which thrives better? Relaxed or Natural?

Which thrives more?

  • Natural

    Votes: 182 56.0%
  • Relaxed

    Votes: 15 4.6%
  • Depends on hair type

    Votes: 128 39.4%

  • Total voters
    325
By default (with nothing done to either), NATURAL hair is stronger than relaxed hair. But TRULY understanding hair and its strength requires you to know and understand the organic chemistry behind your hair. (Now I'm not saying everyone go out and buy an organic chemistry textbook, work in a lab, and memorize all the reactions lol). Basically, organic chemistry is the study of carbon compounds and how they interact with other atoms/molecules in nature. EVERYTHING, including your hair, is made up of these organic compounds.

In the simplest terms, hair is made up of proteins (ie keratin), which are made up of amino acids, which are made up of an amine and carboxylic acid functional groups. So a carbon is bonded to a -NH2 (amino) group, -COOH (carboxyl) group, hydrogen, and fourth variable side chain group (which could be a sulfide or something else). Bottom line, your hair is not some magic material; it's pretty much just a bunch of different bonds interacting together. These bonds can be broken and new ones can be formed to replace the ones which were destroyed. Broken bonds lead to an atom or molecule becoming unstable.

Atoms do not like to be unstable! When atoms interact with other atoms or molecules, they lose and gain the necessary electrons in order to remain stable. When an atom is missing an electron, it becomes positively charged (cation) and when an atom has too many, it becomes negatively charged (anion).

If you're still with me, you're probably wondering "Ok, what the heck does this have to do with my hair?" In its normal state, hair is positively charged and acidic (which like everything else, depends on the correct makeup of the bonds) but there are several things that can throw off this state.

Now IMAGINE. Here comes little ol' relaxer. Relaxer is going to break off an atom or complete molecule from an otherwise stable compound, which leads to causing the hair to become alkaline (and screws up the bonds, that's why you have to use a neutralizing shampoo to restore the hair's normal acidic pH after a relaxer). The remaining compound is not happy. However, when it comes into contact with something that has the necessary atom or molecule to restore those lost electrons/bond, it's going to grab it and become stable again.

Now, if you use products that are rich in the amino acids that make up your hair, they will interact with lone molecules or groups that may have had their bonds broken by chemical damage and form a new bond. One of these main products is a hair RECONSTRUCTOR.

The purpose of hair reconstructors is to perform the necessary organic reaction to restore the protein bonds that were broken or destroyed by heat and chemical damage. Although sometimes, heat (with a very good protectant) can be good because heat is a catalyst in many reactions and can speed up the restorative bonding process.

While relaxing the hair DOES weaken or destroy bonds, it does NOT destroy the hair
STRAND. If that were the case, when your hair was relaxed or colored, the strands would completely disintegrate after the chemicals touched them. Because it's just the bonds that are destroyed and not the atoms of the complete hair strand, if your hair comes in contact with a product containing the necessary keratin protein/amino acid compounds, those bonds will be restored or new bonds (same ones that are in your hair in its natural state) will be made. With that said, properly reconstructed relaxed or colored hair is JUST AS STRONG as natural hair. Organic chemistry backs this up with FACT.

Now as for the question of thriving, hair thrives when it's being taken care of properly and has the necessary compounds, doesn't matter if it's relaxed or natural.
 
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I think it depends on whether or not you take care of your hair, your hair type, and/or genetics. When I had relaxed hair, it was long and healthy, and since I've been natural my hair has, for the most part, been the same way. I've learned that I do have to be more gentle with my natural hair than I was with my relaxed hair, just because of my curl pattern.
 
OMG!! The last couple of weeks I have been thinking about this same thing!! I have had natural hair for about 6 years now and I am seriously thinking about relaxing again. I love my natural hair but It is so hard to manage am getting so sick and tired of the tangling, notting and breaking!! I have turned into a product junkie trying to find the right product that I can use to manage my hair!!:(

When my hair was relaxed it was shoulder length with little or no breakage. Back then I knew very little about good hair care, but my hair seem to do well as long as I kept it conditioned. The only problem I had was occasional dryness. I think with what I know now and the variety of better products on the market, my hair could do well relaxed again. I am still afraid to do it though.:ohwell:
 
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I didnt vote. I think it depends on the person and how they take care of it. I have seen natural heads that were tore up and I have seen relaxed heads that were very healthy.
 
I didn't vote but I think that hair thrives better when its properly taken care of regardless if natural or relaxed. I am relaxed but I make sure that I do protein treatments when necessary to strengthen the strand. When I was natural as a kid (mama pressed my hair back in the day):D I still had tangles and breakage... now that I am relaxed I still get breakage.. I think our hair is the most fragile hair of all cultures IMO... regardless if its natural or relaxed.
 
