which thrives better? Relaxed or Natural?

[loonatick]

Or does it just depend on the person?

hi, i am a newbie when i first started to wear my hair out (April 2005) i found it so hard to deal with. But since then i have tried texturizing, so i am able to be more gentle with my hair, in terms of detangling, styling etc. It has helped, but i still fail to see any real growth. I was wondering because some people say they can't handle their hair natural/relaxed .Is there anyone whose hair didnt retain length when natural but thrived when relaxed?

I have relaxed in the past but did not have a clue about hair care, my hair broke but i am surprised i did not go completely bald But with the knowledge i have now, who knows what length i would be....I wore braids and it grew back to a certain point but then it stop, obviously growth was equal to breakage.
I have given it 6 months so far,keeping protective styles in 2 strand twists and although i have seen a change, its not enough!
I am currently at around 6 inches. should i stick it out and wait? or texturize a bit further?
Am i just being greedy and does it take longer to see a real change???

Impatient and Confused
Loonatick

 

[empressaja]

I didn't vote because I have a slightly different theory. I think hair thrives when it taken care of. I've both natural & relaxed and texturixed. Hair is a dead appendage so neither way in my opinion is better. When hair is handled with care it thrives. There are other factors like diet, the elements(environmental) ,water quality, illness, etc... but in my opinion for the most part I think hair that is handled with care thrives.

 

[loonatick]

thanks for the quick reply, and actually i do agree
Ok, so i guess my question is how much care is needed, in each state, in order to see a change? Time wise?

I have been consistent with multi vitamins, B5 and msm, and have seen a change in my nails and slightly in my skin, its still improving. I eat healthily and i do exercise at the gym. 1 hour 2-3 a week cardio and some weights. My general well being has definitely improved, but its like it hasn't reached my hair yet!?

Maybe i just have to accept i have SLOW progress and growth when it comes to MY hair, or is there something i am missing?

 

[sugaplum]

I voted natural.

Now speaking for myself, I took very good of my hair when it was relaxed. The only problem I had breakage and no miracle creme's could fix it. Damage was already done. Perming over the years caused my hair to break.

Now that I am natural and taking very good of my hair, my scalp and hair are stronger then ever and I have no split ends or breakage.

But I must stress the fact that my hair growth hasn't changed at all over the years.

 

[loonatick]

so in your case sugaplum, overprocessing caused your damage, despite your efforts to moisturize and condition?
I have no clue of my growth rate as my hair as never gotten past neck length. Im beginning to think is this as good as it gets? Maybe that is my lot, neck length or nothing, either natural relaxed or texturuised. I am trying my hardest to reach shoulder length, then i will know for sure if i can retain length, seeing as i never have before.
But i must say, as much as it frustrates me i love my hair, this is the best it has been. its just it has always baffled me.......

 

[asummertyme]

I didnt vote as well b/c i think it depends on the person..my hair seems to thrive while bieng natural..my hair is stronger by far but i did see awsome reults when i was relaxed as well..my hair had grown longer than ever b4 in my life once i learned how to care for it...my hair is fine though and bieng relaxed it seemed to thin IMO..so i didnt like it..but there are some ladies here with awsome heads of relaxed hair and it gets even better as time goes along so..that why i say it depends on the person..

 

[loonatick]

Thanks for your input ladies!
I think im gonna stick with it, and not texturize any more for now. Firstly because my hair feels good and is not breaking, for the 1st time ever and second cos i dont see or feel new growth of a different texture. Thats how close to natural i am. i have gotten to a stage where i can do a few styles which im happy with, so i will continue my quest for thriving hair!!!

Lucky you to all the ladies whose hair thrives period. Maybe one day i'll get there and this is just the beginning.

 

[sugaplum]

so in your case sugaplum, overprocessing caused your damage, despite your efforts to moisturize and condition?
I have no clue of my growth rate as my hair as never gotten past neck length. Im beginning to think is this as good as it gets? Maybe that is my lot, neck length or nothing, either natural relaxed or texturuised. I am trying my hardest to reach shoulder length, then i will know for sure if i can retain length, seeing as i never have before.
But i must say, as much as it frustrates me i love my hair, this is the best it has been. its just it has always baffled me.......

Yes it's exaclty as you stated. Girl let me tell you, I've tried every product from A-A ranging from $5-$100!! And nothing worked. My old hairstylist would use products on my hair that would only "cover-up" the problem. I've soon come to release that the relaxers I was using was damaging myhair.

I choose to be natural because it's healthier for my hair and my body.

 

[loonatick]

Girl it is true what you are saying, and i am glad you found what works for you, and hopefully i will find a way what allows my hair to truly thrive and not just look like it is.
I guess the only way there is, is the long way, which is the right way. Boo to quick fixes and fake health and stylists that try to dish it out, cos it dont last!

 

[sugaplum]

I hear you loonatick. I like your name by the way.

I did the BC and everyone was like "Ohh what happend to all your long pretty hair?" Yeah my was long, just long and damaged! I retained a lot of the length by doing the bun/baggie technique. My hair was growing past my shoulders in no time.

