My Heat v/s Chemicals Dilemma

[MSCHICHI]

Hi Ladies,

I have thought about asking this question for a while, but didn't want to put it out there until I was really serious about it.

I have been on the boards a while, researched on my own and learned lots of information on hair over the years, but one subject has me running for cover- relaxers.

I have been natural for 5 and 1/2 years, and am one or two inches from bra-strap. It would be longer, but I had to gradually start over and so lost about two years worth of growth due to damage from excessive hair coloring and bleaching. My hair had rarely been much longer than a bit past my shoulders, if that, for my whole life until I stopped relaxing. Mind you though, I did all the things you shouldn't do when I used to relax- too strong, left it in too long, too often, overlapped, no-lye, and heavy heat on top of all that.....My ends used to break off like crazy.

I have a thick head of hair but fine strands (mostly 4a/some 3c)...and my hair seems to be porous.

I like my curly hair, but I wish it was a bit looser. Also, I have been getting blow-outs more often, one every 3 weeks or month, and when I am not getting blow-outs its usually in a bun. Its so curly I can't successfully do a blowout myself. I'm thinking that if I texturize it, I can rollerset it my self pretty often.

I have been noticing more damage because they have to do so much to it to straighten it out, and I have to touch it up in between because it starts to revert. I'm sure this will only get worse as it gets longer and as the ends get older.

My dilemma is that even though I will get damage from the heat, I am pretty much guaranteed to keep retaining hair growth until I tap out at my genetically longest point. Its almost effortless. However, I have heard from a handful of ladies that they switched to texturizing because they felt that some damage from a mild relaxer and minimal heat ended up being much more healthy (and easier to straighten) than constant damage from more excessive heat styling need to straighten very curly natural hair. I don't want long, raggedy damaged hair, but I don't want short healthier hair either. I also don't want to stunt my growth retention.

The relaxers I am considering (if I go that route) are Design Essentials, Affirm Fiberguard Mild, Phytorelaxer....and depending on what I find out about it- a texturizer that Alter Ego makes.

I am extremely torn on this issue, especially since I have been natural so long and don't want to lose ground. And I know I can't go back without having to start all over again, so if I choose to texturize, I am going to be sticking with that indefinitely. I have also been really proud of my natural hair, so it is kind of emotional for me.

Any advice, experiences, and thoughts on what you all think my best bet is, in addition to any advice on relaxers, would be greatly appreciated.

TIA!

 

[RainbowCurls]

IMO...
It'd take a LOT of heat to create damage equal to that of chemicals which break down the hair shaft.

 

[locfreeme]

I had this same dilemma and decided to texturize, after being natural for over 10 years. I regret texturizing and wish I had opted to remain natural. In my case, I thought I would wear my hair straight more often, but I'm really not all that into wearing my hair down, so I end up putting it up most of the time anyway. Only now, my twists and braid styles don't look the same (they're not as full) so I either wear buns or go get my hair braided with extensions. My hair feels very fragile now that I have chemicals in it, and I'm very seriously considering transitioning back to natural. I also experienced a lot of damage in the back from the texturizer, where my hair is finer (but that might have been due to user error on my part when I put in the relaxer).

However, I must admit that when I do wear my hair down and straight, I can blow dry and flat iron it myself and get good results. Or sometimes I just pull it into a bun to airdry and then set it on hot rollers. Before, I HAD to go to the salon to get good results because my thick curly hair would NOT straighten well based on my skills and equipment.

I'd say, if you are currently wearing your hair down and straight most of the time, and IF YOU'RE SURE YOU WILL CONTINUE TO WEAR IT STRAIGHT OFTEN, you should go ahead and texturize. A lot of heat WILL damage your hair if you're applying it frequently. But, you probably should go to a good hairstylist to get the texturizer put in the first time, so there's less risk of damaging a full head of hair. BUT, if you only straighten your hair every now and then, or you're not sure yet whether you will wear it straight most of the time, keep it natural.

HTH. I feel like I'm babbling...

 

[MSCHICHI]

IMO...
It'd take a LOT of heat to create damage equal to that of chemicals which break down the hair shaft.

That's what I thought, but then I started seeing the breakage from the heat...I really don't know at this point if it would be better or worse to do one or the other.

locfreeme,

If I decide to take the plunge, that kind of damage is my worst fear. I do know I would wear it even more often if it was easier to straighten. Not wanting to damage my hair from heat kept me from frequent blowouts, then I started getting them more often because I liked the look.

 

[Belle Du Jour]

This is a good question.

