Need advice!! Will soon be going back to relaxed....

[Charieamor]

Hey ladies,

Sooooo I haven't been relaxed since middle school. BUT since I have been doing my own hair and being natural I have been having the worst time maintaining a regime. Personally I would go to the beautician every two weeks and get a wash/press. Yes my hair grows, but since I have been continuing this regimine on my own I haven't seen much retention of length. RELAXING seems to be the easiest option for me right now as a college student...although my past relaxed hair was very very thin...

I'm confused..what should I do??? I see all these relaxed ladies with beautiful texture and long hair it seems like the best/ easiest option.

 

[msa]

Hey ladies,

Sooooo I haven't been relaxed since middle school. BUT since I have been doing my own hair and being natural I have been having the worst time maintaining a regime. Personally I would go to the beautician every two weeks and get a wash/press. Yes my hair grows, but since I have been continuing this regimine on my own I haven't seen much retention of length. RELAXING seems to be the easiest option for me right now as a college student...although my past relaxed hair was very very thin...

I'm confused..what should I do??? I see all these relaxed ladies with beautiful texture and long hair it seems like the best/ easiest option.

If you're getting a press every two weeks that's probably the reason you aren't retaining length.

Is your stylist using high heat? blowdrying and pressing and then bumping the ends? do you use a heat protectant EVERY time? are you getting your hair trimmed often?

If you're using high heat on your hair without a heat protectant then your hair is being damaged. And, if you trim often then you're cutting off all your progress.

I think before you decide to relax, which has it's own host of issues that are just as complicated, you need to figure out how to get your hair healthy and retaining now.

I know a lot of naturals who straighten need to be on top of their protein, DC'ing, and moisturizing game in order to avoid heat damage and retain length. Every regimen I've ever seen about a natural who straightened successfully had protein in it, heavy moisture DC before they straightened, and moisturizing almost daily.

Pinkskates is the best person to ask about it so I'd pm her, she has natural hair (I think waist length) that she straightens every couple weeks. Also, she started a thread called "naturals that straighten" so check that out. There are lots of other threads about it as well.

ETA: found the thread
http://longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=298845

 

[gorgeous86]

I'm a little confused by the question . If you want to know whether you should stay relaxed or go natural, I say stay natural for a little while longer and just work on your regimen. If the regimen is the only problem you are having with being natural, I would just go stalk some fotkis or find a hair twin and adopt some of their hair practices. Relaxed or natural, if you want healthy hair I think that you need to work on finding some kind of regimen and being consistent. It doesn't have to be elaborate. Just start off slow. HTH

 

[Nya33]

When relaxed and you go for touch ups you can seen the growth more so than when you are natural, were you getting wash and presses when relaxed? I'm sure others will chime in and say being natural or relaxed requires sticking to a regimen that works and over time you will see results.

Stick at it HHG

 

[MoniintheMiddle]

Msa offered excellent advice. I agree with what she said.
Also, I don't want you to be fooled into thinking that relaxing your hair will solve your hair problems because that's not true. You have to find a reggie that works for you regardless of whether you are relaxed or natural. If you don't have a good routine, you wil just damage your hair when relaxed.
Heat protectants are very important for relaxed or natural hair when straigtening...just as protein and moisture. I think you should ease up on the press and curls and try protective styling (with a good regimen) and see if you see any improvement in your hair.

 

[Charieamor]

Thank you msa,

I have checked out pink skates... I am going to just pm her like you said. Yes I have been protective styling since I was in high school lol, and my stylist would always use a heat protectant. That's my thing, I have NO CLUE what regimine to work it as far straightening my hair. I DO dc after every shampoo. I currently wash and dc weekly and just blow dry and braid out....no heat. I think in the future If I want a press I'll just go to the salon... ugh

Relaxing seems like too much for me to handle right now...so natural it is. I'm just tired of my hair and ready to be bald, it seems like I'll never get to my goal but for some reason god has given me peace about 09...I think this is my hairs year! Amen!

Love you ladies and thank you