How Straight Hair Naturals Retain Length
Heat styling can be damaging to the hair, but some naturals can grow long hair and retain length while heat styling for several years.
As a Licensed Cosmetologist and Natural Hair Specialist I speak from personal experience as a witness, seeing first hand my own clients who desire to achieve a washngo with my professional help after years of heat styling.
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Hi everyone - this is Athena again I'd like to thank you for tuning in to my youtube channel, embrace natural beauty, where it is my goal to share with you simple tips and techniques that have been helpful to me in my very own natural hair journey, which has Been just over five years that have helped me to maintain my hair to keep it in good condition and to retain length, which was always my goal. And I want all of you who watch and follow me to better maintain your hair, to keep it in good condition and to retain length, if that happens, to be your goal so that you enjoy your hair and embrace natural beauty of your own. Now I'm really milking it guys, I'm really milking, as you can see, I'm doing another video with my hair being you know in the silk press, I've had my hair and it's so pressed now for just a couple couple. You know for two weeks, just over two weeks actually - and it looks like we're going to my third week, but I've discovered that you know I was able to go to the gym and we'll work out. I did a cycling class, spinning class and that's a lot of cardio and I actually did some how my hair look coming out of the coming out of the the workout. I mean I kept my hair up in a bun, and so I had expected it to really frizz out at the roots and have like a an afro. But I don't the sections that were frizzy when I started this morning are the same sections and frizzy and I didn't get any additional frizz, the back of my hair back here. It got a little a little kind of funky, but I combed it. And now it's fine, so yeah, my scalp is not itchy. It'S not bothering me and at this stage, because the hair so old, because I was so old - it's not flowing the way that it did when I first got it done. It was always in my way. So, since of staying back there, I can bring it to the front if I want to when I want to - or I could just you know, leave it to the back. You know as long as it's in the back, while I'm doing whatever I'm doing outside. I'M fine for the. I will keep it up India in the fund, so now now that's got all that yada yada! I wanted to do this video, while my hair is so so pressed and just touch on the fact that um I've been I've been asked. A couple times - and I have had personal interaction with clients of mine who actually like to wear their hair heat styled, and I wanted to talk about you know: can you heat failure here on a regular basis and still reach your hair goal of retaining length? And so forth, so I have a couple of clients that I've had experience working with who have come to me after wearing their hair heat styled for years and they've had you know, or they currently have long hair. So with that with that being said, you know those are examples of individuals who have experienced length retention while being natural and having their hair Heath Bell on a regular basis. I have also witnessed clients who get their hair heat styled consistently after taking down so ins. Those clients tend to have or experience more breakage and and and are not retaining as much length. So my overall assessment at this stage, I would love to do this on a grand scale. I would love to do you know a large group of individuals who have experience with long term heat styling and retaining length to to come to more of a basis of how common and how what the parameters, what the common denominators are, that be too successful sheet. Styling for years, I'm talking about ladies who've, been heat styling in here for for several years, left easily seven to ten there's and have hair down to here or longer, and so you know I like to have a large pool to people to to make this basis On to judge or make this consideration and into an analyze the reason why? Because I said to you guys before but always have exceptions, you'll always have anomalies and you'll always have extremes. So if you get just a handful of people who who have exhibited certain characteristics, favorably or unfavorably, it's not enough to make a basis or a case to say: okay, this is how hair works. So we really do need to have an overall large pool of individuals who have successfully gone on to experience some. You know helping here growth while wearing their hair sheep styled consecutively for years, and then we can determine you know how often on the heat styling on a heat styling every week, every two weeks, every three weeks are they using just a blow dryer and a round Brush are they using round brush blow dryer and a flat iron? What heat protectants are they using? Are they using heat protective, and so we need to look at you know the math pool of people. As a professional, I had the opportunity to work with you in the natural hair community. When you come to me, and so I do get to see the varying degrees of experiences and so my experience, I have seen a couple of ladies a handful I'd like to see more, but I can give you say definitively: yes, you can heat sell for years. Considering you know, if you have this certain characteristic, meaning like if you have low porosity hair that tends to help you retain. You know good structure to you here for a longer period of time before you start to experience breakage. So there are a number of factors and a lot of different common denominators that I would like to examine. And if you wanted to consider where, in your hair heat style rather than having a relaxer, so you are straight natural and you don't have to have a relaxer in your hair, so you're, avoiding me chemicals but you're, not necessarily wearing your hair. In this natural curl. You you know there are some incidents, not enough for me to say this is how it works well for across the board, but at least there are examples, and so just wanting to get that information to you and if you happen to be a straight hair natural. If you are actually wearing your hair straight on a regular basis, the way that I worked with are going to professional stylists to have their hair straightened and they get their hair done either every two weeks every three weeks or once per month. And so that's the information that I was getting if you are straight natural and you have successfully grown your hair long and not experiencing excessive breakage due to heat styling. I would like to know about your about your regimen. If you would please, you know, share your experience in the comment section down below, because I'd love to be in contact with you or I'd love to be able to. You know, respond to your. You know comments and I'm sure there are other Naturals who are considering it and would like to know that information as well. So I really appreciate you know being able to talk to you all about this. While I have this straight hair going on, because this is a topic I can cover at this time - and I look forward to hearing from you what your comments are, what your experiences has been. Thank you so much, there's, certainly no one way to be natural and I'm certainly not encouraging anyone to wear their hair straight. But for those of you who really want to know the common denominators of the ladies that I showed earlier in the video well number one. They all have low porosity hair number two. They all go to a professional to have been here, blow-dried number three: they go a there every two weeks, three weeks or four weeks, and then finally, only one of them experienced significant heat damage and that was usually use of a straightening comb on a daily basis. To refresh the front of the hair, whether you wearing your hair straight ORN, curly state, stay connected with me on my varying social media platforms and remember: you can chat with Queen live on periscope on Monday evenings at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. You can download the app onto your smart phone and follow me at embrace end Beauty to get the alert when I'm broadcasting live and, as always, thank you so much for watching.
