Can't Relaxed = Healthy and Long too?

[NappyGoddesse]

(Hiding from fellow Bootcamp participants!)

Hello! Okay, so I've been doing this protective thing since joing LHCF with buns and braids under wigs. My hair seem to be doing well, although, as a recent poster complained, I'm getting bored with the buns (and I have over a hundred hair sticks, clips, and picks!) and wigs! I'm a part of the Bootcamp Challenge, and I want to follow through with that committment... BUT...

Last weekend, I used a pass from Bootcamp at a Dominican Salon and my hair turned out absolutely beautifully! Strong, full, and more time between touchups (texlaxed)... I thought to myself, surely I can look like this more often without ripping apart my strands and being fearful of a bald future!

I know, you're all probably like, "GET TO THE QUESTION, ALREADY!"

So my question is for the relaxed / texlaxed ladies who DON'T use protective styling EVERY SINGLE DAY and have achieved healthy, free-of-breakage, long hair. WHAT ARE YOU DOING to maintain that healthy hair if you're not protective styling everyday?? And details would be awesome...like regimens!

I promise I'm not trying to start anything, just wanting to explore alternate means to achieving that healthy length I'm searching for - and what better way than on this wonderful forum! Thanks in advance!

 

[gissellr78]

Yes you can. I am not saying to let your hair out all week but you can at least 3 days of the week while your hair is fresh. I grew my hair this way too.

 

[Sweet Charm]

I never wore buns. I used to get my hair flat ironed every two weeks and I wore it down or in ponytails. My hair grew to BSL I deep conditioned once a month. You definitely don't have to wear buns for your hair to grow.

 

[LadyPaniolo]

Sure, lots of posters have done it... but I personally find that I retain more when I practice extreme protective styling. It's not for everyone, and that's cool. But I cannot argue with the results I have gotten.

 

[Mai Tai]

You definately can grow long and strong relaxed hair. The key is to have patience, and realistic expectations. I have learned that in the long run, I cannot compare my head of hair to someone else's. I can read and research the general steps to taking care of my hair, but ultimately I have to do what works for me.

My hair does not do well with many protective styles. Whenever I do them, I get so much more breakage. Maybe I haven't learned how to maintain them properly...I don't know...but I do know that my hair has thrived the most with weekly deep conditioning, blowdrying and flat-ironing.

Here is a link to my regimen. I hope this helps you in your journey. Good Luck!

 

[imaccami]

I think a lot of people don't protective style. I don't and my hair is fine.

 

[janeemat]

Check out Sylver2. She does not wear ps. But she does practice low maintenance.

 

[supermodelsonya]

Right. You can do low manipulation styles in lieu of protective styles and still grow your hair just fine.

a lot of people confuse low manipulation styles with protective styles.

 

[Chevelure618]

a very legitimate and astute question.

My alternative to daily protective styling is to be FASTIDIOUS with moisturizing and sealing. I moisturize 3 - 4 times a day. I make sure the last 3-5 inches of my hair are soft and MOIST.

I've found that if the last 4-5 inches of my hair feel GREAT, then I can leave it out and not worry. Around the house I just wear a loose, low pony-tail air-dried.

I use Ultra Black Hair Lotion Creme Moisturizer which I cannot live without and will be the reason why I get to MBL. I takes hard, crunchy ends and NG and turns it into soft, pliable, moist hair. The trick is not to start abusing or doing ANYTHING to it after it is well moisturized.

After using the UBH LCM, I use a homemade concoction of heavy oils. I am pretty heavy handed with my sealing oils and I think they do nothing but good.

I am not a person who needs floaty, silky hair all the time. I actually like my texlaxed poofy hair because it so resembles natural hair.

When my hair gets coated or loaded I wash it. right now, I need to rescue my hair with my staple regimen: UBH Deep Conditioner, UBH Lotion Creme Moisturizer, Coconut Oil/Castor Oil/Olive Oil/a little Shea Butter mixed together. I've got to stick to my regimen to make it to BSL in 4 months.

HTH

 

[4evershika]

I'm interested to see more answers... great question OP!

 

[Whimsy]

Back in my texlax days in HS and College. I barely bunned, I was the wash n go queen and when I was straightened out I was the freeflowing hair or ponytail queen. I was maintaining my length at BSL and getting trims every 3/4 months when I got my texlax touched up.
It's definitely doable.
But I like to protect my ends more now, I care more for my hair now so I protective style more often.

 

[TamedTresses]

You can do low manipulations styles. Ensure that you keep your ends moisturized, sealed, and from rubbing against your clothing.

 

[longhairlover]

I don't do anything special, I use good products, good leave ins. Rollersets and keep it simple, I wrap my hair up at night or I leave it loose and tie a silk scarf.

I have never protective styled, I wear ponytails when I work out or when it's rainy/humid weather.

I know some folks make a big deal about keeping your hair hidden but it's not that serious. i'm not into extreme anything and it works for me and friends of mine that have looooong relaxed hair.

 

[Jewell]

Many sisters have managed to have long, healthy, relaxed hair without the help of PS. For years before I found this board, I didn't know what a PS was. Of course, I very rarely got my hair braided with extensions, or wore my hair in a ponytail/bun, but I mainly wore it down and "out." I had BSL to MBL relaxed hair for many yrs before LHCF (with healthy ends, but I did have to trim more without PS). When I came here, I just expanded on what I already knew, and tried a few different things. I already had a regi long b4.

Just be sure to moisturize your ends, protect ur hair at night, and watch the cloths that rub against the ends...wool coats/scarves/hats will do some serious damage to relaxed ends--I wore my peacoat with my hair down for one day, and it was terrible how my ends felt and looked! HHG! You can do it!

ETA: Though I'm transitioning, when I get to WL or longer, a sistah will be pressing the hair and wearing it out! I'm doing the PS heavily to reach my goals, then I'll enjoy my hair for a while. After I get tired of wearing it out so much, I'll bring it back down to the PS. Both look good on me, so I just enjoy the variety!