Naturals - how many years did you relax your hair?

[Ramya]

About 6 years on and off. I tend to be impulsive with my hair. erplexed

 

[-PYT]

I chose 10-15 yrs...I'm pretty sure I got my first relaxer around 1st grade and I'm 21 now transitioning. My mom has been natural for YEARS and had locks and jus chopped to a TWA so we are on a HHJ together! but we really think it's a shame that it took until NOW to finally understand our hair.

And one of the craziest things is how many of 'us' still believe mineral oil/petrolatum laden greases are the way to go! SMH!!

 

[Lucky's Mom]

20 years. Never chopped my hair off....been natural 11 years.

 

[Truth]

FROM age 9 ..soooo I say 94-2008 so 14yrs...

 

[Ronnieaj]

8/1987-5/2007 (last relaxer).

Big chopped in December 2007.

 

[ThickHair]

I had been relaxed since 5th grade and I did the BC when I was 26.

 

[biancaelyse]

I relaxed for about 4 years and then went natural at around age 19 or 20. I BCed and stayed natural for a year or 2 and then went back to relaxed for about 10 more years.

I decided to go natural this time when I had my kids. I didn't have the time anymore to go to the salon for hours to get may hair done. Also I started working out 5,6,7 days a week and it was harder to maintain a straight style.

I've been natural this time for 8 or 9 years. I don't think I'd ever go back now!!

 

[Wildchild453]

About 4 years, I got one when I was 13 and transitioned around 16/17

 

[India*32]

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

Wow, your hair is amazing. So, you went from bc to apl in less than two years as a natural. Your daughters are beautiful and dad looks sweet too. Nice family. So, what is your hair routine.

India

I've been relaxing my hair longer than many of the ladies on the forum. Okay. Enough Said. Now, I understand why I had a relaxer at a young age, I'm still tender headed. This natural stuff gets tangled quickly, so I can't wait to straighten with my new FHI Blow dryer and Flat iron. come on UPS Man....

 

[justicefighter1913]

All in all, I think I was relaxed for about 9 years. It has always been off and on. I think I got my first relaxer around 10, all of my hair would shed off to about SL and then I would go back to braids, never really BCing.

In h.s. I was natural until senior year, when I thought that I had to be in. My not quite APL hair would shrivel up to ear length in no time. One could see the difference in my senior pictures....ugh. Now I'm all natural, no intention of going back any time soon, because when I think about it, I have to sigh b/c I already know the consequences and I can't go through that again and again and again

 

[JerriBlank]

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

Wow.
This sounds almost exactly like my experience.
I relaxed at around 16 in 2002 i believe.
I was not a regular relaxer,as i wore braids a lot.I would ear them for 6 to 12 month periods(taking down a set and re-doing them instantly).
I hardly relaxed during the earlier years.
I bc'ed around 04 or 05 the first time,and wore braids to grow my hair back out.I tried to texturize itwith that stupid DarkNLovely texturizer,and my hair came out straight.
I was back in braids,which i eventually took and relaxed over the texturizer
My hair broke off badly in some areas,and i got a short cut,but kept relaxing to keep the style.This is probably the only time that i had frequent relaxers.

I grew that out(I came across lhcf a little while after) ,and i bc'ed last week.I'm now 23. So on and off for about 7 years.

 

[mscocoface]

A long, long, long, long, long, long, loooooooooooooooong time ago. 20 plus years.


In between all of that I had the scurl....ooohhh goodness!!! It is wonder I don't have permanent multiple bald spots all over my scalp

 

[PhoenixRose360]

I got my first relaxer at 14, my last one in 2006 at 32, damn 18 years. But I didn't chop it off, I transitioned until I did a semi BC last May!!

 

[wild curls raquelle]

I relaxed from 2001-2004. I got at 17 when I went away to college because I never really did my hair beyond a ponytail or adding accessories to it. And even after I stopped relaxing I didn't know how to take care of my hair until about a year and a half ago.

 

[peachfuzzz]

My mom gave me the dreaded jheri-curl in 2nd grade (87-88) 7yrs old. I relaxed in 6th grade ('91) 11 yrs old. My last relaxer was 12/2008! Let's see, that's 21yrs w/chemicals. 4 yrs w/curl and 16 w/perm. Wow! I, like many, didn't know what my natural hair was like until now. I always heard it was nappy and unmanageable. Nappy and coarse were always used to describe my "bad hair" growing up. I don't buy into the bad hair thing anymore. I am learning to be content with what GOD has given me.

