Can you "train" your hair?

I was complaining to my friend (T) the other day about how I want to do more protective styles. When I first BC-ed, my hair was short and it had a nice curl pattern all over my head. Now, 6 months post BC, it's more wavy than curly (in certain areas). I don't really know how to do hair well (especially at this stage), so I'm having one of my other friends (C) cornrow my hair. When I told my friend (T), she told me to be careful because, by doing these styles, you can "train" your hair and it won't curl like it used to (basically, I'm training my hair to become straight/wavy). Maybe she lost me when she said "train". I know that you can damage your hair, but I don't know about training your hair. I don't feel my hair is damged. It's been growing like weeds, it's soft, and my hair is just so much better than it was when I had relaxers. I think I'm just iritated by her comment. I told my husband about it and he told me not to listen to her because unlike her, I'm constantly online looking and researching natural hair information. "She hasn't reached the end of all ends of natural hair websites" my husband said in my defense (lol). This topic is driving me crazy, could I please get some advice! lol

Thank you! My friend was trying to say I was permanently changing my curl pattern. I knew it didn't sound right, but it still bothered me. So that's why I asked. Thank you so much...you're a great big sister! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I have to say, i definitely notice a difference in my hair when i wear a wash and go after I've been wearing a twist out or just wearing it up and back for awhile. It takes a few washes and working the conditioner to get the nice curl pattern i like. So not to say that it can permanently change your hair, but i do try to give it a styling break everyone once in a while, so it's not confused about what i want it to do.

I think I'm having the same problem. I have naturally curly hair hair, even when I used to get perms my hair still curled up but it was more wavy. During my transitioning stage I wore a lot of braids and sew-ins so now my hair in certain areas has lost its natural curl especially in the front. I've been wearing it out natural (no flatiron or weave) for a month now and its starting to go back to its natural curl. So yea u can train it. It takes time though.

The only way you can permanently alter your curl pattern is through a chemical.

That does not include damage...damaged curly hair can appear wavy or straight. Also, the length (weight) of the hair can effect it. For example, hair at 2" may be curlier than hair at 12" because of the weight pulling on the hair. But if you cut it, it would curl back up.

But no, you can't permanently "train" your hair to curl a certain way. That is determined by genetics.

Along sort of the same lines, can you permanently train your hair to part itself in a certain way? If I part it in the middle, I notice that even after I wash it, it wants to part it in the middle.

HappyCurly I do beleive that if you part your hair the same way all the time those parts seem to stay there. I have that problem myself. When I twist my hair at night I allways do it the same way and its hard to get the parts out sometimes. Also I always twist my hair going back and when I want it to go in a different direction it won't. I think I'm going to stop doing twists at night.