For women who are biracial or have a natural curl pattern to your hair. What are your methods to str

your hair? If you relax, how long does your hair stay relaxed before you need a touch up? Does your hair accept color well? I have naturally curly hair and my hair tend to curl up no matter if I relax my hair today. I hate using heat on my hair, so I let me hair dry natural... but guess what.... my hair is straight at my roots and curly on the ends. Also, how often should I be washing my hair. My hair dresser told me yesterday that I wash my hair too much. I use all Optimum hair products in my hair except for the relaxer I use gentle treatment since I have a sensitive scalp. Ladies please share your ideas.... men too. My kids have nice wavy hair, but when they grow their hair out for braids, their hair appear kinky when it is really very curly with a wave at the root.

THanks in advance for your answers

For women who are biracial or have a natural curl pattern to your hair. What are your methods to straightenin

OK, sit back, here's the story...Like most black women, I permed my hair for years. I was a faithful beauty salon customer. I went every 5 weeks for the perm and every 2 weeks for wash and style. Kept my ends clipped. I bought professional products from her for when I washed my hair at home. I did everything right. I faithfully went to the salon. I usually wore wraps so I did not put a lot of heat in my hair; I usually just flat-ironed or hot-curled it about once or twice a week. I wrapped my hair at night, oiled it well, and have never colored it. Yet over years of perming, my hair never maintained health or length. Sometimes I'd wear braids for 6 months or even longer than a year. Then I'd perm my newgrowth, have long, beautiful thick hair for about 3 months and it'd be broke off again.

Plus, I enjoy working out. Although permed hair will stay straight at the root while its wet, if you get caught in the rain, humidity, sweat alot or other moisture, you still have to wash it and apply heat. All things considered, I just couldn't keep up with my perm.

Then I started noticing that all the black women with natural hair had beautiful, rich, thick, long, voluptuous, healthy-looking hair. All of them. And mine was dry, shabby, and damaged.

So...needless to say, I went natural. It has been 2 years. My hair is longer and fuller than it has ever been and most importantly, it is healthy. No broke off patches in the back, no more $100/mo at the salon, no more bathroom shelf full of hair care products to end my relentless breakage, no more all day Saturdays at the salon. No more combs full of broken hair. I love being natural. It takes lots of moisture and patience, but the proof is in the pudding. I usally wear it in twists, braids, or a curly fro, but on special occasions when I want to straighten it, I do so with a pressing comb. Old school all the way. My only regret is not having gone natural sooner.

It takes dedication, because you do have to regrow another head of hair. You have to eventually cut off the permed hair. Also, there is stigma in the mainstream about natural African-American hair. It is said that it is not professional, that it is not pretty. Well, there is a difference between natural and unkept hair. I have seen natural hair that was not well taken care of; permed hair too. You have to take care of whatever style you have. Even bald people have to maintain their proper baldness. Even if you wear a fro, you should maintain an edgeup and make sure the fro is shaped well.

I should not have to put chemicals in my hair just to be accepted. It's not right. What if the shoe was on the other foot? How would the mainstream feel? What if we said that you HAD to go to a tanning bed in order to fit in. No pale skin allowed. Pale skin isn't pretty so go get a tan or I won't hire you. That would be discrimination. My twists are very professional looking. My fros are not huge where the person behind me can't see. I accesorize with decorative hairclips and barets, just like I did when my hair was permed.

The mainstream needs to understand that black people should not have to conform to the mainstream society of only having long, flowy straight hair. Pink hair or a mohawk is not equivalent to a black person wearing natural hair. Our hair does not natually grow straight, and I am tired of overprocessing and perming my hair just to fit in. I am extremely professional. I just received my Master's degree, and will work in a very professional setting-- with my natural hair.

Sorry so long, but just had to get my thoughts out.

For women who are biracial or have a natural curl pattern to your hair. What are your methods to straightenin

well, for the washing its best only to shampoo every othr day. and a straightningn iron wikl be better for ur sensitive scalp just use heat protection products on ur hair. srr, thats all i know

For women who are biracial or have a natural curl pattern to your hair. What are your methods to straightenin

I have extremely curly hair also! I use heat protectant, straightening spray. Sometimes they're gels too! It doesn't let your hair dry up and break from the extreme heat. You can get them at local drugstores. I have the spray from herbal essences. You can also go to target or walmart. Don't try relaxing your hair, it'll only make it oily and dry, and permanent straightening to. Wash you're hair every other day, washing it to much will dry it out! Email me if you have anymore questions!

For women who are biracial or have a natural curl pattern to your hair. What are your methods to straightenin

Um, I relax about every 12 to 14 weeks if not longer (only by a professional) I wash my hair every week. I use heat on my hair but I use a good thermal protectant and a GREAT flat iron. Sometimes I blow dry it straight. The only things that I use in my hair that have chemicals are my shampoo and conditioner (which are humectants). Everything else is completely natural (even down to my deep conditioner). I have never coloured my hair so I don't know how it takes colour. Using all natural products on my hair however (Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Jojoba Oil, etc) and hydrophilic shampoos and conditioners (look for propylene glycol in the ingredients) is the best thing I have ever done to my hair. Remember, health first!

**my deep conditioner helps to straighten and protect my hair when I blow dry and its made of all natural ingredients if you're interested.***

LOL