Comments
Curly Wishes Caviar Dreams: My sister gets her hair flat ironed once a month (Hair Roller Set & then her hair would be blow dried with a round brush. Afterwards hair would be flat ironed with Mizanni heat protectant, from a stylist) She used to play soccer and her hair would last 3 weeks straight and she wrapped it every night. She would wash her hair and wear it natural for one week. She grew her hair from pretty much her ear to mid back length, it really works for her. She has a 4B curl pattern with low porosity hair. I think it works for her, because her hair doesn't like a lot of product and it keeps her hair detangled for a long period of time !
Deanna Williams: Straightened hair has less tangles and less manipulation. Heat styling natural waist length hair for 14 years.
Breona: I just stumbled across this video and wanted to share... I have a couple things to say, one of my best friends goes to a beautician once a month for a silk press. Her hair seems to look healthier/longer then mine and I'm the 1 who's a natural 98% of the time. Growing up my hair was really long because my mom always kept my hair stretched in braids and then when I got into middle school she taught me how to hot comb me and my sisters hair (one pass) Which we would wrap every night with some kind of oil. Always had really long hair, and fairly healthy hair. My mom was a hair stylist when she was younger so she made sure we did mayo treatments and trimmed out hair like 3 times a year. The only time I ever suffered from heat damage is when I got too full of myself and tried to straighten it every morning (sweating didn't really agree with my hair that much ) I was working out and in a sport so I'm kinda shocked your hair looked so nice after a whole class. To be fair I didn't wanna wrap my hair up around my friends so that's probably why my hair would frizz up. Anyways, My senior year I decide to cut my hair up to my ears and let go of the flat iron completely. my curls were popping but they pop so much that my hair was very short, so i tried jumbo perm rods and got big, fluffy, and soft results that made me like my hair short. I would wash my hair once a week. Install the rods. And then not touch my hair again till the following Saturday. My hair just flourished, and all I using was shea butter, water and aussie moist conditioner too. Out of no where my hair was long again. I started feeling myself (oh no) and tried to dye my hair, and it broke off completely. So last year after Thanksgiving, I cut it all off again, to my ears, to start fresh its growing nicely. Its already an inch away from bra strap length .... I honestly feel like it acts better when I use a little heat. I have high porosity hair, so the combination of oil and heat just really soothes my hair. I only allow myself to straighten it every 3 months for a length check, but I have been going to get blow outs and my hair is just flourishing. Mind you, they use really good silky heat protectants and my stylists blow drys my hair with a protien leave in conditioner in it, which is something I would have never thought of. When it starts to sweat out I do a wash and go and wear that till it becomes too big for me (2weeks) I currently wash my hair every other week, followed with a protein treatment once a month, religiously!! I feel like if you wanna be a straight natural and it's working for you, don't feel bad. anything's better than putting chemicals on your head. I also wanna point out that and a lot of natural hair Youtubers say "low manipulation is the key to length retention" so technically if you're wearing ur hair in a blown out/silk press, then you don't have to touch it for 2 to 3 weeks.... Isn't that equivalent to low manipulation?
