Consequences of RELAXING Forever???

[Poohbear]

Is there anyone on here that is over 20 years old that has been relaxing their hair all of their life???

What are the effects of relaxing for the rest of your life???
I'm also wondering if anyone has heard any stories or read any articles about continual relaxing or someone that has suffered from relaxing for a long time. I hope Im pretty clear about this.

Please share your input!

 

[sugawooga]

Re: Questions about Relaxers

I'm 27 and I've had relaxed hair since I was 9 years old. I've never heard about long term damage or effects of relaxers. That is a good question. I may have to do some research on this. I'll get back with you on my results...
BRB

 

[Dolce_Dawn]

Re: Questions about Relaxers

I'm over 20 and I have been relaxing since high school (you do the math

). I still have a head full of healthy hair so I can honestly say that I haven't experienced any adverse affects (yet). However, I have heard that over time it makes your hair thinner (not through loss but appearance in the diameter of the strand). Other than that, I haven't heard or experienced anything else.

 

[patience]

Re: Questions about Relaxers

I think that varies for each individual. I was relaxed from ages 10 to 28. I didn't have many problems. I basically just got tired of the chemicals.

My mom has been relaxing for approx. 20 years, if not more. Her hair is okay, but it is starting to thin out and her edges are pretty much gone near her ear on one side.

My sister has been relaxed since she was about 12 and will be 31 this year. Similar to mom, her edges are basically non-existent

My aunt has been relaxing for 20+ years and I can literally see her scalp...her hair is just that thin.

On the other hand, her sister, who's been relaxed for about the same length of time has thicker/fuller hair but her hair is thinner around the edges.

I also have other aunts that have been relaxing for 20+ years, but their hair is thinner now that it was back then. Partly due to aging I think. But their edges are leaving or thin as well.

 

[melodee]

Re: Questions about Relaxers

Pooh, I'm over 20 and have been relaxed since I was about 10 years old. My hair was much drier, but now that I keep it moisturized, it's soft. The biggest issue I've had are the agressive trims that my stylist would do each time I got a touch up. Kept my hair at the same length for years.

 

[Karonica]

Re: Questions about Relaxers

21 now, relaxed since 10. No problems til thyroid disease developed and I got my hair bleached.

 

[Poohbear]

Re: Questions about Relaxers

[ QUOTE ]
melodee said:
Pooh, I'm over 20 and have been relaxed since I was about 10 years old. My hair was much drier, but now that I keep it moisturized, it's soft. The biggest issue I've had are the agressive trims that my stylist would do each time I got a touch up. Kept my hair at the same length for years.

[/ QUOTE ]

melodee,
Is your stylist trimming damage/split ends? Do u think the relaxer is what kept your hair at the same length?

 

[Poohbear]

Re: Questions about Relaxers

Well, to answer my own question based on experience, my mom is 45 and didn't start relaxing until she was a young adult (around 18 years old). Her hair looks very nice and healthy and feels really soft all the time. All she does is use grease, washes her hair about 2 times a month, and relaxes her hair every 4-6 weeks. Those are the only three products she uses: grease, shampoo, and relaxer.

Even though her hair looks nice, her hair has stayed at shoulder length and her hair line on the sides is kinda thin (but I think that is from her hair line receeding back due to the aging process).

 

[aregee]

Re: Questions about Relaxers

i don't relax (my mother used to relax my hair when i was young), but i would be concerned about the long term affects of using such a strong chemical. when you think about it, relaxers have not been around that long and scientific studies are rarely performed regarding issues that affect us as black women. no one really knows the long term and generational affects of relaxers on our health.

 

[chanou]

Re: Questions about Relaxers

[ QUOTE ]
patience said:

My aunt has been relaxing for 20+ years and I can literally see her scalp...her hair is just that thin.


[/ QUOTE ]

All the older women in my family with relaxed hair has this problem- Their hair start thinning and one can see the scalp- The ones with natural hair don't have that problem.

I started perming at 8- stop at 18 and started again at 24- I'll probably take a clean break when I'm 35- I've never had long relaxed hair before. I was able to have nice long natural hair when I went to natural, my hair grew at an incredibly fast rate- I now want to duplicate that with a relaxer.

 

[UmSumayyah]

Re: Questions about Relaxers

My grandma has very thin hair, but as far as I know never had a relaxer in her life. (just pressn'curl). Of course she is in her 80s and you expect at that age your hair will start to thin.

 

[Guest]

If you take care, no.

My aunt is 84 and still relaxes and still has long nice hair. She was beauticiain and held to old stuff, like grease and triming but --- 84.

I'm Fourty Something

and I wish you could see my hair today. Thick, fluffy, airdried and long. Been relaxed about 19-21 yrs.

