Relaxing or flat iron (train) once every two months?

[Wishin4BSL]

Sorry for all of these questions about training hair, but I would just like to know, is it more damaging to flat iron to "train" the hair or to relax the hair to get it straight? I'm just tired of relaxing and after I reach my ultimate goal of thick BSL, I want to stop relaxing. I dont want to give up straight hair though. Soooo....stay relaxed or flat-iron to train to stay straight? I know many people don't like these types of questions, but PLEASE answer! TIA

 

[RainbowCurls]

IMO heat is always less damaging than chemicals.

But, not everyone's hair gets straight from heat damage, so I'm not sure if you'd be able to 'train' your hair...

 

[Sosoothing]

I relax my hair and dont use heat often so I recommend relaxing.

Also, I have no idea how what you refer to as 'training' hair works. If heat can train your hair to stay straighter, doesnt that mean that its damaged from the heat?

 

[Sha76]

IMO, Training is simply burning it so that the curl pattern does not return the same.

So relaxing is less damaging of the 2.

 

[Vshanell]

Both can be damaging but "training" the hair is just burning it so the curl pattern dosen't come back like Sha said. Out of the two I would pick relaxing because you can have healthy relaxed hair. Trained hair is not healthy and it will break off at some point.

Why not just press/flat iron your hair when you want a straight look. I'm not really understanding why you want it "trained".....unless it's because you don't want it to revert??

 

[Soul♥Flower]

Both can be damaging but "training" the hair is just burning it so the curl pattern dosen't come back like Sha said. Out of the two I would pick relaxing because you can have healthy relaxed hair. Trained hair is not healthy and it will break off at some point.

Why not just press/flat iron your hair when you want a straight look. I'm not really understanding why you want it "trained".....unless it's because you don't want it to revert??

I used to think that too, but my friend trained her hair and it is VERY healthy. However, she only let her stylist press her hair. She never did it herself and she went to the salon ever two weeks. Her hair will still get curly when she washes it, but it responds better to heat and her presses last much longer now. But like I said she let her stylist take care of her hair so I don't know what else was done to it besides pressing. I took a long time to train it, like 2 years.

 

[navsegda]

Sorry for all of these questions about training hair, but I would just like to know, is it more damaging to flat iron to "train" the hair or to relax the hair to get it straight? I'm just tired of relaxing and after I reach my ultimate goal of thick BSL, I want to stop relaxing. I dont want to give up straight hair though. Soooo....stay relaxed or flat-iron to train to stay straight? I know many people don't like these types of questions, but PLEASE answer! TIA

I'd stay relaxed if I were you. Whereas the chemicals will only be on the hair a few minutes (and just the new growth), you don't know how long it will take to "train" your hair to be straight with a flat iron (could take a couple years like one poster said). I think that would just be unnecessary heat on your hair.

 

[TowsonGirl]

I definitely think you should just keep on relaxing. It would be less manipulation trying to keep it straight and there would be less heat involved in achieving the look you want. Also, relaxing is done like once every two months (or however long you stretch), so its not like you have to keep doing it frequently. WHy do you want to stop relaxing, may I ask?

 

[Victorian]

I used to think that too, but my friend trained her hair and it is VERY healthy. However, she only let her stylist press her hair. She never did it herself and she went to the salon ever two weeks. Her hair will still get curly when she washes it, but it responds better to heat and her presses last much longer now. But like I said she let her stylist take care of her hair so I don't know what else was done to it besides pressing. I took a long time to train it, like 2 years.

This is like my godsister, only she does her own hair. She's never had relaxed hair, only pressed. Her hair also does curl up when wet, but it presses easily after doing it for so many years. She uses a pressing comb, though.

 

[EbonyHairedPrincess]

Both can be damaging but "training" the hair is just burning it so the curl pattern dosen't come back like Sha said. Out of the two I would pick relaxing because you can have healthy relaxed hair. Trained hair is not healthy and it will break off at some point.

Why not just press/flat iron your hair when you want a straight look. I'm not really understanding why you want it "trained".....unless it's because you don't want it to revert??

I agree your not training your hair your just burning it permanently straight. I flat ironed natural hair for 4 years. I think the relaxer is alot less work and honestly now that I know how to care for my hair I get no breakage. Only healthy shedding.

 

[asiaticlily]

I think relaxing will better for the health of your hair. Heat always leads to damage for me.

 

[moda]

I would recommend to keep relaxing, if straight hair is what you want. Being natural and using heat all the time to keep your hair straight is just as damaging if not moreso than relaxing.