Naturals, transitioners... come inside... poll

[nurseN98]

My pattern had no impact on my decision to go natural.....but sweeping up tons of broken hairs off my bathroom floor did.

 

[1QTPie]

None. I didn't even know what my texture was when I cut it all off.

 

[Sweet_Ambrosia]

My pattern had very little influence on my decision to go natural.

 

[1QTPie]

This sums up my feelings *exactly*.
I know there are plenty that say it doesn't take them much time to do thier hair.. but i'm soo used to relaxed hair and the manageability of it. For instance, every morning, i could just slap my hair back into a ponytail or pin it up and keep it moving.. I can't do that with natural hair.

It takes me 2 minutes to slap my hair in a ponytail each morning. I spritz it with water, put in some leave in conditioner, some oil and decide if I want it on the top, in the back, the bottom or on the side and how loose I want it. Then I put it up. 2 minutes. I don't comb or brush it and I go on about my business.

 

[Chromia]

When I decided to transition, my curl/wave pattern or lack thereof did not matter to me. I had been relaxing for about 19 years and before that I got my hair pressed after every wash, so I don't know what my natural hair will look like.

I was tired of getting touch-ups, getting relaxer burn even if I hadn't scratched my scalp for days, the odor of neutralizing shampoo, coating my previously relaxed hair with oil & conditioner before touch-ups, dealing with the long wait in salons, and having flat, limp hair with no volume for the first week or two after a relaxer.

I wanted my Saturdays and my evenings after work to be salon-free and I didn't want to self-relax. I was also interested in finding out what styles I could do and what products I could use with my natural hair.

 

[DDTexlaxed]

The first time I went natural I had no idea what to expect. I'd been relaxed for 20 + years and had bad experiences as a young person with natural hair. I used to break combs and brushes and the stench of the hot comb on my hair...I can still smell it in my memory. I had no idea how to handle natural hair, but I wanted it so bad. My hair is very thick and curly. I think this time, I can be successful in my natural journey. I am also getting some more help by looking at fotkis, asking more ? here, and hands on practice. It took me 8 years to learn what I learned now and this time will be different because I have a new mind set on things. My husband has been very supportive and helpful this time round because he knows I really want to be natural. So my curl texture really had nothing to do with my decision. My desire for healthier hair did.

 

[wonderstar]

This sums up my feelings *exactly*.
I know there are plenty that say it doesn't take them much time to do thier hair.. but i'm soo used to relaxed hair and the manageability of it. For instance, every morning, i could just slap my hair back into a ponytail or pin it up and keep it moving.. I can't do that with natural hair.

Can I ask why you can't do that with natural hair?

 

[MissJ]

My curl pattern had nothing to do with my decision. I'm happy to be nappy!

 

[Soul♥Flower]

I only had a perm for a few years, so I knew what my natural hair was when I started wearing it nappy (for me this is when I count myself as being "natural" - I burned for a long time). I actually thought 95% of black people had my hair type . So I thought that while I didn't have a coveted texture, that it was pretty standard and I didn't think it was "bad" so much as just really common so no reason that should discourage me.

The followup question I wonder about is, for people who went back to relaxing, if they didn't know their texture before they went natural, if their texture influenced their decision to return to relaxing.

I sure am not about to beat down on someone though who, in part, decided to not perm again because they had curls and appreciate the honesty, in fact.

Boredom...

When I wore my hair natural it was back in 1999, not a lot of people in my area wore natural hair and couldn't understand why on earth I would wear my hair like that, ect... Also, back then there wasn't as much info about natural hair as there is now. And the only reference point for "free flowing" natural hair care and styles I had was motown girl's website. So after about 2-3 years I got tired of experimenting to find what would work for me and I got tired of wearing puffs, braids, or twists.

I just got bored.

 

[MissJ]

It takes me 2 minutes to slap my hair in a ponytail each morning. I spritz it with water, put in some leave in conditioner, some oil and decide if I want it on the top, in the back, the bottom or on the side and how loose I want it. Then I put it up. 2 minutes. I don't comb or brush it and I go on about my business.

Looks like you have type 3 hair. Although, I haven't mastered the ponytail yet, I can go days without touching my hair. That's so nice when I'm in a hurry.

 

[Forbidden]

I didn't even think about hair texture, patterns or anything when I BC'd. Like some have mentioned, I just wanted healthier, thicker hair and what I was doing before was not working.