Ria Rich: Love this video! Straight BLEACHED natural here. I blow dry my hair every 2-3 weeks. I install 8 flexirods and let my hair set overnight, and pineapple to keep the curls. My hair has grown tremendously and I see wayyyy less split ends than if I were to keep my hair in a wash n go/twist out.
tacthom: I have been a heat styled natural 20 years (since I was 15 years old). I now have full waist length hair, and will be tailbone length by the end of the year. I have high porosity hair and my curl pattern is still fully intact. Recently (2 years ago) I began to color treat the first signs of grey hair with demi permanent color every 6-7 weeks as I am about 5%- 8% grey. For most of the past 20 years my hair was pressed by a licensed professional. In 2014 I learned to press my own hair and did so every 2 weeks. Recently I have begun stretching to 3 weeks. Yet it was NOT long term heat styling that contributed to my length retention. I only began to retain length during the past 4 years. During the past 4 years I began focusing on hair care practices with particular attention to the ends of my hair, gentle handeling, and moisture protein ballance (deep conditioning each wash, and 2 step protein treatment every 6-7 weeks). It was only after making these changes to my hair care practice that I really began to notice that I was retaining length. I also use a resting phase from heat in the summer. During this time I wear individual braids for 3-4months. This year I am shifting focus to include stimulated hair growth in addition to length retention. I will be using vitamins and supplements, and biophotostimulation with low level laser therapy.
Ms88keys1: I joined you, I'm straightened, found a great stylist. I find that being straight allows me to retain length because I don't suffer with two strand knots or those fairy knots. I'm about collarbone length and my goal is actually the length you are in this video. Hopefully by the end of this year I will reach my goal. With that much length do you wrap it or do you use huge soft rollers?
Shayla Ahava: Hi Abena!... Great vid!!! I am a natural who has worn my hair straight for about 8-9 years now. I have had several cuts, trims and I have done my own hair for almost 5 years now. I wear my hair straight only about 5-6 times per year max. I actually increased my heat usage this year because straight hair is so much easier to manage!.. It is definitely possible to maintain long straight natural hair with the right regimen. Moisture and protecting your ends is key!.. I hit my hair goal of waist length two years ago and now I am just between mid-back and waist length comfortably! My hair type is tightly , coiled and easy to tangle (type4c).. I just wanted to respond to your vid! Thanks for being an inspiration to so many!!
What Chelsea Eats: I am actually experimenting with this as well. I have worn my hair curly in its natural state since 2008. I am sort of sick of wearing my hair curly. So I will see what happens. :)
mjgarner123: Abena, this sounds like an interesting research subject. I have 2 sisters that heat style their hair and both have waist length to hip length hair. One goes to a professional every 2 wks, whom roller sets and use flat iron on the roots only. The other is a DIYer. She air dries and uses the flat iron monthly. No touch-ups. I do not know if heat protectant is used, however they both use silicones. Not sure about porosity or Protein DC either.
Yvonne D: I have natural hair and I often wear my hair in straight styles. I’ve been able to achieve 22inches of length after having a short bob 2 years ago! I silk press my own hair once every 4 weeks or so (I wear my hair in curly buns for a week in between this) and trim my ends every 2 months. It has been working for me for so long. I’m 4 inches from waist length and know I will reach that goal this year!
AHealthy StateOfMind: Aaliyah heat styled her hair for years. Her routine was every 10 days.
Tracy C.: I've very recently started my journey as a straight haired natural. I think that it will be easier to retain length since my type 4a hair won't have an opportunity to tangle up on itself. I use 360-375 to flat iron with no problems. I can't go a whole month without washing my hair as my scalp will be on fire, breakout and become sore. I go about 2 weeks, 3 is pushing it for me. I recently switched to salon products such as Pureology, Redken, Amika and Joico shampoos, conditioners/deep conditioners. I just started using It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in and really love it. I've been stuck at grazing BSL even with regular (every 12 weeks) professional trims. It's time to push past this plateau so straight hair it is.
Just Bemo: i consider myself a "flat ironed natural." My hair has grown very nicely over the past year. I have kinky 4a-4c hair depending on the area of my head. I also have highly porous hair. What I have found key to maintaining healthy hair while heat styling is staying on top of trims (I trim during every flat iron -- I call it maintenance dusting), protein treatments, and deep conditioning. NOT using blow dryers with or without comb attachments. I flat iron only 370- 390 degrees using a ceramic flat iron. I also LIMIT tool use. I only use a comb for the comb chase method over my ends and then after one pass once my texture has smoothed out. I also keep combs out of my head during the week. I'll only use a wide tooth comb 1-2x a week (if that). I prefer you use my fingers to rake through my hair. I don't have any heat damage. I was pretty busy last year finishing up my Master's degree so I didn't flat iron once a month. I flat ironed my hair 6x last year. I don't have long hair by any means, but I am retaining good length
Samira J.: For anyone at a loss on what to use to remoisturize straightened hair, I highly recommend Qhemet biologics 'amla olive heavy cream' (applied sparingly ofcourse if you dont want your hair to be weighed down). This cream has water as the third ingredient so it's better than applying straight oil because the water offers hydration, but it's not so liquidy/ water based that your hair will revert/shrink up significantly. I love it :) Hope this helps someone!
