When I got my first perm the back of my hair broke off 50% within the first year, and just stopped growing. The sides were still long though. I stopped perming because of the burning. and within a short time the the back of my hair resumed its growth. Like a fool I went back to perms for another 15 years with the same results. It took my that long to realize it was the perm causing the problem! , so I b/c and after only a year of being natural, the back is longer than its been in years.
u know what? My crazy self begged for a relaxer 4 years until my mom said fine, u can get one.its noeven her fault. I should have noticed that my hahir was already long and pretty becuz after the relaxer my hair was long and bouncy-that meant it was already like that!! just shrunken. oh well I wont relax my future daughter's hair-EVER!!!
Oh God help us! I was in elementary school with a Scary Curl! (Hey, I'm older, it was in vogue) lol. Anyway, my family fell on hard times, and this lady down the street was illegally and unqualified--doing hair. So mom took me there, and i remember my scalp BLEEDING!!! This chick was trying to play it cool and finished the process! If I was a little older at the time, that would have been IT! But, from that point on, it was the real stylist. I had a lot of hair and she later transitioned me!
omg girl I use to get those scabs in my scalp too, but I never associated it w/ those perms until seeing this video, lol. If I ever have kids, I'll never relax their hair.
sounds so familiar. my beautician would actually make me sit until my head started to burn. she said it wasn't working unless it was burning. i move away after high school and find out i could have been bald all those years. i was mad. :) but now i'm 100% natural and lovin it! thanks for all the videos.
Girl you're telling my story...lol. It seems like we always scratched our heads the day before we got a perm, and came out with those horrible scabs and dry scalp. Breakage on the sides and edges, thin, and limp. New growth one texture, middle a different texture, ends a mess! lol.
Thisl is sooo cute, And that is soooo true or the beauty place would not do ur hair like they would do there reg customers! It pays to do our own hair somtimes! Look at ur hair and others ! It 's all beautiful !
same for me stufftoon06. also like rusticbeauty said my hair didnt stay straight for long. 2 weeks later i'd have to pull out my flat iron. the hair in the front of my head was nice length but grew very slow, while the hair in the back and middle broke off more and more. especially in the middle. so i just chopped it lol. i transitioned for a whole 2 days before i said F it!
I can relate to the pulling hair behind the ear thing. I JUST began to be able to do that because the sides of my hair used to be so short. Also, because relaxers tend to fail during hot weather and you don't want to sweat it out I used to wear JUST (drum roll) PONY TAILS! And I regret that so much. Because now the crown of my head has REALLY short hair and is usually matted and dry. I realized my hair grows fast my bangs used to be at eyebrow length and by the end of the school yr. at my chin.
Lucky you. I;ve relaxed my hair about 4 and it damaged my hair so I can only imagine what it has done to those women who have permed their hair pretty much all their life.
Fortunately I'm all natural now with a full head of hair.
Good for you! I mean its usually not a girls choice when moms decide to relax our hair when we are too young to actually be listened to or say "no". I certainly am glad some women make a decision later to go natural, it looks so much more beautiful on us!
i never really had a moment with permed hair where i missed my natural hair. it wasnt until my junior yr of hs when my hair was breaking and my hairline was suffering when i said nomore. no more wasting money to not be able to swim, and go to work and put a cap on my head, not being able to work out like i want too. no more puffy fl hair. just mine.after i graduated i started transitioning. now its been a yr since i started growing my hair out and i love it.
I can totally relate. I use to use box relaxers when I didn't have to money for the salon. My hair is definitely fuller on one side because my hair came out so bad on the other side from all of the burns and tension from the numerous sets of braids that I would get to make my hair grow longer. When I was relaxed my hair never got past my shoulders. I would look at women with long hair with envy.
OMG, I remember when my hair was relaxed ( i was only a little kid) and I LOATHED it..In the salon, i had to sit there with tears on my little face, and face the burn. Finally, in feb., when I was in 6th grade, we decided to stop the perms. Now, just 2 days ago, my mother chopped the remaining of my perm. Let me tell you, it's the shortest its ever been (just touching my shoulders), but as long as I'm back to the natural roots God gave me, I am truly NAPPY- lol, I mean happy!!! *chillz*
My hair was a horror show. It was always stiff, didn't have any bounce whatsoever and after washing it first time after relaxing it went back to thick and shrubby like natural. Now that I think about it that probably was a good thing. Also is like u, my scalp burnt easily. I couldn't seat for 5mins with relaxer in my hair. It was a put in, take out immediately situation and I did get those mad sores too. I've never really had to courage to go natural till now and u've inspired me! God bless!
i cut off all my hair off when i had a bad experience with a product called dr.miracle! that f***ked my hair up so bad! my hair fell out. my fingers got scabs from the relaxer hot grow product. my scralp was scabbed with dander . I ga scalp poisoning. it fried my hair. it was a hot mess! It was so bad I had to go to the doctor and he gave me pills to take everyday so my hair would grow back. When Dr. miracle was finished with me, I looked like a f*&%$king miracle alright! A bald headed one.!
I absolutely HATE the fact that my hair was so HARD after getting a fresh perm. I love the fact that my new growth is so thick and full, and beginning to curl up. My permed hair feels HORRIBLE compared to my new growth. Granted its' ONLY been 2 months since my last perm (April 18,2009 was my last ), Rusticbeauty you have DEFINITLY made this decision to transition a lot easier. I'm BC'ing in September!!!!
it was the smell and the grease that you had to put around your head b4 starting the relaxer that did it for me...i hated it and didnt know why i had to do that to my hair, so when my parendt couldnt control what i did to my hair anymore...i went natural, plus i have saved soo much money lol
I remember relaxing my hair before going to a family get together. I had burned pretty badly and I had sores. All through out the day those sores were producing puss that was running down the strands of my hair and drying. My hair felt like I had sprayed spritz in it or something. Clumps of hair was even stuck together!!
ok you need to do another one of those again. lol. The running in track story was funny But seriously maybe that's why some people are always in bad moods...because of the burning scalp and we don't know?
I remember the scalp burns and the hair loss. I always had long thick hair but between the relaxers and hair dyes I had to resort to wearing wigs for a while. My hair is now growing back but I have decided to try and go natural because I developed scalp psoriasis from the chemical burns. It has been two months since my last touch up. I am getting two strand twists to keep the heat off of my hair for a while.
im really thinking about bcing ,my hair isnt really damaged but it wont take much longer and it will b cuz it grew during pregnancy when i only used braids and didnt relax my hair;however i wanned 2 know if its necessary 2 cut my hair all off and let it grow all natural ;that reallt would a problem for me ,cuz i have like a real long face and i would look ridiculous with short hair XD
lol, I so remember those stinging days after a fresh relaxer. I remember one time, I had got a relaxer and I had tied my hair down with a scarf for the night. How about the next morning, i woke up and the scarf was stuck to my head because of a big scab I had. That was a real eye opener for me. The burns were just too heavy on my scalp
how do u get your hair to stay twisted? i stopped going to the salon too. now i use the box relaxers. i want to go natural though, but i dnt know where to start. i notice that my hair grows faster without the relaxer.
Due to my relaxer days i don't think i ever had a good high school picture.... My hair was always breaking.. stylist were always trying to do something new to prevent breaking This is what started my path to becoming a product junkie i still have serious amounts of stuff left over from those days I DON'T MISS IT AT ALL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lol im 12 and have made the decision to go natural. my friend has been giving me tips and stuff (she has been natural forever) im kind of lucky. i have only relaxed my hair a few times its fine. thanks for ur videos!
After the deep condition and styling he freaking sprays my hair with 'oil sheen' or whatever and I my head feel slike it's on fire again. I just KNOW I'm gonna have head sores. So I'll spend the nest two weeks combing out scabs *eww* until my scalp has healed. I don't know why we put ourselves through this mess... but it's a personal choice. And I personally choose to relax NO MORE! Besides, I can't remember the last time I saw my 'real' hair texture & I need to be reaquainted. Great video! ^_^
THIS! This is why I have decided to go natural. I have never been fond of the perming process. Each time I went to get a perm I was like: "Did I scratch my head?" (Yes & No = scalp burning) "Did I use enough 'sensitive scalp'?" (Yes & No = more scalp burning) So I'd be sitting in that chair and he's barely halfway through my head when it starts to burn but I have to 'suck it up' if I want my hair to be straightened properly. He finally rinses it out and my scalp is flaming like a blow-torch...
You're an inspiration. Looking at your hair now I can't imagine a time where it could have been breaking off or didn't grow. It just goes to show that the way your hair is currently doesn't reflect how it will always be or what it could be.
my stylist would always blame ME for my hair burning! as if, i could control my scalp!
and eventually, my scalp would start burning at the nape of my neck (the kitchen) even when i wasn't getting a relaxer, i.e. while sitting in class, or watching tv. thats when i knew the relaxer had to go. especially when she said she was cut my hair (it was maybe 2 inches past my shoulder) again because there was a thin patch. i wonder how i got the patch....hmmmmm...