 

[anon123]

It takes me 2 minutes to slap my hair in a ponytail each morning. I spritz it with water, put in some leave in conditioner, some oil and decide if I want it on the top, in the back, the bottom or on the side and how loose I want it. Then I put it up. 2 minutes. I don't comb or brush it and I go on about my business.

Yeah, I think what she was saying is that texture would matter to her and if you have the texture where you can do this, then maybe that would influence a decision to go natural. I mean, I can do it, too, technically, but to get a look that's widely accepted on my texture is a little more difficult, and anyway it's what goes down at the end of the week after all those ponytails that's scary . I'm still working on that, though. But it is true that for some styles, I don't even have to do that 2 minute thing. I just shake my head and go, like twists. And even a puff, I just stick my fingers in and fluff, and go. It's just the knots . . .

 

[Bigghair]

My curl pattern had no influence on my decision to go natural. I barely remembered what my natural hair was like because I had a relaxer at a really early age.

 

[santwon]

I would say that it infuenced my decision yes, but only to the extent that it was MINE and that I wanted it back. I don't have curly hair, but I also don't have an 'omg I wanna kill myself daily' attitude about my hair. I took the time to research how to take care of it, so that we don't have to fight one another. I learned what looks I like and what I will and will not put in or do to my hair. I also did some experimenting to find out what works for me. And that's that on that. But for me, I just no longer saw the point of running from what grows out of my scalp. Or going through all the effort of getting my hair straight to immediately put curlers in it.

I've also learned that hair -- period -- is a lot of work. No matter what the texture. I mean you gotta decide if you want it to be straightened by heat, loced, long, short, straightened by chemicals (and if so to what extent), colored, bald, or if you wanna go buy it from a store...and we haven't even gotta to product options, styling, or a specialized cut yet (unless you count the "bald" because that's pretty much a done deal)!

And hey, even a bald head has maintenance if your all follicles aren't closed. You gotta shave every few days and keep your head from being scarred up -- at the very least. That's work too!

 

[tocktick]

my relaxed hair being a hot mess influenced my transition. the majority of my hair is type 4a.

i think it's a little disheartening that some only go natural because they knew they had Y hair type and wouldn't have done so had they been born with X. i get a little erplexed when i see a relaxed head make comments such as, "i would go natural if i had your texture" (i.e- a texture different from their own) and the person they're "complimenting" usually has type 3 hair. it implies the good/hair mentality is still in full effect on this board.

 

[IrisDaVirus]

It didn't have any influence on my decision to go natural. Sooner or later I knew in my heart I'd let chemicals go, regardless of my hair's texture.

 

[FeelinIt]

It takes me 2 minutes to slap my hair in a ponytail each morning. I spritz it with water, put in some leave in conditioner, some oil and decide if I want it on the top, in the back, the bottom or on the side and how loose I want it. Then I put it up. 2 minutes. I don't comb or brush it and I go on about my business.

For those of you who really think it is time consuming to do natural hair....you are very misinformed and wrong.


Just like the lady above, I spritz, fluff, then go.

On wash day....wash, condition, dry, spritz with glycerin and water, fluff and go.

Now when you are trying to do or look at hair styling options through "relaxed eyes" then yeah, it's hard. You can't do straight things to natural hair.

Let it BE NATURAL and your hairstyling will be just as easy. Now of course, you will have bad hair days BUT don't you have bad hair days as a permie?

I really wanted to seriously clarify that because if you've never done it then how would you know???

 

[GoingNatural]

I wanted curly hair and I realized going natural could provde me with that opportunity. Luckily, I got the hair that I imagined

 

[NuMe2004]

The natural pattern of my hair had no bearing whatsoever on my decision to go natural because after having been relaxed for so many years, I forgot what my natural texture was!

I think the #1 reason why ladies are afraid to transition is because they think their natural hair will be nappy and unmanageable beyond belief, which just isn't true. Sure, there are different textures and yes, some are easier to deal with than others, but for the most part, I think if you're willing to invest time and energy into finding what works for your hair, then you'll have no problem going natural.

That's my 2 cents !

 

[Sugar Brown]

I didn't know what my curl pattern looked like--I had no memory of it, since I'd been relaxed for over 20 years and pressed 10 years before that.

I went natural primarily because I was tired of going to the shop and getting retouches. I figured that I might have some type of curl on my head, but wasn't sure, because I was more focused on just going natural. I could never have guessed that my hair would look like it does.

