pros:
~I know me!! just as she said I too am 28years old and for the first time in my life I know what God gave me.
~I love having texture.
Cons:
~drying time is still long as hell!!!!!!!!!!!!! and I am only 4 months post BC and my BC was to the scalp. so I don't know what I will do in 3 months
~not knowing what the next morning will bring. because it is growing and I'm trying now products to see what will work for me the 2nd day can bring a lot of suprizes
~the questions. . . eventhough having bone straight flowing hair is not normal for my race, I now get really weird questions from non-blacks like: is your hair naturally curly. . . I think this is so strange, I am black.
I'm at 10 months (after 40 straight years of perms). Lost my nerve today but was blessed with running into a hair dresser who told me I was almost done with transitioning. It has grown much faster than I expected. Thickened back up again. I think the perms have become too strong now.
Managed not to break it off even though I don't really know what I'm doing. What I need most of all is a vast array of hairstyles (that don't require cutting/permanent change) and a vast array of conditioning jams and gels to create those styles.
My employers have been very understanding (now that we have a Black president). My hair texture and the way it thickens up when I have a hot flash is so unfamiliar. I dyed it to take the gray out of the equation. But it is just not right to not know my real hair before I leave this earth, so I will not give up on it. I feel like I'm combing cotton everyday.
I appreciate these candid responses. I'm 5 months post and am debating a relaxer. Honestly, time is a huge issue for me. I prefer long hair and I don't have hours and hours during the week to detangle and twist and braid. I never really had breakage until I started transitioning, so I'm thinking I should go back to a relaxer for now.
I'm struggling to decide though. I saw two of my cousins this holiday weekend– they are sisters. One has relaxed hair and the other has locks. They both have healthy hair that hits the lower back. Seeing their beautiful heads of hair made the decision even harder. I'm going to sleep on it for a few more days (with a satin bonnet of course lol)…
Pros: you have more control of your hair. Learn about your hair as you go (which can be a con if you need to look very neat for your work I work an international financial corporation) You get to enjoy hair massages more if you don't have complicated styles. Easier styles if you believe you can get away with wash and goes and
Cons: Long learning curve making taking care of your hair initially more difficult (more a transitioner issue)
Daily and weekly maintenance is time consuming, Tangles a lot more which cancels out growing faster (which hair doesn't grow faster it just gets less breakage)
I honestly i haven't seen any growth in over a year of going completely natural. And since none of the advice provided to me has helped which are the same repeated answers each time (if it didn't work the first 2-3 times what make you think it work the next time, sigh)
So I taking the easy way out and going with weave and or extension because my goal is length.
I've been natural for about 6 months and to be honest at first I did experience some negativity. I'm not sure if it was the change of hair texture or the drastic change of length… (I big chopped). But, now those same people who were hating, either compliment my hair or are currently transitioning themselves and are asking for advice. The lesson is that ppl who project negativity are often doing so because they have issues with THEMSELVES. Let it roll off your back.
As far as the corporate America thing: I actually changed jobs during my 4th month of being natural; my hair was 2 inches long and I wore it in a neat but knotty fro. I kept it shaped, clean and moisturized, but let the curls form freely. I also wore professional attire, had a fresh face and was well-spoken. I came with a polished resume, the qualifications required, confidence and a smile. Needless to say, I had no problems with getting the job, no one noticed my hair. Remember, just because your hair is "natural" doesn't mean your hair can't be neat and appropriate for work.
I think it all balls down to how YOU feel about your hair… if you are insecure than every little snide comment will matter to you.
Even if your hair is relaxed/weaved ppl will make comments, but does it really matter? Can't please everyone…
Detangling was a big problem when I had a relaxer and it was long. Maybe if I'd known what I know now with my natural hair – products, right comb, etc. – it would've been easier. If detangling becomes too much of a problem as my natural hair grows longer, I'll keep it on the shorter side. Even though versatility is there, you don't have to change your hairstyle everyday, or every week – it creates more work if you're not up to it. I keep styling simple with WNGs, with or without hair accessories, and that's it. There are no real cons for me and my natural hair.
i think detangling IS a con compared to how it was when my hair was straight. detangling my hair when it was straight was never as much of an event as it is now that i'm natural. doesn't mean i wish my hair were straight. it's just the plain truth.
I don't have any cons regarding Sasha (my hair)… detangling isn't a con, it's just part of styling. That's something that was (or should have been) expected when one started out on the natural hair journey. To me, it's just another step in the process, just like shampooing, deep conditioning, moisturizing, etc. I think we all have days when we aren't head-over-heels in love with our hair, but for me those days are few and far between… the versatility never ceases to amaze me. I love rockin' a fro. Since I'm still transitioning, a fro for me stemmed from a twist-n-curl that I could never get quite right…one day I got a pick and fluffed that failed twist-n-curl out. Now, that's my everyday style.