Coffy Belle: Your hair is so beautiful. It’s looking like BUNDLES lol. I love it. I want to hear style my hair on a regular basis, but my hair is still short so I’m scared that if I do my hair won’t grow as fast or long as I want it to.
Cerrone Samuel: Very inspiring. I love my natural hair, but as a busy mom, being a straight natural looks like a viable option for me.
Siren Thomas: i find what helps the most is protein treatments...i have coarse 4b/c thick hair(i call it the bush lol)so once a month i do protein treatments and blow dry on high(1800 watt flat iron when i switch to 1875 i can use medium) and flat iron on 375 been doing this for years...also trim once every three months (its time now i need to trim ) ..i wish the community would accept us and know we exist...deep conditioning once a week is a must ...im sorry but i think that my hair is healthier now than when i was relaxed ...i think the main thing is to KNOW YOUR HAIR ...glad oyu made this video..
Tedi Prude: Wish I had seen this when you started it. I have low porosity hair. My hair's texture is mostly fine. I have had issues with iron deficiencies and other health stuff. About 4 years ago I cut my hair to chin length. I do flat iron my hair about once every 6 to 8 weeks. Also, my hair is about 85% gray now. It has increased to bra strap length and it's still growing. I don't really do anything special to it. Mostly I just leave it alone. I really enjoy your presentations here. Thank you so much for the inspiration. Peace, Love, and Light!
Gottaluvlivie2: I am natural and have heat styled my hair for years. I have nearly tailbone length hair. I straighten my hair once a month or so. Biggest key is do not refresh with heat if you can avoid it, I use the tresemme heat tamer, I oil my ends every other day and I oil my scalp as needed while it is straight. Hope this helps someone.
QueenC: Thank You! I have been transitioning since May 2019. I think I have about 2 inches of ends that need to come off. I appreciate this video. I find that blow drying and silk pressing 1x a month is safe, and I feel best to manage and less breakage and dryness.
Lea J: I love your videos! I am over a year post relaxer. I do mainly protective styles to avoid heat. I may bun for a week, twist out the next week, 2 braids to the back etc. if I do straighten it, it's every 3 months and I will prepare my hair for heat. Before when I got relaxers and didn't know about how to care for hair, I straightened about every 3 weeks and still retained length. Guess I was that exception lol
simply happy: Hi I have a niece who usually keeps her hair silk pressed. She has the same lenght with no damage. She also colored it. The one thing I see is that she always has her hair professionally cared for. Your hair is very nice. Great video.
Carmen2life2love Natural: This is a wonderful video. Since deciding to go natural 2009 I am still on the hunt to find the right style/regimen that will not only give me healthy and strong hair but will also provide me freedom and less maintenance as possible. I would prefer to not use heat but I find when my hair is stretched with heat and styled it less maintenance and less knots . After trying wash and go's, damp/wet braid out and twist outs and protective styles I am now using heat/blow dryer to stretch my hair and eventually will add the flat iron for even more convenience.. I have found as long as I deep condition under a hair dryer min 30 min and use a great leave in with a great heat protectant I have little breakage and my style last longer.. Good luck on your hair journey... much love
RitaMay June: I recently decided to become a straight natural after 5 years of mainly wearing my hair in its natural state, with a flat iron and protective style here and there. I do have L.P. hair. I'm currently an itch or so pass BSL and I plan to grow my hair out waist lengthy even while using heat. Look forward to your experiment. I'm only a month in being a straight natural, I wash, DC, blow dry and flat iron when every my hair streets reverting or feel dry. That can be in 7 days or 14 days.
belfam89: I'm really considering this, I've been natural for 5 years and not happy with my length I'm 4c and in bra strap length. so I choose to start wearing straight hair to see if I can retain more length, wish me luck,
Dr. Simple Beauty 300: I have LP hair with medium strands. Years ago, I used to get my hair heat styled professionally every two weeks. My hair did grow, but it is no where near as healthy as it is now. I attribute this to stretching my hair by air drying and daily light oil when its time to go to bed. I know I will reach waist length this year, but I think regular heat styling would slow that process down for me and I would need more frequent trims. If your research is LP vs HP length retention with heat styling I'm sure you will find the results you can currently predict.
