Relaxed Ladies --?

[Neala21]

For those of the ladies that relax to be bone straight or with a lot less texture left in the hair

Do you see added benefits? To be bit more clear, Your hair strands are more straight with some waving here and there versus a relaxed head who has tons of waving in the hair because they don't go for bone straight

Less Breakage?
What's your overall health?
Do you find styling quicker? For straight styles vs curly styles

Its kind of hard to explain: I am relaxed but not bone straight although at times I think of going to a more bone straight look like i used to be before the boards, but I don't want to risk it and regret it because I overdo and damage my hair. I see ladies with lovely thick relaxed straight hair, and when they wet it or you see it after a wash its pretty much straight when wet. That's what I want - Mines when wet looks like i am fully natural or maybe texalaxed for 2 minutes processing.

Hope I haven't confused anyone. I just need to know benefits/drawbacks or if ladies bone straight ever wish they didn't relax to bone straight and just relaxed to be mostly straight. Arrghhh its hard to explain

 

[gymfreak336]

Hey Neala

I personally have been on both sides of the spectrum. I have been bone straight before and now I am more like what you have described.

When bone straight, my hair was harder to manage. I think it depends on your hair type (fine/thick, natural strength) but bone straight can really zap all the strength out of your hair. While some ladies here have managed, I personally always found my hair to look thin and require intensive conditioning 24/7 to look good when bone straight.

Now, I am more like what you described in your post. I am having problems with detangling and I have to been gentle when I am rollersetting but my hair looks thick and overall, it is much stronger. When I rollerset it, it looks full, it has tons of body and I am getting more hair compliments than ever. I am contemplating having the stylist run a little relaxer through some of my length the next time I relax to try to even it out a bit but I don't want to go back to being bone straight.

I think it comes down to finding the right balance between the two. There is a fine line between being underprocessed with rough hair to manage hair and having processed hair that still has some texture to give you a little extra body, elasticity, and strength. That line is different for everyone and I think it is based off of your hairs natural characteristics. Don't forget that hair gradually becomes processed from relaxer run off during touchups.

 

[Dposh167]

Do you see added benefits? To be bit more clear, Your hair strands are more straight with some waving here and there versus a relaxed head who has tons of waving in the hair because they don't go for bone straight: for me, it depends on how many weeks post, that will determine my wave pattern. The first couple of weeks right after a fresh perm, my hair will dry straight (not bone straight)...but the last 3-4 inches has a slight wave. Anytime after 9 weeks, my hair will dry very wavy.

Less Breakage? can't say cuz i've always been bone straight. but breakage would matter on ur overall hair health practices

What's your overall health?
Do you find styling quicker? For straight styles vs curly stylesWell its definitely a plus when trying to get it straight. Curly styles are easy too (if they're manually done..like a rollerset, bantu etc). But if i want a natural wavy style (the way the hair waves up for airdry)..then its much harder IMO.

 

[Neala21]

I almost forgot about this thread of mines.

Thank you ladies for your insight. I think I have a better understanding. Especially with being processed vs being over/underprocessed.

Right now I think I am more on th underprocessed and want to be smack in the middle of processed.

 

[charmtreese]

Im relaxed. However Im not bone straight, texlaxed, over or under processed.

Im just plain ol'relaxed!

Less Breakage? I get less breakage because my hair did not like being texlaxed. My hair likes all or nothing (all relaxed or all natural).
What's your overall health? Overall my hair is healthy
Do you find styling quicker? styling is much quicker now that Im relaxed then before when I was texlaxed.

 

[lexi08]

Im relaxed. However Im not bone straight, texlaxed, over or under processed.

Im just plain ol'relaxed!

Less Breakage? I get less breakage because my hair did not like being texlaxed. My hair likes all or nothing (all relaxed or all natural).
What's your overall health? Overall my hair is healthy
Do you find styling quicker? styling is much quicker now that Im relaxed then before when I was texlaxed.

I have fine hair and my hair did not like being texlaxed. Bone straight hair or close to it is best for my hair.

 

[morehairplease]

For those of the ladies that relax to be bone straight or with a lot less texture left in the hair

Do you see added benefits? To be bit more clear, Your hair strands are more straight with some waving here and there versus a relaxed head who has tons of waving in the hair because they don't go for bone straight

Less Breakage?
What's your overall health?
Do you find styling quicker? For straight styles vs curly styles

Its kind of hard to explain: I am relaxed but not bone straight although at times I think of going to a more bone straight look like i used to be before the boards, but I don't want to risk it and regret it because I overdo and damage my hair. I see ladies with lovely thick relaxed straight hair, and when they wet it or you see it after a wash its pretty much straight when wet. That's what I want - Mines when wet looks like i am fully natural or maybe texalaxed for 2 minutes processing.

