We all are fascinated by the beauty of natural hair. But the struggle to detangle, stretch for length, and manage should not be forgotten. That’s why many women with natural hair want to relax their hair.
The main benefit of relaxed hair is that it allows you to style your hair in countless ways and keeps the hair straight, less frizzy, and detangled. Plus, it makes hair manageable and saves time on styling.
Highlights
- Easy detangling: Makes hair easier to comb and manage, reducing the struggle with knots and tangles.
- No need to stretch hair: Minimal shrinkage due to the relaxer’s straightening effect.
- Hair stays straight longer: Maintains straightened appearance for weeks, unlike pressed natural hair.
- Less time working on hair: Relaxed hair requires less time and energy to maintain compared to natural hair.
- Reduced frizz: Results in a smooth, sleek look without frizz or stray hairs.
- Less difficulty with products: Easier to find and use products for relaxed hair compared to natural hair.
- Encourages hair growth and healthiness: Regular salon visits for professional care and trims promote hair growth and overall health.
How Does Hair Relaxer Work?
During a hair-relaxing treatment, your stylist will apply a cream-like chemical product that works to break down the protein bonds in the hair. The relaxer then reforms the layers of the hair’s cuticle while holding the strands straight. The cream relaxer makes hair easier to manage, brush, and style.
The relaxing process is relatively quick, taking approximately two hours, and the results typically last for two to three months before needing to repeat the process or touch up the top where new hair is growing in.
What’s The Main Benefit of Relaxed Hair?
Manageability! Relaxing hair will make your naturally curly or coily hair straighter and easier to style. So, you’ll find it easier to maintain and detangle after relaxing your hair.
However, it’s essential to note that chemical hair relaxers can cause damage to the hair and scalp if used improperly or too frequently. You should balance the benefits with the potential risks and take care to maintain the health of relaxed hair.
For those who prefer to keep their hair from being a hassle, here are seven benefits of relaxed hair you may want to consider.
Benefits of Relaxed Hair
Many people love relaxing their hair. Here are the key benefits of relaxed hair.
1. Easy Detangling
For women with thicker hair, the main benefit of relaxed hair is to straighten out all the knots and tangles. Relaxed or straightened hair makes it easier to comb and manage, and you don’t have to worry about wearing out your arm while combing out tangles.
If your hair has a thicker course, washing relaxed hair keeps the tangles away. It’s easier to comb out, especially once you put conditioner on it. Conditioners help relaxed or straightened hair remain soft and more manageable.
If your hair is natural and you have a coarse texture, you’ll spend time (and money) searching for shampoos and conditioners that make your hair more manageable and easy to comb. For women with thin hair texture, the opposite happens.
Relaxing or straightening hair makes hair curly, but it still makes it more manageable and less detangling. Less detangling with relaxed hair means less hair breakage, which is a problem for those with natural hair and especially for those with coarse textures. The constant combing or detangling causes the hair to break easily.
2. No Need to Stretch Your Hair
Ask anybody with natural hair, and they’ll tell you about the shrinkage. It can cause concern at first because the hair shrinks so much it takes away the length. Relaxed hair, especially newly relaxed hair, contains very little shrinkage.
The chemicals in a relaxer straighten out all those kinks. The need to stretch hair is minimal, if any. Some relaxers do a great job straightening new growth to give you length. You’ll barely notice shrinkage.
3. Hair Stays Straight Longer
Some people with natural hair will straighten their hair without relaxers with pressing combs. While the pressing combs straighten the hair, it doesn’t last long.
Relaxed hair will leave the hair straightened for weeks unless there’s a lot of sweating or moisture taking place. However, pressed natural hair may last a week at the most.
4. Less Time Working on Hair
Less time working on hair is a significant benefit of relaxed hair. Many who decide to go natural find out that it takes more time and energy to maintain the natural look than it does with relaxed or straightened hair.
The time to work on natural hair can take hours. Not only does the detangling take time, but the stretching also takes time. Many with natural hair will braid or add hair (a wig or weave) to have more styles.
5. Reduced Frizz
Since relaxed hair changes the texture of your hair, you can expect less frizz. Relaxer gives you a smooth, sleek look without hairs sticking up, out of place, and that dreadful frizzy look.
6. Less Difficulty with Products
Many find natural hair difficult to manage and maintain because it’s hard to find the right products that work with their natural texture.
7. Encourages Hair Growth and Healthiness
Another benefit of relaxed hair is hair growth and healthy hair; many who relax their hair visit a professional stylist more than those with natural hair. They go to the hair salon regularly for a professional shampoo and conditioner with proven products.
They also get their ends clipped, promoting hair growth and healthy hair. The opposite is the case with natural hair–people visit the salon less once they go natural. They try various products–some work, some don’t –and they don’t get a trim as often.
FAQs
Yes, relaxing your hair can make it healthy if you take good care of it. Avoid leaving the relaxer on too long, and make sure to wash all the relaxer out of your hair.
Not really! Your hair’s growth rate will depend on several things, including how you take care of your hair and the products you use.
Relaxed hair is not as high maintenance as natural hair. Relaxed hair is usually kept by wrapping it at night while you sleep to make sure it stays hydrated.
Most stylists recommend getting a touch-up every six weeks. But it largely depends on the texture of your hair.
Related Topics
- How to Tell If My Relaxed Hair Is Low or High Porosity
- Can I Bleach Relaxed Hair?
- How to Protect Relaxed Hair from Breakage and Damage
- How to Dye Relaxed Hair Without Damage
- What Happens if You Stop Relaxing Your Hair?