 

[Country gal]

I notived that my hair has started thining. It could be related to relaxing. I am currently giving my hair a break from relaxing. I want thick hair like I use to have in my youth.

 

[Healthb4Length]

The FDA is currently doing a long term study on the effects of relaxer due to massive complaints from consumers. Although the study is not complete they found that relaxing for a long period of time led to hair damage, dryness, hair loss and possibly cancer...just has permanent colors. I think though that with all the technological advances today companies are catering the needs of clients more and more. I truely believe that alot of the SHS (short hair sydrome) and damage due to relaxers are both the faults of the Haircare industry and consumers. Too often many hair care professionals are not well educated about the chems that they work with and that can be disasterous for us. And we are to blame too, often times many of us, myself included knows the risks of chemicals yet we sacrifice our hair so we can look cute, we put chemicals in, we color/rough comb and generally abuse our hair. But if we learned how to take care of our hair and be patient, I believe you can achieve mass hair growth/lenght and avoid negative consequences as listed above.

 

[gabrielle2]

i was relaxed for over 20 yrs and i am 31. for me..it was a constant breaking off in a certain spot in the upper left part of my head in the back. with out FAIL! my hair never really grew past the ears evenly before that spot would break all the way down by the scalp. hence another hair cut because the breakage would spread.

now, 20 months relaxed..that spot is as strong as ever. no breakage..split ends..nothing. entire head is full of strong healthy hair that is growing nicely and at a somewhat even all over length

 

[patience]

[ QUOTE ]
Alli77 said:
The FDA is currently doing a long term study on the effects of relaxer due to massive complaints from consumers. Although the study is not complete they found that relaxing for a long period of time led to hair damage, dryness, hair loss and possibly cancer...just has permanent colors. I think though that with all the technological advances today companies are catering the needs of clients more and more. I truely believe that alot of the SHS (short hair sydrome) and damage due to relaxers are both the faults of the Haircare industry and consumers. Too often many hair care professionals are not well educated about the chems that they work with and that can be disasterous for us. And we are to blame too, often times many of us, myself included knows the risks of chemicals yet we sacrifice our hair so we can look cute, we put chemicals in, we color/rough comb and generally abuse our hair. But if we learned how to take care of our hair and be patient, I believe you can achieve mass hair growth/lenght and avoid negative consequences as listed above.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nicely said.

 

[dreemssold]

I am 28, and I have worn a relaxer continuously since I was 9...so almost 20 years. I haven't had any problems. I have recently had a little breakage in the front, but I can pinpoint exactly why, and it isn't relaxer-related. My hair is extremely thick, with no thinning. I think the care of your hair is what counts, not whether it's relaxed or natural. Oh, and my mother has been relaxed consistently since 1978 (post-afro), and her hair is also very thick, grows EXTREMELY fast, and there is no breakage or thinning. HTH.

 

[Falon]

Re: Questions about Relaxers

Thinning hair in older women may be due to the loss of estrogen when they go through menopause. My mom is natural and her hair is thinner than it was years ago...Not thin enough to see bald patches or anything just thinner.

I don't know about this one...If hair is constantly growing what difference can a relaxer make over the years as long as the hair is being taken care of.

If the hair is always over processed and under moisturized and if other forms of styling abuse are taking place. Such as constant heat damage, tight wigs and braids etc too much brushing...after 20 or so years of this the hair will be damaged at the root and will not grow back. It probably happens a few hairs at a time and if it keeps happening to the same area of the head...eventually you end up with a permanent bald spot. Combine that with slower hair growth due to the ageing process and changes in hormone levels due to menopause and voila you end up a granny in a wig.


My opinion.

 

[Shawnee66]

I think it all depends on how the relaxer is applied, if the hair is washed clean of the relaxer and how you maintain it between relaxers.

I believe I am really good at putting relaxers in the hair. I relax my sisters' and my daughter's hair and they don't seem to have any breakage or dry hair. All their hair is about 3 inches away from bra strap length. However I have had relaxer put in by professional and they did not wash out the relaxer completely because of this I have breakage all over my head and my hair is dry. I think this is because the relaxer is being applied over the hair that is already relaxed. I am trying to find a stylist that is good at putting in relaxers and rinsing it out.

 

[Dolce_Dawn]

[ QUOTE ]
Shawnee66 said:
I think it all depends on how the relaxer is applied, if the hair is washed clean of the relaxer and how you maintain it between relaxers.

I believe I am really good at putting relaxers in the hair. I relax my sisters' and my daughter's hair and they don't seem to have any breakage or dry hair. All their hair is about 3 inches away from bra strap length. However I have had relaxer put in by professional and they did not wash out the relaxer completely because of this I have breakage all over my head and my hair is dry. I think this is because the relaxer is being applied over the hair that is already relaxed. I am trying to find a stylist that is good at putting in relaxers and rinsing it out.