Hairfanatic1: I have high porosity hair and wearing my hair natural, doing curly methods, wash and go, natural products all took a toll on my hair. I begins to bald in the crown. My mother use to press my aunt's hair every 10 days using Prell shampoo and Queen Helene Conditioner and no heat protectant and she had butt length hair. Ever since I started back using sulfate shampoos my hair began to change for the better. Then when my mother told me to go back to what I Know meaning what she taught me with pressed hair, I started wearing my hair straight again and that was a double game changer with longer and thicker hair. I just couldn't understand why I couldn't have that wash and go natural hair like everyone else but now I know. Being curly was just destroying my hair. Another thing I learned is that the flat iron destroyed the integrity of my hair but the regular flat iron that you put in the stove didn't. No heat damaged with the pressing comb and flat iron you put in the heat stove but damage with those electrics flat irons and straight ends... go figure
Dinah Fisher: I started doing this with my mom I straighten her hair once a month. I spray heat protectant blow dry spray heat protectant before I straighten every piece. Also the heat protectant has anti humidity which helps the style last longer but I'm trying to get her at least to bra strap length by next year. She doesn't like wearing her hair natural just yet because its very short when curly. But I've been doing this for a couple of months now and I haven't seen any heat damage so I'm glad
Bel Jones: This is a very interesting topic, and I would love to hear all the information you gather from other ladies.
Olivia J: This is exactly what I was doing when I was younger with and without a relaxer. I was stretching relaxers 3-4 months at a time and getting my hair done once a month or so and I had hair down to the top of my chest. I miss that length! LOL I had my hair cut to a short bob last year under my ears and now it is back to the top of my back and I'm still doing straight styles, re-heat styling every 2 1/2 weeks or so and using no heat during summer months.
winiver77: This is just what I'm looking for.. I'm about to flat iron this week after testing it in a mall, noticing how my hair lovee the softness of each strand. I actually think its what I've been looking for healthier smoother hair, I'm 4c low porosity. I'll certainly gonna have a go. Its been so hard to maintain length after 9 years only armpit length. Time to try something else. .. Encouraged by comments below too.
Android With Sick Coin Tricks: I just read that straighter hair retains length, and temperature natural oils can get to the ends of the hair. Also, the follicles are round and ours are flat, so that's another factor. Coily hair is just more prone to breakage because of these and DNA of course. When I grow mine out I'd moisturize it everyday in twists. I just kept it stretched...I'll need to try this process because just wearing a "wash n go" or just a fro isn't doing anything and I've noticed a lot of breakage and dumb single strand knows after I cut my bleached hair off.
Tracy Shuler: I've never had long hair. The longest was barely touching my shoulder blades. I went natural because I only got touch ups once a season. In 2008, I cut my hair in a Halle Berry-ish style and grew out my natural hair from there. Because I didn't know what I was doing, I was a straight natural for the first 3 or 4 years. I got my hair blow dried and flat ironed about once a month and it flourished. It still wasn't long, just shoulder length, but it looked and behaved like healthy hair. Then, I started watching YT and started experimenting with WnGs, twist and braid outs, etc. and my hair suffered. It has been the same length for the last 4 years and I haven't straightened it once in that time! Not even once! I trim every 3 months and wind up with the same awkward stage looking haircut. My hair is medium to low density and fine. 3c-4a, if you subscribe to hair-typing. I am considering texlaxing because my hair does not like the constant manipulation and tangles. I'm beginning to think that having my texture loosened may aid in it being less dry and the over-manipulation. Sorry about the length of this comment, but I wanted to give you some background and ask what you think I should do.
DeVonna Smith: I currently am a heat trained natural and have been for 4 months. I have lost my natural curl pattern but do not experience excessive breakage and my hair is bra strap length. I wash my hair once a week with sulfate free shampoo and deep condition. Then I use Gabrielle Union’s “Flawless” blow dry cream (small amount from root to tip) and blow dry my hair in sections using the comb attachment on my Chi Brilliance blow dryer. I then proceed to straighten it with my chi brilliance titanium 1” flat iron with a snake tooth comb as I straighten for 1-2 passes with each section. I only straighten my hair once a week rarely in between washes and wear down a few days then up a few. About 1-2 a month I may use my wand for some curls (few days before wash day on old hair) and add chi heat protectant prior to using my wand. Also I sleep with a satin bonnet each night no wrapping required and get up and go each day. I also plan to keep getting trims every 4-6 months to keep my hair healthy. So far so good! My hair is healthy and long ! I may start a vlog for straight haired natural so they know it is possible and some do’s and don’ts as we are few and far in between. There is also a lot of misinformation within the natural hair community and I would like to be a resource if I can as I wished I would have had one rather then everyone telling me to cut all my hair off because I lost my curls. This journey has made me feel more free and feel like I can be myself without having to constantly be scared of big chopping again because my curls indicate “health”. I also feel more freely about my hair in knowing that if I do cut my hair it will grow back like any other race or ethnicity. Truly is a wonderful experience!
