It can BUT (big but) overreliance on pressing can really mess up your natural texture (causing permanantly straightened hair) and can cause serious dryness and/or breakage. Whether this happens will depend on how your hair handles heat. I transitioned with braids (actually it wasn't an intentional transition, I just was a braid addict). I would get my hair pressed in between and it held up fine but I wasn't pressing once a week or anything.