Hope I haven't confused anyone. I just need to know benefits/drawbacks or if ladies bone straight ever wish they didn't relax to bone straight and just relaxed to be mostly straight. Arrghhh its hard to explain

Great thread. I plan on relaxing before the end of the year and have been flip flopping between bone straight and telaxed for some time now. When I first started relaxing, my hair was bone straight and b/c I did not have healthy hair practices my hair was ruined from the start it seems. Hopefully, this time around my hair will thrive.

 

[ajoyfuljoy]

I have always been bone straight or with a little wave/curl and my hair has never had an issue with it. Ironically, I feel like my comb gets upset around the parts of my hair that is more underprocessed.

My hair is really thick and when I was younger my mom used to re-lax my whole head all the time But I still didn't have a lot of breakage.

My hair gets angry and breaks when it is dry or has too much heat on it.

I've thought about texlaxing but my hair likes bone straight, I just need to find a relaxer that doesn't burn my scalp.

 

[sunshinebeautiful]

I'm texlaxed with a lot of texture. It works for me. I don't really have problems with detangling (I think I learned how to detangle my hair effectively when I was natural)... and my hair experiences a lot less breakage. I have fine hair so when I relax any straighter my hair looks thin. Not a good look.

 

[Cutiepie7691]

I think I've found a happy medium. My hair isn't bone straight and it isn't really texlaxed either. I use a mild perm which leaves a slight wave in my hair when wet, but it doesn't look like natural hair when wet. I would definitely say that my hair is much stronger than it was when I was bone straight. Bone straight hair for me equaled dryness, limpness, and eventually it will thin out. Everytime I got a regular perm, tons of hair will come out. I knew then that I had to be using relaxers that were too strong for my hair. Since using mild, my hair doesn't really break anymore and it's much, much more fuller than it was. It doesn't tangle either. As far as curly styles, I guess it's the same as if my hair was bone straight b/c I'll just use flexi-rods or something like that to get the look I want.

 

[ajoyfuljoy]

I think I've found a happy medium. My hair isn't bone straight and it isn't really texlaxed either. I use a mild perm which leaves a slight wave in my hair when wet, but it doesn't look like natural hair when wet. I would definitely say that my hair is much stronger than it was when I was bone straight. Bone straight hair for me equaled dryness, limpness, and eventually it will thin out. Everytime I got a regular perm, tons of hair will come out. I knew then that I had to be using relaxers that were too strong for my hair. Since using mild, my hair doesn't really break anymore and it's much, much more fuller than it was. It doesn't tangle either. As far as curly styles, I guess it's the same as if my hair was bone straight b/c I'll just use flexi-rods or something like that to get the look I want.

What type of relaxer do you use? Do you do it yourself?

 

[Neala21]

I think I've found a happy medium. My hair isn't bone straight and it isn't really texlaxed either. I use a mild perm which leaves a slight wave in my hair when wet, but it doesn't look like natural hair when wet. I would definitely say that my hair is much stronger than it was when I was bone straight. Bone straight hair for me equaled dryness, limpness, and eventually it will thin out. Everytime I got a regular perm, tons of hair will come out. I knew then that I had to be using relaxers that were too strong for my hair. Since using mild, my hair doesn't really break anymore and it's much, much more fuller than it was. It doesn't tangle either. As far as curly styles, I guess it's the same as if my hair was bone straight b/c I'll just use flexi-rods or something like that to get the look I want.

Yeah when I was previously relaxed my mom had me using Super/coarse No Lye. There would be times I would burn/scab. I eventually was able to do my own hair and make decisions about them --Now being relaxed using Lye Normal/Medium has really benefited my hair.

I think I have to find my happy medium (when I was previously relaxed I think I might have been on almost overprocessed side - wasn't all bone straight but had some slight wavings)

 

[lala]

Do you see added benefits? I'm not sure about added benefits, but it hasn't been deterimental to the health of my hair IMO.

Less Breakage? I'd say I have less breakage. Usually during the 1st month I hardly see any strands in the brush/comb/etc.

What's your overall health? I think my overall hair health is good. My hair continues to grow at a decent rate, and I'm able to retain WL length hair. My ends aren't split, damaged, or thin, but I contribute that to trimming regularly though.

