Can You Really "Train" Hair?

[Stiletto_Diva]

Ok, so my friend is a natural yet her hair is always straight. I asked her what she used to get her hair so straight and she replied " I just flat iron it". I was shocked and amazed!!! I mean this girls hair looked like she had a fresh relaxer. So since I'm transitioning ( and really nosey) I asked her if it was difficult to her natural hair that straight. She told me that since she's been flat ironing her hair for such a long time that her hair was "trained" and it was really easy to straighten.

So here is my question for ya'll: Can you really "train your hair into becoming easier to straighten, or is it just heat damage.

 

[EMJazzy]

She burnt her hair straight...in one word it's damaged.

 

[OrangeMoon]

She burnt her hair straight...in one word it's damaged.

LMAO at your siggy WSL I've been wondering the same thing.

 

[LiveLoveLife]

I was natural two years ago and thats ALL my hairdresser would ever tell me... that my hair needed to be 'trained' so it could straighten easier and be able to hold a curl. Personally I don't believe this...
EMJazzy
She burnt her hair straight...in one word it's damaged.
^^^basically.
I had heard this myth for the 17+ years I was natural... and my hair was still not 'trained' with all the extreme heat/pressing...it was unhealthy

 

[Stiletto_Diva]

I was thinking it was damged too, but her hair is so thick, shiny, bouncy, and in other words just plain gorgeous. So i started to think maybe i was wrongerplexed

 

[Cinda2503]

I had this conversation with my hairdresser a few years ago. she said it's not that you train you hair per-se; it's that you train yourself to do your hair just the way you want it."

I tend to agree with her. Your hair, afterall, is dead and has no memory.

imho

 

[MonPetite]

If by "trained"" you mean: burned it straight and can't tell the difference...then, yes.

 

[charmtreese]

I was thinking it was damged too, but her hair is so thick, shiny, bouncy, and in other words just plain gorgeous. So i started to think maybe i was wrongerplexed

If her hair appears healthy well then it probably is....

She more than likely has mastered the skill of flat ironing. I agree with cinda, her hair has trained her how to get flawless results! Have you asked her about her technique?

 

[Stiletto_Diva]

She goes to the salonerplexed. So that really got me confused because her hair looks great

 

[anon123]

I was thinking it was damged too, but her hair is so thick, shiny, bouncy, and in other words just plain gorgeous. So i started to think maybe i was wrongerplexed

It is heat damaged but that doesn't mean it looks bad. I guess since we say "damage" we think it's supposed to look terrible. "Heat damage" can simple mean that it's just been straightened to the point where it won't kink up fully again. And if you wear your hair straight all the time, this may not be a problem for you. If you wear your hair kinky most of the time, though, it may be a problem. But even then it might still be okay if you've managed to burn it straighter evenly throughout the hair so that the texture is consistent but it still has enough kink to hold natural styles. Have you seen her hair wet after a wash? That might be more revealing.

My cousin was telling my mother the same thing when my mother went to go see her. She (cousin) now has butt-length non-permed hair that she gets pressed at the salon but she told my mother that her hair is "trained" so it's easier to straighten now.

 

[honeybadgirl]

i was told that as a little girl...that my hair had to be "trained". well it remained an untamed beast!! frizz up in a heartbeat!! fluff fluff as soon as the weather hit it!!

 

[LadyKaypnyc]

Mostly likely heat damage. Frequent flat ironing can loosen the curl pattern over time.

 

[Mortons]

I don't know. My friends fro is much easier to get straight than my hair, and its still a fro, not straightened. She usually wears it straight. Same with my stylist. So maybe your hair can have memory.

 

[trendybosschicebz]

Before finding this forum (thank heavens) I thought my hair was trained because thats what my beautician told me erplexed. However, since Ive done research on heat damaged and learned about the structure of my hair, etc., I realize that my hair is heat damaged. Now that I KNOW the truth, Im taking more precautions to make sure that I no longer damage my hair. I.e heat protectant, using less heat, deep conditioning. I guess I always had the perception that my hair wasn't damaged because it looked so healthy and never broke, but not I know ive damaged the cuticle and it will never go back.

 

[DivaD04]

yes, i can make my hair grow in the direction i want it to grow...lol i use to keep my hair wet wrapped in the direction I wanted it to be when styled. when someone else tries to comb it n a different direction it'll only give them heart ache and pain.

 

[Stiletto_Diva]

yes, i can make my hair grow in the direction i want it to grow...lol i use to keep my hair wet wrapped in the direction I wanted it to be when styled. when someone else tries to comb it n a different direction it'll only give them heart ache and pain.

This makes sense. I always part my hair in the same place. now even if i try ro part it on the other side it just doesn't lay right.

But can your really train your hair straighter??

 

[nodisrespect]

I made this exact same post awhile ago... a lot of the comments told me it was due to my sister having a good haircut that it always fell in the same style when she flat ironed it...

