Tempted to texlax

[MaryJane3000]

Hi Ladies,

I'm a cross-roads right now. I love not having to deal with the stress and pain that comes along with getting a relaxer, but the styling of my hair has become a major hassle. Being a transitioner takes way tooo much work. I'm constantly dealing with my hair and I hate it. My hair doesn't like braidouts or twist outs either. That leads to single strand knots and tangles which equals breakage. If i let it airdry in a bun the inside part of my hair becomes thick and matted and tangled. Im sooo tempted to get my hair texlaxed. Thankfully I just washed my hair so I know putting a relaxer on my scalp would be bad news, but I just cant deal with this anymore. I love how soft my hair is, although I'm a little confused by the texture and I have enough new growth to have a tiny fro right now, but I'm just not mentally ready. At the same time I wonder if I should just get it texlaxed because I know that I'm not going to want to deal with my hair all the time like I am now. Or does it get easier once you stop dealing with the two textures?

Any advice on how you transitioned once you hit the 22 week mark? I'm also positive i have different textures throughout my head so any advice on that? I'm thinking about getting a weave so I can just leave it alone for a little while, but I'm worried about my ezcema and how my scalp will react.

TIA

 

[SmileyNY]

As a former natural who texlaxed, the most important advice that I could give is don't texlax out of frustration. I texlaxed after doing a lot of research and deciding that it was truly what I wanted to do. If being natural is important to you, find ways to make the transition work for you. I won't be much help in that department b/c when I became natural, I didn't really transition. I bc'd with only 1 inch of new growth lol. However, I'm sure others will have some helpful advice for you Good Luck

 

[Your Cheeziness]

Transitioning can be an emotional rollercoasted. I have a front row seat. Guess what, the frustrations don't stop when you big chop. It's all about what you truly want and understanding that it won't always be an easy ride.

At the point where you are, you may want to try different styles to where you don't have to manipulate your hair as much. There are many options out there and there is a long-term transitioner thread out there somewhere with oodles of tips for you.

If you really want to be natural, push through it. If not, that's cool do what makes you happy!

 

[MaryJane3000]

how long were you natural? And what were your reasons for texlaxing?

Im really not looking forward to the amount of work i'll have to put into my hair. Im not sure if im doing a lot now because im transitioning or if it's just going to get worse once I'm completely natural. I'll look more into the texlax thing, but i feel like the creamy crack is calling my name lol

 

[SimJam]

if ur tired of transitioning and dont want to relax ... why dont u just go fully natural

 

[SmileyNY]

how long were you natural? And what were your reasons for texlaxing?

Im really not looking forward to the amount of work i'll have to put into my hair. Im not sure if im doing a lot now because im transitioning or if it's just going to get worse once I'm completely natural. I'll look more into the texlax thing, but i feel like the creamy crack is calling my name lol

I was natural for 8 years. I went natural on a whim. I just BC'd for the hell of it... so it wasn't any sort of declaration for me. I considered texlaxing for years before I actually did it. Sure, I wanted more manageability... but at the end of the day, the real reason I did it was b/c I was bored & wanted to try something new. I'm a person that subscribes to the notion of "it's just hair". I could wake up tomorrow & decide to BC again. Who knows lol... But I know hair is a lot deeper than that for many people. That's why I say, don't relax out of frustration. Make sure it's really what you want to do.

 

[YaniraNaturally]

I feel your pain! I will be at week 52 in less than 5 hours

In order to keep my sanity I:
-Made major changes to my reggie.
-Bought more headbands
-Started washing in braids
-Got my hair braided
-And finally realized that there will be days that my hair will not look amazing. My relaxed hair didn't always look amazing either. Ce la vie.

It's somewhat cliche, but a large part of transitioning really is mental.

Are you in our Transitioners threads?

 

[Mystic]

Its nice to know someone else out there is just like me. Natural today, relax tomorrow - its just hair.

I relaxed in Jan 2010 after being natural for almost 4 yrs. I get restless with my hair and it seems for me, the grass is always greener on the other side. I sometimes wonder what my hair would be like now if I had remained natural but I doubt I would have had the time and patience needed to dedicate to it.

