If you had long (bsl+) relaxed hair, and are now natural or transitioning.. why?

[SimJam]

I have always had long hair, but the reason I originally relaxed to be honest is that I saw it as a rite of passage. I grew up in South Carolina where it is so humid and basically everyone or mostly everyone was relaxed. I hated how my curly hair poofed up so much and it would annoy me. So it wasn't about length. I just wanted a look I couldn't get with my curly hair. Yeah, I know I could have just flat ironed, but I didn't know anything about it then and I thought a relaxer would get my hair completely straight. Which it never did. I still had curls, just frizzy damaged curls that I would then flat iron to get straight. It was just too much work, I am just at a point where I want to just let my hair be. I just straightened for my year end length check and the entire time I was praying I didn't get any damage and I have only straightened a few times this year. I have come to enjoy my curls. I want to protect them and love them.

exactly !!!!! I relaxed because it was the thing to do, expected.

I went natural because I realized that being relaxed is not necessary.

 

[Allandra]

Im scheduled to relax my almost bsl hair tomorrow for the first time.. im getting nervous already so i wanted to hear from you former relaxed heads... if you had long, healthy, relaxed hair and are now transitioning or natural... why did you decide to go natural?? Thanks ladies..

judy4all

I had long, healthy, relaxed hair (waist length), but on October 27, 2007, I decided to go natural simply because I wanted to get away from chemicals, and I wanted to. I love my natural hair so much, and I would never, ever, never, ever go back to getting a relaxer. I feel like I have so many more options with natural hair. I had a fun transition, and I still love watching my hair do stuff. I think it's pretty darn cool.

 

[sunnieb]

^^^ yes, please post pictures of whatever you decide to do!


Sent from my Comet

 

[naturalmanenyc]

I reached BSL when relaxed but my hair was never as thick as I wanted. I used weave for fullness. I have naturally thin hair (not dense at all) and relaxers just made it look thinner.

My flat ironed natural hair is much thicker looking than my relaxed hair. I also have come to love my hair curly rather than straight. I started with a milder relaxer (left my hair somewhat wavy) and then eventually stopped relaxing altogether. I think that I look weird now with straight hair. lol lol lol

 

[dream13]

I transitioned from MBL relaxed hair, due to a thinning crown and edges.

 

[Southernbella.]

I got to WL as a natural and my hair was healthy. I stopped relaxing because I had been relaxed all my life and had met my relaxed goal. I was just over it and ready to discover my natural hair.

Also, I wanted to be a good example for my dd. I didn't have any plans to relax her hair, and I didn't want to send mixed messages.

Finally,

 

[JudithO]

So I couldn't go thru with relaxing my hair obviously (at least not today) but I put my hair in 2 strand twists... I wore my hair stretched for most of the week and I really like the look of my hair stretched. I need to spend some good time researching how to stretch my 4B hair effectively.. I'll search for stretching threads.. If I don't find one.. I will definitely create one. Thanks for all the input ladies.

 

[Raspberry]

So I couldn't go thru with relaxing my hair obviously (at least not today) but I put my hair in 2 strand twists... I wore my hair stretched for most of the week and I really like the look of my hair stretched. I need to spend some good time researching how to stretch my 4B hair effectively.. I'll search for stretching threads.. If I don't find one.. I will definitely create one. Thanks for all the input ladies.

Your twists look great . Southernbella. has type 4 hair and keeps her hair stretched primarily and has also developed a successful wash and go regimen.. hopefully she'll give you the details.

 

[sunnieb]

judy4all - OMG!!! You look JUST like a friend of mine! Wow!

I love the twists! If I ever go natural, that is definitely a style I would do.

So glad you held off the relaxer for now. You're happy and that's all that matters!

 

[JudithO]

sunnieb

 

[RZILYNT]

I had MBL relaxed hair and grew tired of see through ends. I got tired of paying someone to continue thinning out my hair. Now I have the thickest hair I've ever had.

My sentiments exactly. My hair was top of hip bone and this was the second time I grew my hair that long with the relaxer. Now that I am fully natural and NL, I plan to re-familiarize myself with my hair and enjoy every stage as it grows back . I wished that I would have done this a lot sooner.

RZ~

 

[Prettymetty]

I didnt "decide" to go natural. I had mbl relaxed hair and I got lazy so I cut it to apl. Then I started working a lot and neglecting my hair. One night I fell asleep with ntm deep conditioner in my hair. I woke up to a matted mess. No amount of conditioner could get those tangles out. I panicked and I cut my hair all the way off. My mom was really pissed about it, but oh well its my hair.

Shortly after that disaster I found out I was expecting so I just didnt relax anymore. I wore wigs for a while until I felt comfortable enough to wear my hair out. Now im apl again as a straight haired natural. I should be bsl in a few months and maybe mbl by the end of the year. My big chop was accidental, but it was the best thing I did for my hair. The lesson I learned was to have patience.

 

[EnExitStageLeft]

I simply wanted to go natural. No deep rooted meaning behind it. I love relaxed hair, but it ran its course with me

 

[bebezazueta]

Long relaxed hair MBL and now transitioning, checking in. I made WL while transitioning. Go figure. And it's my first time being WL in my life. LOL! Ok I was doing a long stretch. Last relaxer was august 2013. It was going so well and I was dreading the scalp burns and drama surrounding a touch up. I switched to all natural or no shampoo. I started using more natural products also. This change made my hair so manageable. My 2 textures play along well so far. I'm 22 weeks post today. I will be a long term transitioner who will hold on to these relaxed ends for dear life. LOL! I hope I answered your question. I can ramble for days.

