I Was So Wrong..So When Was Your First Relaxer ???

[Traycee]

Well for a long time I thought my first relaxer was in Jr. High School. But looking at old pictures and talking to my Big Sis....She said I had to be about 4th or 5th grade....

My Big Sister said she also was relaxed sometime in elementary school..Because the first time she transitioned was in 7th grade...

Now as a adult I have transitioned to natural a several of times...

It really bothers me that I was relaxed so young.... I hate seeing young girls with relaxers....Man...I didn't know I was one of them

 

[Whimsy]

6th grade. I had no idea what was goin on either.

 

[**SaSSy**]

First relaxer was when I was 9 or 10 which I had since I was 18. Then I transitioned when I was 19 for 11 months, and was natural for almost 5 years b4 getting a relaxer now that I had for about a year and a half.

 

[Jewell]

My first one was at age 9 I think. I remember pictures of me at age 7 birthday party, and my hair was still natural. My mom pressed my hair with the old fashioned comb on the stove method before that. I wish she never put a 'laxer in my head, because my hair was past APL in 1st grade. I know it wasn't that hard to manage, but she did have 3 jobs. I've transitioned once and BC'd, but realize I'm just too busy with my daughter and work for the upkeep of natural hair (not that relaxed hair isn't high maintenance). I can just maintain my texlaxed hair in a simpler manner and still have it look good.

 

[Tee]

My first chemical treatment was in Jr. High. I was in the 7th grade and my aunt did it behind my mother's back. Boy was she livid! Now, I understand why. But back then, I wanted it!!

I got my first relaxer when I was about 19. My mom actually knew what she was doing.
(My story reminds me a lot of Sylver2's and her daughters.) <--Her daughter's hair was relaxed behind her back also.

 

[poookie]

i was 5 years old, in the 1st grade. i asked my mom why, & she said it took to long to brush :/ apparently i had some gorgeous coils, too

 

[sharifeh]

I thought I was older too but my big sister informed me I was in 3rd grade

erplexed

 

[jazzyto]

7th grade jheri curl then 9th grade relaxer. it took years to get my hair back thick and healthy. I hate to see little girls with busted relaxed hair but if its well maintained and healthy more power to 'em.

 

[Seraphina]

I think I was in 4th grade. Looking back at pics of myself as a child it makes me angry. I was mbl before that and a black neighbor informed by white mother that a relaxer would help with my dryness and make it healthier.

I've seen younger. My niece got her first relaxer at 5 I believe. She's 9 now and has since gone natural again. If I ever have a daughter, she can do what she wants when she's 18, but until then she will be natural.

 

[beana]

I know its wrong to "blame" my mother for putting a relaxer in my hair as a child, but i cant help it My mom had 3 daughters and we all have very coarse hair with varying textures. I never asked my mom for a relaxer, because i always had long hair. I think i was 11 or 12 when she did it.

I know i have the option to go natural anytime, but i really wish it was never done in the first place.

 

[Toy]

From what i remember i was about 10 or 11 .

 

[Demi27]

I remember being around (I think) 9 or 10, but my mom was a licensed beautician and was taking care of my hair at the time (when my hair was it's healthiest and longest).

 

[Ronnieaj]

I was 7, about to start 3rd grade. My mom had no intention of giving me one, notwithstanding the mania that was washing my hair weekly. Apparently I'd gotten a fresh press and curl, and then decided to hop in the pool with some friends. Mom was furious!! Got me another press the next week, then went to Sea World to see Shamu, and sat in the 3rd row, AKA SOAKING WET HAIR!!!! Now you know my mom was too through with me, and I loved me some straight hair. So I ended up with a relaxer, which I kept until I turned 27. Transitioned until 28, and I'll be 30 this year. My mom has always apologized for doing it, but I'll be honest--I know how bad my hair can be, and I understand her decision. She took excellent care of my hair though, so it always flourished. I was very fortunate in that respect.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

I was about 16-17. Up Until that time, my mother who was an ex-beautician took care of my hair (press & curl).

So, In High School, I went to the Salon (Relaxer), and had been there ever since. On a Weekly Basis forever, and ever and ever.....30+ Years

Now I am proud to say, I am a DIY. Not a Very Good One Yet.....But I am trying.