...and it was awful having that heat come off your scalp when you left the salon. Even when they rinsed the stuff off it burned. It was craziness!
Also, my hair barely got past shoulder length. With my last stylist, it began to grow to a really nice length, even with a relaxer. I don't know what she did, but it all went awry and next thing I know I could see through my ends and they got about an inch shorter. I swore off stylists and relaxers after that.
Watching this brought back such traumatizing memories, and reminded me why I went natural. Everything you said I could relate to. It always burned no matter who did it (stylist, aunt, cousin, whoever) and I used to actually dread going to the stylist and dropping a ridiculous amount of money to be tortured for 10 minutes (seemed like forever). Then there were the times when I would get scabs and I couldn't comb my hair for days until the burns healed (the scabs sometimes healed onto the hair)...
i totally understand i had the same problem when i was relaxing no matter what i did i used "kiddie perms" u put the base cream on and as soon as it was in my head it was burnin in april it will be a year since i had a relaxer and i don't miss the burnin
Alot people say well if you do it this or that way you wont get scaps but I got them no matter what I did! I aways had to use kiddy perms because adult one literally fried pieces of my hair to a hard crips lol Ive been natural for over a year now and Ill never ever never ever lol go back to that torture!
speaking of burns..... i remember a time from my childhood days my sis put a relaxer in my hair and i got the worst burn ever!... it was HUGE and disgusting!!! and the worst part was she cornrow my hair and the burn was just on display for the world to see it was the absolute worst...that was the last time she touched my hair.I had my trials and tribulation with the relaxer and texturizers until i finally got the message that u could never go wrong wit ur natural hair
um..i never had a burning scalp (my mom never put the relaxer on my scalp) i never had scabs and sores either. i do my hair myself every 6 months now, and i still don't have that problem. i know my mom has a sensitive scalp so it'll hurt, but she doesn't get scabs. nyce video, and nyce hair
This video brought back so many memories! It has been 2.5 yrs since my last relaxer, and I do not miss those days at all! 90% of the time my scalp would burn, also. The only time that my scalp did not burn was when I went 3 weeks without washing my hair prior to the relaxer. I had to stop doing that because the smell and dirtiness of my hair was terrible.
Hello my name is soultress, I was listening to your story about your relaxer days and I am a cosmetologist. I believe that you experienced burning due to not basing your scalp. I do know that when some women have burning it was due to a really sensitive scalp. Also when you relax your hair, you should never start in the same place. I do know that would cause overprocessing. But, anyway those days are over and your Hair Is Beautiful! So keep up the good work!!!!! Soultress:-)
I honestly didn't have many 'horror relaxer' stories (except my last retouch 10 years ago, felt like my scalp was a cast iron skillet w/lard -whew), BUT, I remember as a little girl my hair was thick as cotton, and I just didn't get that feeling with the relaxer... I missed my natural hair ...
I remember those relaxed days too. I had scabs from the Cream of Nature, then I switched to Just for Me and I still had scabs. I was like 17 and using two boxes of Just for me because I have a lot of hair. I also remember detangling on dry hair. And the smell! I swear I could smell that rotten egg smell for weeks after. It sucks to live in the desert in 100 degree heat and smell that every time I go to gym and walk home. I don't miss those days.
Burning?!?! Scabs?!?!?!? Open wounds!?!?! No wonder you stopped! I hope there is a generation of young black girls who appreciate their texture for what it is.
there are me and y friends who are in highs school are embracing our natural hair.. she's been natural for 2 going on tree years and i started transitioning in sept. 2008
i know about that inch that the hair stylist would have to cut off it would be sooooo close to my shoulder but she would always have to cut it...... memories
i totally remember those days. i'm 4 months post and haven't looked back. i wasn't the best about staying on top of getting relaxed. my hair would never grow past my shoulders either. very frustrating. when i was little, of course, my hair was down to the middle of my back. never been able to get there with relaxers but now going natural i will (or close to it!!)
I remember.... wrapping my hair to the right and for some reason the opposite side NEVER grew as long.
I remember..... Getting my hair permed, 2days later going to the gym and it kinked back up. So I placed a another relaxer in my 2weeks later and avoided the gym.
I remember.... the time I didnt use gloves and my the skin on my hand had the most crazy rash and it turn my nails YELLOW they later got hang nails and completely broke off.
o i remember those days. i used 2 get really bad burns as well. my hair would be stuck 2 my head the next day. it always gave me a really bad headache. im so happy 2 b natural.
lol yeah ur not supposed to put the perm on ur scalp or ends only on ur new growth. but i heavily based by scalp when i had relaxers n it DIDNT WORK. i got scabs on my head n sum hair would be stuck 2gether on my scalp.. anywayz i dont miss relaxers AT ALL! wen i hear ppl talkin bout when they went natural its always when they got out of college. i did it when i was 11 yrs n now im 13! hahahah but im glad i did it so early it seems that its growin so fast cus b4 it would stay shoulder length!!
i did every thing i was suppose to do to prevent my scalp from getting scabs...
dont wash your hair for a week or two
don't scratch
base your scalp with vaseline or some other thick product
etc, etc and i STILL got burns and scabs (even when i got my hair done by professionals)... so no i aint missing my relaxed days at all. i also hated when my freshly relaxed hair would get stuck on my scalp.. i later realized it was the pus from my scalp that dried and made my hair stick together
I can empathize with a lot of things you said...especially the part about the scabs! It was like no matter how much I didn't scratch or how well I oiled my scalp beforehand, I STILL would have burning areas.
Your hair looks beautiful. I home relax myself and my hair grows like a weed. So relaxing doesn't impede growth for me but I do believe relaxing too often isn't good. I am very methodical when relaxing and have thought through previous mistakes. My hair is bra strap so I think it's different for different people. You got to base your scalp heavily to prevent the burning.
i hated those damn perm burns..especially those first few days if U didn'nt lift it all inthe shower my hair would get matted to the scab and it always happened at the front..so I'd have flat hair for 5 days i used to plan shit around it...so sad
LOL I DONT MISS THAT SULFUR SMELL OF A RELAXER!! I remember going around the first week of my relaxer smelling like sulfur or that "relaxer" smell. I laugh at the little duck tails on the sides of ur head. I mean your hair would be like 2 inches long and the rest would be like 8 inches.
Remember my relaxer days. I'll admit, it was easy to deal with because it was bone straight. Then again, that's all it was: bone straight. No life. No bounce. No volume. Sure it looked nice, but with all it's looking nice I had scabs for days and it WOULD NOT KEEP A STYLE. Not even with a curling iron. It was like wearing straw. Definitely not missing that.
lol thanks 4 sharin the story it was really nice 2 hear from you. your actually the reason y im going natural and i sure am glad i did. Keep up the good videos cause i loved this one!!
I don't think that the relaxers were the cause for the thinness of your hair on your right side. I have never relaxed my hair and that's how my hair is too.
My hair looked sooo pretty at the roots before I would do my touch up but w/out a presh perm my hair didn't blow in the breeze like the girls in the commercials, lol. I remember hating that the wave was gone now my entire head is wavy.I love my hair. You know what was so ill? I usually brushed my hair into a ponytail anyways. What was the point of that punk perm!
even going to a professional to do my relaxers and touchups, they would burn that head and hair so much and i would have scabs for weeks and i would be wondering what i was doing there in the first place.then my hair will be so thin and with no volume at all and my head would look so small(have a small head already and volume makes me look good) and i would look very funny for a few weeks.i hated those days and really don't miss them either.good vid
Yeah, I remember picking the scabs. Not washing the relaxer out UNTIL it burns. CRAZY! OHHHH, and using SPRITZ or HOLDING SPRAY after a fresh perm!!!!! BURNED LIKE HELL! I will NEVER go back to relaxer!
Oh yeah another thing.....something about a relaxer that makes your scalp have a sour smell after about 2 or 3 weeks....I mean, I can't really describe the smell per say but it was like sour......don't miss that either.
Yeah i remember the scabs. My mom would tell me not to pick them because I had a problem of picking them and ending up with a bleeding scalp. The thinning hair in the front......oh yeah, had the problem too! After my relaxer, my head would look bigger because it was so bone straight and thin.....I looked almost sickly. Yeah....not really missing those days.
wooo chile!!! i have so much to say about this topic right here! I can't wait to get home and make a vid tonight. There aren't enough comment boxes in the world to contain how I feel about relaxers, lol!
Back when I would have my hair relaxed I would just accept that sometimes I got small (or large) scabs as if it was ok to do that to your scalp. That was so ridiculous in retrospect. Never again.
Everyone would immediately know when I got a fresh perm. Burns on the ears, scalp and forehead. Scabs. Oh my goodness I hated it. And then I had that super tight hair. It didn't matter what strength relaxer I used, it never straightened or lasted past a week. I hated the overprocessing because my hair needed touchups more frequently. hair to my shoulders and broken off badly in the mid section. always having to hide it in buns. Oh the trauma.