I do not like braids, twists, or many natural styles that involves braiding. It takes a long time to detangle my hair - it gets pretty big; thank God I didn't have probs with knots. I do not like gels to slick hair back or any products that causes me to have to wash daily. The best thing for me when I was natural was to blow dry and then pin curl but blow-drying every week was a big chore for me - I hated it. I wish I had those lovely curls I see on a lot of naturals but I don't; wash and goes were great for me but only when I had the BTK so I did what gave me peace of mind at the time and relaxed. I went to the hairdresser but after a couple months began to regret relaxing because my hair was thin, and began to break off. I wanted to BC once again but the thought of going through another 2-yr awkward journey...., no siree! I became a DIY person; I do my own relaxer and haircare and my hair began to thrive. If I BC tomorrow and went back natural, its not out of frustration but because I need a change. Do not relax out of frustration. At the forefront of your mind remember there are pros and cons to being relax or natural so chose one, see if you like it better and live with any consequences/regrets. I keep the decision light by reminding myself that its only hair and it will grow back to great length within a 2-4 yr period. If you have a burning reason for staying natural then in the end, the journey will be all worth it; only you can decide.

I was natural for 8 years. I went natural on a whim. I just BC'd for the hell of it... so it wasn't any sort of declaration for me. I considered texlaxing for years before I actually did it. Sure, I wanted more manageability... but at the end of the day, the real reason I did it was b/c I was bored & wanted to try something new. I'm a person that subscribes to the notion of "it's just hair". I could wake up tomorrow & decide to BC again. Who knows lol... But I know hair is a lot deeper than that for many people. That's why I say, don't relax out of frustration. Make sure it's really what you want to do.

 

[Fhrizzball]

have you tried wigs or halfwigs op if you're concerned about scalp issues?

 

[BraunSugar]

Its nice to know someone else out there is just like me. Natural today, relax tomorrow - its just hair.

I relaxed in Jan 2010 after being natural for almost 4 yrs. I get restless with my hair and it seems for me, the grass is always greener on the other side. I sometimes wonder what my hair would be like now if I had remained natural but I doubt I would have had the time and patience needed to dedicate to it.

I do not like braids, twists, or many natural styles that involves braiding. It takes a long time to detangle my hair - it gets pretty big; thank God I didn't have probs with knots. I do not like gels to slick hair back or any products that causes me to have to wash daily. The best thing for me when I was natural was to blow dry and then pin curl but blow-drying every week was a big chore for me - I hated it. I wish I had those lovely curls I see on a lot of naturals but I don't; wash and goes were great for me but only when I had the BTK so I did what gave me peace of mind at the time and relaxed. I went to the hairdresser but after a couple months began to regret relaxing because my hair was thin, and began to break off. I wanted to BC once again but the thought of going through another 2-yr awkward journey...., no siree! I became a DIY person; I do my own relaxer and haircare and my hair began to thrive. If I BC tomorrow and went back natural, its not out of frustration but because I need a change. Do not relax out of frustration. At the forefront of your mind remember there are pros and cons to being relax or natural so chose one, see if you like it better and live with any consequences/regrets. I keep the decision light by reminding myself that its only hair and it will grow back to great length within a 2-4 yr period. If you have a burning reason for staying natural then in the end, the journey will be all worth it; only you can decide.

Exactly. I keep it very simple with my hair. I originally planned to do a 2 yr transition, but my hair wouldn't stay in a style longer than a couple of days and I was always having to wash & restyle it. After detangling and restyling, I'd spent about 1.5 hrs on my hair when I could have been doing something else. That is the reason I BC'd. I was trying to hold on so that I'd have longer hair once my transition was over, but I just couldn't do it. It was causing me grief. You have to do what works for you and makes your life easier. If transitioning isn't working out & you want to texlax, go for it. If you don't mind your hair being shorter, BC. Texlaxing is a big step and so is BC'ing, so consider each option carefully. Don't get frustrated.

 

[ms-gg]

It is a HECK of a lot easier to work with one texture than two, especially when there is a drastic difference in the two textures as in type 4 hair. I could not believe the difference when I went natural. Transitioning hair is no joke. I don't know how people can transition for years. I made it to 6 months and big chopped.

