Ugh! What to do? What to DO??! Please help me decide. (Pics inside)

[soon2bsl]

Hey Njoy! I agree with some of the others that suggested to keep on transitioning. You have enough new growth already to get an idea of your texture...it's soo pretty btw! Your waves look similar to my hair and I'm a 3C/4a. I remember when I first decided to transition I read and learned when you decided to transition, you have to transition mentally as well. Basically regardless of the texture, you hair will be managable once you find the products, and regi that works for your natural hair..and not to view it as a hassle or unmanagable..it's a little learning curve...just as it was when we all started our hhj...but then you get the hang of it and the reward is nice seeing rentention month after month.

I'm 16 months into my transition and not looking back . I pretty much use the same products I used when I first began transitioning. I treat both my natural and relaxed hair the same and the main thing I do differently detangling in sections once I had alot of new growth.

But as for me, natural hair has so much versatility...you can still get that straight look with big curls that you want with natural hair. In addition to being able to wear it curly in the warmer months, and trying out other styles like braid outs/twist outs/bantu knot outs etc...the options are endless. Wish you well in whatever you decide to do! HHG!

 

[Janet']

you should definitely do what feels right for your lifestyle and your preferred styles.
for the record, i'm all for going natural.
what is "thirty-looking hair??"

ITA with you Rocky91! NJoy your hair will be gorgeous natural, texlaxed, or bone straight!

 

[Keshieshimmer]

I vote continue to transition! BTW... I know it's offt he subject but what is your reggie???? You have AWESOME progress!!!

THIS!!! Wow! and WOW AGAIN!

 

[NJoy]

Thanks Keshieshimmer! My reggie is in my lhcf blog.

 

[lilsparkle825]

I was in here looking for an update...someone must have voted on this poll and bumped it.

So what's going on, NJoy? I know you have had phenomenal growth, but are you still stretching?

 

[NJoy]

still stretching. I think 17 wks post. Planning to stretch until 20 weeks. Then I'll do a 6-month stretch next.

 

[NJoy]

SOOOO glad I ran across this post again. I'm STILL stretching and am 20.5 weeks post and aiming for at least 4 more weeks. I'm still waivering back and forth from time to time but, am thrilled to have these comment to reflect on for direction. As you can see, so far, so good. I'm expecting no trouble out of my ng and, as was said, I am getting used to knowing how to handle it. It's when it gets out of control that I start looking towards a touch up. But I'm getting skillz! And so far have been able to do something to bring it back under control when needed...thankfully.

Just wanted to share. Thanks again, sisters.

 

[africanqueen456]

I voted stretch but I think you should transition...You went from sl to waistlength in a year..I feel like you should transition to push yourself further! You're an inspriration to us NJOY!

 

[ParagonTresses]

I'm sorry, I have no advice...I really just came into the thread b/c I knew there'd be :kewlpics:.... Anyhoo, I hope you find your answer, love your hair!

 

[Cheekychica]

Re: Ugh! What to do? What to DO??! Please help me decide. (Pics inside) ** POLL AD

I'm willing to go natural if I could get some of those gorgeous curls that many of you ladies get but, somehow I know I'll end up with the kinky, thirsty-looking hair. (don't judge me )

perplexedperplexed Seriously??? I'm judging.

 

[NJoy]

Re: Ugh! What to do? What to DO??! Please help me decide. (Pics inside) ** POLL AD

perplexedperplexed Seriously??? I'm judging.

Huh?? Ok...

Yes. Seriously! And, uh..What the problem is?? Everyone seemed to understand what I meant without raising up. And I believe that most know that I put in my work being supportive to everybody. But you want to kick up division or...what, exactly? erplexed I said what I said and am entitled to it. Don't act like you've never seen dry busted heads ~ natural, relaxed, weaved, whatever. I wasn't trying to be offensive to you or anyone else. If you were offended, then I apologize now and in advance because I'm cheeky too. And I'm certain I'll say something else to step on your tender toes if my comment bothered you like that.

So that there's no further question, I won't have and can't handle kinky, thirsty hair. That's my limitation and preference. And I'm entitled.

In any case, judge, hate, whatever. YOU'RE entitled. And I'm not even mad atcha. Just sayin...since ya asked.

 

[NJoy]

I voted stretch but I think you should transition...You went from sl to waistlength in a year..I feel like you should transition to push yourself further! You're an inspriration to us NJOY!

