Fried hair from an early age!

[BrnSthrngrl]

I can definitely relate to some of the stories posted here. My mom didn't know how to handle my hair, so she started relaxing it when I was about 4 and every six weeks or so (except for the two months I got a jheri curl) it was relaxed from roots to end and I not knowing better either continued that bad habit up until Dec of last year. Besides over relaxing I used to wash my hair maybe twice a month at most (with all that blue grease I used!) No matter what I stuck to that rule because according to people around me black people aren't supposed to wash their hair too often or it will get too dry. On top of that I hardly ever used a conditioner after shampooing. I didn't really see the damage I was doing because my hair has always been thick and healthy looking in its overall appearance except for the fact that it never grew past collarbone length. Now I know that it is amazing that I even have hair on my head to talk about. Thanks to the knowledgeable ladies on this and other hairboards I have become more educated on how to properly care for my hair. At this time I am growing my hair out so that I can start over again with a healthy head of hair and hopefully "grow" from there. And after 8 months of growing my hair out I too noticed that my natural hair is quite wavy and easy to manage I just might decide never to relax my hair again.

 

[kandyland]

I can honestly say my mother kept me and my sister's hair cornrowed most of the time and pressed on special occasions. She didn't let us get a perm until we were like 15 and she never did our hair herself, she took us to the salon.....don't ask me how she did it with 3 kids with one income but she did. It was when I took over that all hell broke lose, bleaching it, curling it everyday, and breaking it off. Now I'm back on track. I have a 3 year old, her hair is very thick, about shoulder length...u wouldn't believe the number of people who tell me to put a kiddie perm in her hair.....FOR WHAT!!!!!!....WHY DOES A 3 YEAR OLD NEED A PERM!!!!. Her hair won't be seeing perm until she is at least 16. When she's 16 and if she wants one then so be it..but anytime b4 that...no way.

 

[Champagne_Wishes]

My story is a bit different. I actually had a decent head of hair. My mother was a beautician before she became a nurse. I begged my mother to let me get a perm because I was teased of having natural hair. She resisted till I wore her down. Now I regretted that decision. My hair is like 2" , when stretched, past my shoulders. Nowadays I see so many little girls with raggedy ponytails and f-ed up kitchens, I just want to do their hair myself. Heck their mothers ain't doing ish.