Training hair

[Shinka]

My best friend and I was talking about hair...as always. I told her I may go back to natural and press. She told me I just have to train my hair to wear similar relx styles. She didn't explain how because she's a relaxer ( with waist lenght hair..just wanted to add that).


So how does one train hair?

 

[discodumpling]

Over time excessive use of direct heat will "train" your hair str8.

 

[FAMUDva]

I'm transitioning now myself and was given the same advice. My understanding is what discodumpling stated. Basically the way it was described to me is that after you continue to get your hair pressed regularly, you tend to be less likely to have reversion during humidity, etc.

Your hair will revert when wet, but your curl pattern tends to be MUCH looser and may be lost in some places due to the training. I have friends who have APL-BSL hair and are natural and have officially trained their hair. They revert to curly when wet without problems, but their hair curls are much looser than they would have been otherwise. They seem to be okay with it, but one of them told me she tends to have to "scrunch" one side of her hair when doing wash and gos because it's much looser than the other side.

I was told what I needed to do to train my hair was to press and wear straight weekly or biweekly during my transition. There are some salons here in Atlanta that help to train hair according to my friends. One mentioned Too Groovy Salon to me, but I'm braided for the summer so, I'll test those waters eventually.

 

[FAMUDva]

I forgot to add that the friends that I mentioned are completely natural, but you'd think they have relaxers because their hair is always bone straight. I'm like even when we are in a hot club that their hair doesn't puff up!

 

[JustKiya]

Every time I hear 'train your natural hair to be straight' my brain interprets it as 'heat damage your hair enough that it can't/won't revert'.

I don't think you can 'train' your hair to be straight, but you can burn the curls out of it.

 

[ladylibra]

Every time I hear 'train your natural hair to be straight' my brain interprets it as 'heat damage your hair enough that it can't/won't revert'.

I don't think you can 'train' your hair to be straight, but you can burn the curls out of it.

basically. we usually think of heat damage as fried, severly splitting hair. it doesn't have to be extreme to be damaged.

 

[Shinka]

Every time I hear 'train your natural hair to be straight' my brain interprets it as 'heat damage your hair enough that it can't/won't revert'.

I don't think you can 'train' your hair to be straight, but you can burn the curls out of it.

That doesn't sound fun.

 

[Shinka]

basically. we usually think of heat damage as fried, severly splitting hair. it doesn't have to be extreme to be damaged.

So maybe is not a good idea to "train" the hair. Ah this hair thing is becoming complicated.

 

[Shinka]

I'm transitioning now myself and was given the same advice. My understanding is what discodumpling stated. Basically the way it was described to me is that after you continue to get your hair pressed regularly, you tend to be less likely to have reversion during humidity, etc.

Your hair will revert when wet, but your curl pattern tends to be MUCH looser and may be lost in some places due to the training. I have friends who have APL-BSL hair and are natural and have officially trained their hair. They revert to curly when wet without problems, but their hair curls are much looser than they would have been otherwise. They seem to be okay with it, but one of them told me she tends to have to "scrunch" one side of her hair when doing wash and gos because it's much looser than the other side.

I was told what I needed to do to train my hair was to press and wear straight weekly or biweekly during my transition. There are some salons here in Atlanta that help to train hair according to my friends. One mentioned Too Groovy Salon to me, but I'm braided for the summer so, I'll test those waters eventually.

I guess if I like straight styles this may be better alternative to chemicals. I guess damage is damage is damage. Chemicals break down bonds and so do heat.

 

[ladylibra]

if you plan on wearing your hair straightened MOST of the time, but don't want to relax, then i guess "training" your hair would be the way to go. i just suggest you take extra care of your hair so the slight damage doesn't become more sever (fried, splitting ends, etc).

 

[LayneJ]

basically. we usually think of heat damage as fried, severly splitting hair. it doesn't have to be extreme to be damaged.

Exactly.