I think if you love your hair for what it is, and give it the time, attention, and effort it deserves, the journey is amazing.♥
Sad to say, the hair discrimination that I have experienced has come from black people and some elders in my family. I went natural because my friend wasn't able to re-braid my hair and the economy tanked so spending extra money on relaxers didn't make financial sense for me. One of my worries was how to wear my natural hair on interviews (this would have been a worry with relaxed hair). What I have learned and experienced is "other folks" don't really care about our hair as long as it is neat and clean. I have received so many compliments about my hair from them. I feel like I have to walk on eggshells with our folks waiting for a backhanded compliment or something negative.
Pros: its my natural hair texture, the way I was born and God gave it to me. What other group has to worry about being accepted for hair texture.
Pro: learning the history of black hair and my we have this issue with our texture.
Pro: learning about my hair and being gentle with it.
Con: there are no real cons except for the ones we habitually create as a result of post traumatic slave syndrome. 🙂
Even after a big chop, there is a transition you go you through after your hair gets longer. The longer it gets, the curlier it gets, the more it curls up on itself, the more tangles. You have to focus more on decreasing tangles, like twisting your hair up EVERY night, or at least putting it in a ponytail. On wash days, it helps after conditioning to put your hair in twists until you're ready to style it. Longer hair requires more work and if you're not ready for that it can lead to frustration. Frustration can have you questioning your decision to go natural. It's another hump you have to get over.
You just create even more work for yourself when you get lazy with your hair. "There are no ugly women, only lazy ones," Helena Rubenstien.
Pros: Versatility, healthier, growing faster.
Cons: Styling and maintenance is taking longer since I am a fairly new natural. Trial and error…wouldn't change it though because i'm loving it
The serious cons named are more like societal ills than real cons. Those will always remain present, if any of us let society determine our lives I think we'd all be dead.
Ditto to the second comment. She didn't get to the point fast enough, it was almost like she was pulling thoughts out of the air. I think if there were any real cons to natural hair they would have come to mind faster (I hope). I can think of none!
Wow well I am transitioning and am kinda scared about the things I didn't think of like hair discrimination. I am currently in the process of look for a new job and I am worried that my natural hair might be a problem for me. It really is food for thought. Although I have not encountered any problems as far as hair discrimination I know it is out there.
pros:
~I know me!! just as she said I too am 28years old and for the first time in my life I know what God gave me.
~I love having texture.
Cons:
~drying time is still long as hell!!!!!!!!!!!!! and I am only 4 months post BC and my BC was to the scalp. so I don't know what I will do in 3 months
~not knowing what the next morning will bring. because it is growing and I'm trying now products to see what will work for me the 2nd day can bring a lot of suprizes
~the questions. . . eventhough having bone straight flowing hair is not normal for my race, I now get really weird questions from non-blacks like: is your hair naturally curly. . . I think this is so strange, I am black.
I'm at 10 months (after 40 straight years of perms). Lost my nerve today but was blessed with running into a hair dresser who told me I was almost done with transitioning. It has grown much faster than I expected. Thickened back up again. I think the perms have become too strong now.
Managed not to break it off even though I don't really know what I'm doing. What I need most of all is a vast array of hairstyles (that don't require cutting/permanent change) and a vast array of conditioning jams and gels to create those styles.
My employers have been very understanding (now that we have a Black president). My hair texture and the way it thickens up when I have a hot flash is so unfamiliar. I dyed it to take the gray out of the equation. But it is just not right to not know my real hair before I leave this earth, so I will not give up on it. I feel like I'm combing cotton everyday.
I appreciate these candid responses. I'm 5 months post and am debating a relaxer. Honestly, time is a huge issue for me. I prefer long hair and I don't have hours and hours during the week to detangle and twist and braid. I never really had breakage until I started transitioning, so I'm thinking I should go back to a relaxer for now.
I'm struggling to decide though. I saw two of my cousins this holiday weekend– they are sisters. One has relaxed hair and the other has locks. They both have healthy hair that hits the lower back. Seeing their beautiful heads of hair made the decision even harder. I'm going to sleep on it for a few more days (with a satin bonnet of course lol)…
Pros: you have more control of your hair. Learn about your hair as you go (which can be a con if you need to look very neat for your work I work an international financial corporation) You get to enjoy hair massages more if you don't have complicated styles. Easier styles if you believe you can get away with wash and goes and
Cons: Long learning curve making taking care of your hair initially more difficult (more a transitioner issue)
Daily and weekly maintenance is time consuming, Tangles a lot more which cancels out growing faster (which hair doesn't grow faster it just gets less breakage)
I honestly i haven't seen any growth in over a year of going completely natural. And since none of the advice provided to me has helped which are the same repeated answers each time (if it didn't work the first 2-3 times what make you think it work the next time, sigh)
So I taking the easy way out and going with weave and or extension because my goal is length.
