The Transition

Are you thinking of ditching those chemicals? Perhaps you never even permed your hair and are just looking to start afresh. I have come to learn that going natural is for the strong-hearted, not an easy task but certainly worth all the hard work.This is my journey of being natural then perming and finding my new natural.

Before I permed my hair, I had a 4C curl pattern. It was quite coily, but long and healthy.  I permed it for 4 years during high school and surprisingly managed to maintain the same length. But it was not as voluminous as it had been, and a natural hair transition was imminent. I couldn’t remember what I looked like in short hair so I thought I could just grow out my natural hair to a medium length then cut off the permed bits.

It’s always easier said than done, isn’t it? This idea was a disaster! The curls were initially tight (as they had been before perming) but they loosened up over time and become more like a 4B pattern. There was a messy mixture of curls and coils which made taking care of my hair even more difficult. Therefore, I decided to go for the big chop.

The barber trimmed most of my hair leaving about half an inch of growth revealing what my true curls were like. It was liberating to have a teeny-weeny afro (TWA). Girl, the curls were really popping.

Each method of transitioning to natural hair had its ups and downs.

Slowly growing out your hair is recommended if you prefer to avoid the whole short hair saga. You can maintain the length and avoid a drastic change. The challenge is maintaining hair with different textures. I found that the point at which the permed hair became curly was fragile, easily tangled and was fizzy. The roots where natural hair grew was also difficult to detangle, hence applying conditioner and oil was a whole other job. I used this method for 1 year and would recommend using a hydration conditioner. I believe that my mistake was letting the transition go on for so long that even the good hair became damaged hence the knots and tangles. It’s probably a good idea to trim the permed hair at about one and a half inches. That leaves you with a medium length afro.

On the other hand, the big chop is more straight forward. You get to shave it all off! Ok, maybe not all of it, enough to have a short afro. I did this about a year after the long transition. The big chop is a great way to learn what your hair is like, what products to use, how to look after it and eases you into the natural hair community. Its like nurturing a little one and the longer it grows, the more you fall in love with it.

Whether you decide to slowly transition your hair or get the big chop, your goal is to maintain healthy hair. You want to keep those strands strong and hydrated. Natural hair is elegant, don’t be scared to show it off.