Naturals who straighten 24/7 - WHY?

I blowdry then straighten once a week because I do prefer my hair straight.It does seem easier to take care of and style IMO. I have had a couple relaxers but they would last maybe a couple days:ohwell: so I don't waste my money. The whole process is pretty lengthy but I'm used to it I just set aside one day out of my weekend to get it done. I would love to try a BKT but don't really want to spend that much either.
 
I have not read the replies so forgive me if this was stated.

Some cannot get relaxers because they have a sensitive scalp or they prefer to avoid the use of chemical relaxers. Some people prefer straight hair and it does not take a relaxer to make that happen.

ETA: I think I would retain more length if I straightened my natural hair (less knots, tangles). However, I haven't felt compelled to straighten in several years.
 
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I was afraid of heat as a natural and had a huge problem with single strand knots. I notice that one of my natural sheroes had the same problem but switched over to regular heat use and it seems to have resolved the problem for her.

If I ever go that route again, I'd do more heat stretched styles.
 
I realize that relaxers are sort of a "default" practice in the minds of most people who wear their hair straight, but there isn't really any reason why it needs to be. If I can get my hair to the desired level of straightness without having to deal with a relaxer, then why would I keep relaxing?

I had a relaxer for nearly 2 decades and I can tell you that the condition of my hair and scalp now is better--and I never relaxed more than 3 or 4 times a year. You just have to listen to your hair when it comes to this decision.
 
jamoca5 said:
Recently, I had a conversation about hair with three of my friends: one relaxed, who's thinking of transitioning, and two naturals who always wear their hair straight. Now prior to that conversation, I had no idea that the two naturals were natural- I had just assumed that they were relaxed. So I asked them why don't they just come to school with their hair in its own texture. They both said that it would be too much work. I countered, asking "Well isn't it too much flat ironing your hair all the time?" One of my friends said that she didn't want to come to school "with a bush", and that she goes to the salon every two weeks. The other one said that sometimes she risks being late to school because she's straightening her hair. She went on to say that she would NEVER go out with her kinky hair.

At these comments, I really wanted to say that they might as well relax if they felt that way, but I didn't want to come off as condescending or as a know-it-all. But I'm curious. Why call yourself natural but then constantly run a flat iron through your hair? Don't get me wrong- I'm all for switching up styles every once in a while, but EVERYDAY? If you want to wear it straight all the time, why don't you just let a relaxer do the job?

please please PLEASE don't take this as me trying to insult any straight-haired naturals. I just want to understand the ideas behind it all.
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what are they supposed to call themselves?...they don't use chemicals to straighten their hair so they are therefore natural heads.

to answer your question, i would imagine they wear their hair heat straightened for the same reason you wear your hair in its 'bush' state because you can, because you like it and because you want to.

if they have the time and energy to straighten their hair all the time and it fits their lifestyle then so be it. and not every natural head wants to slather potent relaxer chemicals near their delicate scalp in order to have straightened hair so they use heat to get the job done.
 
When I first decided to go natural I had every intention on being a heat straightened natural. I don't think natural styles even crossed my mind until I joined this board to be honest. All the heat straightened naturals I knew were (are) past BSL so I was just thinking about growing my hair. Everyone has their reasons for the most part.

Also, have you ever asked what they do to their hair at night that they need to straighten every day? The ladies I know never laid eyes on this board but they straighten like once or twice a month and don't need to straighten in between.
 
I don't wear my hair straight 100% of the time. In fact, I went ~2 yrs only wearing it in its natural state after I decided to transition.

I wear my hair straight about 60% of the time because I had to cut a-lot of hair when I finally straightened. I love my natural hair, but if I wear it natural all/most of the time then I end up having to chop off my progress due to split ends and single strand knots.

I'm shooting for wsl hair and I can't get wsl natural hair that looks just as healthy straight as it does curly unless I wear my hair stretched at least half the time.

I don't want to use chemicals and can simply flat iron for straight styles. When I was relaxed I air-dried then straightened. As a natural I air dry and straighten (on ~370). Guess what? My hair takes the exact same amount of time to style as it did when I was relaxed. And for me it doesn't make sense to use a relaxer when I still need heat styling tools to do my hair (and trust me, my relaxed hair required heat).

