My natural hair journey began fall of 2008. I had had enough of the "creamy crack"...yes I too was addicted to the harsh chemicals of permanent relaxers. I had my first relaxer when I was 12 years old, maybe even younger. I begged my mother to let me get a perm. When she finally gave in that was my first disappointment with chemical relaxers. I had fallen in love with the "Just For Me" commercials. I thought that once the relaxer was applied to my hair, it would cascade down my back like the little girls on the boxes and commercials.
After the stylist applied and washed the relaxer from my hair I touched my hair saying, "Where is my long hair?" She responded, "What are you talking about?" I said,"On the commercial the girl gets a perm, it shoots threw her scalp and then her hair goes down her back." The stylist chuckled at my description of the after affects of a relaxer. I will admit that when I think about it now I have to laugh at myself.
Over the years my hair grew some but it never retained the length that I always longed for. When I was in my sophomore year in college I found a new stylist in my college town and for the next two years she helped to guide me on my hair care path. At that time I was getting a relaxer maybe twice a year and I had hi-lites in the front of my hair. It grew to be a little past my shoulders.
In my last year of college my hair began to break off only on the left side. At the time I thought it was due to over processing of my hair with the coloring but I later came to the conclusion it was a combination of that and stress from school. If someone is severely stressed out it can affect your hair significantly. I was in my graduating semester with 18 credit hour course load, held two positions in the chapter of my sorority, worked, and was in limbo about what to do post graduation. So I had to start cutting my hair slowly to even it out. Then one day I made up my mind to not get anymore relaxers.
I didn't do a B.C.(big chop) like most naturals do when embarking on this road. I continued to do my regular roller wraps and had my ends clipped regularly to rid my hair of the perm. Recently, I cut about 3 inches of remaining perm off. Now it is completely natural. I still have to adjust to wearing my hair in its natural state in a much shorter length than what I am accustomed to but I am learning.
There are so many different products, techniques, youtube video gurus, hair styles, and opinions that can aid in caring for transitioning/natural hair. I still have no clue exactly what my hair type is. I think it is ranging from 3b to 4a.
I am still learning what my hair likes and what it will respond to. A friend told me that I am a product junkie. There is a lot of truth to that. As a natural it is so easy to become obsessed with finding products that work best for your hair. I encourage all of my natural sisters that the most needed things for maximizing natural hair growth are PATIENCE & TLC
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