What is worse for your hair? Natural w/ flatironing OR Relaxed w/o heat?

What is worse for your hair?

  • Relaxing but using no direct heat.

    Votes: 55 42.0%

  • Natural but flat ironing weekly or twice a week?

    Votes: 56 42.7%

  • Other: Explain

    Votes: 20 15.3%
  • Total voters
    131
G

gone_fishing

New Member
What is worse for your hair? Natural w/ flatironing/blowouts/etc. OR Relaxed w/o direct heat?

Can you explain?
 
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Re: What is worse for your hair? Natural w/ flatiorning OR Relazed w/o heat?

Maybe this should be moved.

I'd say relaxed w/o heat as a rough answer. it's not a daily manipulation process like flatironing would be. But it's hard to answer w/o specifics on the haircare.
 
Re: What is worse for your hair? Natural w/ flatiorning OR Relazed w/o heat?

Whimsy said:
Maybe this should be moved.

I'd say relaxed w/o heat as a rough answer. it's not a daily manipulation process like flatironing would be. But it's hard to answer w/o specifics on the haircare.
Click to expand...

Oops. I meant to put this in the other section. :nono:
 
Re: What is worse for your hair? Natural w/ flatiorning OR Relazed w/o heat?

Whimsy said:
Maybe this should be moved.

I'd say relaxed w/o heat as a rough answer. it's not a daily manipulation process like flatironing would be. But it's hard to answer w/o specifics on the haircare.
Click to expand...

WHIM! Your siggy has me confused! I know I should be mad, but the little fella is so cute! :yep: I'm mad at his parents! :mad:
 
Re: What is worse for your hair? Natural w/ flatiorning OR Relazed w/o heat?

CantBeCopied said:
WHIM! Your siggy has me confused! I know I should be mad, but the little fella is so cute! :yep: I'm mad at his parents! :mad:
Click to expand...

They weren't home, don't be mad at them. Be mad at me! He staged the photos, and I shot it. I love this pic:lachen:
 
Oops! I voted for the wrong option!!!

I would say that "relaxing but using no direct heat" is worse (for my hair at least).
 
sunshinebeautiful said:
I don't understand the question. :look: Why would relaxed with no direct heat be bad for the hair?
Click to expand...

Some people maintain that relaxing in general is damaging to the hair thus why we have all the extra precautions in taking care of it. However, some believe that being natural but constantly manipulating the hair would be more damaging than relaxing whilst not using heat.

Hope that helps. :)
 
adequate said:
Some people maintain that relaxing in general is damaging to the hair thus why we have all the extra precautions in taking care of it. However, some believe that being natural but constantly manipulating the hair would be more damaging than relaxing whilst not using heat.

Hope that helps. :)
Click to expand...

Oh ok. Guess I was reading the question wrong.

I don't really have an answer either. When I was natural, I attempted to flat iron my hair and burned a section permanently straight. :nono: I think this was because I didn't know the proper way to use heat. I know for a fact that the oil fried my hair. Now I know better.

I would think that even as a natural, using heat a few times a week would equal damage. Natural hair is strong but it's not indestructible.

This was a roundabout way of saying that my vote is for equally damaging.
 
In my opinion natural with the constant use of direct heat is just as bad or even worse than being relaxed with no heat to the hair strands. However, when taking into consideration the scalp, a relaxer is far worse.

It's a tie in my opinion.
 
Either one done improperly can be equally damaging, but if done properly hair can thrive under both methods.
 
buttafly said:
Either one done improperly can be equally damaging, but if done properly hair can thrive under both methods.
Click to expand...

i agree, but back when i didnt know much about hair care, my hair did better with the least effort while natural with heat/blowdry. i think its more dangerous for someone as clueless as i was to have relaxed hair than to use heat natural - but thats just me.
 
I voted other because when natural my hair can take weekly/biweekly pressing with no ill effects, but relaxed with no flat ironing has kept me drama free.
 
It's a difficult answer, but I'd say the constant heat over time would be worse for the hair. Relaxing damages the cuticle to an extent, but it isn't something you do on a weekly basis that would continually stress the hair and leave it prone to breakage.
 