Girl, I'm really considering it. I've got one foot in the Longterm Stretch thread and the other in the Transitioning w/o BC thread. I'm going for 6 monts but taking it month by month so, who knows.

Now if I could only learn how to rollerset without the claustrophopic-like drama...

Thanks for the continued encouragement.

 

[taj]

I voted to Stretch until you know for sure what to do next. You can take your time and make the right desicion for you. I think your natural texture is gorgeous!!! I initially wanted to stretch for 1 year, but now I've decided to just transition. We always have the option to relax or texlax again

 

[bibirockz]

I say you keep doing what you're doing because obviously it's working, until you feel fully committed to transition to natural. It may be easier down the road since you're already used to stretching for 6 months at time.

 

[Junebug D]

I say you keep doing what you're doing because obviously it's working.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Leave well enough alone. If I was doing something that got me 8 inches of growth and retention in a year, I wouldn't look back, left, or right. Especially if you're having qualms about what kind of natural hair you might have. There's nothing worse than BCing off WL hair and finding you regret it.

 

[I Am So Blessed]

relax it. just relax it.

 

[Naveah2050]

If you can't tell the difference between your chemically altered hair and your natural hair, I just don't see any reason to risk overlapping a texlax at this point. I would say keep up your reggie, work on your styling skills if you want (like alternatives to rollersets, since those are hard for you) and see how your natural hair comes in. If your natural hair is too difficult for you to handle, you should have a clear demarcation point down the road. But honestly, for a lot of us, the 'difficulty' of natural hair is 90% perception. If you begin to think that you can handle your natural hair, you probably will.

What she said....if you honestly cant tell the difference then there is no need to keep texlaxing - this is exactly what happened to me and i was paying so much money and spending so much time to go through the textaxing when after a while my hair started to act like my natural hair...i would say depending on how texlaxed you are that its a nice way to transition to natural hair. A word of caution though, is unfortunately in my situation the texlaxed hair all eventually broke off by itself making the need to transition null and void....this may have been due to the way I was caring for it but it was the final sign that natural was the way for me to go...

 

[BostonMaria]

Hey NJoy! Would you consider doing a Keratin treatment to help with the transition? I only recommend this because it will eventually fade away with time. It'll help you deal with the two textures and you can gradually cut your hair until you're all natural. I know that you almost had a set back a few weeks back because you did a long stretch and your hair matted up.

BTW you mentioned that your hair was hard to manage as a child. I am around your age and I know that back in the day our mother's only had vaseline, cheap conditioner with no slip, and hot combs. That's it! So maybe your hair really wasn't hard to manage. Maybe it was lack of good products at the time.

Good luck on whatever you decide to do!

 

[Mystic]

This post is old. She already relaxed her hair.

Hey NJoy! Would you consider doing a Keratin treatment to help with the transition? I only recommend this because it will eventually fade away with time. It'll help you deal with the two textures and you can gradually cut your hair until you're all natural. I know that you almost had a set back a few weeks back because you did a long stretch and your hair matted up.

BTW you mentioned that your hair was hard to manage as a child. I am around your age and I know that back in the day our mother's only had vaseline, cheap conditioner with no slip, and hot combs. That's it! So maybe your hair really wasn't hard to manage. Maybe it was lack of good products at the time.

Good luck on whatever you decide to do!

 

[BostonMaria]

This post is old. She already relaxed her hair.

Doh! That's what I get

Thanks!

 

[Incognitus]

Wait, so did she relax or texlax?

 

[NJoy]

Incognitus
I texlaxed at 38 wks post. But, it was like I did nothing at all, girl. Looks and feels the same. Trying to find ways to keep my "texlaxed" hair and ng from tangling.

 

[PatTodd]

I see I'm too late but...I was in the same boat as you - there came a point where I could not tell the difference between my new growth and my texlaxed hair, so after going through the same analysis, I stopped relaxing. That was January 2009 and I have gradually trimmed away my relaxed ends (I may have an inch left, and my hair is at least BSL straightened). Once I learned how to style it, I have found my natural hair is soooo much easier to deal with than my texlaxed hair. Check out my LHCF blog for more information. Maybe this texlax was your last!

 

[Incognitus]

NJoy
Thanks. I'm currently natural and am on the fence about texturizing/texlaxing. It like, once I do it, then what? Will I be able to maintain it....