When I had the relaxer, I would also get the afro straight mix of hair after a few weeks had passed. I like in Georgia and the humidity is horrible. I got my hair pressed a couple of weeks ago. It was straight and had a lot of body (Cali Press). Well, it held the press for a few days. Soon after, I had the afro straight mix look. I hate that. I felt like I was fighting against nature and how God intended for me to look. Therefore, I have returned to my fro. Much easier being who God created.
I live in Ga also and the heat is so unbearable and the humidity makes it ten times worse. Oh my goodness. Does your puff shrink immediately when you walk outside and start frying like mine does? LOL. Protective styles seem to be our friends year round. Either it's too cold or too humid.
great vid! I pray that I never have to tell a relaxer story again. My final one was when relaxer burned my head and for into my eye. Burned for days constant flushing! I will be doing the big chop soon and I pray to God that I never go back. The relaxer is not for me. Gee whiz- how is it legal? Well, I can say that its not for me and more power to the people who can do it. I will love my natural hair even if I have to put it in braids from time to time when I get frustrated. God bless everyone!!
I was told not to scratch my scalp before I relaxed and to do the relaxer when my hair was dirty and needing to be washed. Well, my scalp is very itchy when dirty so I'd be suffering all day trying not to scratch my scalp. I'd be so worried that if I scratched my head, I'd have to wait yet another day to do my relaxer. I used to feel so unattractive when I needed a touch up too. Did anyone notice that if you sweat shortly after relaxing like even a week, you could smell the relaxer in your sweat
My relaxer horror story occured ironically after I graduated cosmetology school. I had previously colored my hair red, and I needed a mild relaxer. I let my school mate do it and but she used a regular relaxer. About 5mins into the application, she said "its time to rinse it out", I said, "you're not finished yet". She screamed out "JOCELYN YOUR HAIR IS FALLING OUT!" I touched my hair, and the whole section of hair was in my hand. When she rinsed it, I watched my hair go down the drain.
Yes I still relaxed my hair for another 10yrs. And I still colored it, but my hair falling out wasn't a big deal to me. After it happened I danced and sang in the kitchen and pulled some more of it out. The next day when I was driving with the window down, my hair was blowing off my head and flew out the window. I looked like Fire Marshall Bill, so I just cut it off and wore it short. But last year in fall I went natural, and I love it so much. Check out my video! And good luck on your journey.
I went from afro thunder to bra strap length to shoulder length to above shoulders to the Rihanna bob in my 5 years of being relaxed. I stopped quickly because I didn't like what it was doing to my hair and I was spending too much money on it because I went to salons. I was too afraid to relax it at home and trusted my stylist to know what she was doing...I haven't seen her in over 6 months now lol.
omg...that's so real! I remember once having a scalp burn about the diameter of two quarters put together and when I left the salon it was FREEZING cold outside...that was not a pleasant sensation...at all. Still traumatized behind that one! I'm really relieved at not having to go through that madness anymore. Thanks for posting.
um...ditto...to everything. especially the hair burning in the first like 5 minutes. one time i got a relaxer (18 yrs old) ina salon and screamed when they washed it out. SCREAMED ALOUD and started crying. A grown ass woman. that shit used to hurt so much.
Well girl your hair is gorgeous now! I am transitioning now and my last relaxer was August. The longest I've gone without one since getting them. I do not miss the burning and breaking AT ALL!!!! I will never go back to the crack. I remember my hair before it was relaxed back in middle school being down my back and thick, so I'm excited to grow it back natural. Post pics from your relaxer days.
Never go back to the crack, lol! Girl don't we all have pictures of that lush puff that most of us used to hate, and now wish we never altered it in the first place?
LOL. Yeah. I'm not going back. Many of natural girls here on youtube help so much to make going natural a success. Without them I probably would have given up a long time ago.
Relaxing didn't burn until I had my DD. Then, it was hit/miss. I let DD get relaxed at 12 w/ no damage/burning. Our last touch-ups were 11-07 when the stylist burned my alive ~ toes curlin'/shoulders flinchin' just thinking abt it! She was my friend's stylist, had done our hair b4; but never relaxed us. I explained "I have a sensitive scalp. Don't use super strength ~ my scalp can't hang ~ it'll fry & you'll never make it thru my whole head. Regular strength is best for both of us." ...
She must not have listened to me. My DD burned a bit for the 1st time ever; but, seemed fine. I was ON FIRE like never b4. Seriously, Jesus & Lamaze breathing got me thru that painful rinse cycle! The next day, my DD thought the stylist had used gel on her edges ~ NO, her hair was stuck to scabs! I did NOT trust myself to return to the salon to tell the stylist - I-was-TOO-HOT! Since then, that stylist has lost several clients.
We returned to our roots ~ ourselves! Never looked back.
I was curious about the uneven hair growth so I googled it. Apparently its normal for your hair to be thicker or a slightly different texture of different sides of your head. The two reasons I saw listed the most is 1. Its just genetic and 2 its from scratching, lying, or sleeping on one area of your head more than the others. I cant be sure if either of those explanations is true or not but both sound plausible.
(myrpics)Yeah, many ladies(who share the same problem) have mentioned that sleeping on that side may have been the reason, and it true that is the side I have been sleeping on all my life...
My relaxer days was not bad except when I attempted to relax my hair. Two weeks past and it felt as if I needed a relaxer..LOL that was a trip. I vowed never to do that again so I was always up in someone's salon. I guess I was conditioned to the burning scalp, scabs and the breakage. I'm glad I was brave enough to go natural. Thanks for sharing.
Everything you experienced I experienced too. Im at the very start of my transition and I cant wait for my hair to be as long as yours. I find it ironic that I used to get annoyed when I saw the new growth coming in because I had to have fuzzy edges in till it was time for a touch up but now im so excited to see it. By this summer Ill be ready for a big chop
The worse I think is the scent! Forget the scabs. A ponytail or hairstyle could hide that. But absolutely nothing could take the stench of relaxer away!
I identify with the burning and the scabs. Also, I never had thick hair, so my hair was always so limp and lifeless...My hair in front is still much shorter than the rest, and I don't think it will ever grow back :(
Omg yes! i had All those problems as well, but the two that got me the most was the scabs and the burn. specially with the burning ... and since i wouldn't do it myself my hair dresser would just spray the burning spots with hair spray and think that made it better. but it never did ... and i would always have scabs that lasted weeks. so when i'd go back she'd see them and be like .. what did you DO! ... i never wanted to tell her it was the relaxer and her solar powered blow dryer!
I remember those dayz when the hair dresser would 'trim' my hair. She would always assure me that she would only cut an inch or less & it was ALWAYS longer than an inch. Glad those dayz were long ago!!!
i remember every single thing you mentioned, and maybe its just me but it seems like relaxed hair gets tangled like a MUTHAF*CKA when its wet no matter what kind of detangler you have in there but natural hair is so much easier to work with when it's wet. I hated wrapping my relaxed hair too, which is why I never did and ALWAYS had split ends!
i never had scabs unless i went to the salon or my mum did it, my hair was thick at the roots and thin on the ends, my edges went! LIKE BALD edges they are coming back in though now
i soon learned that really no one needs a relaxer higher than a kids strength. A kiddie relaxer. I am so happy to be going natural again. I wish you well!
relaxers always burn no matter who put it in. I always had scalp scabs all the time - it didnt matter how long or short the relaxer stayed in i always got scabs. and yes gurl i know bout hair not growing on the sides and back!!!! lol horrible
some people have really sensitive scalps. there is a prod base that remedies that. its minty. also, somex people scratch b4 a relaxer & that can contribute to scabs. abraided sites. if you took out ur braids & then permed. it isn't recommended to drink warm beverages during relaxing either. i am still transitioning.can't wait 2 have more growth to finally cut off all this relaxed portion. it is a pain to detangle where they meet. ur vids r entertaining.
OMG I remember those days! The burning was crazy. Oh and what about making sure you don't scatch your hair the day before you get your relaxer. I always forgot. No worries about that now! Cuz I am all natural woman! Free at last!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Scabs grrr...I remember scratching my hair and seeing it bleed because I accidentally removed the scab. My scalp was always trying to heal itself.
After a while there was no way for me to retain length. I tried spacing the relaxers out but my hair just ended up breaking more. I had not idea why but now I know.
Thank you so much for this video. It reinforces my belief to stay natural and to never ever ever consider 'mutilating' my head.
Speaking of going to a salon. The last, very last time I went to a salon. I paid 65 dollars to get my hair, relaxed, washed, cut and styled. The cut was cute...it's in one of my videos. But, let me tell you. On the right side of my head in the front she burned me with relaxer and then she burned me (in the same spot) with the curling iron. I was soooooo mad. My fiance had a raging fit. after that I decided I had enough...never again.
