Going Natural: Why Transition from Relaxed to Natural Hair?
Congratulations! If you are reading this, you are thinking of making the transition from relaxed to natural hair or you are about to help someone else with their transition.
Before taking the leap into the transition, you need to really think about why you want to transition from relaxed to natural hair. Write down your reasons or at least commit them to memory. If you do not have any reasons in mind, then it will be easy for you to change your mind and go back to relaxers when it becomes difficult to manage your new growth. Once you have determined your reasons for transitioning to natural hair, make a goal for yourself of how long you want your hair to be at the end of your transition. Having a specific goal in mind will also help you to stay on track and continue with your journey to natural hair.
Another thing that you need to think about is the time and dedication that it will take to transition to natural as well as some of the frustrations that come along with managing different hair textures on one head. As your new growth becomes your new head full of hair, it may not be all one texture as it once was when relaxed. Many people have patches of natural hair on their head that are different curl patterns and/or textures. Lately I have heard this referred to as the whack patch. Are you ready to manage your potential whack patch?
When you make the decision to transition to natural hair, you will no doubt hear comments from friends, family members and co-workers about your decision. Some of these comments will not be supportive and some of them may even try to talk you out of your decision. Be prepared for the criticism, and if you feel compelled you should share your reasons for wanting to transition to natural hair. Nobody has to love your new look except you.
We have all heard the terms “good hair” and “bad hair” where the bad hair most often resembles naturally curly hair and “good hair” represents relaxed hair or hair that closer to the European standard of beautiful hair. Although standards of beautiful hair are changing, even in the media, the reality is we are not yet there such that your transitioning hairstyles and your curly hair alone may result in some negative attention.
If you are prepared to handle all of this, then by all means, start your transition from relaxed to natural hair. Going natural without the big chop is possible and you can do it.
Going natural was not a decision that was made over night for me. I recently added color to my hair after cutting it to add a little spunk. I didnt realize how bad of a decision I had made until I notice my hair thinning out. I decided to stop putting relaxers in every six weeks to keep from over processing my hair. My decision was to get a relaxer every four months. Once I got to the four month I realize how beautiful my hair was without the relaxer. I have a three year old now who has beautiful gorgeous is she mixed type of hair. I often get where did she get her hair from ?when they look at mines. I know my hair is beautiful, chemically damaged but beautiful. I decided at the fifth month that i would like to show my natural hair. relaxers only lasted three minutes on my scalp anyway and they were becoming costly so what do I have to loose.Ready to be natural baby.
Thanks so much for sharing your story! I think a lot of us stopped relaxing due to over processing or chemical damage. You have already taken the first step, which is to stop getting your relaxer. That is actually the biggest decision, and you’ve done it!
I recently took out my micro braids to find so much new growth. I have been wanting to go natural for the longest. But like u say people will talk u out of it. Those have been my mother who keeps trying to push me to do a chemical curl. Which she has been wearing for over a year now. But to me that is not fully natural. My reasons for going natural are for my children. I want them to be proud of their hair. And I want to show them a good example of it. I want to be in transition for a while until January. But I do get frustrated on my hair sometimes. But I have been relaxed free for four months now. The journey will be long but worth it.
That is such a wonderful reason to transition from relaxed to natural hair – for your children! I have a good friend who is in the same place, wearing her natural hair because of her baby girl who is about to turn 1 year old next month.