flat ironing= no curl?

pumkin

hi. i have a question i hope someone can help with.1 1/2 years ago i had a relaxer(2 of them, 3 months apart actually). i have had all the relaxed part cut out since then. but i still have no curl . i used to be a 3a, with some 3b. now im lucky to be a 2a. ive been blaming it on hormones but could flat ironing be a cause?. i flat iron almost daily, high heat, because it wont curl. i just got a cut for curly hair to try to pop some curls in, but nothing.now i cant flat iron because the cut looks horrible straight.help.!!!
i was thinking perimenipause but the back of my hair on the underneath layers seem to be curly. so im thinking all the flatironing has messed it up. any thoughts. please.

lightskinbaby

i'm almost positive that the loss of your curls is due to heat damage from the flat ironing.

pumkin

i hope your right. i condition like crazy, and thought my hair was healthy, but its bound to be damaged. if it is the heat, at least i have hope to get the curls back. i cant do anything but wear it in a bun now, (because the cut)so mabie if i keep deep treating and stay off the heat the curls will be back.

curlistablog

yup, i agree with lightskinbaby. daily flat ironing ruined by curls - I had to pretty much give it up for my hair to start reverting back to its naturally curly state. your hair has been programmed to act straight, time to reprogram to act curly. good luck!

System

I had relaxed ends and I used a flatiron on my curly grow out - I swear the flatironed hair that was grownout and relaxer free was in worse shape then the relaxed ends.

pumkin

thanks guys. i have hope at least that my curls are not gone forever. im going to wear my hair in a bun, condition, and just baby my hair and see what happens. i guess im back to transitioning again. yippie:)

Au naturale

I agree w/the previous posts, def heat damage. It may revert back after a while of laying off the heat and some deep conditioning. The same thing had happened to me in some parts of my hair (especially the front pieces) after continuously flat ironing for about 1/2 year. I did cut the ends of on some pieces, I also started lowering the heat and only flat iron occassionally. I would say it's fair to give your hair at least the same length of time (no flat ironing) to pass to get the hair back in shape as you had been flat ironing.

nappyasian

Hi ladies---
I am 8 mos in my transition----so its grown out a lot. Since the ends are still relaxed I can't air dry and let it out. Its 2 completely different textures. I pull my hair back during the week with lots and lots of conditioner and blow dry and flat iron on the weekend ( if I have a date) . So far I have 3C curls--very thick--that don't lay down at all at the crown--but OK everywhere else. Do I need to stop straightening all together. My hair seems healthy now without the relaxer--its just the curl pattern is mixed.

pumkin

nappyasian- i would say no, dont flat iron at all. which believe me , i know is hard. i have a mess right now, but im determained. the top layers of my hair dont curl at all. but, mabie you should cut off the ends, find a cute shorter style.also, i was told that if you use leave ins and some products that your hair will be silky soft and you may think it is healthy, but it is not, jusy coated. good luck pumkin

nappyasian

Thanks so much for your advice. I am tyring to stay away for a while---but its hard especially since I can't seem to find a style that works. Been trying everything that I read on the board. Will give it some more time--
thanks again

SoftballT3

yes. it is because of flat ironing it... it is heat damage. i would suggest using a damage repair shampoo and comditionar and do not flat iron for a month or so... hope this helped!