 

[KiniKakes]

It is heat damaged but that doesn't mean it looks bad. I guess since we say "damage" we think it's supposed to look terrible. "Heat damage" can simple mean that it's just been straightened to the point where it won't kink up fully again. And if you wear your hair straight all the time, this may not be a problem for you.

Right! ITA.

trained = over-processed

But this doesnt necessarily mean it will look bad or "damaged" to the naked eye.

 

[DivaD04]

This makes sense. I always part my hair in the same place. now even if i try ro part it on the other side it just doesn't lay right.

But can your really train your hair straighter??

Well my cosmo edu. says no. you can't alter the way the hair grows. ie, if your hair genetically grows out with a kinky curl pattern, you can not change this genetic pattern. I believe the direction it may grow because it's so used to going that one way. If a beautician says your hair is trained ask them how is it trained and then promp for more info on that subject. There are folks who like to spark conversation just cuz so give them a run for their money.
Otherwise, this is why millions of people buy products to change the apperance of their hair, whether it's to have straight hair, curly hair, colored hair, instant long hair...etc. Go ahead and brush your hair until the cows come home...let me know how that turns out...just kidding! For real tho, I don't think we can "train" our hair in this sense tho.
Any method you do to your hair and you decide to stop...you'll just end up the that same kinky curl you'd started out with.

 

[hothair]

She burnt her hair straight...in one word it's damaged.

I have a family friend that does this too

 

[MizzBrown]

Why be natural if you are gonna just "train" or damage your hair like that? Might as well put the relaxer back in. I don't understand that. So if she wants to rock a fro one day, she can't? Whats up with that? I'd be pissed. That defeats the point of being natural in my opinion.

I dont know much bout being natural but when i tried to transition, i knew i had to lay off that blow dryer and them curling irons cause yall told me my hair won't curl if i do and u gotta START OVER and let it grow out curly again.

DIVAD04,
I understand the whole genetic pattern thing but what about people who have cow licks? Whats up wit that? Thats the same thing? Its just natural for their hair to fall one way and this little piece is always goin in the opposite direction no matter what? I always hear white folks complain about cowl licks though....whats up with that?

 

[Fine 4s]

I was thinking it was damged too, but her hair is so thick, shiny, bouncy, and in other words just plain gorgeous. So i started to think maybe i was wrongerplexed

Damaged doesn't necessarily mean that one's hair would look chewed up or ugly although it is a negative word erplexed. In hair world, it means that the natural texture of the hair strand has been altered whether it be with chemicals or heat. Trust me, I'm growing out my heat damaged strands.

If ever your friend wanted to rock a curly funky fro, she'd have a hard time doing that style.

 

[Fine 4s]

Before finding this forum (thank heavens) I thought my hair was trained because thats what my beautician told me erplexed. However, since Ive done research on heat damaged and learned about the structure of my hair, etc., I realize that my hair is heat damaged. Now that I KNOW the truth, Im taking more precautions to make sure that I no longer damage my hair. I.e heat protectant, using less heat, deep conditioning. I guess I always had the perception that my hair wasn't damaged because it looked so healthy and never broke, but not I know ive damaged the cuticle and it will never go back.

I went to over 5 stylists asking them about my hair texture and why it was behaving like that. NONE of them knew the truth. They kept telling me that's just my hair texture...Bull.

Remember Sabra from the show "So you think you can dance?" Her natural fro just bounced back after every straight style they gave her. I hope that's the case for my hair when I decide to straighten...

 

[Kayluv]

I don't understand why her hair is thought to be damaged. Long before LHCF (I mean before the internet) I used to press my natural hair every week and my hair was very healthy, thick and shiny. I shampoo'd and condition every week and then pressed my hair and I had no problems. As a matter of fact, that was when my hair was the healthiest. Now, I relax my hair and that is a different story. Just my humble opinion.

 

[*Luscious*Locked*Doc]

Kaylove - I think they, and ITA, that her hair is heat damaged is because when you are natural and don't overuse heat your coils or natural curl pattern remains intact. However it has been the experience of many ladies myself included that when using a lot of heat on one section or all over your hair that after washing your hair - the curl pattern won't revert. At that point you'll either have to chop off that piece and start over to get the pattern you want or you can leave it there. Either way that part of your hair will never look like the rest again. Since you were pressing, I'm assuming a hard press, your hair my guess it that all of your hair would have been "heat damaged" especially if you weren't using a heat protectant. This isn't a bad thing if you want to wear your hair straight the majority of the time, but I love my ringlets so having heat damage for me per se would be a bad thing.

 

[EbonyHairedPrincess]

I say it she probably has hair that responds to heat well. Perhaps she has a looser curl pattern that relaxes easy to heat.

