Protective Hairstyles for Transitioning from Relaxed to Natural Hair

Posted by admin on Nov 21, 2011 in Before Your Transition to Natural | 0 comments

 

 

 

Protective Hairstyles for Transitioning Hair

You have done it – you have decided to transition from relaxed to natural hair over the course of a few months or even a few years and now you need protective hairstyles for transitioning hair.

Step 1 is to determine if you will be a do-it-yourself transitioner or will you use a trusted hair stylist.  That is a personal choice.

Step 2 – Stop getting your relaxer.  I know that it sounds easy; however, many of us have been getting relaxers every 6, 8, 10 or 12 weeks for many years.  It is hard to finally break that cycle.  Once it gets a little difficult to manage your transitioning hair, do not give up.

Next, step 3, is deciding how to wear your hair as you grow out your relaxer.   There are a ton of protective hairstyles for transitioning hair from which you can choose since you have decided not to do the big chop.  Not only will protective styles keep your hair preserved, these styles will also keep single strand knots at bay.

Most people use braids or weaves as their transition hairstyle of choice but other options are roller sets, crochet braids, phony ponytails, buns, braid outs as well as half wigs, full wigs and lace wigs.  No matter which hairstyle you choose to wear during your transition, make sure that your hair looks neat and professional if you are in a work setting.

Your protective style will also depend on your lifestyle.  Do you work out every day?  Are you in college or the corporate environment?  Styles that you might be able to wear to a college class may not translate well into your work environment.

You should also spend some time getting to know your naturally curly hair.  If you spend your transition period in braids, weaves or some other style where you cannot ever play in your own curls, you could end up like someone I know who has been natural for over 5 years but she has no idea how to care for her curls.

Using protective hairstyles for transitioning hair is a great way to transition to a full head of natural hair; however, do not forget to take the time to play in your curls and learn how to care for them while on this hair journey.