Decide if going natural is really what you want to do. Will you have time to take care of your hair? Will you want to? Are you willing to give up relaxers? Are you ready for the stereotypes and negative connotations associated with natural hair? Are you ready for the haters? Some of whom may surprise you.
Figure out the best road to nappyness for you. Will you “Big Chop”? If you do, consider what you’ll look like before you cut it all off because there’s no going back. However many women find the BC a very freeing way to start over and it gives them time to experiment and see what works with their hair w/o the hassle of length. If the BC is too dramatic a change for you there’s “Transitioning”. If you decide to transition make sure you chose a style that won’t be doing more harm than good. Flat ironing may camouflage new growth but can cause heat damage to the natural hair you won’t be cutting off. Ponytails and buns can cause breakage. Wigs and weaves are a great way to transition because they allow you to “hide” your hair. Cornrows, two-strand twists done with your own hair, kinky twists, and braids(not micros) are the best way to transition. Take extra gentle care with your hair during your transition because you’ll be dealing with two, possibly more, different textures of hair. A good balance of Protein and moisture should keep your natural hair growing in and your relaxed length healthy. Taking care of the relaxed parts may seem like a waste of time since you’re going to cut them off anyway, but that last thing you want is split ends traveling up to your new start. Get one good trim and maintain healthy ends and you shouldn’t have to get them trimmed regularly.
Knowledge is power. LEARN, LEARN , LEARN as much as you can about natural hair before your big chop!! I can’t stress enough how helpful being well informed will be to your journey. Join natural hair care sites, forums, and groups and read up on the topics that interest you. Stalk profiles of those with hair similar to your own to find out what products may work best with your texture and what most likely won’t. Google everything new thing you come across to learn more about it, get more opinions on it, and make sure it’s safe. Go to the library and read books on general hair care and natural hair care. Don’t be afraid to ask questions on forums or in person. There are plenty of naturals who were in your position once who are more than willing to make it simpler for you so take advantage of us!
Let go. As your natural hair gets longer you’ll become anxious to chop those nasty ends off. Like Nike girl JUST DO IT! If you feel excited then you’re ready. If you’re still holding on go ahead and wait till you feel comfortable. Two more good reasons to hold a big chop off are:
Busy Schedule-exams week is not a good time to try and figure out what to do with a hair texture you haven’t seen in years or ever. Who needs the added stress?
Winter-the dry air will suck all the moisture your natural hair loves right out. Keep your hair hidden from this cold season.
Don’t give in to the urge to chop it off yourself if you have no idea what you’re doing. Seek professional help.
Take care of your nappy hair. You’ve made it this far so don’t let it all go to waste by not giving your hair the tlc it needs. You’ve put your hair through so much already. Trust me you owe it that much. Always remember to be gentle with your hair. It may look like it can take on anything, but it’s actually quite fragile and susceptible to damage. NEVER allow anyone to do your hair who can’t take care not rip and tear at. Respect your hair and demand that others respect it as well.
Good Luck, Have Fun, and Peace, Love, & Nappyness!
PS: it pays to learn the lingo http://hairlista.ning.com/forum/topics/hairlista-divas-intraining
