Transitioning to Natural Hair – Are You Ready to Make the Leap?

There is a perceptible change in the way Afro-American women see their hair these days. Although this does not include everyone, there are quite a few women who are giving up the use of relaxers and making a transition to their natural hair that has not been chemically treated.

Transitioning into your natural hair will take many months. The process is not without its difficulties but has very positive results by the end of it. Here are some of the reasons to go natural and ditch relaxers:

• It is a liberating experience that sets you free from constant visits to hair salons and expensive relaxed hair care products.
• It is an embracing of your true identity and the love for everything that you are including your curly gorgeous hair. 
• Your hair away from chemicals actually becomes stronger and healthier. 
• You are not letting anyone else dictate to you what ‘beautiful’ is. 

If you think that you are ready for the above-mentioned reasons, you are ready to make the big leap towards going natural, of course with a bit of hard work.

Tips for smoothly transitioning into natural black hair

• The first and foremost tip for women who are going natural is to have patience. Going natural requires a long time, and it may take months before you achieve your desired length. Hair grows only half an inch every month calling for patience especially when transitioning. 
• Be prepared to handle natural hair after years of treated hair. It will have a tendency to behave very differently and something that you may not be used to. The greatest challenge is to manage two different hair textures.
• Invest time in learning transitioning hairstyles that take advantage of the different textures while protecting your hair at the same time.
• Eliminate all relaxed hair products from your pad and invest in a good deep conditioner and other black hair products that should be used once there is an inch or two of natural hair. 
• Avoid using heat based styling aids till your hair regains some of its natural strength to prevent breakage.
• Be gentle on your hair and detangle only with your fingers or a wide toothed comb.
• Wash your hair regularly to avoid grease and grime build up and give your hair a chance to grow.
• Make sure that your hair is well moisturized through daily and weekly hair care regimes that pamper your hair. 

With the correct attitude and a proper hair care routine, going natural should not be as difficult as it is made out to be. There will soon come a time when you can flaunt your completely natural curls.