Back with a hair dilemma

[HoneyRockette]

I haven't been here in a while.

I have not finished my book but a lot has happened since then. For now, my main concern is my hair. As (most of) you know, I cut my hair very short like the Lark Voorhies avatar under my name. Well it's been six months since I cut my hair, though I didn't leave it short for long. The style required too much maintenance so I began growing my hair out after only two months. I have been wearing braids since April and I have only two measily inches of new growth. I am torn between relaxing my hair and getting a texturizer. I read a few of the back posts and it seems a lot of women are getting texturizers, or at least thinking about it. If I choose to texturize my hair, I will have to cut it into a TWA, (as per Tracy's and Daviine's posts) but I really don't want to do that. If I relax, I will have to get another haircut because the grown out style that I have is very messy looking. No telling how short my hair will be if I get it cut again. I will probably be back at square one. I still want long hair. I guess I am asking for guidance. I don't really know what I want or what will look better on me. All I know is, I am really sick of braids right now. Even more, I hate my messy grown out hair cut and the measily two inches of new growth that makes my messy grown out haircut even more impossible to style! I am in hair limbo right now. So I ask, what influenced your decision to texturize or relax your hair the most? If you are unhappy with your relaxed or texturized hair, why? If you have relaxed hair and want texturized hair, or vice versa, what made you decide this? I am looking for pros and cons. Thank in advance!

 

[sweetcocoa]

Hey Honeyrockette! I lightly relaxed my hair(texturized) my hair at the end of June and I am still happy with it.
You are having the problem of growing out a short cut which compounds the issue of what to do with your hair. I had a hard time growing out my Halle cut( I was relaxed) because I couldn't get past the messy stage(touching your ears...nape growing out...). Skegeesmb grew her hair out from a short cut and she did it natural. I'll see if I can find her post about that. Or you may want to email her...

 

[love2praz]

HoneyRockette,

It is definitely a personal decision that YOU have to be the most comfortable with. I had a TWA last summer shaving off all of my shoulder length relaxed hair because I thought that was what I wanted. However, after 3 months I relaxed and had a real short style similar to Nia Long (when her hair was real short). When I decided to grow it out again in February, I knew I would hit that "messy, in between" stage so I've been wearing my hair in an "Instant Weave" (or 3/4 wig piece). Therefore, I don't have to worry about styling while it is growing out and getting frustrated while it's in this stage. I've been doing this for the past 3 months and have obtained SUBSTANTIAL length. It just takes a lot of patience...

The decision to texturize, relax, or go natural is really a personal decision. But in any of the above states, I truly believe it is achievable to grow your hair as long as you want it!!!!

I wish you good luck in your hair journey!!

 

[CurlyCrly]

I texturized my hair after being natural for a few months because I didn't like the shrinkage after air drying and I wanted to be able to wear it in a true curly state, without needing braidouts and twistouts.

I started with about 6" of natural hair three years ago and have cut it shorter each winter since then. Not this winter though.

I also wanted to be able to wear twists the way that I did when I was natural, with the ends curling around each other to secure the twists. Wearing it straight without too much effort was also a plus.

Generally, I wanted what I considered to be the best of both worlds (relaxed/natural).

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

I texturized my haur for the same reasons. This is a new decision for me since I just did it on Friday, but so far I think I'm going to like it. Oh yeah, and I don't think you would have to get a major haircut if you choose texturizer, only the haircut that you would have gotten with the relaxer for style because straigtening the hair with a texturizer is pretty easy and you could wear it straight until you get enough growth to cut the relaxer off then you could wear it curly or straight. Whew, what a long sentence.