What motivates you not to go back to relaxers

Lately its been hard for me to resist the creamy crack, I actually picked up a box at walmart the other day. I even have started co-washing twice a day sometimes just so I know that I cant put a relaxer in.
Today I went and got my hair trimmed, blown out and flat ironed at the dominican salon, can we say HEAT, ouch was that blow dryer hot I almost cried (It was my first time at a dominican salon).
It looks great, shiny, bouncy, thick and healthy. Then I remembered one of the reasons why i am transitioning my hair when relaxed was never any of those things.

So what motivates you not to go back to relaxing?

I try too think about how much healthier my hair will be and how much simpler caring for my hair can be. Getting perms every month, and constantly getting it flat-ironed/pressed is tiring. So much upkeep is required. And i love checking for new growth. Also my dad never wanted my hair relaxed so now that he knows im going natural. He gets excited and it makes me excited lol.

I have a healthy scalp now, and my hair is not all over the bathroom floor!

I personally did/do not dislike my relaxed hair, but I've always hated the process of getting relaxers. The burning was always horrible, I can count on one hand how many times I did NOT get burned (and I almost never scratched). I used to sit at the stylist's sink and pray to God that my hair would not fall out. After paying the stylist I would be so annoyed that I just paid someone to put me through all that. So when I look back on that all desire to relax goes out the window.

I usually relax my hair every four weeks (i know its horrible!) so right now I am going through some withdrawal and wanting some of that creamy crack. But all I have to do is co-wash my hair and see the damaged and unhealthy relaxed hair I have and it just takes that desire away. I just can't imagine relaxing my hair and making that worse. It makes me excited to see my natural hair and have healthier, thicker hair and actually be happy and comfortable with my hair for once, without having to feel like I need bone straight, chemically treated hair to do that.

I noticed very early in my transition that my hairline was changing.
It became more pronounced and I even have a little widow's peak (thanks Mom). It was then that I realized that the relaxers were burning my hairline.

I am motivated not to go back to relaxers because I would like to spend my Saturdays with my Husband and not in the salon. I am recently married and right now am happy being around my Husband making our house a home. I also workout 5 to 6 days a week and it is easier taking care of my own hair than worrying about sweating out the relaxer. I love taking back control and really am enjoying the challenge of seeing what my natural hair is capable of.

Just knowing all of the horrible chemicals that my body was absorbing through the scalp from those relaxers. Ugh

I liked my relaxed hair. What I didn't like were the horrible scalp burns and dandruff that came with it. However, if I want straight hair now, I can just rollerset and silk wrap it...and I get the same results without the scalp problems.

My scalp burning and the freedom that comes along with natural hair keeps me from the creamy crack.

SN:: Try to avoid so much heat while you are transitioning. You dont want to get heat damage....based on your experience at the Dominican salon....too many more visits there, you will get heat damage.

Oh yea! I forgot to add that now I do not have to run inside when it rains! I can take my dear sweet time and not worry about undoing all the hard work that I put into straightening my hair. Now THATS freedom. :0

What keeps me from getting a relaxer is the damage I'm afraid I might have. I enjoy not seeing my hair shed all over the floor and the constant breakage and dryness. I get frustrated sometimes while transitioning but I just push through it.

What keeps me from getting relaxers again is the money i'm saving. i love how think and healthy my hair looks and feels. and its so wonderful knowing that i dont look like the majority of black women with creamy crack addictions, im me, period! plus i dont like to be controlled, lol. i dont like addiction. i love freedom, and being unique. i walk around in the mall and see a bunch of relaxers walking around, an i stand out. i am beautifully different

Yes to not feeling like i paid someone for something that i didn't really enjoy!!

To the comment about widow's peak...i too have just started realizing that i have one too. i didn't notice the relaxers must have been hurting my hair line. sometimes i reach up and i'm rubbing my hair line, feel what i think is a zit, yank it off...only to find it was a hair follicle, with a hair that is a fourth of an inch or so long, a baby hair!! attached!! i have to stop feeling it and pulling it out; so odd to have new hair grow in that i didn't know i had.

@Lynnieluve I dont plan on making the dominican salon a regular thing especially now that i know the pain

Thank you all for responding to my post and motivating me to keep on growing natural. I now remember why I went natural. I have two beautiful boys 4yrs and 5months, and I want them to grow up appreciating women for who they are, the natural beauty that we have. If their mother is not accepting of her natural looks, how are they going to know what true natural beauty is.

Is it fustrating sometimes? yes But if it was easy it wouldnt be worth it.

raina wrote:I have a healthy scalp now, and my hair is not all over the bathroom floor!

yes -- i like seeing my hair on my head versus sweeping it up off the floor!

A few things motivates me to not go back to relaxers. One of them is the fact that I'm greedy. I had long hair when I got my first relaxer, and I could never get my hair that length again. The other reason is because I love my curls now. Even though the first time I attempted to transition, I could not handle the new growth, now, it's a piece of cake! I enjoy doing my OWN hair and seeing the curlies get longer every month.

My reasons for not going back to relaxers is that my hair has never been as long as it was before the relaxer and I noticed my hairline going further back. My hair was thicker and healthier then and I work out 5 to 6 days a week, so I would always wear my hair in braidouts anyway. I figured why did I get a relaxer in the first place. I am six months post relaxer and sometimes I love it, other times I am very frustrated, but either way I am determined not to go back.

My motivation for not going back to the creamy crack lol... well first off I never really got relaxers regularly probably every 5-6 mths then one day it click "I don't even like my relaxed hair" lol. I always wore braids and curly sew-ins etc so I figured i might as well at least get to know my "real hair" not the chemically processed junk that i knew since i was 5. Plus after reasearching the chemical make up of perms i knew i had to stop I cant try to be healthy and constantly subject my bodies largest organ to the chemicals in relaxers and expect there not to be any fallout.