For those of you who have transitioned before but for one reason or another went back to getting a relaxer...

I just have some questions for you guys! These questions are for those
who didn't complete the transition process, as in they didn't BC.

1)
How long did you transition before you got a relaxer?

2) How
much new growth did you have before the relaxer?

3) Were there
any complications while getting the relaxer? (i.e. You had to detangle
your hair before getting it or a burning sensation that you normally
didn't feel while getting the relaxer)

4) After the relaxer was
washed out did an abnormal amount of your hair break off?

5) When
you finished styling, did your hair look the same as when you always
got a relaxer or was it longer, shorter, etc.

6) Were the relaxed
ends that you had while transitioning any different after the relaxer?

Thanks
for helping me out guys!

This is my first time transitioning...it will be one year next month. Knowing what I know now about hair care, I can honestly say that I will get a relaxer again. I love straight hair and thinks it suits my features better.

My reasons for transitioning was becaused I damaged my hair badly from relaxing from root to tip each relaxer and applying permanant hair color like every 6 weeks. Even through all this my hair grew past my bra strap...I'm just surprised it didnt fall out! I have learned so much, that i believe I can take care of my relaxed hair not IF but WHEN I choose to start back relaxing. I have contemplated texlaxing every 4 months, instead of relaxing bone straight. (Just google it if you don't know what that means.)

I do plan to cut off all the damamged relaxed ends I have now completely and starting over (at my two year mark).

divinely designed: i just did the big chop, so i'm not going back to relaxers anytime soon. but sometimes i used to wonder that a lot. i'd think about how i know SO MUCH about hair now. i know not to use cones or sulfates. i know to keep my scalp clean yet moist. i know to listen to my hair and help it more. i know not to wear the same style too long and not to blow dry my hair. so sometimes i wondered if i could have healthy relaxed hair, armed with all this knowledge. the relaxer, not all this strong shampoo, would be the only bad thing in my hair. but for now, i'm feeling kind of free after this chop, so i'm not going to find out how well i could take care of healthy relaxed hair!!

This is my 2nd transition. I'm starting my 14th month. I was natural all my life until I was 19, I got one relaxer and hated it and grew it out immediately. It took 2.5 years to grow my hair back to BSL where I started. I got the ends trimmed about every 8-12 weeks. Once it was all grown out, I had moved to another state that is extremely humid so I decided to get a Rusk Anticurl which maintains the curls and just reduces the frizz. 5 years later and I'm tired of the Anticurl.

If you apply chemicals to virgin hair, it will definately be healthier than hair that was been getting touchups over years. Because no matter how hard people try there is still overlapping of the chemicals and it will take its toll. If you relax after a transition to natural hair, you will probably enjoy it for a few years before your hair starts to show the signs of damage, thinning and breakage that made you transition in the first place.

This is my second transition and sticking it out this time! So all the answers will be approximate from first transition

1)How long did you transition before you got a relaxer? about 3-4 mos I would say, maybe longer because I was in school the first time, so didn't have my stylist for a relaxer.

2) How much new growth did you have before the relaxer? Probably about 4 inches

3) Were there any complications while getting the relaxer? (i.e. You had to detangle your hair before getting it or a burning sensation that you normally
didn't feel while getting the relaxer) Just that she had to relax more hair than usual (on me).



4) After the relaxer was washed out did an abnormal amount of your hair break off? Not that I recall.

5) When you finished styling, did your hair look the same as when you always got a relaxer or was it longer, shorter, etc.
It looked the same. My hair is longer this second time around, but now I know how to take care of it.

6) Were the relaxed
ends that you had while transitioning any different after the relaxer?
No They just looked better since they were being flat ironed again lol.

ok thanks for all your help guys!

This is my THIRD transition. I'm 21.
Well I haven't been on this forum long!


1)
This is my 3rd summer transitioning. 1st time I had not relaxed in 3 months then got braids and at 9 months when I took down my extensions I just KNEW I would not be able to detangle the beast on my head so I put a relaxer through my dirt and tangles and it looked long and gorgeous down the middle of my back.. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] Then about 2 summers later (summer 09) I did 5 months with no perm then washed my hair and conditioned about 3 times and let it air dry with no detangling and ended up with tons of breakage and DREADS! so I had to try to detangle then perm the dreads/knots away which DOES work. It looked nice just shorter (like the length in my picture..my hair is longer than my pic now though. I just havent had time to take a picture).


2) 1st time I had almost 5 inches new growth stretched (9 months). 2nd time I had about 2.5 to 3 inches (5 months).

3) As for complications I think I explained it in "1)" but I will just say make sure you detangle your hair. Also, with braids, take down is perfectly fine, just don't leave braids in very long. And if you do just detangle it ALL before you wash. If you put a perm on, it honestly does not matter if you have some knots and tangles, but if you want to stay natural you MUST detangle for washing..and Air drying with transitioning is a NO WAY if there are tangles there. Also I highly suggest deep treatments and leave ins. And complictaions for 1st transition of 9 months was that it was strange relaxing 5 inches of new growth. Tried to make sure I got all the hair but ended up with some unprocessed hair in between the last relaxer and new relaxer which was not very good or helpful to me, but I prefer my mom overt he beauticians.

4) When i relaxed no I did not have a lot of breakage. If there was hair missing during the 9 month transition it was only because I hadnt combed my hair in so long (braids 6 months) so the dead hair was dropping out...and the 5month transition it was hair I pulled out when trying to undo my disgusting accidental dreads [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

5) 1st time my hair was about the length in my picture then after the 9 months it was to the middle of my back. I trimmed it about an inch. then 2nd transition it was shorter because I ended up cutting hair and evening out areas where it was damaged and hair was back where I started (pic).

6) 1st time my relaxed ends needed a cut from being in braids for 6 months during the 9 month transition. 2nd time during 5 month transition my ends were fine until I decided to do washes and conditions 2, 3 days ina row. During 5month transition I was happiest. My hair was not under a weave or anything

Now I am in my 3rd transition. It was been 2 months out, 3 and a half in weave, 2 in braids (I think 2 months is the best time for braids. If longer make sure you redo your edges, sides, and back every 3 weeks to prevent matting upon take down), and now my hair has been out for the past 2 weeks. It is really nice. It was been almost 8 months and I love it. I have just trimmed it and it was so pretty. I hadnt trimmed in about 2 yrs and only needed an inch cut; I want to trim again in end of december after I take dow my next weave. I am getting a weave in end of august. I love my hair now. Headbands really help. I plan on washing every 3 weeks while my hair is out and not styling much. Low heat. I just had it pressed 4 days ago for a funeral. It sweated out in 1 day..LOL.This time I think i will do GREAT transitioning. All I know is your hair should not be nonmoistured or hair will break off. Also it is really good that if you will continue perming that you only perm hair every 3 or 4 months. That is how you get more growth. That itself proves how bad perms are. I wish I can bigchop at 24 months. Also make sure you drink water and take a multivitamin in addition to biotin. Biotin really helps. If you have thinning hair give it a try. Yoru roots will thicken rigth up. Also, the less you wash your hair the better. well it depends onhair texture. Thick hair and nappy hair(the hair that is always dry) does best without shampoo and constant washing.

GOD BLESS!

Mskrys419