The One Where I Say: Hello Abena, I feel like I have watched a million hair videos on YouTube and tonight this if the first time I am seeing your channel. This is probably because I have mostly been focusing on channels about 4c hair care. My hair is grown a few inches past my shoulders, I'd like to straighten my hair to see what it looks like, but I am afraid that my hair will start breaking even more. Well anyway, great videos and your voice is very professional and calming.
keena20071987: Abena have you ever used a steam/vapor flatiron? I've read that this type of pressing tool is better for natural hair. What are your thoughts?
Djcurlz: Hi Abena! Your channel is very informative. Your content is arranged and presented so clear and orderly. Thank you for documenting and presenting to us! With that being said, although this is an old video, I’d like to add 2 more cents please lol. I began my NHJ in 2007. I am mid-back length straightened, and full shoulder length curly. The 3 biggest tips I have benefited from are: -Drinking more water-usually 50 ounces(about 3 16.9 ounce bottles) -Dusting the ends VERY little before cowashing (to open the hair shaft to ensure better product absorption) -Refreshing at least once a week in the dry/special areas. There are more tips but of course these are the most important to name a few. Thanks for your content!
Essence of Love: I have been pressing my hair with a hot comb for years. My hair has grown long for years. The few times, I used a flat iron my hair would be fried for weeks, so I stopped that. I have used a hot comb stove version for over 30 years. I did my hair only once a week after it was washed, and used based shampoos and conditions with pressing oil only. My hair began to thin over the last two years. I am 50 now. I thought it was due to aging. With the last two used I started using anti- frizz products. Something funny happened. My friend introduced me to Jamaican black castor oil which I started using 8/21/2016. I also stopped using silicon products, and as my hair grew out it was noticeably thicker. It never stopped growing long. After listening to one of your videos, I now believe my hair began to thin because I wasn't cleanings the silicon products out properly. I had stopped using sulfate shampoos before I began using silicon products. For the last two months or since March 2017, I stopped pressing my hair also, started using all natural products and oils, mayo treatments, and no sulfates. I totally believe the cause of my hair damage was due to me using silicone products, not cleanings properly, and then pressing my "dirty"
booktoblockbuster: great video! can u make a video on night time routine and gym style to preserve your straight hair before you go back to curly. thanks
Ms88keys1: 4c low porosity thick thick collar bone length. 1. Every late Saturday night, Hot oil overnight with olive oil put hair in 12 big twist 2. In the early Morning Squeeze in vo5 one twist at a time and carefully detangle, after all 12 are detangled, spray scalp with water and Poo scalp outside the shower. Using handheld shower handle rinse hair well, squeeze in DC to each twist and GHE for 1 hour, get in the shower and do a final rinse to the hair. Spray hair with leave-in of choice, seal with grapeseed oil (secret heat protectant) then blow dry with Revlon brush/dryer on low or cold. After hair is dry spray one twist at a time with two or three shots of heat protectant, comb through, and flat iron ABSOLUTELY ONE PASS 400 degrees. At night: Massage scalp for 5-10 min. rub hands with olive oil and Put hair in 12 big tight twist or braids and wrap the twist around the circumference of the head and use big Bobby pins to secure it for stretch. After twist are wrapped carefully put on a pair of stocking on your head and ease the bobbypins through the holes and wrap the legs around your head. In the morning untwist and shake and lightly separate I DO NOT USE A COMB AT ALL DURING THE WEEK. I do not use a comb again until my hair is hot oiled and has vo5 conditioner added for slip. So I basically wear a straightened twist out all week and twist the hair every night to insure it looks neat everyday. Doing hair once a week keeps hair and ends moisturized. Keeping hair straightened prevents single strand knots which kill retention because your constantly trying to rake through the knots. Doing a nightly twist up, and daily twist out allows you to look super cute without using a comb.
Philly Gal: Thanks so much for addressing this topic! I haven't found anyone on YouTube discussing this topic. I really would like to know if there is a healthy way have heat styled hair and still maintain moisture, length, and growth.
Sonia B Dorsey: Thanks for sharing and being a passionate natural!
dee bee: I have low porosity, protein sensitive bsl hair. Single strand knots are the only thing that hinders my retention. When I heat style, I have less knots of course and don't have to manipulate my hair for 2 weeks with just nightly wrapping. I've been afraid to consistently heat style since being natural so I'm not sure what the effect would be. It could perhaps help me with the knots which would help me retain length. However, my hair isn't very course so I'm not sure I could withstand much heat. I may try it and post results. How often do you heat style Abena?
Davi: I am 15 and have silk pressed by stylist since I was 7. Every 3 weeks. I am able to have minimal straight ends. I never had my hair relaxed either. My hair is past my shoulders too but I think it could be longer if the salon wouldn't trim it every 6 WEEKS.
shyneice mayeux: I'm starting my straight hair natural journey now :D. I just got it pressed and cut. Starting at bra strap length hope to get to waist by the end of this year.
