Question about pressing hair

[Savgal]

I'm new, yall. So bear with me.

Is pressing hair damaging. I want to go natural for healthy scalp reasons, but I also like the look of relaxed hair. On a certain natural hair board, pressing is seen as the ulitimate sellout sin, so I wasn't even going to try to ask this over there. If I pressed my hair a few times a month, would that be more damaging on my hair than a relaxer? Does anyone know any relaxed ladies who regualarly press their hair? Does their hair look healthy and is it growing.

 

[Armyqt]

Hi Savgal /images/graemlins/wave.gif. Just wanted to say welcome. My hair is relaxed and I have no experience with pressing hair. I'm sure some will answer your questions soon. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[pebbles]

Hi Savgal,

Welcome to the board! /images/graemlins/smile.gif I don't press my hair, but there are others here who do and will be willing to help you. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[honey_jammz82]

Hi there,
I am kinda new here too, but I am totally addicted to the point where I look forward to waking up in the morning to see all the new posts.....but anyways, ABOUT PRESSING, my best friend has natural hair and she has been getting it pressed for around 15 years, and her hair is GORGEOUS! She has(4a) hair down to her waste, and it has really worked well for her. Besides pressing her hair she does not use a lot of heat on it besides that, so that may also be a factor. I hope that I have been some help....try not to become obsessed with the board like I am /images/graemlins/grin.gif ......good luck

 

[pebbles]

Hi honey_jammz82,

Welcome to the board! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[leejure]

Well I can't say if one is better than the other or more damaging than the other. I get my hair pressed maybe once every two to three months (or special occassions). I believe HEAT is damaging within itself. But occasional use of it, is okay. I have not had any MAJOR problems with having my hair pressed. I think my styist knows how much heat I need and she definitely prepares my hair when I do get it pressed.


hth,

-lee

 

[BrightEyes]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Savgal said:Is pressing hair damaging. I want to go natural for healthy scalp reasons, but I also like the look of relaxed hair. If I pressed my hair a few times a month, would that be more damaging on my hair than a relaxer? Does anyone know any relaxed ladies who regualarly press their hair? Does their hair look healthy and is it growing.

[/ QUOTE ]


If you are going to wear it straight all the time, then I might not abandon the relaxer just yet. Routine pressing will break down the curl of your hair. Sometimes this simply means you loosen the curl pattern, and other times it means that your hair gets very frizzy. If you don't ever plan on wearing your hair natural, this shouldn't be a problem. But if you are a flip-flop like me, then routine pressing is a no-no. I press my hair every 1-2 months. In between I wear natural styles.

I was a bit confused about you question regarding "relaxed ladies who regularly press their hair". Relaxed heads should not press at all because it will damage their hair. Chemicals and mega-heat are not friends. You should keep them separate or they will tear up your hair. Most women either have a relaxer, press, or wear it natural for the most part.

Overall, pressing is much better. There are no toxic chemicals involved and little chance of permanent damage to one's scalp. You can burn your hair, but at least you can cut it off and start over. If you suffer serious chemical burns then there is nothing you can do. Your follicles are just...gone.

Anyway, I am a natural and I press once in a while. You are welcome to my album. The password is Yunalesca. Make sure you capitalize the 'Y' because fotki is case sensitive.

 

[Allandra]

Hi Savgal, /images/graemlins/wave.gif

Welcome to the LHCF. I hope you enjoy it here.

 

[Tonya]

Hello and welcome!!!
About 3 years ago I was natural adn I got my hair pressed routinely every 2 weeks...I must admit my hair is healthiest when I am natural and I get it pressed instead. What I would do is wrap it at night and soemtime in that second week when I got old I would wear a bun or a drawstring ponytail. My hair has not been as thick or as long when I ahve a relaxer. I only got a relaxer becuase I moved from LA to MEmphis and I did not have a stylist to press my hair. I am seriously considering transitioning right now. I may just go with cornrows until I get a substatial amount of new growth so I can get the roots only pressed.
Good luck and let us know how u come out.

