Thinking of joining the club!

[angellazette]

Yes I know I know..I posted this in the other topic but I feel the need to show it again!

"Oh wow...i love my relaxed hair but I also love the texture of my natural hair...when it isn't dry! Anyway, this thread is making me want to go natural. I'm just scared that I won't be able to take care of it and keep it manageable.

There was one time that I had gone around 6 months without a relaxer, needless to say my last relaxer was this month.

When I did go that length of time without one, my hair looked so dry, I didn't like it. Plus my hairdresser was saying that my hair was breaking because of not being relaxed or something to that effect. Probably wasn't moisturizing correctly.

Anyway, I'm wearing a sew-in currently so atleast be 2 months would have passed before I get another relaxer, if I do.

I just don't know what to do after these 2 months pass. Maybe I'll just keep it braided, I think this is similar to what Zoe does. I don't know what products to use or anything, cause as I said before my hair was so dry.

I don't want to just cut off all my relaxed hair either. I would rather do it little by little as my natural hair grows. Would there be any problems with holding on to the relaxed hair?

I remember my hair was in it's best state before I started getting relaxers. I would get my hair pressed and I had length, thickness... I want it back!!!

Someone help me!!!! "

 

[inthepink]

I'm not planning on chopping my hair either. I'd rather enjoy the length I have now as I go natural. I think if I chopped, I would obsess too much about length and have more frustration with not being able to do a ponytail than I do now dealing with the two textures.

It works fine for some people but "the chop" just isn't the right route for me.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[zoya_j]

A good site for you guys to try is nappturality.com Good luck on your journey! I transitioned for six months before my big chop. All I can say is all things happen in time.

 

[SVT]

I never did a big chop. I pressed my new growth and cut the relaxed hair off gradually. My hair didn't look so great at the time because I did not know how to take care of the different textures.

 

[Naturalistic]

If you want to go natural, you have to realize you must treat your natural hair differently from your relaxed hair. My hair seemed excessively dry when I first went natural, too, but when I learned how to deep condition properly, my hair recovered & is now very soft. I big chopped 'cause I didn't want to deal with 2 different textures--you're more likely to have breakage if you gradually let your hair grow out & people who want you to continue to perm will tell you your hair is breaking & you NEED to perm.
For natural hair, proper conditioning is key. At first, I deep conditioned once or twice a week until my hair regained some moisture; now, I deep cond. about twice a month. I shampoo once or twice a week, alternating btn. a no-soap shampoo & a regular shampoo, to keep my moisture levels in check. Your hair is probably not naturally excessively dry, it just needs different care.
Good luck!

 

[AFashionSlave]

[ QUOTE ]

"Oh wow...i love my relaxed hair but I also love the texture of my natural hair...when it isn't dry! Anyway, this thread is making me want to go natural. I'm just scared that I won't be able to take care of it and keep it manageable.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think that it is great that you love the texture of your natural hair while wet, but you have to learn to love your natural texture while dry. I'm sure you dry hair is beautiful also.

Never let anyone tell you that natural hair is not manageable. All natural hair (whatever the texture) is manageable.

[ QUOTE ]

I don't want to just cut off all my relaxed hair either. I would rather do it little by little as my natural hair grows. Would there be any problems with holding on to the relaxed hair?


[/ QUOTE ]
You can transition as long as you want but, you will have to be extra gentle with your hair. I have heard a lot of women here say that their hair did not break while they transitioned...I suppose they are right. It didn't happen that way for me. My hair started to break at the spot where my natural hair joined my relaxed hair.

Good Luck in your decision.

 

[Zoe]

[ QUOTE ]

When I did go that length of time without one, my hair looked so dry, I didn't like it. Plus my hairdresser was saying that my hair was breaking because of not being relaxed or something to that effect. Probably wasn't moisturizing correctly.

Anyway, I'm wearing a sew-in currently so atleast be 2 months would have passed before I get another relaxer, if I do.

I just don't know what to do after these 2 months pass. Maybe I'll just keep it braided, I think this is similar to what Zoe does. I don't know what products to use or anything, cause as I said before my hair was so dry.

I don't want to just cut off all my relaxed hair either. I would rather do it little by little as my natural hair grows. Would there be any problems with holding on to the relaxed hair?

I remember my hair was in it's best state before I started getting relaxers. I would get my hair pressed and I had length, thickness... I want it back!!!

Someone help me!!!! "

[/ QUOTE ]

**waving**

If you wanna go natural and you dont wanna do the BIG CHOP I would say braiding and weaving until your comfortable with your length

It was easy for me...until it was time to take the braids out to wash my hair for the next style.. my permed hair was always getting tangled and it was frustrating..My mom helped me out ALOT with untangling it.. as the year went by I just kept cutting my permed hair little by little..

You can do it..It will just take time to see results..you may not be happy with you new hair but you'll get used to it

 

[FineChyna]

strangely enough i haven't run into severe problems in reference to transitioning and not doing the big chop. i am not sure its because i never had a bone straight "ultra perm" meaning my perm hair was considered under processed or i am just having a good luck streak. i've never been big on perming my hair and i don't think the difference between my permed hair and regular is is that severe to cause it to break

i haven't permed in a year and most of my shedding breakage problems came frome conditioning/combing problems that i have now resolved. i am gradually cutting out the perm and i do flat iron semi regulary when winter comes and i so far haven't had any problems...knock on wood

 

[angellazette]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

"Oh wow...i love my relaxed hair but I also love the texture of my natural hair...when it isn't dry! Anyway, this thread is making me want to go natural. I'm just scared that I won't be able to take care of it and keep it manageable.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think that it is great that you love the texture of your natural hair while wet, but you have to learn to love your natural texture while dry. I'm sure you dry hair is beautiful also.



[/ QUOTE ]

No no no, I meant dry as in not moisturized.

 

[angellazette]

*duplicate*

 

[angellazette]

[ QUOTE ]
you're more likely to have breakage if you gradually let your hair grow out & people who want you to continue to perm will tell you your hair is breaking & you NEED to perm.


[/ QUOTE ]

That's exactly what I was told but I also know that I was not properly moisturizing my hair so I wasn't making it any better. There was absolutely no reason for my hair being as dry as it was. I was being told "good you're giving your hair a rest (from the relaxer) BUT" So then came the next relaxer.

I think I'm getting a lot better at taking care of my hair as far as moisturizing goes so I think if I was able to go that long (6 months) with improper techniques, I can go longer with the RIGHT stuff.

 

[AFashionSlave]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

"Oh wow...i love my relaxed hair but I also love the texture of my natural hair...when it isn't dry! Anyway, this thread is making me want to go natural. I'm just scared that I won't be able to take care of it and keep it manageable.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think that it is great that you love the texture of your natural hair while wet, but you have to learn to love your natural texture while dry. I'm sure you dry hair is beautiful also.



[/ QUOTE ]

No no no, I meant dry as in not moisturized.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry girl!
I misundersood your post.

 

[angellazette]

Last but not least, I want to thank everyone for their replies!!! Yall are my inspiration! I'm a relaxer wearing gal but I must admit, my hair was never like it was when it was in it's natural state.

One more thing, hairlove does spiral setting your hair make it easier to deal with the two textures? Particularly when you pull it up?

afashionslave: love the hair!