I've been natural for about 6 months and to be honest at first I did experience some negativity. I'm not sure if it was the change of hair texture or the drastic change of length… (I big chopped). But, now those same people who were hating, either compliment my hair or are currently transitioning themselves and are asking for advice. The lesson is that ppl who project negativity are often doing so because they have issues with THEMSELVES. Let it roll off your back.
As far as the corporate America thing: I actually changed jobs during my 4th month of being natural; my hair was 2 inches long and I wore it in a neat but knotty fro. I kept it shaped, clean and moisturized, but let the curls form freely. I also wore professional attire, had a fresh face and was well-spoken. I came with a polished resume, the qualifications required, confidence and a smile. Needless to say, I had no problems with getting the job, no one noticed my hair. Remember, just because your hair is "natural" doesn't mean your hair can't be neat and appropriate for work.
I think it all balls down to how YOU feel about your hair… if you are insecure than every little snide comment will matter to you.
Even if your hair is relaxed/weaved ppl will make comments, but does it really matter? Can't please everyone…
Detangling was a big problem when I had a relaxer and it was long. Maybe if I'd known what I know now with my natural hair – products, right comb, etc. – it would've been easier. If detangling becomes too much of a problem as my natural hair grows longer, I'll keep it on the shorter side. Even though versatility is there, you don't have to change your hairstyle everyday, or every week – it creates more work if you're not up to it. I keep styling simple with WNGs, with or without hair accessories, and that's it. There are no real cons for me and my natural hair.
i think detangling IS a con compared to how it was when my hair was straight. detangling my hair when it was straight was never as much of an event as it is now that i'm natural. doesn't mean i wish my hair were straight. it's just the plain truth.
I don't have any cons regarding Sasha (my hair)… detangling isn't a con, it's just part of styling. That's something that was (or should have been) expected when one started out on the natural hair journey. To me, it's just another step in the process, just like shampooing, deep conditioning, moisturizing, etc. I think we all have days when we aren't head-over-heels in love with our hair, but for me those days are few and far between… the versatility never ceases to amaze me. I love rockin' a fro. Since I'm still transitioning, a fro for me stemmed from a twist-n-curl that I could never get quite right…one day I got a pick and fluffed that failed twist-n-curl out. Now, that's my everyday style.
I think if you love your hair for what it is, and give it the time, attention, and effort it deserves, the journey is amazing.♥
Sad to say, the hair discrimination that I have experienced has come from black people and some elders in my family. I went natural because my friend wasn't able to re-braid my hair and the economy tanked so spending extra money on relaxers didn't make financial sense for me. One of my worries was how to wear my natural hair on interviews (this would have been a worry with relaxed hair). What I have learned and experienced is "other folks" don't really care about our hair as long as it is neat and clean. I have received so many compliments about my hair from them. I feel like I have to walk on eggshells with our folks waiting for a backhanded compliment or something negative.
Pros: its my natural hair texture, the way I was born and God gave it to me. What other group has to worry about being accepted for hair texture.
Pro: learning the history of black hair and my we have this issue with our texture.
Pro: learning about my hair and being gentle with it.
Con: there are no real cons except for the ones we habitually create as a result of post traumatic slave syndrome. 🙂
Even after a big chop, there is a transition you go you through after your hair gets longer. The longer it gets, the curlier it gets, the more it curls up on itself, the more tangles. You have to focus more on decreasing tangles, like twisting your hair up EVERY night, or at least putting it in a ponytail. On wash days, it helps after conditioning to put your hair in twists until you're ready to style it. Longer hair requires more work and if you're not ready for that it can lead to frustration. Frustration can have you questioning your decision to go natural. It's another hump you have to get over.
You just create even more work for yourself when you get lazy with your hair. "There are no ugly women, only lazy ones," Helena Rubenstien.
Pros: Versatility, healthier, growing faster.
Cons: Styling and maintenance is taking longer since I am a fairly new natural. Trial and error…wouldn't change it though because i'm loving it
The serious cons named are more like societal ills than real cons. Those will always remain present, if any of us let society determine our lives I think we'd all be dead.
Ditto to the second comment. She didn't get to the point fast enough, it was almost like she was pulling thoughts out of the air. I think if there were any real cons to natural hair they would have come to mind faster (I hope). I can think of none!
Wow well I am transitioning and am kinda scared about the things I didn't think of like hair discrimination. I am currently in the process of look for a new job and I am worried that my natural hair might be a problem for me. It really is food for thought. Although I have not encountered any problems as far as hair discrimination I know it is out there.