 

[nita4]

Welcome Savgal /images/graemlins/wave.gif I'm texturized, but have lightly pressed my hair on occasion. My sister is natural and she presses her hair. That is the way she transitioned. She presses about every two weeks at the most and and never does a hard press. I don't think pressing would hurt, just don't use alot of heat too often. Also, try to incorporate some natural hairstyles into your regimen. I really want to try a strawset.

There are several ladies here to press and their hair is absolutely beautiful. Happy hair growing.

 

[nita4]

Welcome Honey Jamm /images/graemlins/wave.gif

 

[Savgal]

Thanks for the info, Brighteyes. Your hair is so pretty!!

I meant to say "natural ladies who regularly press".

 

[Blackndiangirl]

I think pressing is ok, you just have to watch the heat.

 

[longhairdiva]

Pressing is dangerous to natural hair.

 

[BrightEyes]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Savgal said:
Thanks for the info, Brighteyes. Your hair is so pretty!!

[/ QUOTE ]


You're welcome and thank you. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

I agree with Nita. Wearing natural styles once in a while will help give your hair a rest. I favor twists, but I rocked a strawset when my hair was shorter. Don't let the word "natural" make you think you have to wear an afro. There are lots of cute styles.

 

[Savgal]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
honey_jammz82 said:
Hi there,
I am kinda new here too, but I am totally addicted to the point where I look forward to waking up in the morning to see all the new posts.....but anyways, ABOUT PRESSING, my best friend has natural hair and she has been getting it pressed for around 15 years, and her hair is GORGEOUS! She has(4a) hair down to her waste, and it has really worked well for her. Besides pressing her hair she does not use a lot of heat on it besides that, so that may also be a factor. I hope that I have been some help....try not to become obsessed with the board like I am /images/graemlins/grin.gif ......good luck

[/ QUOTE ]

You friend sounds like my hair inspiration! I also know these three sisters who press their hair and have very long and healthy looking hair. However, I don't know what their hair looks like after it's been washed. I mean, does it revert back or does it stay straight? If it does stay straight, does that automatically mean the hair is damaged or does it meant that the curl pattern is just loosened after years of pressing? That's what I want to know. Maybe I'll ask next time I see them.

Also, I've read some posts where people talk about this hair guy named "Mr. John", and they say he says something about training pressed hair or whatever. What exactly does that mean?

 

[Lilydrake]

Pressing Hair Is Less

<font color="green"> </font> Damaged than a relaxer.

I press with a curling iron for my daughter's permed hair some week. It looks good, growing and healthy to me with my satisfaction. /images/graemlins/cool.gif <font color="green"> </font>

 

[leejure]

You asked:
&lt;&lt;However, I don't know what their hair looks like after it's been washed. I mean, does it revert back or does it stay straight?&gt;&gt;

My hair has no problem reverting back to my natural state after being straightened /images/graemlins/nono.gif . My stylist makes sure she doesn't use a lot of heat. HOWEVER, my best friend's FORMER stylist put way to much heat on her hair and it did not revert back to her natural state /images/graemlins/mad.gif. She actually had to cut all her hair off. It has now rown back (I posted her pix on my picture trail also)

You can check out my picture trail and see my hair straight and then see the pixs of my hair once I wash it.

hth,

-lee

 

[Integrity]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Savgal said:
I'm new, yall. So bear with me.

On a certain natural hair board, pressing is seen as the ulitimate sellout sin, so I wasn't even going to try to ask this over there.

[/ QUOTE ]

welcome to the board, you wont have to worry about relaxed versus natural versus pressed girls backbiting each other here. we embrace all forms of hairstyles, variety and options here. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[sbg4evr]

Pressing is only damaging if it is done too frequently, done on dirty hair, done on wet hair, if you press on a high heat(essentially hard pressing). I use to press my hair once a month but with my active lifestyle it was frizz in less than a week. Pressing occassionally is not bad. I found that if I want, which is rare, straight hair I would blowdry my hair and just press the edges. Believe it or not alot of people thought my hair was relaxed when I did that.
If you really are gungho on pressing regularly, try using a flat iron with steam. It heard that a flat iron with steam is wonderful for hair. I have one but I do not have the time or patience or skill to use it. I just twist my hair for now. This weekend, I want to experiment with flat twists.