I would think that constantly straightening your hair over and over again with heat would mean more damage in the long run than using chemicals once (breaking down the shaft once ) and straightening using non direct heat methods ie roller set or steam rollers. I tried to rollerset my natural hair last week, and my hair laughed at the attempt to straighten it. Basically, it would have to take a lot of heat for me to get it straight. Once is not too bad, but doing it consistently is maybe not so good.

 

[MSCHICHI]

bumping for more responses

 

[MSCHICHI]

bumping.....

 

[MSCHICHI]

bumping again

 

[Nightingale]

I think that relaxing your hair would make sense if you straighten your natural hair all of the time, but there are cons too. You lose thickness, strength, and if you do it incorrectly, length. This is on top of the fact that it is a permanent process. When I was relaxing, I still had to use heat on the regular basis. Not everyday, but often. If you want to wear your hair straight often heat will still be a problem, but maybe not as much as when you are natural. HTH.

 

[caltron]

I also have very thick 4a hair with fine strands. Traditional relaxers always broke off my hair down to about 3 or 4 inches. However, I can also say that too much heat is almost just as bad as an overprocessed relaxer. I pressed my hair several years, and I could never get my hair past about 6-8 inches. I used to get my hair pressed relaxer straight every 2-3 weeks with touchups in between. It didn't break off like it did with the relaxer, but the ends of the hair would get so damaged they would need to be cut.

I've worn my hair in sew in weaves for the past 2 years, and again have a healthy natural head of hair. I'm going to get a Wash and Wear relaxer on saturday. I'm hoping that since I'll be using a mild relaxer and very little heat that it will be healthy for my hair. The ladies on the Curve website seem to have healthy hair, so I hope that will be the case for me too.

Like you, I just want to loosen up the curls a little bit so I can save time on maintenance. I'm hoping that since I'm going to a professional and I'm trying to stay close to my natural state, that it won't be too damaging.

 

[kristina]

From what you described, I think we have the same hair type (super fine stranded 4a hair with a bit of 3c and 4b in the mix). I'm currently natural but I texturized twice before. I did it because I assumed the same things, that my hair would be more manageable and I could wear a wash and go. The first time was an absolute nightmare because my hair started falling out in clumps at the roots at the sink and all throughout the week afterwards. Which shocked me because I had been relaxed before from age 6- 18 and never had that happen. It could have been because I wore braids alot before hand and my hair got even finer (though I did wait four weeks after taking out my last braids before getting the texturizer). The second and last time I tried to texturize was two years later- it wasn't traumatic but my hair was thinner and weaker. The hair wasn't consistently curly (some parts were straight and some looked exactly like my natural texture) so a wash and go w/o a hair band was out of the question. And it still wasn't super easy to straighten- yeah my blowdrying produced straighter hair than when natural but I still needed to flat iron it to get it pin straight. Plus I had major breakage (though this was pre lhcf, maybe I could have stopped it). Oh, and texturized hair still reverts when you sweat out.
I stopped mostly because I figured that if the same amount of heat is used then why use the chemical.
I think that some of the effectiveness of the heat has to do with technique. My cousin has a similar hair type and she gets her hair pin straight with a flat iron. Same thing with roller setting. Not saying this isn't damaging just food for thought- I'm still trying to figure out techniques that work without damaging my hair. My fear of chemicals keeps me from trying that again. Besides I like natural styles too. But then again, if you must have your hair straight at all times, I can see the appeal of a relaxer.

Whatever you decide, please, please, please do a strand test beforehand so you don't learn the hard way like I did.

 

[caltron]

Kristina,
When you texturized, what type of relaxer did you use and did you go to a hairdresser?

 

[kristina]

Kristina,
When you texturized, what type of relaxer did you use and did you go to a hairdresser?

I went to a hairdresser both times and I don't know what kind of texturizer was used (I was pretty hair clueless back then).

 

[MSCHICHI]

Thank you ladies, for all your replies.

I think I had better leave well enough alone, and keep away from the relaxers.

Funny, even with excessive heat and color/bleach damage (but relaxer-free), my hair used to be really damaged throughout the length, but the ends barely broke off.

The more I think about it, the more I think there is just something about the nature of all types of relaxers that my hair doesn't like.

I don't think I would like the maintenance of the texturizer, and I sure don't want to worry about not retaining my growth which sounds like would be inevitable with a relaxer for me.

Besides, I think I just stumbled on something that works well on heat straightend hair. More about that later...

 

[Country gal]

Let me preface this by saying I am natural and biased, I think you should leave it alone. Are there other styles you could rock besides the bone straight look. I don't feel texturizers are the answer. It is still a chemical and basically a perm just not left on as long. I learned to just accept my hair for what it is. I realize that bone straight is not an option for me on a regular basis. 5 years progress for natural hair is great. I would hate to see you regret your decision.