Just like Famudva, I have friends that wear their hair straightened 95% of the time, and their hair is "trained". In LHCF terms though, that would mean heat damaged. You wouldn't know it, though. I have 2 friends who are really type 4s, but now they look like texturized type 4s. Then I have friends who are type 3s, and their texture has loosened, but honestly, it's not very noticeable.

So, I would agree with you, OP: damage is damage is damage. I don't use heat often, but technically, my hair is damaged because it's still processed; I color.

 

[joyandfaith]

I agree with the whole "trained" hair thing. Once I went natural, my hair not only started to change from getting it flat ironed, but also from washing it and pulling it into a bun and letting it air dry straight. I was probably getting it flat ironed once a month in the beginning, but now I flat iron it like once every 3 months (if that). The texture is now much more manageable than when I had a relaxer. The pressing and flat ironing haven't led to much damage.

 

[FAMUDva]

Every time I hear 'train your natural hair to be straight' my brain interprets it as 'heat damage your hair enough that it can't/won't revert'.

I don't think you can 'train' your hair to be straight, but you can burn the curls out of it.

I disagree and have friends with hair to prove it. Their hair is not straight when wet... it just doesn't revert at the drop of a humid day. They have very healthy and long hair by real world standards and LHCF.

They have very healthy hair and it reverts. I'll load some examples and come right back

 

[FAMUDva]

I guess if I like straight styles this may be better alternative to chemicals. I guess damage is damage is damage. Chemicals break down bonds and so do heat.

Well my hair isn't damaged to tell the truth... nor are my friends, but to each their own really.

 

[ladylibra]

^^^just like relaxed or colored hair is chemically damaged, hair that has been "trained" by pressing is heat damaged. that doesn't mean it's unhealthy... but it had been permanently altered from its natural state. but you can still do things to keep it healthy so it's not fried, frizzy, porous, and full of split ends (the more CLASSIC signs of damage).

 

[JustKiya]

I disagree and have friends with hair to prove it. Their hair is not straight when wet... it just doesn't revert at the drop of a humid day. They have very healthy and long hair by real world standards and LHCF.

They have very healthy hair and it reverts. I'll load some examples and come right back

It might revert, true, but the simple fact that it's 'trained' means that it doesn't revert as much as their 'untouched by heat' hair did. Trained/damaged/less reverting, whatever you want to call it, there are some people who would rather not lose ANY of their curl, and I think it's only fair to give them a fair warning that training your hair to 'stay' straight/not revert at a drop of a humid day can also mean that it will almost always be straighter than it was before you started training it.

Whatever Shinka decides to do, she should know all of the potential reprecussions/side effects - to be sure that she is happy with the potential tradeoff that she might be making.

That's all.

 

[ladylibra]

^^^yeppers!

 

[FAMUDva]

^^^just like relaxed or colored hair is chemically damaged, hair that has been "trained" by pressing is heat damaged. that doesn't mean it's unhealthy... but it had been permanently altered from its natural state. but you can still do things to keep it healthy so it's not fried, frizzy, porous, and full of split ends (the more CLASSIC signs of damage).

I personally don't used the word "damaged".... Yes, its altered, but all chemical bonds that are broken are NOT damaged in my opinion. It's perception I guess... I know damaged doesn't equal unhealthy... It's how I choose to see the wording

IMO conditioning your hair (by the logic you've stated) with conditioners is altering from the natural state... That's my thought, but I don't call that damaging. I respect your opinion, but just don't see it the same way personally.

 

[FAMUDva]

It might revert, true, but the simple fact that it's 'trained' means that it doesn't revert as much as their 'untouched by heat' hair did. Trained/damaged/less reverting, whatever you want to call it, there are some people who would rather not lose ANY of their curl, and I think it's only fair to give them a fair warning that training your hair to 'stay' straight/not revert at a drop of a humid day can also mean that it will almost always be straighter than it was before you started training it.

Whatever Shinka decides to do, she should know all of the potential reprecussions/side effects - to be sure that she is happy with the potential tradeoff that she might be making.

That's all.