Virtuenow: The topic starts around 2:53. I'm a heat straightened natural (4c) and have been for quite a while. I hover around BSL to midback length and get regular retention.
Lumen: My mother used to heat style my hair when I was younger and it was thick and long. Now that I’m natural and rarely use heat, it seams that my hair doesn’t want to grow. I sat my mother down sis and asked her give me step by step how you cared for our hair back then bc I’m about to go back to that lol. SERIOUSLY THO…
Lumen: My mother used to heat style my hair when I was younger and it was thick and long. Now that I’m natural and rarely use heat, it seams that my hair doesn’t want to grow. I sat my mother down sis and asked her give me step by step how you cared for our hair back then bc I’m about to go back to that lol. SERIOUSLY THO…
J. J.: The Glam Twinz heat style during the fall/winter and wear wash n go during spring/summer. When heat styling they straighten every three weeks. They have tons of videos. My hair isn’t like theirs but I’m trying some of the professional products that are their holy grail.
Virtuenow: Could you do a follow up to this video with your findings, updates, tips?
HabitualLover: I notice that I have to trim (dust) my ends more often since I went from real natural to straight natural. My growth seems slower, but it's all real growth that looks great, not fast growth of long damaged ends. I'm really excited about that.
Curlyhead Renaé: So far for me my hair needs a lot of moisture but hates to much products so how I keep/retain my length is after I give my hair a silk press (my hair can handle heat) I apply oils (small amount) then for when I go to sleep I either put it in a bun or if I want it wavy straight two braids and I only touch my hair up on lower heat and my hair is a mixture of 3b and 3c but yes that’s what works for me
Camille Hendricks: Crazy thing is that after I get my hair silk pressed professionally ... the next time I wash my hair my curls are amazing!! Emphasis on Professionally... I damage my hair whenever I do it myself
shellisa04: I used to straighten a lot, but noticed that my hair is healthier and grows faster when I use less heat. Recently, I got a silk press and a good trim. But after 2weeks, my hair felt dry and I noticed more (new) split ends. I'd rather wear wash and gos and not deal with extra problems.
Mimi Lee: I have bsl hair after going natural and doing a bc 3 years ago. I alternate between wash and go and diy press. I've had my hair professionally pressed 3 times within the three years. I have more breakage when I get it done professionally because of the stylist combing technique. I have experienced a lot of shedding but thankfully I've found a product that helps stregthen my hair from shedding.
Portia Watson: My sister heat styled her hair is down her back I was natural w/ heat and hair was horrible..I noticed that if I heat style myself its a disaster...a stylist has grown it
Eve Bowman: you look great!!! so nice to see you back out on YouTube. I really missed you as alway great advice
idontcarrotall: Hair strand width makes a significant difference in how much of an advantage a person will have with retaining length while primarily heat styling.
Kisha Hall: Such beautiful hair!!!
DefiningOurBeauty: I heat styled for about 4 years --Touch ups every other day. --Heat protectant --Blow-dry and flatiron I did this for about 2.5 years before I experienced any damage. I was retaining length and the damage did not cause breakage. It only left my ends straight. I stopped heat styling after I got my hair done at a salon (I've only visited a salon 4 times) and she placed me under the cap dryer, blow dried my hair and flat ironed my hair without heat protectant. After that I had to chop a lot of my hair off.
Dedeshika Alabi-Mensah: For years I hand my hair pressed my for years and my mom used beeswax and used a hot comb. But I have been natural for two years and don't use any heat now. I have never done a relaxer and my hair is to my bust. I want to grow to hip length. My mom also would do my hair in braids as well during the summer. Then straighten it in the winter every two or three weeks.
Darcey DeRosa: I'm going to visit this before I decide to texlax. Thank you for this.
SUGARBEAR911: Another Informative Video!
NeeCJae: Your hair is beautiful!! tfs
Pearlie's world: I know I am late to this video But I'm glad I found it I straighted my hair all the time and man has it growed so much I got pics to prove it
sxdnxynicole: you’re extremely well spoken.
Jasmine Lane: Any follow up with this video? I'm very interested.
KinkCurlandGo: I have medium porosity hair which means I need a protein and moisture balance at all times. Sheamoisture 10 n 1 renewal mask works best for me for conditioning. Sheamoisture moisture retention shampoo or Jamaican black castor oil shampoo are best for washing. My leave ins are either as I am leave in conditioner or Acure leave in. My heat protect is Ojon rare blending protective treatment with macadamia oil spray. My hair retains length and looks healthy.
QueenBee1118: Hi Abena. Do you have follow up information on this topic?
