For most of us with natural hair, transitioning from relaxed to natural was a tough journey.
Between trying to figure out how to work with two different textures at once and going through trial and error with a million different products, there was a lot of work involved.
Even if you were one of the brave souls that went ahead and did a big chop, you likely had to go through an adjustment period with the awkward TWA phases and maybe even a little bit of regret.
Knowing all of this, it’s truly not surprising that some of you went natural and then decided that it wasn’t your thing.
Whether it was years later or just a few days in, it’s perfectly okay to change your mind about what you want to do with your hair.
However, relaxing your hair again definitely comes with a few pros and cons! Here are 5 things you should consider before you relax your natural hair.
Yes, the ingredients are still harmful.
One of the biggest—if not the biggest—reasons why most of us stopped relaxing our hair is because chemical relaxers are formulated with harmful ingredients that can have adverse effects such as chemical burns, permanent hair loss, and weakened hair follicles.
Additionally, there is a great risk of over-processing your hair when using relaxers which leads to less harmful, but equally hard to manage hair problems such as split ends, dandruff, and thinning.
On a more serious note, some studies express a fear that chemical relaxers may be able to seep into your bloodstream via scalp abrasions and pose a serious threat to your reproductive health.
While there is a limited amount of research on just how much chemical straighteners could negatively impact your health, it’s a good idea to simply be mindful of what you put in your hair.
You still need a healthy hair regimen.
One of the biggest misconceptions about relaxed hair is that because it’s easier to manage than natural hair, your regimen will also be simplified.
This isn’t necessarily true. In fact, once you start chemically processing your hair again, you’re now vulnerable to a whole new level of damage; And so, you should keep utilizing things like protein treatments, deep conditioners, and moisturizing and sealing.
Now, you obviously don’t have to develop a regimen based on your curl pattern anymore, but you should still consider factors like porosity and protein-moisture balance.
It might be better to visit a salon.
Good ol’ box relaxers like Dark & Lovely, Optimum, and ORS Olive Oil are the easy to follow go-tos for most relaxed women.
They have simple instructions, don’t cost too much money, and are available at most major retailers and beauty supply stores.
While self-relaxing is super convenient and gets the job done, spending a little extra money at the salon might not be a bad idea.
The salon might give you similar results to what you can achieve at home, but they’ll also be able to give you a nice style and help you keep your hair healthy; which, when you look at the bigger picture, are huge benefits.
You’ll save time, and maybe money.
Simply put, relaxed hair takes less time to do every day.
If you’re able to maintain the level of straightness you want for a few weeks at a time, you’re good to go!
There’s no extra detangling, diffusing, shingling, twisting, —girl, none of it.
Admittedly, it’s a little cheaper to care for than natural hair. Natural hair products tend to fall on the expensive side, averaging over $12 for a single, standard size product.
This is not to say that all your hair products are suddenly cheaper after you go relaxed, but you do have more cost-effective options.
So now that you’ve read (and thought!) about it, what do you think?
Are you ready to take the leap and relax your natural hair? Leave us a comment and let us know!