Re: What is worse for your hair? Natural w/ flatiorning OR Relazed w/o heat?

Whimsy said:
Maybe this should be moved.

I'd say relaxed w/o heat as a rough answer. it's not a daily manipulation process like flatironing would be. But it's hard to answer w/o specifics on the haircare.
Click to expand...

I would agree with this. Even though you have the chemical in your hair, it's less manipulation. Flat ironing natural hair is going to take more heat and manipulation. That's too much. Especially if it's once or even twice a week. :nono:
 
For my hair, relaxing with no heat would be more damaging than natural with flat-ironing. I'm actually contemplating going back the natural w/heat. In college, I was natural and got an old-fashioned press (grease on the back of the hand and smoking hair) twice a month with at-home flat-ironing in between. My hair was twice as thick, did not break, and I got complements all the time. I can't seem to win with relaxers over the long-term.
 
I agree that relaxing does all the damage at one time. But over-flatironing natural hair can gradually cause the same type of damage over time.

Basically, if you took a relaxed and natural woman and asked them to flat-iron/manipulate/style their hair once a week, every week, the relaxed woman would see damage sooner because her hair already has lost many bonds to keep it strong.

For me, relaxed hair shouldn't be managed, curled, flipped with hot tools. Thats just like a woman getting a curly perm and flat-ironing it all the time. It defeats the purpose of getting a permanent process.
 
Great thread:)!

I'm transitioning, so I can't answer this question for myself...YET

My rough answer/guess would be: It depends on your hair type and "durability"

For example, it's probably harsher for someone with fine hair to use a lot of pulling and manipulation, especially if that person has a really tight hair pattern. On the other hand, if you are natural, your hair is "naturally" stronger (pun intended:))

If your hair is really soft and easily manipulates and it's durable (can take some stuff), then it's probably easy to flatiron it more frequently, no matter what your hair type (i.e. 2a, 3b, or 4b):yep:
 
I think it just depends on the person and her hair. Some naturals have healtheir hair when flat ironing, and some ppl see their hair thrive with relaxers and no direct heat or constant manipulation. My hair is doing well with the relaxer and no heat, but I've never been natural. I might go natural and change my mind.
 
asubeauty said:
I think it just depends on the person and her hair. Some naturals have healtheir hair when flat ironing, and some ppl see their hair thrive with relaxers and no direct heat or constant manipulation. My hair is doing well with the relaxer and no heat, but I've never been natural. I might go natural and change my mind.
Click to expand...

I agree with this!
 
lovenharmony said:
It's a difficult answer, but I'd say the constant heat over time would be worse for the hair. Relaxing damages the cuticle to an extent, but it isn't something you do on a weekly basis that would continually stress the hair and leave it prone to breakage.
Click to expand...


ITA with this response.:yep:
 
I voted other, but it depends on haircare and hair type. I am natural and was that girl who flat-ironed once a week who didn't deep condition or take care of it. I had and have a lot of heat damage, but no one could tell when it was straight...it was still thick and pretty. It just wouldn't revert back to my big fro. When I was relaxed my hair was so fragile and thin.

So from personal experience, the relaxer was worse for me. And I do agree with other posters that direct heat on natural hair is gradual damage.
 
I'd say relaxing w/o heat solely because a relaxer can permanantly damage the scalp thus stunting hair growth or causing hair loss. Unless a flat iron is used recklessly it can only damage the hair. I'd rather damage my hair knowing it can and will grow back rather than damaging my scalp...
 
I voted for relaxing w/o heat, for MY hair. And agree with the other posters who have said it all depends upon the individual person's hair and haircare. A relaxer, whether with heat or w/o heat for my hair is the worst thing I can do. I've been natural for two years and I do flatiron. The weekly amount of flat ironing depends upon how I'm wearing my hair and how much I sweat. But it's definitely been better for the health and thickness of my hair
 
I've been both. Natural with heat was definitely worse for my hair.

ETA: Heats not great for my relaxed hair either. The difference is I don't have to use direct heat to get it straight.
 
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