I have not had a relaxer in about 1 yr and 4mos, the last few times I did get a relaxer my hair fell out all in the back every single time. I also got alot...alot of split ends. I had my hair past my shoulders a few times and everytime the relaxer stole my length. This was w/ the Affirm relaxer. NEVER AGAIN LOVING MY NATURALLY KINKY/COILY HAIR!!!
O M G, I have the same issue. I am transitioning at this time but I have always been aware that the left side of my hair is a lot thicker then my right. I figured that it was because I would always apply the perm to the right side of my head first and that resulted in the damage to my follicles as well. I consider it a blessing that you ladies get on Youtube and show others your secrets to being natural.I have been 3.5 months without a perm and well on my way to becoming a Naturalista.Thanks
I hate that I still suffer from what a relaxer caused...my hair in the middle is thinner and my scalp itches in that one spot...thank God its thickening up! Never will I ever get a relaxer again!
The first time I went natural(yes, I permed afterward and went natural a second time)when I uncoiled my hair it was collarbone length after a year. My hair never got past mid-neck length when permed.
I had burning and scabs everytime it makes me wonder why I ever did it at all. I did it myself ONCE and the front of my hair became so thin I had to hide it with bangs for months until it grew in.
Okay, one more thing, lol: I always had a spot in the center of my nape that broke off when I had a perm. When I went natural I found out that that spot was much softer and looser in texture than the hair around it. When I decided to loc my hair, that spot was the part that locked up first and I think it was because it was SO happy to be finally left ALONE.
Speaking of hair wanting to be left alone: Have you ever read Alice Walker's essay "Oppressed Hair Puts A Ceiling On The Brain"?
1) My left side is also less full than my right side. Thing is, though, it's ALWAYS been that way. I remember it being like that when I was a little kid (pre-perm).
2) It's encouraging to know that your hair only got so long with a perm. In 18 years of perms the longest mine ever got was right around shoulder-length. Now my hair in the back is just past my collarbone -- 18 months after my last BC.
same with me i beg my mom to get braids or something i relax my hair i got to the salon though and it burns as they put it on...everytime irelax or perm my hair it feels like torture.I get so much burns I have a sensitive scalp and omg when i blow dry it after wards it just feels like my head is on fire.I can definitely relate
my last relaxer like a little over a year ago..ughhh my hair was sticking to my scalp a couple days later so i decided to never ever get one again. Also i hate how my hair feels while im washing it when it was realxed...it feels all mushy and goopy not like real hair, when i was my natural hair it feels full and like HAIR.
oh man! i know EXACTLY what u are talking about. i remember trying to push my relaxers up thinking that would make my hair grow...if i only knew then what i know now (sigh).
oh man that tingling made me soo paranoid!! i swear the perm wasn't all the way out and it was reburning my head, lol. sitting there wondering if i really rinsed all the pink out
I always started from the top cause my edges (all around) permed faster. I would always burn off my baby hair. One time I permed my hair so bad it scabbed over/into my hair. I had to wear the same ponytail until i could break it up and out /ew (nasty business) OMG yes!!! Did anyone ever put spritz on your hair right after a perm!! Hellfire it was!! I was 12-14 or something and I would get a perm, then a finger wave for $10 from ronica down the street. Wooo! I had forgot about those times
When I was 13, my mom took me to a beauty school to get a relaxer. Well, the student washed my hair before applying the relaxer. Needless to say, my scalp was on fire. My mom felt so bad after that. I did not try a relaxer again until I was 19.
But I've been natural now for over 3 yrs..at 40 yrs old and loving it!
my heart really went out to you when i read this. one time i washed my hair two days before receiving a relaxer and my head was ON FIRE!!! so i no it had to be extreamly bad in your situation. but i cut my relaxed hair off last month. i little new growth so it's really short now. but i will never go back to relaxing again. peace.
youre a hero!!!
UnpluggedPerformance 7 months ago
yes! i remember those days. i will never go back to that torture again!
armywife2248 1 year ago
When I got my first perm the back of my hair broke off 50% within the first year, and just stopped growing. The sides were still long though. I stopped perming because of the burning. and within a short time the the back of my hair resumed its growth. Like a fool I went back to perms for another 15 years with the same results. It took my that long to realize it was the perm causing the problem! , so I b/c and after only a year of being natural, the back is longer than its been in years.
TRENZ2 1 year ago
u know what? My crazy self begged for a relaxer 4 years until my mom said fine, u can get one.its noeven her fault. I should have noticed that my hahir was already long and pretty becuz after the relaxer my hair was long and bouncy-that meant it was already like that!! just shrunken. oh well I wont relax my future daughter's hair-EVER!!!
roseeleven 1 year ago 2
@roseeleven same! i begged my mom for a relaxer! about a year ago, i thought "why the crap am i doing this to myself?" lol
vedalynn1 1 year ago
Oh God help us! I was in elementary school with a Scary Curl! (Hey, I'm older, it was in vogue) lol. Anyway, my family fell on hard times, and this lady down the street was illegally and unqualified--doing hair. So mom took me there, and i remember my scalp BLEEDING!!! This chick was trying to play it cool and finished the process! If I was a little older at the time, that would have been IT! But, from that point on, it was the real stylist. I had a lot of hair and she later transitioned me!
EboniTrue7691 1 year ago
those chemical will burn our hair... simple its not natural... I dont care who did my hair it would evenutally burn my scalp sooner or later
nickling1 1 year ago
wow, well I've been natural my whole life so i've never experienced no burns or scabs.but right now your hair looks long, shiny, and stretchy!
TheCelNel 1 year ago
now that you are natural your hair looks even (as far as thickness goes) on both sides. I am glad you are natural.
gmcmim 1 year ago
Actually burn is not part of the process at all. I now saturate my hair in olive oil before I do a relaxer and I dongt get any burn at all.
healthyher2009 1 year ago
omg girl I use to get those scabs in my scalp too, but I never associated it w/ those perms until seeing this video, lol. If I ever have kids, I'll never relax their hair.
hwiley09 2 years ago 3
thats my situation too. my hair on my left side is way fuller, longer and bigger than my right. its always been that way.....
Roxie101 2 years ago
Lmbo! I can def relate to all these scenerios...the burning and scabs and etc...THE HORROR!!! Lol
LilStarO11 2 years ago
sounds so familiar. my beautician would actually make me sit until my head started to burn. she said it wasn't working unless it was burning. i move away after high school and find out i could have been bald all those years. i was mad. :) but now i'm 100% natural and lovin it! thanks for all the videos.
brneyedmama 2 years ago
Girl you're telling my story...lol. It seems like we always scratched our heads the day before we got a perm, and came out with those horrible scabs and dry scalp. Breakage on the sides and edges, thin, and limp. New growth one texture, middle a different texture, ends a mess! lol.
SoleAbstrakt 2 years ago 4
Yo, your right! Everything she is saying sounds so much like my story as well!
jummyberry 2 years ago
My hair is thicker in the left side as well. I think everyone just has a side where their hair is thicker and more dense.
vintagenarcissa 2 years ago
this was hilarious lol
kshad26 2 years ago
your twist out curl is so defined? how can i get mine like that?
NuNaturalness 2 years ago
Thisl is sooo cute, And that is soooo true or the beauty place would not do ur hair like they would do there reg customers! It pays to do our own hair somtimes! Look at ur hair and others ! It 's all beautiful !
Stephaniestefo 2 years ago
same for me stufftoon06. also like rusticbeauty said my hair didnt stay straight for long. 2 weeks later i'd have to pull out my flat iron. the hair in the front of my head was nice length but grew very slow, while the hair in the back and middle broke off more and more. especially in the middle. so i just chopped it lol. i transitioned for a whole 2 days before i said F it!
Corion1027 2 years ago
LOl I remember having scabs around the edges and I would have to scratch it off other wise my hair would be stuck to it lol
stufftoon06 2 years ago 3
lol @ running & having a perm ... so true
ltricia13 2 years ago
I can relate to the pulling hair behind the ear thing. I JUST began to be able to do that because the sides of my hair used to be so short. Also, because relaxers tend to fail during hot weather and you don't want to sweat it out I used to wear JUST (drum roll) PONY TAILS! And I regret that so much. Because now the crown of my head has REALLY short hair and is usually matted and dry. I realized my hair grows fast my bangs used to be at eyebrow length and by the end of the school yr. at my chin.
RawringDinos 2 years ago
is the egg smell normal? i had my hair done last week and have just washed it
dark18fury 2 years ago
yeah it is.
ladyhenna5 2 years ago
whoo....i NEVER had a relaxer and all that sounds so TRAUMATIC
Why do black people do this again????
we are so much better than some cheap cancer-causing, hair breaking ingredients sold to us in the tiny "ethnic aisle" of the store.
