk:
 
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As far as going natural being a fad, IRL, from what I see it isn't a fad because most black women aren't doing it. I am the only woman I know who is transitioning. And once the relaxer has completely grown out I will be the only natural black woman I know. Everyone else is wearing weaves, wigs, and relaxer. The wig and weave wearers are not protective styling either.

Going natural is only celebrated on hair boards. In general, most black women don't see going natural as an option. Based on hair boards, going natural and doing the BC seems like everyone's doing it. But in reality not many women are going natural, transitioning, or BCing.
 
I didn't know there were so many natural members. However the mission for all of us to have to healthy hair be it natural or relaxed. I am natural by the way.
 
Whoa! Its a ratio of three to one!:blush:

I mean I kinda knew there are more naturals but I didn't know it was like that

Wow, kewl:yep: goes to show you the power of knowing all your options fully
 
knt1229 said:
As far as going natural being a fad, IRL, from what I see it isn't a fad because most black women aren't doing it. I am the only woman I know who is transitioning. And once the relaxer has completely grown out I will be the only natural black woman I know. Everyone else is wearing weaves, wigs, and relaxer. The wig and weave wearers are not protective styling either.

Going natural is only celebrated on hair boards. In general, most black women don't see going natural as an option. Based on hair boards, going natural and doing the BC seems like everyone's doing it. But in reality not many women are going natural, transitioning, or BCing.
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This varies with where you live, I see naturals all over the place here in NYC and I have friends messaging me every week on facebook with transitioning questions.

It was always normal for me to see fro's twists and textured looks growing up.
 
From first galance NO - since many naturals straighten for thier length shots or wear wigs (like me) or weaves....but if you start to read you will realize there are tons of naturals on LHCF!
 
BlackMasterPiece said:
This varies with where you live, I see naturals all over the place here in NYC and I have friends messaging me every week on facebook with transitioning questions.

It was always normal for me to see fro's twists and textured looks growing up.
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On a regional level, you are correct. But for black women across this country I believe wig, weaves and relaxers still rule.
 
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