 

[Kayluv]

Kaylove - I think they, and ITA, that her hair is heat damaged is because when you are natural and don't overuse heat your coils or natural curl pattern remains intact. However it has been the experience of many ladies myself included that when using a lot of heat on one section or all over your hair that after washing your hair - the curl pattern won't revert. At that point you'll either have to chop off that piece and start over to get the pattern you want or you can leave it there. Either way that part of your hair will never look like the rest again. Since you were pressing, I'm assuming a hard press, your hair my guess it that all of your hair would have been "heat damaged" especially if you weren't using a heat protectant. This isn't a bad thing if you want to wear your hair straight the majority of the time, but I love my ringlets so having heat damage for me per se would be a bad thing.

Yes, I did a hard press and my hair was never heat damaged and my hair always reverted back to it's original state once water hit it....that was the down side. Everyone's hair is different and my hair withstood it well. My hair was just gorgeous then. If I had the patience and the time, I would go back to that process again.

 

[DivaD04]

Why be natural if you are gonna just "train" or damage your hair like that? Might as well put the relaxer back in. I don't understand that. So if she wants to rock a fro one day, she can't? Whats up with that? I'd be pissed. That defeats the point of being natural in my opinion.

I dont know much bout being natural but when i tried to transition, i knew i had to lay off that blow dryer and them curling irons cause yall told me my hair won't curl if i do and u gotta START OVER and let it grow out curly again.

DIVAD04,
I understand the whole genetic pattern thing but what about people who have cow licks? Whats up wit that? Thats the same thing? Its just natural for their hair to fall one way and this little piece is always goin in the opposite direction no matter what? I always hear white folks complain about cowl licks though....whats up with that?

Well my dd has one right in the front of her dome. It's very annoying but I have to work around it...could you imagine having one in front? I'll post a pic of her's when she's out of the tub for now I googled cowlicks and here is a plus what is a cowlick b4 folks begin to ask and the management:

A cowlick appears when the growth direction of the hair forms a spiral pattern. The hair in a cowlick either stands straight up or lies at an extreme angle and seems to be always at odds with the style in which the rest of the hair is worn. They can show up anywhere. The most common site is in the crown, or they also sometimes appear in front of the hair and back.
The term cowlick dates from the late 16th century, when Richard Haydocke used it in his translation of Lomazoo: "The lockes or plaine feakes of haire called cow-lickes, are made turning upwards." Also, the Latin word "calyx" is often pronounced this way and literally means a whorled look or appearance on something, and the "cowlick" always has a whorled appearance.

Management
Many people find cowlicks to be extremely irritating, as they often conflict with the desired hairstyle. There are several methods of taming the unruly cowlick. For most people, a combination of the right hairstyle, length, product used, and styling technique can overcome the appearance. For people more serious about cowlick management, more drastic measures may be used. Electrology, waxing, and even cosmetic surgery can be used to more permanently correct the cowlick.

A widow's peak (widow's brow) is a descending V-shaped point in the middle of the hairline (above the forehead). The trait is inherited genetically and is dominant. A dominant trait is the observed trait. The term comes from English folklore, where it was believed that this hair formation was a sign of a woman who would outlive her husband.
The peak refers to the beak or bill of a headdress, particularly a widow's hood, making people think a woman was being given a mourning hood for her husband's soon-to-be passing.
The term can also be linked to novels written in the Roman era of Bath, when women were discussing how bitter women, or widows all had odd hairlines.

 

[bellalouise]

I don't understand why her hair is thought to be damaged. Long before LHCF (I mean before the internet) I used to press my natural hair every week and my hair was very healthy, thick and shiny. I shampoo'd and condition every week and then pressed my hair and I had no problems. As a matter of fact, that was when my hair was the healthiest. Now, I relax my hair and that is a different story. Just my humble opinion.

I agree with you. I have been natural since 2000. I wear my hair straight 98% of the time. My stylist either presses or flat irons my 4a/b/c hair. My hair is not heat damaged or otherwise compromised. When I wash my hair it returns to the exact same curl pattern and fro as it did prior to me going natural. The cuticle, shaft, medulla and cortex is not compromised or damaged, as I have examined it as well as my dermatologist under a microscope. When the dematologist looked at my hair samples one of the first thing he said asked " You do not have any chemicals on your hair?" I can tell because the cuticle, shaft and or cortex do not appear to be compromised and/or damaged.... This was just last year, Seven years of flat ironing and pressing.....

 

[carib_n_curly]

It is heat damaged but that doesn't mean it looks bad. I guess since we say "damage" we think it's supposed to look terrible. "Heat damage" can simple mean that it's just been straightened to the point where it won't kink up fully again. And if you wear your hair straight all the time, this may not be a problem for you. If you wear your hair kinky most of the time, though, it may be a problem. But even then it might still be okay if you've managed to burn it straighter evenly throughout the hair so that the texture is consistent but it still has enough kink to hold natural styles. Have you seen her hair wet after a wash? That might be more revealing.

My cousin was telling my mother the same thing when my mother went to go see her. She (cousin) now has butt-length non-permed hair that she gets pressed at the salon but she told my mother that her hair is "trained" so it's easier to straighten now.

ITA very well put.that's what happened to areas of my hair. it doesn't look bad but it has no curl or kink