My Natural Hair Journey

It seems like so many African-American women are on this 'natural hair' kick....including me. :) At first, (when I was relaxed) I could not image why any woman would want to cut off all of their hair and start growing a fro. It just seemed untamed and wild and I wasn't sure how confident I would feel stepping out of my home like that. Well, I started to really do the research, and it is crazy how much this chemical, the relaxer, has damaged scalps, hair follicles, and dreams of "silky hair." I have had a relaxer since I was about 6, which was a decision made by my mother. So here's my "story." The years passed with relaxer after relaxer, and this is what my hair looked like at around 18 years old...

I know...a shame. Well, after researching on hair sites, blogs, and watching YouTube videos, I learned a ton about African-American hair, and how to take care of it and allow it to grow. It was ridiculous how much info I soaked up over a year. This is what my hair looked like after about a year of treating it right and sticking with my regimen.

And the months went on...and on...and it just kept growing. I was not consistent moisturizing and less manipulation, but it did not seem to hurt my hair much. It just blossomed with about medium effort.

Then a few more months crept by and I just couldn't stand my hair anymore. It was just brittle, weak, dry and limp. I enjoyed wearing it down, but usually it was slopped up into a bun because I hated tending to it. After having a stylist over process my hair and chop all of my ends off, I knew it was time to end this foolishness. Why was it so hard for me to just rock my natural hair? Who knows, but I started to transition. This was one of the roughest times for me, because I was known for having such nice hair, and the transitioning process carried with it a TON of shedding and breakage. I just couldn't handle it for a crazy long time. My one year transition period approached this month, and I decided that I was done. I haven't cut my hair off in years, but it was time. 

After I cut all of my straight ends, I laid the scissors down, and felt the best sigh of relief. All of this time consuming maintenance was gone, and I was free from the worry. After washing my hair and adding a little color the next day, this it what it looks like today.

I am such a happy woman! I love my hair natural. This is what I was born with and what naturally grows out of head, and it is awesome. At work, I received so many wonderful comments and people wondering why it took so long for me to wear it this way. I feel so accomplished and proud. I hope my story inspires any woman out there that is on the edge or having a hard time accepting their hair the way it grows. Thanks so much for reading and please share your story as well. :)

- Sheena