Chrissystina22 2 years ago 2
Lucky you. I;ve relaxed my hair about 4 and it damaged my hair so I can only imagine what it has done to those women who have permed their hair pretty much all their life.
Fortunately I'm all natural now with a full head of hair.
ladyhenna5 2 years ago
Good for you! I mean its usually not a girls choice when moms decide to relax our hair when we are too young to actually be listened to or say "no". I certainly am glad some women make a decision later to go natural, it looks so much more beautiful on us!
Chrissystina22 2 years ago 3
i never really had a moment with permed hair where i missed my natural hair. it wasnt until my junior yr of hs when my hair was breaking and my hairline was suffering when i said nomore. no more wasting money to not be able to swim, and go to work and put a cap on my head, not being able to work out like i want too. no more puffy fl hair. just mine.after i graduated i started transitioning. now its been a yr since i started growing my hair out and i love it.
scs08 2 years ago
I can totally relate. I use to use box relaxers when I didn't have to money for the salon. My hair is definitely fuller on one side because my hair came out so bad on the other side from all of the burns and tension from the numerous sets of braids that I would get to make my hair grow longer. When I was relaxed my hair never got past my shoulders. I would look at women with long hair with envy.
Sparkle850 2 years ago
OMG, I remember when my hair was relaxed ( i was only a little kid) and I LOATHED it..In the salon, i had to sit there with tears on my little face, and face the burn. Finally, in feb., when I was in 6th grade, we decided to stop the perms. Now, just 2 days ago, my mother chopped the remaining of my perm. Let me tell you, it's the shortest its ever been (just touching my shoulders), but as long as I'm back to the natural roots God gave me, I am truly NAPPY- lol, I mean happy!!! *chillz*
chillechille8 2 years ago 3
My hair was a horror show. It was always stiff, didn't have any bounce whatsoever and after washing it first time after relaxing it went back to thick and shrubby like natural. Now that I think about it that probably was a good thing. Also is like u, my scalp burnt easily. I couldn't seat for 5mins with relaxer in my hair. It was a put in, take out immediately situation and I did get those mad sores too. I've never really had to courage to go natural till now and u've inspired me! God bless!
BabeePikin 2 years ago 2
i cut off all my hair off when i had a bad experience with a product called dr.miracle! that f***ked my hair up so bad! my hair fell out. my fingers got scabs from the relaxer hot grow product. my scralp was scabbed with dander . I ga scalp poisoning. it fried my hair. it was a hot mess! It was so bad I had to go to the doctor and he gave me pills to take everyday so my hair would grow back. When Dr. miracle was finished with me, I looked like a f*&%$king miracle alright! A bald headed one.!
aladyg 2 years ago 15
dang...
DonnaJenay 2 years ago 2
I absolutely HATE the fact that my hair was so HARD after getting a fresh perm. I love the fact that my new growth is so thick and full, and beginning to curl up. My permed hair feels HORRIBLE compared to my new growth. Granted its' ONLY been 2 months since my last perm (April 18,2009 was my last ), Rusticbeauty you have DEFINITLY made this decision to transition a lot easier. I'm BC'ing in September!!!!
ramiller226 2 years ago 2
it was the smell and the grease that you had to put around your head b4 starting the relaxer that did it for me...i hated it and didnt know why i had to do that to my hair, so when my parendt couldnt control what i did to my hair anymore...i went natural, plus i have saved soo much money lol
bahamabean13 2 years ago
my be ur hair on the left side just grows more then the right side. that could be a reason.
twoneDigital 2 years ago 2
I remember relaxing my hair before going to a family get together. I had burned pretty badly and I had sores. All through out the day those sores were producing puss that was running down the strands of my hair and drying. My hair felt like I had sprayed spritz in it or something. Clumps of hair was even stuck together!!
Lifashaircup87 2 years ago
omg!
cdm0014 2 years ago
ok you need to do another one of those again. lol. The running in track story was funny But seriously maybe that's why some people are always in bad moods...because of the burning scalp and we don't know?
AtomicZero 2 years ago
I remember the scalp burns and the hair loss. I always had long thick hair but between the relaxers and hair dyes I had to resort to wearing wigs for a while. My hair is now growing back but I have decided to try and go natural because I developed scalp psoriasis from the chemical burns. It has been two months since my last touch up. I am getting two strand twists to keep the heat off of my hair for a while.
mswilsan 2 years ago
im really thinking about bcing ,my hair isnt really damaged but it wont take much longer and it will b cuz it grew during pregnancy when i only used braids and didnt relax my hair;however i wanned 2 know if its necessary 2 cut my hair all off and let it grow all natural ;that reallt would a problem for me ,cuz i have like a real long face and i would look ridiculous with short hair XD
Taliyah18888888888 2 years ago
lol, I so remember those stinging days after a fresh relaxer. I remember one time, I had got a relaxer and I had tied my hair down with a scarf for the night. How about the next morning, i woke up and the scarf was stuck to my head because of a big scab I had. That was a real eye opener for me. The burns were just too heavy on my scalp
MissAfrobella 2 years ago
Personally, I think that without perm, we all have the potential to grow lots of hair. I so can't wait until mine grows out!
brownshuga24 2 years ago 3
how do u get your hair to stay twisted? i stopped going to the salon too. now i use the box relaxers. i want to go natural though, but i dnt know where to start. i notice that my hair grows faster without the relaxer.
sweetie0787 2 years ago
im so thankful not to have to do that anymore...my mother burned my whole head once...it was BAD...(shudders) lol
nfernandes2005 2 years ago
i like your hair, is it it twist?
yeppyeppkiki 2 years ago
I thought the burn was part of the process????? it;s not?...wow....ignorance is a bitch!
arrebiy 2 years ago 16
you shouldn't have to suffer to have nice hair.
MerryJ3000 2 years ago 4
@arrebiy thats how i knew that badboy was REALLY workin!!!! lol!!!
roseeleven 1 year ago
Your hair is so awesome! You really are an inspiration.
divatect 2 years ago 2
Due to my relaxer days i don't think i ever had a good high school picture.... My hair was always breaking.. stylist were always trying to do something new to prevent breaking This is what started my path to becoming a product junkie i still have serious amounts of stuff left over from those days I DON'T MISS IT AT ALL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LionessCub1 2 years ago
(*deep sigh*) ahhhh, the burning... Don't miss those days either... *shudders*
beautiijunkii 2 years ago
lol im 12 and have made the decision to go natural. my friend has been giving me tips and stuff (she has been natural forever) im kind of lucky. i have only relaxed my hair a few times its fine. thanks for ur videos!
singing1sensation 2 years ago 3
After the deep condition and styling he freaking sprays my hair with 'oil sheen' or whatever and I my head feel slike it's on fire again. I just KNOW I'm gonna have head sores. So I'll spend the nest two weeks combing out scabs *eww* until my scalp has healed. I don't know why we put ourselves through this mess... but it's a personal choice. And I personally choose to relax NO MORE! Besides, I can't remember the last time I saw my 'real' hair texture & I need to be reaquainted. Great video! ^_^
YamapiDaisuki02 2 years ago 4
THIS! This is why I have decided to go natural. I have never been fond of the perming process. Each time I went to get a perm I was like: "Did I scratch my head?" (Yes & No = scalp burning) "Did I use enough 'sensitive scalp'?" (Yes & No = more scalp burning) So I'd be sitting in that chair and he's barely halfway through my head when it starts to burn but I have to 'suck it up' if I want my hair to be straightened properly. He finally rinses it out and my scalp is flaming like a blow-torch...
YamapiDaisuki02 2 years ago 3
u brought back all the old memories.. glad thats all over wit.
happy2bnappy42 2 years ago
I went natural in the 10th grade. NOw I'm 29. Why did we think we had to relax our hair? We suffered a lot when we believed the lyes!!!!!
TheUntouchables6 2 years ago
Do you have pictures of when your first went natural?
annebreal 2 years ago
You're an inspiration. Looking at your hair now I can't imagine a time where it could have been breaking off or didn't grow. It just goes to show that the way your hair is currently doesn't reflect how it will always be or what it could be.
littleshoeshopper 2 years ago
mannnnnnnnnnnnnnn!
my stylist would always blame ME for my hair burning! as if, i could control my scalp!
and eventually, my scalp would start burning at the nape of my neck (the kitchen) even when i wasn't getting a relaxer, i.e. while sitting in class, or watching tv. thats when i knew the relaxer had to go. especially when she said she was cut my hair (it was maybe 2 inches past my shoulder) again because there was a thin patch. i wonder how i got the patch....hmmmmm...
great post!
rinkytink3 3 years ago
...and it was awful having that heat come off your scalp when you left the salon. Even when they rinsed the stuff off it burned. It was craziness!
Also, my hair barely got past shoulder length. With my last stylist, it began to grow to a really nice length, even with a relaxer. I don't know what she did, but it all went awry and next thing I know I could see through my ends and they got about an inch shorter. I swore off stylists and relaxers after that.
