So Saturday was the day that my hair was granted its "cheat day" and got a relaxer. Just like working out and having a binge day for greasy and fatty foods, I granted a cheat day for my hair. I've done a post before about how you can have relaxed and healthy hair and I still testify to that. Because of my lifestyle and the fact that I am lazy as hell, the natural hair life is not for me, at least not full time. So with that being said I have developed a process that allows me to maintain, grow, and promote my hair's health while still indulging in the creamy crack, and I must say the results I've noticed are amazing!
Yes, relaxing your hair excessively is damaging to your hair, hair follicles, and the rest of your scalp, including stunting the growth of your hair and creating sores on the scalp if not applied properly. And I will even admit, when I use to get my hair relaxed every 3-4 months, I didn't see as much growth as I am now seeing by only applying a relaxer every 8-12 months. How do I go that long without a relaxer? Protective styles. I might not be natural but using natural hairstyles still helps maintain and promote my hair's health. I have 3 signature style I love to get.
First, I tend to get a sew in after the first month or so after my relaxer thanks to Diamond's sister, who slays hair by the way. I get a full net sew using the Olive Oil net, which is better for your hair. I didn't know this until now but when you put weave in your hair and do a leave out, your real hair can become thin and brittle because it's rubbing up against the weave, go figure! Which is just another reason to try a full net sew in.
Believe me, if done right, no one notices it's not your hair unless you tell them, I can't tell you how many times people have asked me where I get my hair done and then are shocked to know it's weave.
After a couple of sew ins that I leave up between 2-3 months I then get a set of braids. I particularly go with Havana twists or Senegalese twists and I leave those up for about 4 months, sometimes longer depending on the condition of the braids. 
After I take down my braids, I do a few sets of my ever so classic cold rod curls that hold me over until I decide when to get my next relaxer. And of course in between and during these styles I make sure to clip my ends, clean and deep condition my hair, and make sure to keep my hair moisturized. I also make sure to take my daily vitamins including my high dosage of Biotin that I got off Amazon (for super cheap too) and drink plenty of water which also promotes hair health.
So as you can see, you can have both worlds if done correctly. There's nothing wrong with being relaxed, but the key is moderation!