Pressing relaxed (African American) hair while transitioning to natural hair?

Question

I've decided not to get another relaxer and to go natural but I need some help. Two stylists have told me I could get it pressed/flatironed while I transition until my new growth/natural hair has grown long enough and I'm ready to cut it. This doesn't seem right -- I'm thinking the heat may also be damaging and and go against what I'm trying to do with my hair. I don't want braids/weave, don't know how to do much with my hair but flatiron it and don't know if I'll have enough patience to deal with the two textures of hair. Help!

Answer 1

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I went through this same thing about a year and a half ago. There a a few websites that i can recommend that really helped me out and one that I still use for great information. You have to be really careful about getting your hair pressed because if it is too hot it can permanently straighten your hair and damage it. You need to do protective styles that can blend the textures and moisturize. A protective style is a little to no maintenance style so ur not constantly combing or brushing the hair. For example, braids, twists, buns, braid out and twist out.
websites:
1. www.naturallycurly.com ( I love this website and still use it for great info)
2. www.motowngirl.com
3. www.nappturality.com ( this site is not very accepting of ever straightening or using heat on ur hair which is why I do not look at it to much, sometimes I think straightening can give you a new look and is not bad every now and then)

Answer 2

I've decided to do the same thing and so far so good. I have about 4 months of new growth and a shortish but thick head of permed hair that I am not ready to cut off. I carefully touch up the roots with an electric hot comb and put warm curlers in my hair as usual - no none could tell the difference and I feel like i just got a perm. I use hair dressing and I don't get the comb too hot- if it presses it straight on the first swipe, for me it's too hot. It starts to get kinky in 2 to 4 a few days again and when I wash it on the weekend, it completely reverts which I am happy to see. But I have only been doing it for two weeks so the long term effects are unknown, but I can say that when I wash it, I don't get a lot of hair loss.

Answer 3

It's funny that you ask this questioned. I just made a transitioned from a perm to natural hair. Six months ago i took my braids out and it was than when I decided not to do perms anymore. I got my hair braided again and just took them out. I washed and pressed my hair. It was a job, but i refuse to put a perm in my hair ever again. I cut the little perm I had left out. I used the flat iron between to keep it up. My hair takes alot of heat and it doesn't seem to be doing any harm thus far, so try it out and see what happens.

Answer 4

i've been transitioning for about 4 months now that i have about 4.5 inches of new growth i plan on chopping it all this weekend. I made the transition mostly with my hair in a bun and the last 3 weeks or so switched to cornrows because the new growth kept curling up in the bun and i used no heat because it dried out my hair