Newbie with a Ton of Questions

LittleT

New Member
Hi everyone, I’m new and totally overwhelmed. I have sooooo many questions so I’ll make them into lists so it is easier to read. First of all my name is Tarana, I’m 15(going to be 16 next month), and my hair is 4a. I’ve had braids my whole life and now that I’m going to be 16 I’m allowed to get a relaxer but I’m not so sure how I feel about putting those chemicals into my hair. So first my first set of questions is about straightening.
• Are there any ways to get the same straightness I would from a relaxer naturally?
• Do all natural relaxers wash right out?
• Are natural relaxers even an option for me because I play soccer 4-6 times per week so would I sweat it out?
• If I should use relaxer what type should I use (lye or no-lye)? Brand names would help as well.
Next, I have absolutely no idea how to properly care for my hair to achieve significant growth!!! Right now my hair reaches my chin in the front, shoulders on some parts of the sides, and at the longest point in the back in between my shoulder blades. While it’s not short I feel like after 16 years of only trimming my hair it should definitely be longer. Right now I wash and rebraid my hair every other week. Basically I shampoo(Herbal Essence), condition(Herbal Essence), grease with Indian Kemp, straighten using heat, and trim(not every time though). So my question about this is.
• How do I properly care for my hair in order to achieve growth? I really don’t have a clue about anything. I really need a complete hair care regimen (Products, how often, how much, etc.)
Last is there anything I need to do to my hair once I take out my braids (probably at the end of June)? Like, do the braids weaken my hair or anything like that?
Thank you so much for reading this post and answering my questions. If you can answer any of them it will help me soo much. I want to have my hair a little past my bra strap for prom, maybe even semi formal.
~Love Tarana
 

DatJerseyDyme

New Member
WELCOME!!! These ladies are guaranteed to offer you invaluable advice!
 

Paris Belle

Active Member
Hi Tarana! And welcome!

If you are unclear of how to care for your hair now and are afraid of a relaxer, I would hold off until you are completely sure.

It seems your hair is a good length and healthy. Is that correct? If so, try to maintain the health of your hair with a consistent regimen. I would add a deep conditioner to your regimen everytime you wash your hair and perhaps a hot oil treatment before shampooing. A protein conditioner should be used once a month followed by a moisturizing conditioner.

What are your reasons for getting a relaxer? There are many many naturals on this board with long healthy hair who style and maintain their hair's health. Many of them can help you.

You can style your hair without a relaxer and can manage your hair without it. It might best to stay natural especially if you are playing sports because then you can wash your hair more often.

I have a relaxer and I'm not against them obviously, but before you do anything to your hair.

I don't know of any natural relaxers, but I do know that many women use hennalucent to loosen the curl of their hair. This can also replace a protein conditioner.

You have many options. I tried to answer as many of your questions as I can, hopefully others will post and help you.

I would suggest you do a search on hennalucent and conditioners for more choices.
 

ngaa

New Member
welcome to the board little t


caramel rose's advice was very true and to add to that if u do decide to use a relaxer, lye wud be best coz the ladieson the board have found lyes to be less harsher to hair but not to scalps
the no-lyes may not burn the scalp but then they seem to leave the hair dryer than the lyes do, examples are mizani, designers touch, affirm etc

also i think u need to evaluate yo reasons for relaxin yo hair coz i've noticed that since startin deep conditioning my hair and using s-curl, my hair has been a lot softer and easier to manage, so if its for manageability then u may be best off deep conditioning your hair after every wash


also after every session, u may want to rinse yo hair coz the sweat aint too good for hair growth and also u may want to look at some of the threads on elaster qp mango, ors products and also the s-curl coz they are jus some of the products some natural and relaxed haired ladies use to maintain their hair...

