....natural vs. relaxed .... does it matter?

in recent years, i've noticed ALOT of changes in the way we (young african american women) are treating out hair. i would say maybe 1 out of every 5 girls these days are opting to go natural, meaning, embracing their own hair with no chemical alteration. i believe it makes them feel more confident, and for some it is the better choice. however, in my opinion, there's not really much of a difference with having relaxed OR natural hair, simply because i believe it all depends on how you maintain it.

i can speak on this subject because i've been natural twice. when i was 3, i got my first relaxer. That is definitely too young for any chemical processing. something traumatic happened and I ended up losing alot of my hair by the time I was 4, so my mom stopped putting relaxers in my hair and I started getting it pressed. I went back relaxed when I turned 8 and by the time I was 11 I was natural again, but only for a year. probably when most females our ages were getting spiral curls and wearing ponytails...i was wearing braids...and yes, I had an afro! i remember when i would beg my mom for a relaxer but she just wouldnt do it. when i turned 12, i was relaxed AGAIN and never thought about going back natural. i dont think its for me. i would go extremely short before i decide to go natural! but thats just me.

so while being relaxed...do I struggle with my hair? no. and i personally believe that its because of the grade of hair that i have. has being relaxed ever broke my hair off? no! i've experienced breakage before, and i blame that on OVERmaintenance, stress, and me being experimental (lol). but...we live and we learn.

not too long ago, i had a talk with a few close friends and family members about why they would rather be either natural or relaxed. my best friend is natural and she loves it...and has vowed to never go back to a relaxer. "My hair never got bone straight with a relaxer," she states. "I dont have to worry about scalp burns, and I love the versatility of having my hair curly one day or straight the next. The biggest plus is that I get to have big hair all the time and it is CHEAP!". I asked my cousin how does she feel about her sandy, midback length relaxed hair and she said, "I wouldnt ever go natural because my hair is way too thick. it really needs to be straight all the time. long as i keep my hair in top condition, i love it this way." Another friend said that she wouldnt ever get a relaxer because she doesn't want to ruin her curl pattern, and my mom, who is relaxed, just simply said, "relaxed hair looks better."

i know other people feel like that the "natural hair thing" is a trend, saying that it doesnt look good on everybody. though this may be true, i feel that whatever you must do to your hair to boost your confidence, do so.i don't believe that one way is more healthier than another, because i've seen ladies who are relaxed grow their hair, and i've seen ladies who are natural do the same. therefore, do whatever you FEEL. don't base it on what you see or what you hear, because what works for one may not work for you. love yall xoxo ;)

#teamNATURAL::









#teamRELAXED