What she said. I had no idea what my hair would look like underneath. I have to admit that it was tough for me in the beginning. I had so much to learn about keeping my hair moist and conditioned. Two years later, I'm loving my natural curls and still surprised by what my hair does with no chemicals.

 

[anja1970]

My curl pattern is awful, im basically ready to relax my hair, so no, wave pattern had no influence on going natural. I long for a nice wave pattern, yet I got a nappy front.

 

[chebaby]

i decided to transition before i even knew my true texture, and i still dont. but once i washed my hair myself and saw all those pretty curls that sealed the del for me. i am six months post and have like five inches of new growth. the curls are unbelievable

 

[BillsBackerz67]

I thought I would have hair like rudy's...all big and fluffy. but its only like that when I blow dry it. I never knew that I was capable of having curly spiral curls before I decided to go natural. Granted I was natural my entire life until I was 17 but it always got heat styled and it destroyed my curl pattern

 

[kblc06]

No, it didn't have any influence. In fact, when I first started transitioning, I fully expected to be a cnapp or at least a type 4. It was kinda disappointing when I realized that I couldn't get a full fledged fro like when I was younger . I had huge Rudy Huxtable ponytails that came almost to my elbows unstretched

 

[DivaD04]

I've started to transition, then I thought...I have never been clippered cut all over. I wanted to know what I looked like bald headed...not a cut but a real low cut. It was a must to give up relaxers so I've seized the moment to cut and go natural. After 20 years of relaxers, I'm liberated and happy!
My hair has me on !

 

[LynnieB]

When deciding to go natural or transition out of a relaxer, how much of an influence did your curl/wave pattern or lack thereof play in your decision? If you have a defined pattern does that make you any more likely to want to transition/be natural? Or does the natural pattern of your hair have no bearings on your decision?

No, no influence at all. whatever God deemed to be my hair was going to be just that, my hair and i'd better learn how to manage it.

i never really took the time to learn my hair as a youngin. my mom did a great job but being a teenager, all you want to do is be grown and do your thing. unfortunately i never actually learned how to manage or accept my hair. i wanted it to swing like other races and my hair just wasn't going to do that without heat or chemicals and, so it was for years and years and years.

alopecia stepped in and i was done with the chemicals and started transitioning, no going back. one great thing about transitioning is (i felt) is if i could handle transitioning hair with all it's hassles then i could absolutely, positively handle my natural hair, and i can and do.

i went into transitioning with a determined and positive attitude, i knew going natural was going to be a permanent change for me and i think that helped me alot.

now it's all a matter of learning my hair's limits, what it can and can't do and making the most out of what i have. it's no different than dealing with relaxed hair. like someone mentioned before me, relaxers have their good and bad points and as with most things, you better learn quickly; if you want to keep the hair on your head. you learn to deal or be bald.

it's no different when you learn how to manage your own natural hair regardless of its' texture, so much of it depends on your own attitude, is it positive or negative, absolute acceptance and a person's own willingness to completely change the way you've been doing things in the past.

 

[ChoKitty]

My pattern had no impact on my decision to transition, but it might on my decision to stay natural (I'm still transitioning) in the end. I have waves on top, curls in the middle and POOF on the bottom, so I'm not sure I can handle it, but we'll see when I'm completely natural.

 

[blkbeauty]

It had no influence. After going to several hair dressers with extreme breakage then going back to one of my first hair dressers and still receive breakage, she had told me that my hair type was too fine and heat or relaxing was not the best thing for it. I initially started my transiion and went natural. But God I wished I had thick hair!

 

[sharentu]

no it wasnt an influence. i had been perming since i was 11 years old. i didnt know i had a curl pattern at all. i was tired of getting my hair worked on by others. the smell of the curling iron got to me, the heat of the hairdryer got to me. i just wanted to give my hair a break. it will be a year in the end of may for me and i am happy that i am transitioning. i dont have a rigid regime. i am enjoying getting to know my hair .

 

[StarrsNana]

No influence for me the first time I went natural (2002).

I bc'd and had locs put in my hair and after about a month I changed my mind and wanted to see what I could do with it myself, so I combed them out.

This time around, I know my hair texture and the front of my head (4b or c) is a mother to deal with. It seemed like no matter what product I used, the front was always hard and dense. But's that another story. Anyway, I'm still going forward with my plans to transition.

Edited to change the year to 2002, I went back to a relaxer in 2004. erplexed