and lastly since u r in braids u shud make sure that wen they are done that they aint too tight else they cause a receding hairline and i'm still battlin the effects of last yr's braids now
and also make sure that the hair is deep conditioned b4 and after takin the braids out....also make sure that u use either a braids spray or activator for your braids every day or on alternate days to make sure that yo hair stays moisturised coz moisture is yo hair's best frend


u may also want to look into buyin a conditioning shampoo like creme of nature coz it leaves hair very soft and doesnt strip hair and also a leave in conditioner lik infusium 23 or 911 wud help
 

LittleT

New Member
Thanx for all your replies. Basically the reason I want a relaxer is that my mom braids my hair because she is the only one who doesn't pull it out. When I go away to college there isn't going to be anyone to do it, plus my mom can't do my hair forever. Also after 16 years of braids I'm pretty tired of them. And I've wanted straight hair since I was two years old. Thanx for all you help so far.
~Love Tarana
 

Kamilla16

New Member
I know exactly what you mean whe you say your tired of braids
My mom does braids 24/7 and thats all she gave me and my sister. I still get braids every now and then,and of course in the summer time. Can't wait till schools out
By the way, what grade are you in LittleT
 

Islandgirl

New Member
Hi & welcome
I got my hair relaxed when I was 15 (i am now 20) and I still don't know how to properly care for my hair. If there was any advice I could give you (just speaking from experience), is to not relax your hair until you know how to take care of it. Because relaxed hair needs to be nurtured, and if not taken care of the right way, it would be all gone. One day you will have long hair the next day you have major damage that you need to chop off because you weren't taking care of it properly. Or shedding or any other dilemma. I never had these problems as a natural. I had long hair from 8th-10th grade, had to cut it in tenth grade due to major damage. Hair grew back out,by 12th grade it was close to my bra strap again, but again my second year in college (which is now) i had to cut it again due to damage again. It is such a learning process. I think it is admirable that you are seeking out answers before you make the leap ( i wish i did that). If you do decide to relax your hair, i would seek out a good hairdresser and get a consultation, and get the hair relaxed professionally. Good luck!
 

Lucia

Well-Known Member
Hi LittleT, and welcome,
I've been both relaxed and now I'm natural, I was a natural all my life b/4 I relaxed and I did it for the most shallow reasons. I have very thick ringlets and was told I had too much hair and it needed to be broken down to deal with it. Even though I can get my hair "relaxer" straight with a flat iron( which you still have to do w/ a relaxer) .
You really need to know what your getting yourself into b/4 your relax because a relaxer does not magically fix any your your pre-existing hair difficulties (that's the fantasy). The fact is that relaxers are harsh chemicals that permantly change the structure of your hair and must be cared for more attentively than natural hair.

You must make sure you have a good stylist-who doesn't burn your scalp, overprocess your hair, or just tell you "need" a relaxer b/c you have thick natural hair.

I went back to natural as soon as I could grow my hair out and chop of the relaxed ends, b/c natural worked for me, my hair could not handle the chemicals, and when I got a clue how to care for relaxed hair my BS natural hair was gone.

Those so-called natural relaxers, are just relaxers with some "natrual" ingredients in them they are permanant and to me are basically the same as a lye or no lye relaxer.

The ladies have given you some good ideas to sart with, moisterize your braids-African braid spray works for me braids or curly. I also use a homade mixture of water, infusium 23, and aloe vera gel shake it up and spray. Oil your scalp and ends with a light-medium oil like Wild Growth Hair oil(slight smell but it works), or cocnut oil, or Amla Dabur Hair oil (get it from Indian grocery store).
Check out hennalucent (hennalucent posts) , that makes your hair more manageble and losens the curl after a few treatments, it's a semi-perm color condtioner but they have a neutral that doesn't change your existing hair color.
Well boy are my fingers tired, if you need more specific info PM me.
hth
 

sweetcocoa

Active Member
I agree with the other ladies...especially if you exercise alot. One of the reasons I went natural was because of the salt from the sweat when I exercise and my relaxer did not get along together. The natural straighting techniques do shampoo out....but I don't mind. Since I stopped relaxing my hair has really grown...and I don't take that many vitamins. You do your reaearch and then decide. Keep us updated on your decision.
 
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