 

[imaccami]

I think I remember you OP, weren't you experiencing serious pain every time you had a relaxer because of eczema on your scalp? If I'm remembering correctly and that's you, I really don't think you should relax or texlax. A BC is probably the best idea for you.

If that wasn't you I think a texlax would be fine but you should probably do it yourself because it will be hard to find a stylist who will leave it in the correct amount of time.

 

[lilsparkle825]

I have nothing against people who re-relax, but it doesn't seem like that is something you want to do, especially if imaccami is right and you are having scalp issues like that. It seems like you are simply using styles/techniques that worked for you as a fully-relaxed woman while you are transitioning. I implore you to go into the transitioning threads for assistance and ideas. Wash and detangle in sections, get some braids or something else low-mani to keep your hands out of your hair for a while, and stop letting your hair defeat you! Also, please think long and hard about why you're planning a long transition. I say this as nicely as I can: it ain't for everybody. As a matter of fact, the only reason I transitioned for a year is because I had a weave for 4 months and I was getting Dominican blowouts for another 6 months. I only actually did my own hair and dealt with the two textures for two months before I said enough is enough! BCing was the greatest night of my life, and although I now look back like DANG my hair was short I rocked that TWA!

Good luck to ya!

 

[dyamonds10]

I personally would suggest that you take the time. I was bsl/mbl natural (did that in 2yrs) and decided to texlax due to my accident and not having someone to do my hair....needless to say I am 16 months post...

I do regret it but it is what it is. If I could do it again, I wouldn't. Best wishes

 

[MaryJane3000]

yea, I'm the one with the scalp issues.

I'll be honest, I'm not going natural for any reason other than relaxers hurt. A few months in I was relieved that i wouldn't have to relax again and I was feeling good that my hair seemed to be thriving. My new growth is very soft and I love to play in it, I'm just not good at styling it. All of the time it takes me to do my hair is frustrating as hell. Nothing lasts longer than a few days and some days...like today...I look crazy.

I stalk the transitioners support thread, but honestly it's pretty overwhelming and i'm not finding a lot of helpful information. I'm not good at straightening my hair and I really dont like that I have to apply heat to my hair on the regular to get it the way i want and I'm terrified of Dominican salons. I envision going there and coming back with bald spots.

A big chop just doesn't fit me and the person I am. I'd feel very self-conscious if I were to do that. I don't really like wearing braids either. I'll look into halfwigs some more, I just havent been able to find one that works for me. I have a wierd hairline, two cowlicks I inherited from my mother, so it always feels a little funny to me, and then I have no clue how to blend the textures.

WHen I was relaxed my regimen was pretty simple, now I feel like I havent been able to nail one down and it's just causing me frustration.

Besides stalking the wig and transitioners threads, are there any others I should look out for?

Thanks ladies!

 

[hair4romheaven]

BUMP!!! I am in the same boat. I am so tempted to texlax. I have been natural for 9 mtnhs after transitioning for 10 mnths and now that my hair is longer i have knots tangles like crazy. I had my hair out of a weave for 2 days so far and most of that time was spent doing my hair, trying to get it to look nice and it was a fail. I ended up throwing on a wig. I am giving my self to the end of the year if it doesnt get easier texlax here I come as I don't want to spend so much time on my hair only for it to shrivel up and look ashy.

ETA: I need help, motivation, inspiration all the above

 

[Cocoeuro]

Interesting ladies!!! I would love to know your verdict so I am subscribing!!

 

[davisbr88]

If I were you, I would get some braids or twists put in. I wore Senegalese twists for 3 months at a time twice during my transition, and they were really convenient. I washed every week, and the spaces in between the twists made it easy to apply any scalp oils or anything (which I figured would be important to you - perhaps you have an eczema ointment you need to apply?). The take-down was long (and the install was a pain because I am extremely tenderheaded), but it definitely wasn't a hard style to maintain and was worth not having to deal with your hair for months at a time. And you could always just BC and then twist your hair up, so you won't have to wear it short, if you want.

ETA: I see that you said you don't like braids, but I think that if you get them at a longer length and a smaller size (ie. NOT like Poetic Justice braids), you may like them because you can change up the style a lot. I don't like the braids I used to wear as a kid that were kinda fat, but Senegalese are pretty small and you can do different updos and other styles with accessories, which makes them look pretty regal and very polished.