Do you find styling quicker? Yes, styling is quicker, because I don't have to do any styling. It may be due to the length and hair shape, I'm not sure. I put my hair up at night (with 2 hairpins) cover with a satin scarf. In the morning, once I remove my scarf, I can just lightly manipulate with a brush/comb/fingers, and my hair is "styled" in less than 5 minutes. So it's really low maintenance.

I just recently switched relaxers and my hair has so much body and because it's so silky, it's really easy to maintain.

 

[ajoyfuljoy]

Do you see added benefits? I'm not sure about added benefits, but it hasn't been deterimental to the health of my hair IMO.

Less Breakage? I'd say I have less breakage. Usually during the 1st month I hardly see any strands in the brush/comb/etc.

What's your overall health? I think my overall hair health is good. My hair continues to grow at a decent rate, and I'm able to retain WL length hair. My ends aren't split, damaged, or thin, but I contribute that to trimming regularly though.

Do you find styling quicker? Yes, styling is quicker, because I don't have to do any styling. It may be due to the length and hair shape, I'm not sure. I put my hair up at night (with 2 hairpins) cover with a satin scarf. In the morning, once I remove my scarf, I can just lightly manipulate with a brush/comb/fingers, and my hair is "styled" in less than 5 minutes. So it's really low maintenance.

I just recently switched relaxers and my hair has so much body and because it's so silky, it's really easy to maintain.

Ooh, ooh, what relaxer are you using? I want to switch and I'm still trying to decide

 

[Cutiepie7691]

What type of relaxer do you use? Do you do it yourself?

I use Mizani for fine color treated hair. I can do it myself and have in the past. I've been going to the hairdresser lately and she's been using Butterblends. It seems ok thus far.

 

[Cutiepie7691]

Yeah when I was previously relaxed my mom had me using Super/coarse No Lye. There would be times I would burn/scab. I eventually was able to do my own hair and make decisions about them --Now being relaxed using Lye Normal/Medium has really benefited my hair.

I think I have to find my happy medium (when I was previously relaxed I think I might have been on almost overprocessed side - wasn't all bone straight but had some slight wavings)

So even with using Lye Normal/Medium, your hair still looks natural?

 

[ajoyfuljoy]

I use Mizani for fine color treated hair. I can do it myself and have in the past. I've been going to the hairdresser lately and she's been using Butterblends. It seems ok thus far.

I've heard good things about Mizani Butterblends...def. thinking about this for my next go around.

 

[ShiShiPooPoo]

I relax bone straight and it's just easier for me. I can stretch longer this way too and I don't have to use so much heat to get a straight look. I've always wondered how do you retouch texlaxed hair? Seems like you would have a harder time finding the line of demarcation so I just go for it...bone straight.

I've never had a breakage issue from it...but I've had breakage from things that I have done to my hair that don't really jive too well with the bone straightness of my relaxer.

 

[sunshinebeautiful]

I relax bone straight and it's just easier for me. I can stretch longer this way too and I don't have to use so much heat to get a straight look. I've always wondered how do you retouch texlaxed hair? Seems like you would have a harder time finding the line of demarcation so I just go for it...bone straight.

I've never had a breakage issue from it...but I've had breakage from things that I have done to my hair that don't really jive too well with the bone straightness of my relaxer.

I'm texlaxed and I can always see the line of demarcation. You can see where the new growth is extremely tight and curly in comparison to the rest of the hair. My texlaxed hair is still straight-ish enough so that I can easily tell.

 

[Neala21]

So even with using Lye Normal/Medium, your hair still looks natural?

Yep. This next retouch I plan to do a corrective with Mizani BB same strength as before but I'm gonna do some tweeks

My texture is slightly looser but you would never look at me and think i had a relaxer.

So This time around i plan to get 80-90% straight.

 

[Neala21]

I relax bone straight and it's just easier for me. I can stretch longer this way too and I don't have to use so much heat to get a straight look. I've always wondered how do you retouch texlaxed hair? Seems like you would have a harder time finding the line of demarcation so I just go for it...bone straight.

I've never had a breakage issue from it...but I've had breakage from things that I have done to my hair that don't really jive too well with the bone straightness of my relaxer.

It's quite easy to find the line demarcation. The new growth still comes is thick and with texalax its slightly a bit less thick.

I've done some reading and decided against bone straight but plan on the 80-90% straight look which will be fine.