MusicalPassion 3 years ago
Watching this brought back such traumatizing memories, and reminded me why I went natural. Everything you said I could relate to. It always burned no matter who did it (stylist, aunt, cousin, whoever) and I used to actually dread going to the stylist and dropping a ridiculous amount of money to be tortured for 10 minutes (seemed like forever). Then there were the times when I would get scabs and I couldn't comb my hair for days until the burns healed (the scabs sometimes healed onto the hair)...
MusicalPassion 3 years ago
i totally understand i had the same problem when i was relaxing no matter what i did i used "kiddie perms" u put the base cream on and as soon as it was in my head it was burnin in april it will be a year since i had a relaxer and i don't miss the burnin
deanna0384 3 years ago
LOL! I can identify with all your stories! sometimes i thought my scalp would fall off! lol
saxmetal07 3 years ago
lol
jroshtay 3 years ago
beeni nkan ti mo n so ni yen, inu mi dun lati ri awon naija on line giving the world advices
muzicluva1 3 years ago
Alot people say well if you do it this or that way you wont get scaps but I got them no matter what I did! I aways had to use kiddy perms because adult one literally fried pieces of my hair to a hard crips lol Ive been natural for over a year now and Ill never ever never ever lol go back to that torture!
lilone2006nm 3 years ago
speaking of burns..... i remember a time from my childhood days my sis put a relaxer in my hair and i got the worst burn ever!... it was HUGE and disgusting!!! and the worst part was she cornrow my hair and the burn was just on display for the world to see it was the absolute worst...that was the last time she touched my hair.I had my trials and tribulation with the relaxer and texturizers until i finally got the message that u could never go wrong wit ur natural hair
ace3084 3 years ago
um..i never had a burning scalp (my mom never put the relaxer on my scalp) i never had scabs and sores either. i do my hair myself every 6 months now, and i still don't have that problem. i know my mom has a sensitive scalp so it'll hurt, but she doesn't get scabs. nyce video, and nyce hair
onlyspeakingtruth 3 years ago
This video brought back so many memories! It has been 2.5 yrs since my last relaxer, and I do not miss those days at all! 90% of the time my scalp would burn, also. The only time that my scalp did not burn was when I went 3 weeks without washing my hair prior to the relaxer. I had to stop doing that because the smell and dirtiness of my hair was terrible.
sasserphaz 3 years ago
Hello my name is soultress, I was listening to your story about your relaxer days and I am a cosmetologist. I believe that you experienced burning due to not basing your scalp. I do know that when some women have burning it was due to a really sensitive scalp. Also when you relax your hair, you should never start in the same place. I do know that would cause overprocessing. But, anyway those days are over and your Hair Is Beautiful! So keep up the good work!!!!! Soultress:-)
soultressbeauty 3 years ago
I honestly didn't have many 'horror relaxer' stories (except my last retouch 10 years ago, felt like my scalp was a cast iron skillet w/lard -whew), BUT, I remember as a little girl my hair was thick as cotton, and I just didn't get that feeling with the relaxer... I missed my natural hair ...
LGnLA 3 years ago
I remember those relaxed days too. I had scabs from the Cream of Nature, then I switched to Just for Me and I still had scabs. I was like 17 and using two boxes of Just for me because I have a lot of hair. I also remember detangling on dry hair. And the smell! I swear I could smell that rotten egg smell for weeks after. It sucks to live in the desert in 100 degree heat and smell that every time I go to gym and walk home. I don't miss those days.
killerhoneybee 3 years ago
Burning?!?! Scabs?!?!?!? Open wounds!?!?! No wonder you stopped! I hope there is a generation of young black girls who appreciate their texture for what it is.
sparkybish 3 years ago 4
there are me and y friends who are in highs school are embracing our natural hair.. she's been natural for 2 going on tree years and i started transitioning in sept. 2008
Skyy2121 3 years ago
i know about that inch that the hair stylist would have to cut off it would be sooooo close to my shoulder but she would always have to cut it...... memories
liltip217 3 years ago
i totally remember those days. i'm 4 months post and haven't looked back. i wasn't the best about staying on top of getting relaxed. my hair would never grow past my shoulders either. very frustrating. when i was little, of course, my hair was down to the middle of my back. never been able to get there with relaxers but now going natural i will (or close to it!!)
esotericgal5 3 years ago
I remember.... wrapping my hair to the right and for some reason the opposite side NEVER grew as long.
I remember..... Getting my hair permed, 2days later going to the gym and it kinked back up. So I placed a another relaxer in my 2weeks later and avoided the gym.
I remember.... the time I didnt use gloves and my the skin on my hand had the most crazy rash and it turn my nails YELLOW they later got hang nails and completely broke off.
Aussie0aka0Strales 3 years ago
nightmares!
atinob43 3 years ago
o i remember those days. i used 2 get really bad burns as well. my hair would be stuck 2 my head the next day. it always gave me a really bad headache. im so happy 2 b natural.
tynifeli 3 years ago 2
i never ever had a relaxer my parents would not ever let me have one and now i see the beauty
alexisjada13 3 years ago
The worst part about relaxers is the damage it can cause!!
I love the long silky look I can got from relaxers...
-BUT-
...hate the breakage...thin hair...and worst of all the infamous scabs!!!
I'm transitioning now and can't wait until I can play with my natural hair!!! :)
kurvykoko 3 years ago 4
lol yeah ur not supposed to put the perm on ur scalp or ends only on ur new growth. but i heavily based by scalp when i had relaxers n it DIDNT WORK. i got scabs on my head n sum hair would be stuck 2gether on my scalp.. anywayz i dont miss relaxers AT ALL! wen i hear ppl talkin bout when they went natural its always when they got out of college. i did it when i was 11 yrs n now im 13! hahahah but im glad i did it so early it seems that its growin so fast cus b4 it would stay shoulder length!!
xoSTEPHiixo 3 years ago
i did every thing i was suppose to do to prevent my scalp from getting scabs...
dont wash your hair for a week or two
don't scratch
base your scalp with vaseline or some other thick product
etc, etc and i STILL got burns and scabs (even when i got my hair done by professionals)... so no i aint missing my relaxed days at all. i also hated when my freshly relaxed hair would get stuck on my scalp.. i later realized it was the pus from my scalp that dried and made my hair stick together
augusta8082 3 years ago
I can empathize with a lot of things you said...especially the part about the scabs! It was like no matter how much I didn't scratch or how well I oiled my scalp beforehand, I STILL would have burning areas.
jbttu86 3 years ago
Your hair looks beautiful. I home relax myself and my hair grows like a weed. So relaxing doesn't impede growth for me but I do believe relaxing too often isn't good. I am very methodical when relaxing and have thought through previous mistakes. My hair is bra strap so I think it's different for different people. You got to base your scalp heavily to prevent the burning.
rascalcap1 3 years ago
hi, yooh look a bit like curly chronicals .
Mizzy2k8 3 years ago
i hated those damn perm burns..especially those first few days if U didn'nt lift it all inthe shower my hair would get matted to the scab and it always happened at the front..so I'd have flat hair for 5 days i used to plan shit around it...so sad
jamoky 3 years ago
LOL I DONT MISS THAT SULFUR SMELL OF A RELAXER!! I remember going around the first week of my relaxer smelling like sulfur or that "relaxer" smell. I laugh at the little duck tails on the sides of ur head. I mean your hair would be like 2 inches long and the rest would be like 8 inches.
heavenzbest1 3 years ago
You're So funny. I just fell off my chair laughing. Everything you said is dead on.
mdanie3 3 years ago
Your hair is really cute
girlbaggett 3 years ago
Remember my relaxer days. I'll admit, it was easy to deal with because it was bone straight. Then again, that's all it was: bone straight. No life. No bounce. No volume. Sure it looked nice, but with all it's looking nice I had scabs for days and it WOULD NOT KEEP A STYLE. Not even with a curling iron. It was like wearing straw. Definitely not missing that.
LadyMika42 3 years ago 3
... I never had a relaxer or perm. Maybe sometime I'll make a vlog about always being natural! ^.^
feefeelapoodle 3 years ago
lol thanks 4 sharin the story it was really nice 2 hear from you. your actually the reason y im going natural and i sure am glad i did. Keep up the good videos cause i loved this one!!
♥Brielle♥
Mytbee129 3 years ago
I don't think that the relaxers were the cause for the thinness of your hair on your right side. I have never relaxed my hair and that's how my hair is too.
lalalaina4life 3 years ago
My hair looked sooo pretty at the roots before I would do my touch up but w/out a presh perm my hair didn't blow in the breeze like the girls in the commercials, lol. I remember hating that the wave was gone now my entire head is wavy.I love my hair. You know what was so ill? I usually brushed my hair into a ponytail anyways. What was the point of that punk perm!
need2bme 3 years ago
even going to a professional to do my relaxers and touchups, they would burn that head and hair so much and i would have scabs for weeks and i would be wondering what i was doing there in the first place.then my hair will be so thin and with no volume at all and my head would look so small(have a small head already and volume makes me look good) and i would look very funny for a few weeks.i hated those days and really don't miss them either.good vid
ebinom 3 years ago
Yeah, I remember picking the scabs. Not washing the relaxer out UNTIL it burns. CRAZY! OHHHH, and using SPRITZ or HOLDING SPRAY after a fresh perm!!!!! BURNED LIKE HELL! I will NEVER go back to relaxer!