It depends on how you take care of your hair. For me, my hair is doing better natural than relaxed because I didn't know how to take care of it. My hair is longer and healthier now than it was in 2005 when I started my journey.
 
angellazette said:
It depends on how you take care of your hair. For me, my hair is doing better natural than relaxed because I didn't know how to take care of it. My hair is longer and healthier now than it was in 2005 when I started my journey.


ditto exactly
 
I don't think whether you're relaxed or natural matters. IMO, it's how good you treat your hair and how well your regimen accomodates your hairs needs.
 
I voted before I gave it some thought. I don't think natural or relaxed makes the difference. Hair "thriving" depends on well the hair is maintained. Now if you say which is easier to maintain I would say natural.
 
For me, I'd say natural. My hair never seemed to get longer than shoulder length when I relaxed. It would be at this point that a section of hair would always break in the back even though I washed and conditioned regularly. I'd also say that I used heat a lot more back then. As a natural, my hair still has breakage issues at times but I seem to be able to nip them in the bud. Maybe I'm just smarter about hair care now.
 
I didn't vote because I believe that its how a person handles and takes care of their hair. Despite common beliefs not all naturals take care of their hair better than someone with chemicals, this site is proof of that. Also its not just want you put in your hair but your body. Are you drinking enough water, eating the right type of diet, etc. There are so many other factors that aide in hair growth vs. just natural or relaxed.
 
I think it depends on the person. For me relaxers never seems to agree with me. I was never one to relax 6-8 weeks. But no matter what relaxers were always too harsh and stunted my growth. When I am natural I don't have any problems growing my hair. So for me it's natural.
 
I voted natural because your hair is at it's strongest before it's been chemically processed. But how you care for your hair is really the key component to health and length.
 
Hi, Im a newbie and I voted for natural. I had my hair permed for years. And I was at constant war with trying to keep my hair healthy. So I went natural 5 years ago and my hair loves me for it by staying on my head and growing!
 
my hair cannot survive with relaxer it breaks it looks dry it drove me nuts I believe relaxer is not for everyone especially me, the best thing I ever did was cut off my relaxer and grew my hair natural my hair is the longest it's ever been and it's healthy, but I came on this site and I see some beautiful healthy relaxed heads so it depends on the type of hair you have but then again each individual is different but that's my personal oppinion:)
 
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I'd say it depends on how you take care of it. You have ladies with relaxed hair who pamper their hair and it looks long and healthy. You have natural ladies who use heat everyday plus dry comb, etc...However, as a transitioner, I've realized that my natural hair has an advantage at the moment. My cuticle are intact. I can tell because of the look and feel of the hair. Relaxers slowly break down that area. That doesn't mean the hair cannot thrive...but it takes many products and extra care.
 
I believe natural hair has a better chance at thriving than relaxed hair, and has more room for user error.


I was treating my natural hair pretty bad for the last 2.5 years and its till growing and past shoulder length, If I did what I was doing to a head of relaxed hair I would probably be ear length.
 
I voted natural because that is the natural condition of our hair and will most definitely do better.

I had what I called long healthy relaxed hair for years but eventually it started to thin on the top.

I've been natural for over 4 years now and my hair is stronger and longer than it's ever been.

I admit it takes time to learn how to work with it and you have to be gentle and patient and take your time with it but in the long run, I love my natural hair and I will never go back to a relaxer.

I think that with relaxers eventually you will have a problem some where down the line , after all it's lye and the no-lye ones are more drying than the lye.

In the end , I believe it's a persons personal choice as to what they want to do with their hair, I'm not a natural hair militant, even though I do see a lot of women with short picked off hair slicked up with a relaxer that need to give it up., but these are the main ones that refuse.

This is my choice. Doesn't have to be anyone elses, so no debate. I'm not on here much anymore anyway. To each his own .
 
OnAHairQuest said:
I believe natural hair has a better chance at thriving than relaxed hair, and has more room for user error.
I totally agree with this. I think a lot of black women would agree, but just can't picture themselves without a relaxer. I used to think that way too. But once I realized the health benefits and the fact that my hair gets just as straight without a relaxer as it did with one, I didn't see the sense in using chemicals AND heat. My hair is the strongest, longest, and healthiest it's ever been and it didn't get that way until I was totally natural.
 
Originally posted by Meaganita
,
I totally agree with this. I think a lot of black women would agree, but just can't picture themselves without a relaxer. I used to think that way too. But once I realized the health benefits and the fact that my hair gets just as straight without a relaxer as it did with one, I didn't see the sense in using chemicals AND heat. My hair is the strongest, longest, and healthiest it's ever been and it didn't get that way until I was totally natural.

Exactly what she said! That's my story too!
 
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