Does straightened hair retain length better?

About two weeks ago I had my hair straighten and trimmed after going a year without any professional hair care. It's longer than it has ever been and looks great. I've have even noticed that I have less breakage. And there doesn't appear to be any heat damage. So, now that winter has arrived I'm wondering if it is better to keep my hair straightened and simply wrap or pin curl it instead of my two strand twists and twists-out?

What you think? Is better to keep my hair straightened or put the twists back in?

I can see how it could. When I wear my hair out in curly styles I am more prone to getting Single Strand Knot, which can effect retaining length, if you have to dust all the time.

I vote for the twists. I'm newly natural so I likely don't know what I'm talking about...lol.

But I think why your hair has so little breakage straight is because you have been taking good care of it natural. It's likely gained a lot of strength in the last year. My hair is delicate. Flat ironing consistently (every two weeks) killed my curl pattern and even after my BC I still have straight portions that go down to my scalp.

Hi Neems. I think it is really just a matter of preference. can see both ways being beneficial the retaining length. I feel like if you keep it straight, you need less manipulation (like twisting, braiding, whatever) but then if you keep it in twists or braids it still doesn't require much manipulation. So either way. I sometimes feel like keeping it straight but I dunno. There is this one girl on youtube (can't remember her name) and she is natural but keeps her hair straight at ALL times. She says that is her key to retaining length and her hair is about bra strap length. So for her it works. And her hair looked pretty healthy and very thick. My only problem with keeping it straight is the heat factor, although i guess the straightness can be maintained with roller sets.
HTH

I think this could work well during the winter. Especially if you don't live in a humid place, because it'd be a low manipulation style since you'd only have to detangle and wash every 1 to 2 weeks depending on how long you can maintain the straight style by wrapping. The only cons would be having hair brush against your clothes or using too high heat etc etc... but it sounds like a good idea for the most part!

I vote for the twists also. You have to consider why your straight hair looks so good. I think wearing it straight will be a nice change but definirely be mindful of the heat damage that could be done. Good luck girlie! I hope you figure something out.

Ambitious_Tiff wrote:I vote for the twists also. You have to consider why your straight hair looks so good. I think wearing it straight will be a nice change but definirely be mindful of the heat damage that could be done. Good luck girlie! I hope you figure something out.

I agree. Straightening too much might open you up to heat damage and you don't want that. Also, your straight hair looks good b/c of the way you treat your natural hair. I used to straighten my hair a lot and I can tell a huge difference now that I only straighten like twice a year. When my hair is straight is is very smooth, shiny, and full of body and bounce. Before it lacked body and the shine was overshadowed by the many split ends.

@naomimaxine927 and crimsonpeach I washed my hair and put twists in last, night.

@misskris and tatertotz I think the less manipulation is really a toss up. With twists I don't worry about humidity and stuff when working out, but I still have to re-do every week or so. With a press I can go two weeks by just wrapping or pin curls. However I'm less likely to work out because I worry about frizz, lol.

@Ambitious_Tiff I'm definitely worried about heat damage because it happened to me in the past. The hair stylist just tired to say my hair was being "trained" which I now know means damaged.

@BajanPrincess82 You're right I think straightening is great occasionally, but not all the time. Although my hair is coarse and needs more heat that doesn't mean it's good for it.

The funny part is a lot of people like my straight hair but my mother prefers by hair natural. Oh the worries of a natural curl.

It's a crap shoot. I find that when I take out my twists I have a lot of breakage because they knot up at the ends, even when I use a detangler. The thing about straightening is that the heat damage can be costly to retaining length. So like I said it's a toss up. I do both with the understanding that I'm going to have issues either way.

It's interesting you posted this. i got my hair straightened/trimmed/shaped last month and my hair is healthy and strong. it looked so good in fact, I was thinking of just wearing my hair straight for a while. I'm scared of heat damage though, and of my hair drying out due to the winter winds, so I've actually opted to just wear my hair stretched--been using curl-formers to give me that "straighten" look or just to be able to smooth my hair in a bun right quick. So maybe you wanna try roller sets?

I think you should keep natural and care for it that way than straighten it every 3/6 or year , your hair could be so long and healthy because you took care of it in it's natural state

@creolebeauty1 and @strawberri_slushee I'm not going straight for awhile. I like my kinks and shrinkage. I think they've become a safety blanket for me, lol

@Curly Film ChickI think you all raise good points. How do you do your roller sets? Do you use heat or let the hair dry overnight. I tried it once and didn't have much luck.

i got mine blown out and flat ironed a week ago so that my stylist could check the length and trim my hair. i kept it straight for only one week. when my hair was relaxed, i didn't sleep in a bonnet or anything but it always had a 'bend' on the ends for my bob. my stylist told me that i would have to roll my hair every night because my hair wasn't used to being straight. she so was so right! i got tired of rolling my hair a week later, shampooed and got my curls back. it was a nice change for a minute but i like my curls.

pdarden wrote:i got mine blown out and flat ironed a week ago so that my stylist could check the length and trim my hair. i kept it straight for only one week. when my hair was relaxed, i didn't sleep in a bonnet or anything but it always had a 'bend' on the ends for my bob. my stylist told me that i would have to roll my hair every night because my hair wasn't used to being straight. she so was so right! i got tired of rolling my hair a week later, shampooed and got my curls back. it was a nice change for a minute but i like my curls.

Not related to the subject, but pdarden, YOU DO NOT LOOK 52!!! You look amazing!! You remind me of Nichelle Nichols...actress who played Uhura in Star Trek way back when.

LadyMika wrote:

pdarden wrote:i got mine blown out and flat ironed a week ago so that my stylist could check the length and trim my hair. i kept it straight for only one week. when my hair was relaxed, i didn't sleep in a bonnet or anything but it always had a 'bend' on the ends for my bob. my stylist told me that i would have to roll my hair every night because my hair wasn't used to being straight. she so was so right! i got tired of rolling my hair a week later, shampooed and got my curls back. it was a nice change for a minute but i like my curls.

Not related to the subject, but pdarden, YOU DO NOT LOOK 52!!! You look amazing!! You remind me of Nichelle Nichols...actress who played Uhura in Star Trek way back when.

what she said!

I only get my hair flat ironed once or twice a year because it is always nice to really see how long it has gotten-even though if I just look back on pictures I'll see its new found length-but I stopped rocking straight hair because I wanted healthier hair. After a about two weeks of straight hair I'm more than ready to go dancing in the rain so my curls come bouncing back. I am not my hair, but when my hair is curly, I am more me.

perrydz@plu.edu wrote: I am not my hair, but when my hair is curly, I am more me.

I completely understand. Can I please borrow this quote???

@Neems, you can borrow it all you want. It's just the way I feel.

If you like your hair straightened occasionally maybe you can investigate getting a straight style with a roller set. It can be done and done with low heat too - (MahoganyCurls did the most amazing vid on a home set and if you hunt - you can find a stylist to do it too.)

I am stuck my your comment about going a year without professional hair care and getting such a great result with straightening. It sounds like you did an a-mazing job on your hair for that year. Maybe just keep doing what you have been doing and save the straightening for something "different".

thank you LadyMika! i've been fortunate to have my grandmother's genes. she is 87 and looks 77.

and thanks, sweetdrk1!