HoneyLuv321 3 years ago 3
LOL. 0:08-010 That gesture is totally Nigerian. I want to heya comment O' or I want to heya comments my deaya. Naija O
msoyekan 3 years ago
Oh yeah another thing.....something about a relaxer that makes your scalp have a sour smell after about 2 or 3 weeks....I mean, I can't really describe the smell per say but it was like sour......don't miss that either.
DreezStation 3 years ago
Yeah i remember the scabs. My mom would tell me not to pick them because I had a problem of picking them and ending up with a bleeding scalp. The thinning hair in the front......oh yeah, had the problem too! After my relaxer, my head would look bigger because it was so bone straight and thin.....I looked almost sickly. Yeah....not really missing those days.
DreezStation 3 years ago
Yeah relaxer days suck:-(
curlmebella 3 years ago 5
wooo chile!!! i have so much to say about this topic right here! I can't wait to get home and make a vid tonight. There aren't enough comment boxes in the world to contain how I feel about relaxers, lol!
KinkyCoilz 3 years ago
Back when I would have my hair relaxed I would just accept that sometimes I got small (or large) scabs as if it was ok to do that to your scalp. That was so ridiculous in retrospect. Never again.
katastra 3 years ago 3
Everyone would immediately know when I got a fresh perm. Burns on the ears, scalp and forehead. Scabs. Oh my goodness I hated it. And then I had that super tight hair. It didn't matter what strength relaxer I used, it never straightened or lasted past a week. I hated the overprocessing because my hair needed touchups more frequently. hair to my shoulders and broken off badly in the mid section. always having to hide it in buns. Oh the trauma.
iroc31407 3 years ago
When I had the relaxer, I would also get the afro straight mix of hair after a few weeks had passed. I like in Georgia and the humidity is horrible. I got my hair pressed a couple of weeks ago. It was straight and had a lot of body (Cali Press). Well, it held the press for a few days. Soon after, I had the afro straight mix look. I hate that. I felt like I was fighting against nature and how God intended for me to look. Therefore, I have returned to my fro. Much easier being who God created.
MekoAlb 3 years ago
I live in Ga also and the heat is so unbearable and the humidity makes it ten times worse. Oh my goodness. Does your puff shrink immediately when you walk outside and start frying like mine does? LOL. Protective styles seem to be our friends year round. Either it's too cold or too humid.
iroc31407 3 years ago
great vid! I pray that I never have to tell a relaxer story again. My final one was when relaxer burned my head and for into my eye. Burned for days constant flushing! I will be doing the big chop soon and I pray to God that I never go back. The relaxer is not for me. Gee whiz- how is it legal? Well, I can say that its not for me and more power to the people who can do it. I will love my natural hair even if I have to put it in braids from time to time when I get frustrated. God bless everyone!!
tryingtodoitnatural 3 years ago
I was told not to scratch my scalp before I relaxed and to do the relaxer when my hair was dirty and needing to be washed. Well, my scalp is very itchy when dirty so I'd be suffering all day trying not to scratch my scalp. I'd be so worried that if I scratched my head, I'd have to wait yet another day to do my relaxer. I used to feel so unattractive when I needed a touch up too. Did anyone notice that if you sweat shortly after relaxing like even a week, you could smell the relaxer in your sweat
LilKitch1 3 years ago
My relaxer horror story occured ironically after I graduated cosmetology school. I had previously colored my hair red, and I needed a mild relaxer. I let my school mate do it and but she used a regular relaxer. About 5mins into the application, she said "its time to rinse it out", I said, "you're not finished yet". She screamed out "JOCELYN YOUR HAIR IS FALLING OUT!" I touched my hair, and the whole section of hair was in my hand. When she rinsed it, I watched my hair go down the drain.
phoenixsimone 3 years ago
what a story!!! Did you get another relaxer?
tryingtodoitnatural 3 years ago
Yes I still relaxed my hair for another 10yrs. And I still colored it, but my hair falling out wasn't a big deal to me. After it happened I danced and sang in the kitchen and pulled some more of it out. The next day when I was driving with the window down, my hair was blowing off my head and flew out the window. I looked like Fire Marshall Bill, so I just cut it off and wore it short. But last year in fall I went natural, and I love it so much. Check out my video! And good luck on your journey.
phoenixsimone 3 years ago 3
lol, fire marshall bill!! That was a funny image in the middle of that story
ayamejoy 3 years ago
phoenixsimone, "fir marshall bill" lmfaoo
SiiSTALUV 3 years ago
I went from afro thunder to bra strap length to shoulder length to above shoulders to the Rihanna bob in my 5 years of being relaxed. I stopped quickly because I didn't like what it was doing to my hair and I was spending too much money on it because I went to salons. I was too afraid to relax it at home and trusted my stylist to know what she was doing...I haven't seen her in over 6 months now lol.
boriquachula4 3 years ago
omg...that's so real! I remember once having a scalp burn about the diameter of two quarters put together and when I left the salon it was FREEZING cold outside...that was not a pleasant sensation...at all. Still traumatized behind that one! I'm really relieved at not having to go through that madness anymore. Thanks for posting.
justlovingme 3 years ago
um...ditto...to everything. especially the hair burning in the first like 5 minutes. one time i got a relaxer (18 yrs old) ina salon and screamed when they washed it out. SCREAMED ALOUD and started crying. A grown ass woman. that shit used to hurt so much.
pinkpuma1213 3 years ago
I hated the smell and my hair being soooo thin and flat looking.
nubiantres 3 years ago
Well girl your hair is gorgeous now! I am transitioning now and my last relaxer was August. The longest I've gone without one since getting them. I do not miss the burning and breaking AT ALL!!!! I will never go back to the crack. I remember my hair before it was relaxed back in middle school being down my back and thick, so I'm excited to grow it back natural. Post pics from your relaxer days.
DJDProductions 3 years ago
Never go back to the crack, lol! Girl don't we all have pictures of that lush puff that most of us used to hate, and now wish we never altered it in the first place?
sco2010 3 years ago
LOL. Yeah. I'm not going back. Many of natural girls here on youtube help so much to make going natural a success. Without them I probably would have given up a long time ago.
DJDProductions 3 years ago
Relaxing didn't burn until I had my DD. Then, it was hit/miss. I let DD get relaxed at 12 w/ no damage/burning. Our last touch-ups were 11-07 when the stylist burned my alive ~ toes curlin'/shoulders flinchin' just thinking abt it! She was my friend's stylist, had done our hair b4; but never relaxed us. I explained "I have a sensitive scalp. Don't use super strength ~ my scalp can't hang ~ it'll fry & you'll never make it thru my whole head. Regular strength is best for both of us." ...
kdw4jc 3 years ago
She must not have listened to me. My DD burned a bit for the 1st time ever; but, seemed fine. I was ON FIRE like never b4. Seriously, Jesus & Lamaze breathing got me thru that painful rinse cycle! The next day, my DD thought the stylist had used gel on her edges ~ NO, her hair was stuck to scabs! I did NOT trust myself to return to the salon to tell the stylist - I-was-TOO-HOT! Since then, that stylist has lost several clients.
We returned to our roots ~ ourselves! Never looked back.
kdw4jc 3 years ago 2
I was curious about the uneven hair growth so I googled it. Apparently its normal for your hair to be thicker or a slightly different texture of different sides of your head. The two reasons I saw listed the most is 1. Its just genetic and 2 its from scratching, lying, or sleeping on one area of your head more than the others. I cant be sure if either of those explanations is true or not but both sound plausible.
myjrpics 3 years ago
(myrpics)Yeah, many ladies(who share the same problem) have mentioned that sleeping on that side may have been the reason, and it true that is the side I have been sleeping on all my life...
RusticBeauty 3 years ago
My relaxer days was not bad except when I attempted to relax my hair. Two weeks past and it felt as if I needed a relaxer..LOL that was a trip. I vowed never to do that again so I was always up in someone's salon. I guess I was conditioned to the burning scalp, scabs and the breakage. I'm glad I was brave enough to go natural. Thanks for sharing.
mssmia14 3 years ago
Everything you experienced I experienced too. Im at the very start of my transition and I cant wait for my hair to be as long as yours. I find it ironic that I used to get annoyed when I saw the new growth coming in because I had to have fuzzy edges in till it was time for a touch up but now im so excited to see it. By this summer Ill be ready for a big chop
myjrpics 3 years ago 4
The worse I think is the scent! Forget the scabs. A ponytail or hairstyle could hide that. But absolutely nothing could take the stench of relaxer away!