ETA I see this thread is old and OP is relaxed already. Oh well

 

[sharifeh]

Because I could only go up to BSL relaxed wrote I had to cut split ends and I want to go longer than BSL

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

I gave up relaxers because I love color too much and had to accept the fact that my hair couldn't take being double processed. No other factors played into the decision, however along the way I made other discoveries:

1) My hair can get smooth and semi straight with a simple roller set
2) My hair can get bone straight with a flat iron or pressing comb.
3) Once I stopped relaxing, my dandruff magically disappeared.

With that being said, relaxers serve no purpose and giving them up has been the best thing I've done for my hair.

 

[healthyhair2]

Yep, I have had long natural hair a few times. Each time I relaxed, it started to break off after awhile. I will never relax my hair again. For some of us, our scalp and hair just can't take it.

 

[brown_skin_poppin]

My WL texlaxed hair was too thin. I now have thick full natural BSL hair

 

[KinkyRN]

I gave up relaxers because I love color too much and had to accept the fact that my hair couldn't take being double processed. No other factors played into the decision, however along the way I made other discoveries:

1) My hair can get smooth and semi straight with a simple roller set
2) My hair can get bone straight with a flat iron or pressing comb.
3) Once I stopped relaxing, my dandruff magically disappeared.

With that being said, relaxers serve no purpose and giving them up has been the best thing I've done for my hair.

You know, I hadn't realized that my dandruff has disappeared since I stopped relaxing too!

 

[shyekiera]

I began dreading the relaxer..mainly the chemicals... then. Can't keep my ends in check...I started trimming split ends...but each day I have been cutting. I don't think I will do a big chop though...but I have decided to transition. I take care of my daughter's natural hair and I love he texture.... mine is a lot coarser though..not sure how I will handle it.

 

[pearlific1]

I simply wanted to go natural. No deep rooted meaning behind it. I love relaxed hair, but it ran its course with me

The same for me. I had healthy MBL hair and decided to do something different. I was natural for a yr and decided to texlax. I'm now 6 months post and transitioning back to natural, just because.

 

[mahogany_horizons]

I am tired of relaxer set backs and thinning ends. The new growth that grows in, seems much more healthy and vibrant than my relaxed hair. I think that I have a finer hair type that doe snot agree so well with relaxing.

I think that overall I will see more thickness and volume than with relaxing.

 

[KaramelDiva1978]

I have questions for all of these transitioners. How.do you combat the breakage from stretching? Is it protein or moisture? I loved my thick natural hair though I'm not a full fan of the natural look at times. I miss my thickness. I want to transition but my hair starts to pop at 11 weeks.

Help please!

 

[GettingKinky]

I gave up relaxers because I love color too much and had to accept the fact that my hair couldn't take being double processed. No other factors played into the decision, however along the way I made other discoveries:

1) My hair can get smooth and semi straight with a simple roller set
2) My hair can get bone straight with a flat iron or pressing comb.
3) Once I stopped relaxing, my dandruff magically disappeared.

With that being said, relaxers serve no purpose and giving them up has been the best thing I've done for my hair.

My dandruff went away when I went from bonelaxing to texlaxing. Even my DH noticed.

 

[havilland]

I have questions for all of these transitioners. How.do you combat the breakage from stretching? Is it protein or moisture? I loved my thick natural hair though I'm not a full fan of the natural look at times. I miss my thickness. I want to transition but my hair starts to pop at 11 weeks.

Help please!

Gently manipulate your hair. Use oils to lubricate when detangling. And use protein and moisture in balance so your hair stays strong. Trim your ends! I learned that the hard way. Transitioning hair needs to be strong. It can't take split ends and a demarcation line.

Deep condition weekly or twice a week. This was key for me.

I was grazing BSL when I decided to transition. It was taking me too long to grow my hair, it was thin even with texlaxing AND no matter how little heat I used and how much I cared for my hair, my ends still were thin. I knew I'd never grow longer than BSL with those ends and chemicals. I tried for 4 years! so I decided i had to stop to get my hair to thrive. So I just stopped relaxing....I was in denial for awhile, but after about a year, it was all good.

 

[sharifeh]

havilland This is me I tried for years to get past BSL while relaxing , I gave up that's why I'm transitioning My relaxed ends just don't hold up Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[kellistarr]

I decided to relax (after being natural for about 13 yrs) because I thought managing my hair was going to be easier, and it is to a point. But I've got long hair, so I keep it up a lot because it will still tangle and catch on things. It's also very cold where I live. I relaxed in Oct 2013 and I'm 4 months post and transitioning. What I really miss is my instant hair style of curls that I had as a natural. I haven't blow dried or flat ironed since I relaxed it and don't plan to. It really isn't necessary and I'm not motivated for all of that. When I look at pictures, I like the look of my natural hair better. This relaxed hair will be nice for the summer but I won't do it anymore, it's just as much maintenance as my natural hair. Right now, I'm not having any problems. But if I do....chop, chop, chop.

 

[shyekiera]

How long do you all let your hair grow before you chop?

 

[havilland]

How long do you all let your hair grow before you chop?

I set a goal to grow my natural hair the same length as my relaxed hair. I transitioned for over two years.

I trimmed slowly until the relaxed ends were gone but my hair was still grazing BSL when I was done with my transition.

 

[shyekiera]

I set a goal to grow my natural hair the same length as my relaxed hair. I transitioned for over two years.

I trimmed slowly until the relaxed ends were gone but my hair was still grazing BSL when I was done with my transition.

Wow! How did you manage your hair? And keep it from breaking at the demarcation point?