[/ QUOTE ]

Shawnee66-

Curious: Since you do such a great job on others, why can't you just do your own relaxer?

 

[SherryLove]

[ QUOTE ]
sbaker said:
I notived that my hair has started thining. It could be related to relaxing. I am currently giving my hair a break from relaxing. I want thick hair like I use to have in my youth.

[/ QUOTE ]

that's exactly why I will no longer be relaxing my hair.....

 

[aregee]

[ QUOTE ]
Alli77 said:
The FDA is currently doing a long term study on the effects of relaxer due to massive complaints from consumers. Although the study is not complete they found that relaxing for a long period of time led to hair damage, dryness, hair loss and possibly cancer...just has permanent colors. I think though that with all the technological advances today companies are catering the needs of clients more and more. I truely believe that alot of the SHS (short hair sydrome) and damage due to relaxers are both the faults of the Haircare industry and consumers. Too often many hair care professionals are not well educated about the chems that they work with and that can be disasterous for us. And we are to blame too, often times many of us, myself included knows the risks of chemicals yet we sacrifice our hair so we can look cute, we put chemicals in, we color/rough comb and generally abuse our hair. But if we learned how to take care of our hair and be patient, I believe you can achieve mass hair growth/lenght and avoid negative consequences as listed above.

[/ QUOTE ]

i gladly stand corrected. i hope this study is looking into the systemic and long term health affects and not just the external problems relaxers can cause.

 

[Shawnee66]

I can't see the back! Even with mirrors.

 

[Poohbear]

[ QUOTE ]
gabrielle2 said:
now, 20 months relaxed..that spot is as strong as ever. no breakage..split ends..nothing. entire head is full of strong healthy hair that is growing nicely and at a somewhat even all over length

[/ QUOTE ]

Do you mean "20 months natural"?

 

[Poohbear]

Re: Questions about Relaxers

[ QUOTE ]
Falon said:
...If hair is constantly growing what difference can a relaxer make over the years as long as the hair is being taken care of.



[/ QUOTE ]

Good point

 

[Poohbear]

[ QUOTE ]
SherryLove said:
[ QUOTE ]
sbaker said:
I notived that my hair has started thining. It could be related to relaxing. I am currently giving my hair a break from relaxing. I want thick hair like I use to have in my youth.

[/ QUOTE ]

that's exactly why I will no longer be relaxing my hair.....

[/ QUOTE ]

Same here...

...that's why I posted this thread to decide whether I should continue transitioning or go back to relaxing. Even though some have said they've seen older women with thin natural hair (which is probably due to age), Im still going to continue transitioning so I can have thicker healthier hair with no dangers of chemicals.

 

[simplycee]

Re: Questions about Relaxers

I am early 30's and I got my first relaxer at 10. My hair is still thick and approaching bra strap length. Any problems I have had with relaxers have had to do with the stylist and application.

My mother is mid 50's and her hair is thick and strong and she has been relaxing since she was 18 (with the exception of the couple years she was wearing a jheri curl) She has no thinning at all. She even went through chemo and still had no thinning. She kept her hair through chemo and radiation treatments!

 

[sassygirl125]

[ QUOTE ]
The FDA is currently doing a long term study on the effects of relaxer due to massive complaints from consumers...

I truely believe that alot of the SHS (short hair sydrome) and damage due to relaxers are both the faults of the Haircare industry and consumers.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. There is an ad running right now for PCJ Smooth Roots Relaxer (a product aimed at children

) that says, "When her new growth gets about ½”-3/4” long, it's time she gets a touch up."

I just read on a site linked from another thread. (I forgot which one

) that 75% of women w/ relaxers relax their hair every 4-6 weeks. I've even heard stylists tell clients to come in for touch-ups once a month.

I'm interested in reading the findings from the study. I just hope the subjects are women who are having chemicals applied correctly.

 

[MAHOGNEY329]

Re: Questions about Relaxers

Hello,
I am 24 years old, I got my first perm at the tender age of 7 and all of my hair fell out

I had to get all of the perm cut off and started over with a jheri curl..................talk about the lowest self esteem ever

Then in Middle School got a perm on top of the wave noveau and have been doing well ever since

My mom has had a perm since the late 1960's and she has beautiful hair. I guess it is all about how you take care of your hair, diet and genetics

 

[Mariaat40]

I'm 44 years old and have had relaxed hair since I was a child. My hair is fine, but with thick strands - no thinning or adverse problems with the relaxer. But what works for one person doesn't work for another. I think, Pooh, that you have to make your decision based on what works for YOUR hair and your own desires- what's most important to YOU.