Rediscover curly hair

[Kirsty-xo]

When I was young my hair was always tight ringlets. However by the age of 11 i was always brushing my hair after I washed it and assumed that it went naturally wavy, as if the curls had perhaps dropped.
So I was wondering. I left my hair to dry today, for the first time in years without brushing it. And the ringlets returned. Now have they just never gone? or is it as suddenly my hair's health is restored, as I am no longer brushing it as much, or straightening and blow drying it. Did anyone else have a similar situation?

[XJawbreaker]

You know this has been happening to me. I had curly hair when I was little, and then it went really frizzy wavy (from damage I guess). Now I'm taking good care of my hair, and I can actually scunch it with nothing but oil or condish and it's nice and curly, which I haven't been able to do in yearsss!

[Kirsty-xo]

Ah, its so relieving to know i'm not the only one who damaged my hair so bad the curls were destroyed :)

[RadiantNeedle]

I think it's the brushing that's taken the curl out, rather than the curls deciding to go away for a while.
This is why I've always assumed in my adult life that my hair is straight and a bit unruly, when in actual fact it has deep waves and ringlets if I leave it the heck alone.

Your curls likely never left, but were simply brushed and blow dried away after every wash. The blow drying may have contributed to the curl being 'reluctant' to form, if you will, though I think the products you use can have an influence there as well. Over-proteined, under-moisturised hair can lose it's curl pattern.
Try using a wide toothed seamless comb, if you can find one. Google or look on ebay or do a search here on the forums for 'seamless comb' for loads of recommendations. I'm discovering I'm getting quite long ringlets in my underlayers by using a comb instead of a brush! It's exciting, isn't it!

[santie]

You always had curly hair, you just never noticed because you were always brushing it out!

I didn't know I had curly hair until I was 15 for the same reason.