 

[lilsparkle825]

I have no one to blame but myself. My mom NEVER wanted me to get a relaxer but I wanted to be "down" and "fit in" the kids in HS. They told me my hair was too thick, too nappy, too everything and I let my aunt get a hold of my head *sighs* she meant well but I could kick myself for ever putting my hair thru that harsh chemical exposure. I didn't fully love myself back then but thats why we grow up.

Sounds like my mom...and my aunt, too. When I was 11 I fought for one because my aunt and cousins made me think I NEEDED one. My mom tried her hardest to convince me not to get one, but I wouldn't listen. She gave into her hairstylist, who had been doing her hair for years, and bought me a Just For Me kit. I felt so grown.

That lasted until June 2007, so about 8 years...I BC'd a year after that.

 

[kinkipt_85]

hmm lets see...
1st perm my hair in '96 @ age 11
dry curl/s-curl round '98/'99
went back on the creamy crack for h.s. grad in '01
last relaxed on sept. 10, 2001
bc in march '02
been nappily happy since then!!!

 

[goldielocs]

Let's see....

Natural until 10yo- 1989
Jerri Curl until 12yo- 1991
Relaxed until 18yo- August 1997
Natural ever since...

Only 8 years of chemicals. Not as long as I thought.

 

[Hysi]

i just bc'd1 now i need to see some styles

 

[makeupgirl]

I was about 4-5 when my mom started to relax my hair. She said my hair was very thick and unmanagable. I remember her using the straightening comb a lot and having curls so I know my hair is naturally curly and thick which is what let me know all these years that it was time for my next relaxer but I wish she didn't put the relaxer in. that was the beginning of longtime breakage, damage, and I've haven't seen my hair past shoulder since I was in elementary school. Sad isn't it. I'm so happy to be going back to natural. Death to the creamy crack.

 

[BlaqBella]

Not quite 100% natural yet but i relaxed from 13~31 around 18/19 years.

 

[Anew]

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.

My cousin did her oldest daughters hair before two, her youngest daughter just started getting them and she's 3...

 

[UrbainChic]

right before starting junior high, and halfway through my first semester sophmore year in college.

About 7 years, with constant cutting off of split ends.

 

[bablou00]

I think my mom said she relaxed my hair during 6 or 7th grade. I always thought it was earlier then that because I remember the dreaded days of getting my hair straighten with the hot comb. I just went natural at the age of 27. I am guessing 10-15yrs. With my lifestyle and workout schedule I love being natural more than anything

 

[Aviah]

Transitioned twice, relaxed about 7 years in total,
4 years the first time, 3 years the second.

 

[melissa-bee]

I'm transitioning, but have only been relaxed for about 4 years.

 

[Anew]

I don't actually remember my first relaxer. My hair is natural in my preschool pic and relaxed in my kindergarten pic so...So I must have been relaxed about 14-15 years. My last relaxer was about 6 years ago (I can't believe it's been that long! The time has flown!)

I've never seen your hair before, its so pretty..

 

[Tanji]

I have to say it's been over 20 years. When I lived in NY, over 15 years ago, I had a great hairdresser who honestly care about maintaining healthy hair. Since moving around, I have tried hairdresser after hairdresser. I even spent almost two years getting Phystospecific relaxer -- paying over $100.00 every seven weeks.

Finally, it just hit me one day. I had to ask myself why I was paying so much money and unhappy with the results. My hair was damaged and dry. I decided that day not to relax for awhile to see where this would lead to.

It's been 47 weeks since my last relaxer. Some days I don't know what to do with my hair. But I must say, I never knew that it could get this thick again. I love running my fingers through this bunch of natural stuff.

How long will I stick with this...I don't know. I just know that my hair -- and this is personally for me is not ready to be relaxed yet. Maybe some day I'll relax it or some day I'll texlax. I have no idea. Right now, I'm just enjoying the journey to getting my hair healthy again and the amazing thickness.

 

[Anew]

Hmm, although I'm technically still relaxed, I don't plan on relaxing anymore. So I believe my mom put the PCJ in my hair around age 9 or 10, and last July was my last relaxer. That makes 19-20 years

 

[Misshairdiva]

I got a Jheri curl at 8 and then a relaxer to straighten my hair at 9 and I was relaxing until 2 years ago when I came to LHCF!!! My hair has NEVER retained this much length.