There are countless ups and downs many  naturals face during and after the transitioning phase, for the first time your mind wanders into unfamiliar territory, different hair textures…differing opinions and disclaimers from friends/family/coworkers. For a long time I’ve wanted to feature a person who’s transitioning from relaxed to natural hair, most importantly to share with those who are currently embarking on a similar journey, but also to keep me sane and informed as to what’s going on in the minds of those going through such an questionable phase. For the next couple of weeks Natasha will be sharing her journey to natural hair, chronicling the ups/downs, inevitable hurdles as well as the foreseeable successes.  Here’s her story:

I have hair issues. I don’t know how else to describe it except to say that straight or natural, my hair does nothing for me. Or rather, I haven’t done much to treat it as I should. I’ve always been a little lazy when it comes to dealing with my hair. As a child, it was the bane of my existence when I had to sit down each week or two to get my hair washed and braided (to this day, I still fret when it is time for me to wash my hair). Pain is not an accurate enough word to describe this experience. There wasn’t any blood pouring out of my tender scalp but there might as well have been. It hurt that much! And when I started getting the relaxer treatment during my teenage years, I would inevitably suffer from burnt scalp, breakage and a myriad of other problems. But, as long as I could run a comb through it without snagging anything and as long as my hair laid flat and did what I wanted it to do, I figured the trade-off wasn’t too bad. Lately, as I have been making the transition to becoming natural (which for me simply means not getting anymore relaxer treatments) I have been rethinking my position regarding this.

For much of my adult life I have subjected myself and my hair to less than gentle treatment thinking that with a relaxer, I had to suffer a little to achieve the convenience that I strive for (with relaxed hair, I could comb out my wrap and be ready to go in no time). It never occurred to me to do anything different. In fact, I’m not entirely sure why I stopped getting relaxers at all. Maybe I was tired of the attitude of Dominican stylists towards natural hair. Anytime I let my hair grow out past three, four, or five months (which became the norm over the last few years), I would inevitably hear the same phrase “you need a perm” every time I would go in for a wash and set. I grew to resent this idea that because my hair was not a certain texture or looked a certain way that it somehow needed to be helped. But, letting my hair grow out as it was is not a form of rebellion on my part. It is more likely that as I have matured and taken stock of myself, I’ve simply decided that I want to do better for my hair and appreciate it the way that it is, that it is meant to be.

In mid-June, I passed the year mark when I got my last relaxer. I remember the occasion well. I was getting ready to go on a much-needed vacation and in addition to shopping for some new clothes, my hair had to look good. Back then, that meant a fresh relaxer and a cut. Now…it is what it is. I like to know that I have the option of a blowout but more often than not, I’ve been taming my mane with headbands and ponytails. I am no closer to figuring out how I want my hair to look than I was when I was getting regular relaxers but as more and more of my natural hair pushes through, I am getting excited over the many possibilities from wearing it straight, curling it up kinks and all, or rocking a fro. I’m not too particular (yet) as long as it’s not just hanging there, lifeless.

To learn more about Natasha and her life’s adventures, visit her blog. And If you’re currently transitioning or thinking about embarking on the natural hair journey and would like to share your hair woes or concerns, submit your story to: info@backtocurly.com