So, for me the relaxer loses out. I have greater versatility as a natural, styling takes the same amount of time and I don't have to worry about irritation or hair loss from the use of chemicals. I had a stylist do everything right and I still lost a ton of hair after using Phyto, so I don't see any need for relaxers.
 
. Why call yourself natural but then constantly run a flat iron through your hair? Don't get me wrong- I'm all for switching up styles every once in a while, but EVERYDAY? If you want to wear it straight all the time, why don't you just let a relaxer do the job?

please please PLEASE don't take this as me trying to insult any straight-haired naturals. I just want to understand the ideas behind it all.
Click to expand...

and please please PLEASE don't take THIS as an insult...but your question posited
in the way you did.... is annoying as heck...


why call yourself natural?
Click to expand...

just because heat is on your hair and temporarily straightens
the hair does not eliminate the natural texture..
ergo...
the natural hair remains ..well..natural
I'm all for switching up styles every once in a while, but EVERYDAY?
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it sounds like no one does..but even if they did
so what?

why judge that? it's not YOUR hair after all. :nono:
and why tell another woman to simply just go and get a relaxer
if her hair is going to be straight ...anyway...
geez loueeze.... that's kind of presumptuous
..doncha think?:ohwell:
 
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I keep my hair straight pretty much all the time because I dislike the way I look with short hair and I have a lot of shrinkage, I plan to wear it curly when it gets longer. It is easier to find 1/2 wigs to blend and buns and pony's for my protective styles. I can apply my scalp treatments for growth more easily. My hair is healthier and thicker than it was when it was relaxed so even if I wear it straight forever for some reason, I would never relax it again.
 
I don't straighten everyday, but I am wearing my hair straight now, because my natural hair gets tangled at the ends, and rips itself out. During the past 3 months, I've lost 3 inches of hair, that wasn't bleached and it really upset me.

I want to see progress in my hair journey, and I think wearing it striaght, for a while will help reduce the amount of breakage I get. Maybe once my hair gets to BSL again or MBL I'll rock it in its natural state, but until then I'm wearing it straight.
 
Just because you're natural doesn't mean you have to wear a fro or natural hairstyles. Everybody doesn't go natural for the same reason. It may not be just for the look of natural hair. They may not have had a choice if it meant natural hair vs having some hair on their head at all. They may not be able to deal with the chemicals for various reasons. Some people do it because of damaged hair, thin hair, medical problems, etc. Some people have problems with knots and tangles too and find that wearing their natural hair straight is easier for their lifestyle.
 
My sister has Lupus and can't relax her hair or she'll get pus scabs and sores on her scalp so even though she doesn't like to straighten weekly (from her mouth) medically she can't do a relaxer!

And she had a long, thick head of relaxed hair in the past, never under MBL!
 
honeybuni84 said:
i do it so that i dont have single strand knots and those lead to serious issues..
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ITA.

After wearing a curly puff for about 3 months, I decided to blow my hair out one day and the single strand knots everywhere....:nono:.

That did make me really sad, b/c I realized that my WNG dreams may not be realized w/o a whole bunch of seek and destroy missions all the time..it just wasn't worth it for me. So after much thought, I decided to start straightening my hair every other week and haven't looked back.

Why not go back to a relaxer? B/C my natural hair when straightened is denser, silkier and stronger than when I was relaxed...it just looks better. Plus, straightening it really isn't that much more work. I do maybe one extra step to get it straight but that's it.
 
I am not natural but when I considered transitioning I was going to choose to be a straighten natural. I may choose to go natural in the future and I would still do the same. I think like most ladies scalp can't take relaxers or they just wanted thicker straightened hair. I stopped one of my friends who has been natural 4yrs from getting a relaxer because she wanted straight hair but did not want the hassle of reversion or losing a curl pattern. I told her if u relax then ur pattern is lost forever, just get a press and flat iron stop listening to "anti natural stylists"
 
Crackers Phinn said:
I was afraid of heat as a natural and had a huge problem with single strand knots. I notice that one of my natural sheroes had the same problem but switched over to regular heat use and it seems to have resolved the problem for her.

