Reasons not to relax hair probably aren’t something you’d want to read about in case you’re happy with your relaxed tresses and don’t feel like going natural anytime soon. But what if you have a little one whose hair is giving you troubles? Should you take the advice from the ones who advocate relaxing children’s hair as a fool-proof method for making mommy’s life easier or go for the natural look despite the fact that you’ll have to re-learn everything you may have forgotten about natural hair care? Well, here are a couple of reasons to help you decide and, in case you feel that relaxers for children have no business sitting in your cupboard, these could definitely assure you that what you are doing is right:
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1. Because Not Even a Kiddy Perm is 100% Safe
Kiddy or regular, a perm is a perm and you know what that means, ladies - don’t you? Yup, chemicals! Don’t let the “no lye” label fool you either because you’re still dealing with a whole lot of toxic stuff and the fact that that particular perm doesn’t contain lye doesn’t make it any safer for your child’s health and hair. Is that so bad? Well, doctors say it is, pointing out that a harsh chemical cocktail such as this one can seriously mess up your child’s health. And as numerous reasons not to relax hair can get, I’d say this is definitely the first and the most important one to consider in case you’re still struggling with the decision.
2. Because It Can Stunt Hair Growth
Thinning, limp or damaged hair, scalp problems and wispy or even balding edges are one of the worst nightmares for every woman and I’m sure not at all what you want for your baby girl. Relaxing children’s hair from a very young age can, unfortunately, not only cause this kind of problems but make them permanent as well, reducing the number of hairstyle options, creating a whole lot of issues that could have been avoided completely. Once the hair and hair follicles have been damaged, nursing them back to health can be a long and tiring journey which is something you should take into account before you decide to go for it and have your kid’s hair relaxed. Sure, relaxed hair does have a lot of benefits and I think most of you will agree using a relaxer doesn’t have to walk hand in hand with kissing your hair good-bye for good yet there’s always a certain risk and you will have to ask yourself are you willing to let your little angel take it.
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The harsh chemicals often found in relaxers can be particularly detrimental to young, developing hair. Over time, these can weaken the hair shaft, leaving it prone to breakage and inability to retain length. Children's scalps are also more sensitive, resulting in more vulnerability to irritation and damage from these potent solutions. Furthermore, the psychological impact of early-onset hair issues should not be overlooked. Instilling a sense of confidence and beauty in natural hair textures from a tender age might be more beneficial for your little one's self-esteem than exposing them to a precarious beauty regimen.
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3. Because Your Child Deserves a Fair Chance
A lot of natural ladies out there share the same story and the weirdest thing is this – they happened to like their hair as it is but were forced to wear it straight simply because their moms found that particular hairstyle easier to manage. Needless to say they all went back to their curls the moment they were old enough to make their own hair-related decisions. Some ladies even claim they had been permed so long and at such a young age, they don’t even remember what their natural hair looks like. Now, I don’t know about you but I’d say that’s a pretty good reason not to relax hair your child might embrace, love and feel proud of as is.
4. Because the Market is Full of Wonderful Care Products
Coming up with a few great reasons not to relax hair is easy nowadays, when you have brands like Carol’s Daughter, Mixed Chicks, Kinky Curly and many others to help you care for both yours and your little princess’ tresses. Shampoo and conditioner optimized for her hair type will make detangling not only much easier and faster but surprisingly pain-free as well while a great, light and natural styling pomade could help you nail the styling part, giving your daughter a fantastic yet natural style she’ll be proud of!
5. Because All the Info You’ll Ever Need is out There and Available at All Times
Relaxing children’s hair often implies itself as a quick, easy solution for something that used to be a serious management issue. After all, how can a mom hope to learn how to take care of her child’s hair (even more so if hers is much different) if there is very little or no knowledge being passed around? Luckily, there are plenty of blogs, websites and forums today to help you not only determine your baby’s hair type but learn how to care for it the best way which, combined with a wide range of various hair care products for children as well as the fact that stylists aren’t so quick to suggest a relaxer nowadays, makes the decision to leave your baby’s hair natural a whole lot easier.
6. Because Mom & Daughter Moments Are Priceless
Caring for naturally curly hair is a process, an ongoing activity that takes a lot of one’s free time and energy these last being, as you ladies already know well, something we often don’t have a lot of. Luckily, plenty of great things can come out of your decision not to relax your daughter’s hair and being able to forge a strong bond with your beloved girl is the best of them! Hair time is something that will, in that way, be your special time, something the two of you will always have despite your work or her school and, believe me, special moments with our special moms are something we girls value above everything else. Now that’s a great reason not to relax hair regardless of how challenging caring for it might prove to be. In fact – the bigger the challenge, the more time the two of you will get to spend together and the prouder you both will feel for being such a fantastic team!
7. Because You Might Regret It Later
This one might sound a bit unusual but, hey, when it comes to important decisions such as this one, even the odd reasons not to relax hair might help quite a bit. And the fact is that there are a lot of moms out there who are truly sorry for choosing put a relaxer in their children’s hair. Most of them say a relaxer was actually quite a popular solution back in the 70’s, 80’s and even 90’s and something even hairdressers had advised to moms of children with “unmanageable” hair. Yes, they’ve actually used the term “unmanageable” quite liberally and there were no blogs and forums for ladies to share their opinions or get informed! Luckily, we know better by now, don’t we ladies? And we know there is no such thing as unmanageable hair! Which, fortunately or unfortunately (depending on how you look at it), also means that making a decision to relax your daughter’s hair without considering both the positive and the negative aspects of such procedure leaves you with no good excuse to turn to in case your decision proves to be wrong and the guilt kicks in.
Are there any other reasons not to relax hair all of you moms would like to point out? Or maybe you have some fresh dirt on relaxers for children you care to share? Do tell! I’m sure most moms with young children take this matter very seriously and would appreciate any extra info that could help them in their decision-making processes.
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Comments
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Leanne: @forYouIwill have you ever combed an African American girls head? How dare you call an African American mother lazy!! My mother worked two jobs! I had a perm BECAUSE it is a tradition of sorts. Yes, it is a STUPID "tradition" but it has nothing to do with being a lazy parent! I challenge you to go ( with all the knowledge you have about african American hair) and fix your friends or her child's hair. Then you can comment about this topic! Because you need a reality check!
Jessi: I don't know why african woman relax their hair at all! I LOVE the look of their natural curly fro! If I was African American I would totally own it! I am so envious of you ladies.
Keesha: Wonderful article
ForYouIwill: I have no idea why someone would relax a child's hair. What's so hard about braiding it or curling it on Sunday and making her wear a sating wrap at night to keep it throughout the week. The biggest problem with lazy parenting is not being able to manage time and schedule things like grooming for children.
Kylie: Thanks for the advice. As an adoptive mum I have been trying to learn more and find the right response to my 9 year old daughter's request to straighten her hair permanently. I feel like I have become an expert now in doing her in protective styles and the 6 or so hours we spend every second (or third) Sunday is a treasured time. I certainly don't want to lose that.
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