I did say that some have looser curl patterns now... I think I said that... I also mentioned how one has to scrunch one side of her hair when she wears a wash and go... I did say that...

Either way, they still have healthy versatile long hair now. It worked for them and they are happy. Everyone has a different reason for wanting to go natural. It's a very personal journey and to each her own. I was simply giving the OP the answer to her question and the results from ppl I know personally.

That's all.

 

[The Savvy Sistah]

Even if you decide to "train" your hair and you do loose some of the curl, just put it back in yourself.

I have seen beautiful natural looking styles on relaxed heads just by doing a simple braidout.

So even if your hair is trained to be straight, you can have natural looking styles anytime you please.

 

[ThickHair]

IMHO I equate chemical free hair that stay's straight after using a hot comb as damaged hair.

 

[ladylibra]

I personally don't used the word "damaged".... Yes, its altered, but all chemical bonds that are broken are NOT damaged in my opinion. It's perception I guess... I know damaged doesn't equal unhealthy... It's how I choose to see the wording

IMO conditioning your hair (by the logic you've stated) with conditioners is altering from the natural state... That's my thought, but I don't call that damaging. I respect your opinion, but just don't see it the same way personally.

except conditioner doesn't permanently alter my hair's natural state.

i respect your opinion as well. i am not anti-heat nor anti-relaxer, i just wanted the OP to know what "trained" means. the main issue i've seen with women who "train" their hair isn't even so much texture loss, it's porosity issues. as long as you're aware of what's going on with your hair and take steps to combat it, then yes your hair will still be healthy and can grow long.

which is all that matters

 

[Shinka]

Thank You ladies for all the different opinions....and fair warnings. I still haven't decided. But with this "allergic scalp irriatation" Natural in whatever state is looking like a viable option.

 

[FAMUDva]

except conditioner doesn't permanently alter my hair's natural state.

i respect your opinion as well. i am not anti-heat nor anti-relaxer, i just wanted the OP to know what "trained" means. the main issue i've seen with women who "train" their hair isn't even so much texture loss, it's porosity issues. as long as you're aware of what's going on with your hair and take steps to combat it, then yes your hair will still be healthy and can grow long.

which is all that matters

We certainly agree with what trained means . I just don't call it damaged. But I feel ya... Yeah, I would have to say that many women here in Atlanta choose to train their hair and be natural (meaning no chemical alterations). Some go to salons like Too Groovy and pay a good amount of money for upkeep including steam treatments once a month to combat long term issues. I don't have Too Groovy money like that .

 

[FAMUDva]

except conditioner doesn't permanently alter my hair's natural state.

i respect your opinion as well. i am not anti-heat nor anti-relaxer, i just wanted the OP to know what "trained" means. the main issue i've seen with women who "train" their hair isn't even so much texture loss, it's porosity issues. as long as you're aware of what's going on with your hair and take steps to combat it, then yes your hair will still be healthy and can grow long.

which is all that matters

BTW, I LOVE your hair! I hope my hair is like that when I grow up.

 

[ladylibra]

BTW, I LOVE your hair! I hope my hair is like that when I grow up.

thank you! and yes, IA that if you straighten with heat and not chems that you are natural... i know this is another huge debate on hairboards so that's all i'mma say on that one

 

[FAMUDva]

thank you! and yes, IA that if you straighten with heat and not chems that you are natural... i know this is another huge debate on hairboards so that's all i'mma say on that one

OT, but I just watched your hair typing video, and girrrrrrrrrrrllllll you said what I totally believe! Thanks for saying it and posting for the world to see.

 

[glamazon386]

It means burning the hair into submission.

 

[LadyKaypnyc]

Seems to me like the "training" is a euphemism for heat damage.

 

[fluffylocks]

I've heard of training by wearing the hair straight with non-heat like bun, ponytail, ...if its longer one braid or something. Not sure how effective that would really be, but igk if you were to do that everday might be effecitve...but probally not stylish/waste of time also if your main goal is to have straighter hair with no chemicals your probally not trying to just wear it in those kind of styles.