Arunadawn 3 years ago
one side of my head is fuller and grows faster the the other side.
apatte4975 3 years ago
do you have any pictures of when you had relaxed hair?
hadiza09 3 years ago
Girl the scabs oh how I remember those scabs they were so bad, my hair would barely break shoulder length as well. I dont miss those days for nothin
NowIAmNappy 3 years ago
MMMMMMEEEE TOOOO!!! I HATED the chemical burns I don't miss that at all!
spluby 3 years ago
All I can say is you are soooooo Right!
proudnappy 3 years ago
I identify with the burning and the scabs. Also, I never had thick hair, so my hair was always so limp and lifeless...My hair in front is still much shorter than the rest, and I don't think it will ever grow back :(
erjanica25 3 years ago
Omg yes! i had All those problems as well, but the two that got me the most was the scabs and the burn. specially with the burning ... and since i wouldn't do it myself my hair dresser would just spray the burning spots with hair spray and think that made it better. but it never did ... and i would always have scabs that lasted weeks. so when i'd go back she'd see them and be like .. what did you DO! ... i never wanted to tell her it was the relaxer and her solar powered blow dryer!
cuddleplz 3 years ago
Your hair is gorgeous today! My sister and I were in awe of it's length.
allstone02 3 years ago
I remember those dayz when the hair dresser would 'trim' my hair. She would always assure me that she would only cut an inch or less & it was ALWAYS longer than an inch. Glad those dayz were long ago!!!
lilmsrosie87 3 years ago
i remember every single thing you mentioned, and maybe its just me but it seems like relaxed hair gets tangled like a MUTHAF*CKA when its wet no matter what kind of detangler you have in there but natural hair is so much easier to work with when it's wet. I hated wrapping my relaxed hair too, which is why I never did and ALWAYS had split ends!
CanelaMami89 3 years ago
i never had scabs unless i went to the salon or my mum did it, my hair was thick at the roots and thin on the ends, my edges went! LIKE BALD edges they are coming back in though now
i used to use dark and lovelySUPER
lmfao
opp811 3 years ago
i soon learned that really no one needs a relaxer higher than a kids strength. A kiddie relaxer. I am so happy to be going natural again. I wish you well!
tryingtodoitnatural 3 years ago
relaxers always burn no matter who put it in. I always had scalp scabs all the time - it didnt matter how long or short the relaxer stayed in i always got scabs. and yes gurl i know bout hair not growing on the sides and back!!!! lol horrible
yoruba21 3 years ago
back down memory lane...wont go there again. I have to stop being lazy, and let my hair do it's thing...
Kynaa29 3 years ago
i know ur glad those days are behind you.
some people have really sensitive scalps. there is a prod base that remedies that. its minty. also, somex people scratch b4 a relaxer & that can contribute to scabs. abraided sites. if you took out ur braids & then permed. it isn't recommended to drink warm beverages during relaxing either. i am still transitioning.can't wait 2 have more growth to finally cut off all this relaxed portion. it is a pain to detangle where they meet. ur vids r entertaining.
1xellus1 3 years ago
OMG I remember those days! The burning was crazy. Oh and what about making sure you don't scatch your hair the day before you get your relaxer. I always forgot. No worries about that now! Cuz I am all natural woman! Free at last!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
allison200103 3 years ago
Scabs grrr...I remember scratching my hair and seeing it bleed because I accidentally removed the scab. My scalp was always trying to heal itself.
After a while there was no way for me to retain length. I tried spacing the relaxers out but my hair just ended up breaking more. I had not idea why but now I know.
Thank you so much for this video. It reinforces my belief to stay natural and to never ever ever consider 'mutilating' my head.
VidC06 3 years ago
Speaking of going to a salon. The last, very last time I went to a salon. I paid 65 dollars to get my hair, relaxed, washed, cut and styled. The cut was cute...it's in one of my videos. But, let me tell you. On the right side of my head in the front she burned me with relaxer and then she burned me (in the same spot) with the curling iron. I was soooooo mad. My fiance had a raging fit. after that I decided I had enough...never again.
NaturalZora32 3 years ago
I have not had a relaxer in about 1 yr and 4mos, the last few times I did get a relaxer my hair fell out all in the back every single time. I also got alot...alot of split ends. I had my hair past my shoulders a few times and everytime the relaxer stole my length. This was w/ the Affirm relaxer. NEVER AGAIN LOVING MY NATURALLY KINKY/COILY HAIR!!!
omgiheartvideos 3 years ago
O M G, I have the same issue. I am transitioning at this time but I have always been aware that the left side of my hair is a lot thicker then my right. I figured that it was because I would always apply the perm to the right side of my head first and that resulted in the damage to my follicles as well. I consider it a blessing that you ladies get on Youtube and show others your secrets to being natural.I have been 3.5 months without a perm and well on my way to becoming a Naturalista.Thanks
sapittman1 3 years ago
I hate that I still suffer from what a relaxer caused...my hair in the middle is thinner and my scalp itches in that one spot...thank God its thickening up! Never will I ever get a relaxer again!
scarletrose17 3 years ago
The first time I went natural(yes, I permed afterward and went natural a second time)when I uncoiled my hair it was collarbone length after a year. My hair never got past mid-neck length when permed.
anidelle 3 years ago
I had burning and scabs everytime it makes me wonder why I ever did it at all. I did it myself ONCE and the front of my hair became so thin I had to hide it with bangs for months until it grew in.
anidelle 3 years ago
Okay, one more thing, lol: I always had a spot in the center of my nape that broke off when I had a perm. When I went natural I found out that that spot was much softer and looser in texture than the hair around it. When I decided to loc my hair, that spot was the part that locked up first and I think it was because it was SO happy to be finally left ALONE.
Speaking of hair wanting to be left alone: Have you ever read Alice Walker's essay "Oppressed Hair Puts A Ceiling On The Brain"?
LBellatrix 3 years ago
Ugh...chemical burns...bad memories... :(
A couple of things:
1) My left side is also less full than my right side. Thing is, though, it's ALWAYS been that way. I remember it being like that when I was a little kid (pre-perm).
2) It's encouraging to know that your hair only got so long with a perm. In 18 years of perms the longest mine ever got was right around shoulder-length. Now my hair in the back is just past my collarbone -- 18 months after my last BC.
LBellatrix 3 years ago
same with me i beg my mom to get braids or something i relax my hair i got to the salon though and it burns as they put it on...everytime irelax or perm my hair it feels like torture.I get so much burns I have a sensitive scalp and omg when i blow dry it after wards it just feels like my head is on fire.I can definitely relate
wrestlinglover9 3 years ago
wow this was funny lol!! anyone who has had a perm knows exactly what your talking about.
prettygirlsavage 3 years ago 6
my last relaxer like a little over a year ago..ughhh my hair was sticking to my scalp a couple days later so i decided to never ever get one again. Also i hate how my hair feels while im washing it when it was realxed...it feels all mushy and goopy not like real hair, when i was my natural hair it feels full and like HAIR.
cdm0014 3 years ago
yeah, wet relaxed hair feels so gross.
ratdance 3 years ago
oh man! i know EXACTLY what u are talking about. i remember trying to push my relaxers up thinking that would make my hair grow...if i only knew then what i know now (sigh).
Good video
marolipo 3 years ago
this is so the truth girl! Thanks for this is i really need the reasurence! (I know I spelled that wrong)
lit26 3 years ago
oh man that tingling made me soo paranoid!! i swear the perm wasn't all the way out and it was reburning my head, lol. sitting there wondering if i really rinsed all the pink out
ayamejoy 3 years ago
I always started from the top cause my edges (all around) permed faster. I would always burn off my baby hair. One time I permed my hair so bad it scabbed over/into my hair. I had to wear the same ponytail until i could break it up and out /ew (nasty business) OMG yes!!! Did anyone ever put spritz on your hair right after a perm!! Hellfire it was!! I was 12-14 or something and I would get a perm, then a finger wave for $10 from ronica down the street. Wooo! I had forgot about those times
ayamejoy 3 years ago
I never had problems with scabs and burning to early but my hair never retained it's length
shayfay00 3 years ago
When I was 13, my mom took me to a beauty school to get a relaxer. Well, the student washed my hair before applying the relaxer. Needless to say, my scalp was on fire. My mom felt so bad after that. I did not try a relaxer again until I was 19.
But I've been natural now for over 3 yrs..at 40 yrs old and loving it!
mzkarmelbrown 3 years ago
my heart really went out to you when i read this. one time i washed my hair two days before receiving a relaxer and my head was ON FIRE!!! so i no it had to be extreamly bad in your situation. but i cut my relaxed hair off last month. i little new growth so it's really short now. but i will never go back to relaxing again. peace.
press28ga 3 years ago