 

[babs19]

I dont ever remember not being relaxed!! My guess would be around 4-5 yrs old. When i asked my mum why she relaxed she said i was persistant i wanted to look like the other girls and a have a straight ponytail with a fringe

Since then i BC 2004 and re-relaxed a year later BCed in 2006 relaxed in 2008 and am currently transistioning for which i hope will be the last time.

 

[doll-baby]

My mom put a curl in my hair when I was 5 years old and my hair is just now recovering ! erplexed

 

[NaturallyBlonde]

My granny took me behind my mom's back in 4th grade to get a Wave Nuveau (sp). My mom was HOT. Then I got a relaxer in 6th grade.

 

[blackpearl81]

I was 7 when I got my first relaxer, 8 when my mom put a S-curl over the relaxer....

 

[Kay.Dee]

I was 6, I got it right before school picture day.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

I Always Thought I heard and read it was best to wait until Girls started their Cycle and/or Fully Entered Puberty before putting Chemicals in Little Girls Hair.

 

[MizzCoco]

I was 8 and begged my mother for it relentlessly until she gave in.

 

[my1goodnerve]

I was raised by a single dad since my mom died when I was 5. We lived in a town with one other black family, but there was an African American beautician who had a shop about 1/2 hour away. We lived 500 miles from any relatives, so my dad took me to the beauty shop every Wednesday for a press and curl. I hated that hot comb coming at me and I used to flinch like nobody's business! She refused to give me a relaxer until I was 13, but I kept begging anyway. At some point she did give in and I had a Vigarol. Do you remember those? I guess the purpose was to loosen the curl, cause you could still wear a press and curl with it. I lived 5 minutes from the beach and within walking distance to three pools and I spent every moment I could in the water, but that didn't stop me from getting that perm at 13.

All of my cousins wore there hair naturally, but they had moms who knew what they were doing. As a result, their hair grew long and strong. And when they did finally get perms, their hair thrived. I, of course, had no idea what I was doing, and my hair never grew beyond neck length.

I went natural 12 years ago when my daughter was born. It was a conscious decision to show her more than one possibility. She's got a close group of friends and all but one is natural. They all have a variety of textures and styles ranging from gorgeous, well kept, shoulder length dreads to kinky, coily coifs. The only one who can never go swimming with the group, or get caught in a rain shower, or even do a sleepover without curlers is the child with relaxed hair. And beause of some scalp issues, her hair is now coming out in clumps.

So my kid is thrilled that she's natural. And though I know that this might change for her at any time, I'm holding my ground until I feel as though I've shared with her all of the healthy knowledge and practices that I've learned here.

 

[ajoyfuljoy]

I was seven. I was the fourth child and I think it was too much for my mom to handle. My hair was still super healthy though bc my mom used to be a beautician.

 

[krissyprissy]

I got my first relaxer when I was only 4 and I have no idea what I would look like all natural. My mom has been a hair stylist all my life but her excuse was that I sceamed during presses because of the heat and made har combing a pain for her.

 

[Americka]

My hair was pressed until I got my first chemical process at 12 (curl) and my first relaxer at 16. I miss my curl. Those were the easy (greasy) days...

 

[ceebee3]

I never had my hair pressed before, I would always just get it blowdryed. I begged my mother for a relaxer at 12 when I went to junior high. It took her a while but she finally gave in.

No one in my family had ever used relaxers so I didn't know anything about it. I never did it on schedule or kept it up. I think I would get one like once or twice a year and that would be the only time I wore my hair out.

 

[peony]

My mother put a curl in my hair when I was 9. She was under the mistaken impression that it was gentler than a relaxer. I hated the curl and wanted to go back to natural (I loved my natural hair and I was so vain about my hair when I was a little girl, thought I looked like Diana Ross) but she didn't want to go back to combing my hair all the time. Then when I was 12 I began going to a wonderful hairdresser who had me grow my hair out as much as possible over summer vacation and then gave me a shoulder length bob right before school started (and I experienced no breakage, that's how good she was.) I got my last relaxer right before I started college and then was natural for the vast majority of the next 18 years.

 

[Iluvsmuhgrass]

I had a curl in 5th grade. My hair thrived to BSL then I went to a bad stylist in the 7th grade and had to BC. It was so traumatizing....

 

[Misshairdiva]

My mom first put a Jheri curl in my hair in the fourth grade, then a relaxer in the fifth grade to straighten out the Jheri curl.. that was the beginning of my hair woes.

 

[Southernbella.]

Around 3. My mom says 2, my sisters say 3. Either way, I was a toddler.