Curious re: Transitioning Ladies....Reasons for:

[Mahalialee4]

I notice that there seems to be a lot of new transitioning to natural ladies, especially longer haired ladies. What specific factor prompted you to do this now that you have achieved so much length? Also, i hope that you do not have to cut the length in order to transition...I do not think I could cut off a lot of length and start over, personally speaking. So I was wondering "What brought you to the decision to transition and cut etc."

Bonjour

 

[inthepink]

I've been transitioning for over a year so maybe you aren't even talking to me....but I decided to transition after getting a relaxer that broke off my hair.

I know that "eventually" I will lose my length but I am preparing for that. I have to even my hair up again and have healthy hair. Unfortunately, for me, I will have to lose an amount of length b/c of the breakage. Though, I am taking it really slowly.

 

[UmSumayyah]

Hairlove, you haven't found that holding on to the damaged/breaking ends is making it worse? I've cut my hair (1.5-2.5 inches each time) 3 times because of a bad relaxing experience in Nov, and I'm STILL seeing up to 3 inch pieces snapping off. I want to cut again to try and get rid of the damaged hair, but I feel like I'll have a mini-nervous breakdown if I cut again.

 

[Enchantmt]

I decided to transistion about a month ago. I'm just tired of having to HAVE to relax my hair. I'm tired of the chemicals. I had been thinking about doing it for a year or two but this board inspired me to go on ahead and do it. I will try to transistion as long as possible but I know me and I get scissor happy sometimes....we'll see...

 

[Erica78]

Before I came to this board...the word transitioning was not in my vocabulary. After I saw all of the beautiful natural heads of hair here...I wanted to see what it was like dealing with my natural texture. I stretched my relaxer out to 6 months instead of my usual 4 month mark. When I got to my 6th month...I just couldn't bring myself to relax...so I decided to transition in June.

Another reason I decided to transition is because I will be moving soon...and I've had some bad experiences finding a good stylist that could apply relaxers correctly. In 1994...I finally found a lady that focused on hair health and she is a wiz at applying relaxers. I have been going to her ever since...and I just don't want to go through all of the drama of finding someone again.

I might relax again someday...who knows...but right now...it isn't in my plan.

 

[SilkyandSmooth]

I'm only two months in, but I decided to transition b/c I miss my natural hair. Plus, I no longer want to put chemicals in my hair.

I realize that I have a long road ahead of me, but I'm really committed to having healthy, natural hair.

 

[inthepink]

[ QUOTE ]
UmSumayyah said:
Hairlove, you haven't found that holding on to the damaged/breaking ends is making it worse? I've cut my hair (1.5-2.5 inches each time) 3 times because of a bad relaxing experience in Nov, and I'm STILL seeing up to 3 inch pieces snapping off. I want to cut again to try and get rid of the damaged hair, but I feel like I'll have a mini-nervous breakdown if I cut again.

[/ QUOTE ]

For me, I don't believe I am doing anything to damage my hair. The breakage I experienced wasn't severe and bad enough that I needed an immediate cut or anything like that. Still, it was a shock to have any breakage of the sort. Sorry that you're still experiencing a lot of breakage. Have you tried protein treatments?

 

[jd_bdfly]

[ QUOTE ]
Enchantmt said:
I decided to transistion about a month ago. I'm just tired of having to HAVE to relax my hair. I'm tired of the chemicals.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is exactly why I decided to transition. I'm also experiencing annoying breakage, but I have so much hair that I can mask it decently. Also the breakage doesn't upset me much anymore because I know the part that's breaking is the unhealthier relaxed part anyway. And that doesn't affect the healthier natural part one way or the other. I do know that I will have to let go of my relaxed ends sooner or later, but I want to put it off until I absolutely have to because I don't like short hair on me.

 

[Connie]

I've decided that in addition to a new body (in the process of losing weight), that I wanted new hair as well. I've had my hair relaxed for nearly 20 years, and I want to get away from relaxing it. The jury's still out on whether or not I will go entirely natural and not press it, though.

