Naturals - how many years did you relax your hair?

[Maracujá]

From 1993 to 2006 - 13 years.

 

[Spongie Bloom]

My mum didnt allow any chemical on us but said when we turn 16 we were responsible for our hair so could put on a relaxer if we wanted. So as soon as I could after turning 16 (2003) I relaxed and BC'd this yr (im 22) so all in all 6 yrs; although I bc'd in 2005 in hopes of going back natural and grew out my hair in braids but when I removed the braids I relaxed again. That will NOT happen again

 

[Forever in Bloom]

This looks like an obituary...R.I.P

Now that I look at it, it does

 

[Leeda.the.Paladin]

Lesse...I got relaxed around 11-12 years old and then stopped getting a relaxer at 26, so that's 14-15 years.

 

[redecouvert]

more than 15 years...i had no idea what mynatural hair texture looked like

 

[araceli2418]

17 years. Hope to stay natural for life. Getting/doing a relaxer always felt like a chore.

 

[carib_n_curly]

Everyone always forgets about the lifetime naturals...I know the question isn't directed at us but we like to be included .

life long natural here

 

[ToyToy]

I was relaxed from 1989 - 2006 (15 years).

 

[araceli2418]

life long natural here

I just want to confess that sometimes I'm secretly jealous of you life long naturals b/c you never had to endure the sometimes traumatic side of relaxers. So lucky!!!

 

[discodumpling]

20 + yrs for me from about age 9-31...I had an epiphany! I love my natural hair. It feels like it should have been this way all along. My hair is thriving and I find it to be easy to care for.

 

[jennboo]

Let's see.

I was relaxed from the beginning of 5th grade until the middle of 7th grade.

Hair fell out, so mom did a BC on me in mid-7th grade and i got braid extensions put in for a few months. After the braid extensions, i began to get my hair washed, conditioned, blown dry, pressed, and curled at a salon every two weeks until the beginning of 10th grade.

I then went to a salon and got my hair relaxed again bc the heat damage was so great that my hair looked straigt anyway. (i know, i know, damage upon damage, but my hair actually thrived when it was relaxed this time around, go figure)

I wore my hair relaxed from the 10th grade until my 2nd yr in grad school (last relaxer application made in January 2008).

 

[claudia05]

About 18 years...

 

[coilyhead]

17 years. Started when I was just 2...nipped that in the bud this May after transitioning for 9 months.

 

[silvergirl]

20 years ........ blinks..

 

[msa]

I was relaxed since about age 2 so 1988 to 2005 until i went natural for 2 yrs then went back relaxed in 2008 to 2009 and now back natural for life.

17 years. Started when I was just 2...nipped that in the bud this May after transitioning for 9 months.

I can't believe people actually relax two year old's hair. Most 2 year old's don't even have their "real" hair yet.

 

[Sweet_Ambrosia]

Too darn long....19 years.

 

[lilanie]

I believe my parents started relaxing me about age 5, and I started transitioning to natural late last month (close to 30 years, I would say). yikes!

I am getting so inspired by all the information I have learned on this forum.

 

[JOI]

This looks like an obituary...R.I.P

Well it is in a way lol, Finally Our hair is alive and could breath again

 

[Skiggle]

11 years..
3rd grade- last year August.
Then I started to transition
September of last year.

 

[JOI]

Got my first relaxer at age 9 in 1987, I stopped relaxing February 1st 2009 at age 31 (Dang 22 years too long). Glad it's over, I am loving my natural hair

 

[Shay72]

I've been relaxed for 24 years. I did have spans of time where I lived in braids but still went back to a relaxer. I put my last one in on July 1st. Never again.

 

[Maynard]

1992-2005..........

 

[Nelli04]

I first got a perm when I was 10 or 11. I stopped getting perms at age 16. But I never BC'd

 

[honeybuni84]

I was relaxed when i was 5 , probably earlier but i don't remember.

I had no idea about being natural until i was 21 and randomly went natural... Total years i relaxed was 1989-2004, then 2005-2008. so that is roughly...18 years.... give or take a few months. I never knew it was possible to not have a relaxer really..

 

[yamilee21]

I didnt answer the poll since I never did a "big chop" but I had relaxed hair, sort of, for about 10 years. I got my first relaxer just before I turned 12 in 1983. I got my hair re-relaxed every 3-4 months for the next three years. Not touch-ups, mind you - my hair resisted relaxer - by the third wash, it looked exactly as it did when it was natural. Then I didn't relax for two years, and relaxed again in 1988-1989 two or three times. No relaxers again until early 1991. That was the last one and then I stopped for good; it just seemed ridiculous to put chemicals in my hair to straighten it when the chemicals never actually got it straight. I've looked through my pictures, but it seems impossible to tell when the relaxed hair was gone.

 

[DozenRoses99]

I was relaxed from 1984 to 2006. I did take about a 9 month break in the 90's when I was pregnant with my son and wore braids. Other than that, it was touch ups every 2 months or less.

 

[Digital Tempest]

I got my first relaxer when I was 12. That was in 1994. I chopped in 2005. So, 11 years total.

 

[Daughter]

From circa 1991-1998 I had relaxed hair. Prior to that I never even blowdried nor had a press.

 

[carib_n_curly]

I just want to confess that sometimes I'm secretly jealous of you life long naturals b/c you never had to endure the sometimes traumatic side of relaxers. So lucky!!!

aww well your natural now
the affects of relaxer is what scared me off them for life plus i loved big hair never got the obession about having straight hair.
i'm just glad i'm not the only natural in my family anymore

 

[fyb87]

First relaxer at 13. I never BC'd. But, I know I had completely natural hair by 31. I on and off relaxed from 19-31. I "re-touched" twice a year from 13-19 and then "re-touched" once a year from 20-28?