Have you tried this method? It really works.

 

[lkg4healthyhair]

I think it all depends on the person.

I am transitioning and I think mya hair will thrive better than being relaxed. I think my hair being so fine relaxed is just not best (makes it thinner and weaker), and I have had shedding for so many years.

That being said I feel like it used to grow so much faster years ago.

I went from Halle Berry cut to 2 inches past shoulder in two years. But over time I now seem to have a totally different head/hair and it seems to grow very slowly.

 

[caligirl]

My hair doesn't do good with relaxers. I refuse to endure scalp burns and breakage just for straight hair. Since I've been transitioning and trimming, my hair is getting better and better. Trimming, in moderation, will allow you to see your progress because your hair will look healthier and fuller at the ends. Plus I read somewhere that blunt cut hair grows the fastest.

 

[Healthb4Length]

I didn't vote because I have a slightly different theory. I think hair thrives when it taken care of. I've both natural & relaxed and texturixed. Hair is a dead appendage so neither way in my opinion is better. When hair is handled with care it thrives. There are other factors like diet, the elements(environmental) ,water quality, illness, etc... but in my opinion for the most part I think hair that is handled with care thrives.

I'm co-signing with what your saying. Back in da days when I was young and ignorant I did not really know how to take care of my hair, I always kinda left that up to the hairstylist...we know where that can lead...When I had natural hair I loved it because it was long and curly/kinky and everyone would just love to touch my hair! The only problems I had was with wash day (my natural hair was not hard to detangle), my hair would take entirely TOO LONG to dry and once it did dry you never got to see those pretty curls/kinks so I got frustrated. I also wanted to see what my hair looked like straigth but I wasn't too kean on pressing it...I didn't even know what a flat iron was (don't laugh), I only knew what the cheapo round barrels that would melt my hair off were, I taught that flat irons were for caucasion type hair (Ignorant, I know).When I had relaxed hair I would get it done every 6-8 weeks and cut my ends every 6-8 weeks, I ALWays used heat implements on my hair 2-3 days a week and blowdried once a week. I would be kind to my hair by doing hot oil treatments every month...I didn't even know what a deep treatment was... If only I would have know about this site then, I probably would be a natural with waistlength hair, after I learned to take care of my hair from this site, my life has become soooo easy...sometimes I wonder why it's so easy to handle my thick mane but I'm not complaining. With all that I've learned I know that I could easily handle my hair both fully relaxed, texturized or natural...it's all about KNOWLEDGE!

 

[loonatick]

Thanks sugaplum, you just know what you want and how to get it. No point keeping damaged hair if you want healthy hair, so get rid. I think the majority of people are just scared to do the BC and dont know how to handle change (different lengths). BTW you look happy with your BC, so is was good decision?
I have been trying to do the baggie most nights of the week, over my whole head though, cos my sorry excuse for a ponytail is too small to cover, so it all goes under.
But i guess, bit by bit it is getting bigger, just waiting for the front and crown to catch up. Im using Fantasia moisturizer on my ends, with surge and MTG on scalp.
Any other good combos?

 

[Ms Red]

in my own personal experience, my hair was stronger, more resilient and versatile when i was natural (19 yrs.) when i started relaxing my hair in college it went downhill (combination of not taking great care of it and also the chemicals).

but as soon as i started transitioning, and developed some kind of regimen, it's like my hair started to thrive! i am on my 6th month of transition and so far so good. i am also taking waaaay better care of my hair now, so that is a huge factor. i feel like my hair and my scalp can finally breathe. the chemicals are not thinning my hair out-- my ponytails (and hair in general) is thick like it used to be. i am overall pleased. patience is key with this transition, i guess.

 

[brittanynic16]

I said natural but I think it depends on the care of the hair. When I was relaxed I had long hair. Now that I am natural it is getting longer. It is longer than a friend of mines hair and she has been natural her whole life and she has been trying to grow it for a while now. I do think that natural is the best way to go for the health of your hair and body.

 

[Allandra]

I think hair thrives when it taken care of.

I agree with this.

 

[sylver2]

I think hair thrives when it taken care of.

Yup!! What she said.

 

[Blossssom]

I would imagine anything natural thrives better...

Salon nails vs. natural nails. Which one?

 

[locabouthair]

I said natural but I think it depends on the care of the hair. When I was relaxed I had long hair. Now that I am natural it is getting longer. It is longer than a friend of mines hair and she has been natural her whole life and she has been trying to grow it for a while now. I do think that natural is the best way to go for the health of your hair and body.

sugaplum mentioned this as well. i know in some cases a relaxer can be damaging to the hair but how is it bad for the body? and yes i have been thinking about getting a perm.

 

[CatSuga]

Am i just being greedy and does it take longer to see a real change???

It all depends on your hair growth and hair care.
At the least hair grows at 1/4 inch a month. Now if your hair is breaking a 1/4 and you keep getting 1/2 trims, yah, you'll never see growth. The key to seeing growth is preventing breakage.