If I ever go that route again, I'd do more heat stretched styles.
Click to expand...

I was thinking the same thing. The women with long natural hair with more of my hair type and characteristics actually use heat on a more regular basis.
 
sunnydaze said:
ITA.

After wearing a curly puff for about 3 months, I decided to blow my hair out one day and the single strand knots everywhere....:nono:.

That did make me really sad, b/c I realized that my WNG dreams may not be realized w/o a whole bunch of seek and destroy missions all the time..it just wasn't worth it for me. So after much thought, I decided to start straightening my hair every other week and haven't looked back.

Why not go back to a relaxer? B/C my natural hair when straightened is denser, silkier and stronger than when I was relaxed...it just looks better. Plus, straightening it really isn't that much more work. I do maybe one extra step to get it straight but that's it.
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yes...


I had some serious hair/scalp issues when i was relaxing.... i have a happy medium. i straighten and then eventually it reverts back and i do it all over again..
 
jamoca5 said:
Thanks for the input, you all. I'm still not 100% clear on the matter, but like you guys said: it's a style preference, and it all depends on the person.
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Hey Op!!!

Style preference is a superficial answer for a deeply psychodynamic issue. A true style preference would be: Short bob vs Pixie cut and Afro puff vs Twist out. That is truly a "style" preference. In my opinion your friends do not find their natural hair attractive or don't feel attractive wearing their natural hair due to xyz factors. Factors are different for everyone but the outcome is still the same- natural hair is not pretty and the straighten texture gives them a feeling of beauty and acceptance that is why they will not ever step out with their natural hair. That is not a style preference, people can call it that but it is not a style preference. So, people can draw on the obvious or continue to say it is no "that serious" or it is a "preference" or "I am allergic to relaxers" etc it is what is and the paradigm will not shift nor waver unless there is true insight into the matter but "we" as a whole are not ready and don't want to be ready for that because it will shift the paradigm.
 
prettynatural said:
natural hair is not pretty and the straighten texture gives them a feeling of beauty and acceptance that is why they will not ever step out with their natural hair. That is not a style preference, people can call it that but it is not a style preference.
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When I had to cut off 3 + inches of single strand knots that traveled up the shaft TWICE in the same year from wearing it in it's natural state, my hair was definitely not giving me 'a feeling of beauty'.

Not having little balls hanging off the end of my hair is a style preference in my book. And yes, people can see the knots in your puff if they are standing next to you, even if you can't see them.

What my natural journey taught me was that I want long hair more than I want natural hair.
 
Oasis said:
No everyone goes natural to showcase their waves, curls, kinks, napps, and whatnot. Some folks stop relaxing for the health of their scalp, because they want to stop using harsh chemicals, etc.

People have different reasons.
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Right
I've been reading about ppl that stop relaxing because the chemicals were bad to their hair, but they don't really like to wear curls or kiny hair.
 
I wear my hair in its natural state right now, but as it gets longer I will be a heat-stretched natural most of the time. I do not believe in putting chemicals in MY hair, I don't judge those who do, so a relaxer is outta the question FOR ME. But me wearing my hair straightened does not mean I think my natural hair is ugly or I hate natural hair. It means that I have a preference and its easier to deal with single strand knots, for ME.

Different strokes for different folks.
 
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Here are my reasons for wanting to wear my hair straightened 24/7.

1. Sensitive scalp – can’t handle chemicals
2. Fine hair – appears thicker natural (but straightened)
3. Do not care for natural hair styles
4. Do not like shrinkage
5. Avoid Single strand knots
6. I prefer straight hair
7. I have 3 different hair textures, so my braidout/twistout looks good in the front, but a HAM from behind

However, I only straighten my hair 1-3 times a year to check my progress. My hair is so fine and reverts so quickly that it’s a waste of my time to straighten. So I wear my hair in its natural state in an updo.
 
