So you've decided to “go natural”! I like to refer to it as returning natural. After all, it’s the hair you were blessed with from birth. However you’d like to refer to the wonderful decision to embrace your natural beauty, congratulations! Your hair is now transitioning!
What does Transitioning actually mean?
Transitioning, simply put; is the process of moving away from chemically treated methods of styling and straightening curly hair and allowing the hair’s natural curl pattern to flourish.
As you transition, you may find that your curl pattern will change. This is normal due to the differences in texture between your chemically treated strands and your virgin hair(chemical-free).
For an in-depth look at curl pattern typing and all the myths and misconceptions surrounding them, I highly recommend checking out The Ultimate Curl Pattern Guide by NaturallClub. It dives deep into the classifications and styling approaches that will also aid in your transition styling.
Stages of Transition
1-3 Months
This is the Early Transitioning phase. During this phase, you new growth is typically a lot healthier than the rest of your hair. You want to pay close attention to the the line of demarcation. That is where your new growth meets the chemically treated portion of the hair. This is where it is the weakest.
Your first line of defense to avoid breakage is making sure deep conditioning is done consistently. It’s also important to start deciding on a few easy low maintenance styles.
If you're not confident in your styling abilities then now would be a great time to practice a few simple styles when in need of a quick style and require the least amount of handling. Such as a braid out, twist out, or simple twists.
Around this time it may become difficult in your decision to return natural or maybe even deal with the opinions of others. If this is true, you aren't alone. Be sure you are setting out on your transition for yourself, not because of trends or peer pressure.
6 months
Mid Transitioning: Typically, you should have about 2 inches of new growth. It can get a bit more challenging because the place where the new growth and the chemically treated hair will become even more susceptible to breakage.
Extra care should be taken in making sure that the moisture and protein balance of your hair is maintained. Protein treatments are recommended once a month along deep conditioning weekly or as needed.
If you are still seeing breakage around the area of demarcation, reaching out to a natural hair specialist is always recommended for additional treatment and advice. The goal is to minimize as much breakage as possible.
9 months and Beyond
At this point your chemically treated hair and natural curls may look worlds apart and daily styling could become a source of frustration. The best thing to do is to focus on protective styles such as braids. It not only takes your mind off of daily styling but it also helps with the slightly awkward stage of having two different textures.
The main goal here is to remember to make the most of your curls with styles that protect and avoid the urge to straighten any new growth.
At this stage there should be about 3-4 inches of new growth!
Is it better to “big chop” or transition?
If you made it to the end of this post and asked yourself, isn’t there an easier way? It depends. Some would say it would be better to “big chop”. To big chop means to get rid of your relaxed hair in one cut.
This option seems to be the most common among those who prefer shorter hairstyles and those who are not interested in retaining length initially. On the other hand, those who are used to length and comfortable with learning new styles while transitioning, then transitioning might be the better choice.
Remember there are no hard-core rules on how to go natural or which method is better. The beauty of it all is that you are in control of the entire experience and will reap all the rewards.
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