Yeah, I'm natural and my hair is triving.
But if I washed it with .49 cent Suave shampoo & skipped conditioning and rubbed on some Blue Magic grease and slept on the carpet every night without my hair tied down & and racked through it with a rat tail comb, my hair would not be thriving. Relaxed or natural, it all boils down to care.

 

[Cincysweetie]

I didn't vote because I have a slightly different theory. I think hair thrives when it taken care of.

I didn't vote either b/c I too agree with this. If you don't care for your hair, no matter if it's natural or relaxed it's not gonna thrive.

As far as how long it takes to see a change...I think some changes can be almost instantaneous. You find the right products and you an start to see an immediate difference. As far as length and thickness, those will come with growth which comes with time. Be consistent and in time you will see significant improvement.

 

[sugaplum]

Thanks sugaplum, you just know what you want and how to get it. No point keeping damaged hair if you want healthy hair, so get rid. I think the majority of people are just scared to do the BC and dont know how to handle change (different lengths). BTW you look happy with your BC, so is was good decision?
I have been trying to do the baggie most nights of the week, over my whole head though, cos my sorry excuse for a ponytail is too small to cover, so it all goes under.
But i guess, bit by bit it is getting bigger, just waiting for the front and crown to catch up. Im using Fantasia moisturizer on my ends, with surge and MTG on scalp.
Any other good combos?

Thank you loonatick. I am so happy with my BC.

And your MTG combo sounds great. I've never used MTG but I've heard great things about it. I use Surge and I really like it.

And moisturizing your ends is the key. I remember when my hair wasn't long enough to put in a ponytail, I wore a wig (cornrows underneath) for a whole year. This was strongest and longest my hair ever got. Ohh but what did I do with my braniac self, I slapped a perm right on top of it(from roots to ends) which is a BIG nono.

 

[Cheleigh]

sugaplum mentioned this as well. i know in some cases a relaxer can be damaging to the hair but how is it bad for the body? and yes i have been thinking about getting a perm.

I don't think that's a proven theory (although there may be research). But for some, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that our body, our skin, absorbs chemicals--from relaxers, hair removers, lotions, soaps. We know that a relaxer has the same active chemical, that when used with two other active chemicals (ones for a jherri curl and a curly perm) remove hair. We know that we should have gloves when handling relaxers, just as we should when we work with caustic chemicals (like cleaning solutions).

Some folks make a decision for their overall health that they remove as many "elective" chemicals from their lives as possible. Others don't think it's a big deal.

For those interested in reading what researchers found when they tested one family for chemicals and pollutants, read the following article(s), done earlier this year in the Oakland Tribune--the results are surprising.

A Body's Burden

 

[MeccaMedinah]

It all depends on your hair growth and hair care.
At the least hair grows at 1/4 inch a month. Now if your hair is breaking a 1/4 and you keep getting 1/2 trims, yah, you'll never see growth. The key to seeing growth is preventing breakage.

Yeah, I'm natural and my hair is triving.
But if I washed it with .49 cent Suave shampoo & skipped conditioning and rubbed on some Blue Magic grease and slept on the carpet every night without my hair tied down & and racked through it with a rat tail comb, my hair would not be thriving. Relaxed or natural, it all boils down to care.

Sounds about right to me

 

[MeccaMedinah]

I don't think that's a proven theory (although there may be research). But for some, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that our body, our skin, absorbs chemicals--from relaxers, hair removers, lotions, soaps. We know that a relaxer has the same active chemical, that when used with two other active chemicals (ones for a jherri curl and a curly perm) remove hair. We know that we should have gloves when handling relaxers, just as we should when we work with caustic chemicals (like cleaning solutions).

Some folks make a decision for their overall health that they remove as many "elective" chemicals from their lives as possible. Others don't think it's a big deal.

For those interested in reading what researchers found when they tested one family for chemicals and pollutants, read the following article(s), done earlier this year in the Oakland Tribune--the results are surprising.

A Body's Burden

This is my reasoning for voting "natural".
Relaxers are made from chemicals. I think that we all want to limit our exposure to chemicals, in general. And like Blossom? said, I think that most things natural would thrive better in comparison to those that are not from nature.

 

[vikkisecret]

I think that natural hair thrives better but wayyy harder to manage than relaxed hair.

 

[Country gal]

Hair that has been well taken care of will be healthy. So if it is well taken care of natural versus relaxed, I would say natural.

 

[mkstar826]

Hair that has been well taken care of will be healthy. So if it is well taken care of natural versus relaxed, I would say natural.

IA.

........

 

[Brownie]

I think that natural hair thrives better but wayyy harder to manage than relaxed hair.

FOR ME, natural hair is easier to take care of. While I was texturized, I did my hair exactly the same way I do my hair now---same hairstyle, same wash days, same products, but now, I don't have to get touch ups, now I don't have to worry about having more than one texture, and now I have less breakage, and now my hair is easier to comb and detangle. As for which hair type thrives better, my hair grew to a nice length while I was texturized, and it's doing the same now, so I know a person's routine and hair-care makes a big difference. I've seen some naturals with long hair and some relaxed heads with long hair. It depends on hair-care, nutrition, and genetics.