Not cutting off all of the relaxed ends
Freshly washed hair a few weeks following BC
My advice is that if you are intending to do the BC, go ahead and get rid of all the relaxed ends. When my best friend did my BC I asked her to leave a bit of relaxed hair on the ends, mostly because I was uncomfortable about the length or lack thereof.
Well, I ended up cutting them off anyway over the course of the next month because they were dry and brittle compared to my natural hair. My curls also did not show up as well with the relaxed bits still hanging on. It was hard to style it because styles like twists need to curl or coil at the end and with straight ends it ain’t happening!
And finally it just looked a hot mess, as you can see by the picture above.
Waiting too long to start transitioning
I thought about “going natural” for literally years before I actually took steps to do it. I always get mad at myself when I think about where my hair would be now if I’d started a few years ago. But I guess the important thing is that I did go ahead and do it and my hair is doing well.
I’m not recommending that anyone go out and BC the minute they consider going natural, but if it’s always on your mind, if you look at natural heads with envy, if you wonder what you hair would look like…maybe it’s time to get more serious about transitioning now rather than later.
Flat Ironing my hair to death!
Flat ironed section of hair during my transition
During transitioning I either did twist outs or flat ironed. I’d always flat ironed my hair on the highest temperature I could get the iron on, and of course I continued this horrible practice while transitioning. I have a friend currently who is transitioning and burned off a good chunk of her hair by flat ironing so much. I cringe when I think about the damage I could’ve done to my hair.
If you do decide to flat iron, please do it on the lowest setting possible and use a heat protectant. Another good thing to do is to smooth the new growth out by roller setting and then lightly going over the hair with a flat iron once it’s dry. Really, I think my hair is more resilient to heat than most people, but I’m not taking any chances.
Maybe a Part 4 incoming!
Click here for Part 1 and here for Part 2.
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i totally relate to part 3…i have some relaxed ends now after i did a mini big chop and i cant see my texture at all..i am not sure what to type myself and especially the fact that i have some heat damage…i am now contemplating doing a BC and starting all over after 13 months of transistioning
but hair grows and i would rather have it healthy and strong
happy growing!!
Right now I am in the process of growing out my hair, and I have been roller setting and flat ironing the roots once my hair is dry. My hair does go through as much trauma. I love roller setting my hair.
Thank you SO much! I just discovered your site today. I went natural about 6 months ago. I have been so frustrated, but your Biggest Mistakes columns answered so many of my questions. If I had not discovered your site today, I would have flat-ironed my hair to death. Now I am going to begin my product searches and work with my hair, not against it. : )
I’m so glad that I found your site. I have relaxed my hair for over 25 years. Over the years my hair has grown to down my back.
I had a baby in March of this year. Since then, my hair has been coming out by the handful. I can run my hand through my hair now and I’ll have strands that just break right off. I’m afraid to put a comb or brush in my hair…I’ve literally started having anxiety issues about my hair falling out.
My doctor seems to think that I have a hormone/vitamin deficiency problem, but, I also think that it’s a relaxer overload. I’ve decided that I need to be natural. I’ve wanted to go natural for the last few years, and now I’ve determined that it’s time.
Your website has been such an encouragement. I’m going to do the transitioning over a period of time, I’m apprehensive about doing the BC.
It’s amazing to me, how emotional this journey is becoming for me.
Thanks again for your site.
U should see my face while reading this…lol
OMG…. im o so scared to do the BC :’(
Thanks for the entry.
I too wish I had transitioned sooner. Sooner being 2011, as that was nearly the end of my “relaxer” days before heading into 2012 and being just upset that a relaxing session left my hair a brittle bird nest. If only it had been done during my teen years, I’d likely have a better hair appearance, compared to now. But so far things are going alright, and I am growing out the relaxer over the summer.