I have struggled with my decision to wear my hair stretched/heat straightened. I want long hair and it's getting there faster and with better end results since I started doing roller sets with heat. When I only rollerset, I get a lot more breakage from frizzy ends and tangles. I really loved wearing my hair natural when I started my hair care journey, but the knots were killing me and my porgress. So that's why I straighten and for the past eight months, my hair has been a lot more healthy, thick, and longer, so ain't broke---not fixin' it.
 
jamoca5 said:
Recently, I had a conversation about hair with three of my friends: one relaxed, who's thinking of transitioning, and two naturals who always wear their hair straight. Now prior to that conversation, I had no idea that the two naturals were natural- I had just assumed that they were relaxed. So I asked them why don't they just come to school with their hair in its own texture. They both said that it would be too much work. I countered, asking "Well isn't it too much flat ironing your hair all the time?" One of my friends said that she didn't want to come to school "with a bush", and that she goes to the salon every two weeks. The other one said that sometimes she risks being late to school because she's straightening her hair. She went on to say that she would NEVER go out with her kinky hair.

At these comments, I really wanted to say that they might as well relax if they felt that way, but I didn't want to come off as condescending or as a know-it-all. But I'm curious. Why call yourself natural but then constantly run a flat iron through your hair? Don't get me wrong- I'm all for switching up styles every once in a while, but EVERYDAY? If you want to wear it straight all the time, why don't you just let a relaxer do the job?

please please PLEASE don't take this as me trying to insult any straight-haired naturals. I just want to understand the ideas behind it all.
Click to expand...

When I went to the salon every two weeks to get a press it was because the relaxer burned my scalp too much. My scalp was too sensitive. So it was better for me to go natural and get a press than a relaxer.
 
I have a feeling that the question she intended to ask was moreso.. (or if not the question she intended to ask, one of the ones she really wanted answers to)

"People who hate the way their natural hair looks and would never be caught outside with it, why not just relax?"

Given the context, it doesn't really seem to be a question of people who just consider it a style preference....and yet everyone seems to bristle at the idea that that's what she's referring to. Seem's like THAT question has been answered a ton already on here as it is...

Either way I think it's more or less been answered, but I don't think it makes it any less interesting (or valid) of a question.
 
In the Straightened Natural support thread, a lot of them do it to keep single strand knots at bay :ohwell:. That progress ender is enough, in and of itself. lol

I plan to be a mostly straight natural when I get to goal. Just because my fine hair appears fuller when pressed now, as opposed to when it was relaxed. Now that I know proper hair care, I could probably get the same effect if I relaxed, but I don't choose to take the risk since my regime is currently working.
 
Like others have said it's a styling choice. I'm transitioning and I'm not doing it to walk around when my curls and coils all over the place. I'm doing it because it's healthy for my hair and scalp, plus relaxers leave my scalp a hot mess and my hair ends up super tangled all the time. As my hair grows I think my natural hair is beautiful but it doesn't mean I'm going to go showcasing it around. I do like having straight hair and probably only on vacation would I walk around with it curly and coily. It's just preference. So I'm with your friends I would never go to school or work especially with my hair not straighten or styled in uniform curls.
 
I went natural because the perm made my hair too straight. I have very soft thin fine hair and whenever I got a perm I would look like a wet dog the first 2 weeks. I hated that period. I actually went natural on accident. and then I realized that it looked so much thicker and healthier. I straighten once a week depending on the season . But the Majority of the time my hair is straight. I hated relaxers, the wet dog look, the burning no matter how much I didn't scratch. I have considered going back to relaxers because it's easier to manage in that condition but the pros far outway the cons.
 
I wear my hair straight almost everyday. I do braidouts sometime in the summer, but other than that, it's usually straight. My hair is healthier and longer than it's ever been, so I don't feel a need to justify my hair practices to OP or anyone else. I have no heat damage, and I am happy with my natural hair.
 
kayte said:
and please please don't take THIS as an insult...but your question posited
in the way you did.... is annoying as heck...




just because heat is on your hair and temporarily straightens
the hair does not eliminate the natural texture..
ergo...
the natural hair remains ..well..natural

it sounds like no one does..but even if they did
so what?

why judge that? it's not YOUR hair after all. :nono:
and why tell another woman to simply just go and get a relaxer
if her hair is going to be straight ...anyway...
geez loueeze.... that's kind of presumptuous
..doncha think?:ohwell:
Click to expand...
:blush: I wasn't trying to judge. Like I said, I was just curious.
 
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