 

[Adrian3bc]

Re: Curious re: Transitioning Ladies....Reasons fo

my hair is not that long but i've decided to transition to texturized and now to natural. my hair and i have been fighting since june 2003. it has been broken off in the center off my hair ever since. my hair was going along great and getting really long and i am taking great care of it so i figure it must be relaxers so ive decided to start growing my hair out (think i might have to cut it again!) so that it can be healthy

 

[Mahalialee4]

Re: Curious re: Transitioning Ladies....Reasons fo

Do you think of the economy uncertainty and the world situation and wonder if this is a choice you might would have had to make sooner or later? I personally know that I would freak if I was strapped financially and had waistlength hair and had to start over....but as long as it is natural, no one would pay any attention if it was frizzy etc. I imagine it takes a lot of upkeep for some when it comes to relaxers. I have cut back on a lot of things re: my hair because I do not want to spend too much money on it and see what I can do with a minimal amount of time and product. But if I had healthy long relaxed hair, I do not think I would transition because I would not could not cut it. lol. You ladies are very brave. Bonjour.

 

[aikaa71]

Re: Curious re: Transitioning Ladies....Reasons fo

I managed to achieve length but my hair was shedding and breaking for so long, I decide to cut it short. Then with my last relaxer in June, I got burned so badly around my crown area

, that I asked myself why I put my self through this and to think i went to a stylist and paid $$$

Well, I am now transitioning for the second time since I joined the board. I have been spending a lot of time on nappturality.com and I got inspiration from sweetafrica’s album. I am currently in braids and this will be my transition style until I have enough length to wear my natural hair.

 

[UmSumayyah]

[ QUOTE ]
hairlove said:
[
For me, I don't believe I am doing anything to damage my hair. The breakage I experienced wasn't severe and bad enough that I needed an immediate cut or anything like that. Still, it was a shock to have any breakage of the sort. Sorry that you're still experiencing a lot of breakage. Have you tried protein treatments?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I've been doing mild protein treatments 2x a month and heavy-duty once a month or 6 weeks. I don't use heat and wear protective styles, and I moisturize. *Sigh* I guess I just have to bite the bullet and cut again. I can't even get all my hair into a ponytail anymore.

 

[alibi]

I started transitioning b/c I relaxed my hair for 15 years, and it was never as long and healthy relaxed as it was when it was natural. I would always get to a certain length, and then it would start to break, especially on my left side.

I got tired of seeing women with beautiful natural heads of hair, and lusting after them

, when I knew that all I had to do was grow my own hair out to achieve the same look. It was hard for me to bite the bullet and just do it, but I knew that I had to start somewhere to get the results I wanted. Transitioning can be an overwhleming experience, b/c unlike the "Big Chop," you're dealing w/ 2 different textures of hair. Over the past year, I've had to learn a lot about myself and my hair, but it's been exciting to rediscover my coils and waves.

 

[nurseN98]

[ QUOTE ]
Enchantmt said:
I decided to transistion about a month ago. I'm just tired of having to HAVE to relax my hair. I'm tired of the chemicals.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is my reason too. A lot of my ppl are expecting me to be all militant about it....but really I just don't feel like putting anything on my scalp that burns anymore. I've been transitioning for 9 months now and I feel like I am being tempted to relax, because my hair would be down to the middle of my back

However the thought of having to relax every 3 or 4 months just turns me off.

 

[Chimma]

I had a burn January 2003 that only I noticed, and I no longer wanted to put chemicals in my hair, or felt that I should feel as if I needed to put chemicals in my hair for it to be "good."

I also wanted to learn about my hair and have strong, healthy hair that didn't break so easily and needed less special care. I'm not militant, I just wanted to be able to enjoy, appreciate, and love my own hair as well as to keep it thick and healthy. (I think the relaxer thinned my hair out and I was worried about scalp burns on my head every 3 months, what if that eventually lead to permanent damage? There are a lot of older black women who look like they have lost their hair prematurely do to a relaxer)

 

[silvergirl]

im still transition.. not for any real reason other than id like to see my natural hair. so far is been atiny bit over a year an im loving it. i dont experience breakage or tangles. an i plan on stickin to my routine for at least another year or so before cuttin off the relaxed ends.