Shawna Jones: Hiii! I'm 14 and I really look up to you with my hair!!! I think you're gorgeous btw
donaxula: Good topic. I'm just about 34 and never not been natural so my styles over the years have run every gamut. It's only recently within the last 5 years or so that I'm experiencing positive feedback because of ( or despite?) me wearing my natural fro everywhere outside of my home/ family structure. When I had a job interview or whatever I felt like I had to straighten my hair, but now I don't feel that way, I just like to mix up my style and give my hair a rest because I feel wearing hair completely natural can also cause damage if you're not caring for it properly. I'm inspired by your and other videos to actually try to achieve the waist length I always wanted, but figured I was more or less "stuck" at bra or mid back length. I do not and almost never in 34 years get my hair done in a salon and I've been doing it myself since I was 12. Tools and products have changed so much over the years, but best results still come the same way. Natural products made for my hair (very similar in texture/ thickness to yours), never color treated though I'd like to try if I thought it wouldn't be too damaging, good heat tools that get hot, but maintain the correct temperature (I experienced hear damage only once with a flat iron that I can't see the exact temp and it was just too hot), heat protectant, moisture, and properly wrapping my hair at night (which doesn't happen as often as it should...) I'm really excited to try new products to see what works best now that there are a plethora of natural products for black hair and really get my hair to look like yours for more than 3 days in row!
Trina Morales: Ok i was about to respond until you asked all those questions...i was heat trained 8 years...high porosity...370 degrees..haven't relaxed in 15 years....been without heat over last year..hair is almost 30 inches now...medium density..born high porosity....i never had heat damage...and i did it weekly..never wore weaves or braids with hair..medium thickness...ok not feeling good hope that answered something
Nah: Thanks for the video!
Dragon Angel: She is soo beautiful!!
lovablelibra: This had NOTHING to do with the title
Jojo: im loving the results!!! what temperature did you use for the flat iron???
Danielle Golden: How often do you use heat?
Comelite Lesch: Love your hair
Lidia: heyyy, please reply to this comment if you can inform me on what a “straight natural” is, it your hair isn’t naturally straight how does that make you a straight natural?
Kisha Hall: I’d love to be a straight natural but I workout 4 days a wk, and ya know
Regina Michelle: Gorgeous
Ms88keys1: My stylist washes me, places me under the dryer then presses it and flat iron. She does not believe in blow-drying.
Bunky Ross: Have tried wearing natural, however, I am not good at hair. Dont have professional funds. I do not understand the characteristics of my hair either
Vintage Fiasco: How many times are you suppose to cut your ends??? That is so hard for me
K C: I’m a straight hair natural
Trinity Sheffey: I blowdry and flat iron my hair every two to three weeks. it doesnt grow very fast and i want to figure out why. I have no relaxers help
1GoldenBreeze: I'm not currently a straight natural, however I was a straight natural for 20 yrs. My hair was about 2inches above waist. First my mom and grandma did my hair by shampooing, dc'ing, and straightening with a pressing comb. When I took over my hair I did the same as they had always done twice a month. I used a flatiron instead of the pressing comb bcz I was a bit afraid that I didn't have the skill they had with a pressing comb. I feel like deep conditioning was key for me. I've been watching YT since 2006 and was in TLHC forum before that, and the first thing that surprised me was how many of us in the natural hair community didn't dc. I never used an instant/rinse out condish until joining the natural hair community.
Isly Moniquee: You sat there and told us “ yes ppl can have long hair while getting it straightened “ you failed to tell us HOWWW
Tisha O.: I think you meant science experiment or hair trial something like that
Sa Sonèt: I’m your one thousandth like on this video
Deryshia Johnson: do we have to prepoo with oil?
Okalani Wilson: Should I be a straight hair natural or relax??
Kelli H Williams: What did you specifically say that was relevant to "How Straight Hair Naturals Retain Length"? Clearly I missed it. This video gave no tips whatsoever. I fast forwarded in the hopes of hearing something helpful and got a bunch of rambling for over 9 minutes.
Lashanda Jones: What email can I send a personal question anyone?
Life Is Hilarious: Following!!
Lovely sosweet: Its a whole lot a girls on the tube is heat trrained
ShaunieBNaturalista: In March I'll reach the end of my 3 YEAR no-heat challenge. The challenge began while I was transitioning. I BC'd in November 2014, to a 1 inch TWA, and my hair is now BSL (in just over 2 years). I may straighten it for my 3-year kinkaversary, in November, but not before. I want to get to MBL before I straighten my hair (maybe the end of this year).
GabsJourney: What is your point? Your title doesn’t support your message
Vanessa Morris: This video took too long to get to the point....no information given at all.
Shayanne Smith: She really loooooves to hear her voice. She goes on and on and one... why can just bullet point it. I cannot watch the entire video.