Well you have thought about it for a long time and in fact done nothing else for at least a year maybe.  You’ve dropped the usual hints to family and friends, work colleagues…  and then you finally do it – you’ve big chopped! Wow!

You could hear a pin drop as you arrived at your mom, or went to work – the look on people’s faces some surprised, some perplexed and some with looks of disgust and why? And then there are the natural Nazis who greet you with a huge big hug!!! And you’re relieved – at last somebody likes you!

You attempt to give a detailed explanation on why you’ve chopped off your lovely long relaxed hair and explain why you’ve ditched the creamy crack! Even so the look of disbelief is evident on their faces.  Mom nods her head; sisters give you the ‘sorry look’.  Men though have a better reaction – even so – You feel you just can win – but you can!

Stand strong – it will get better those who oppose you now –very soon will be giving you secret glances of admiration and favour.  They will be amazed on how quickly it grows (especially in the first two years!), the curl, the texture the uniqueness of it all. They will soon be amazed on how beautiful natural hair can be … my mother was amazed and couldn’t believe that as a child when she put my hair in four plaits – that she was seeing beautiful rich natural hair again! Yours will be too! Not only her but colleagues at work, the rest of your family and total strangers in the street!  I can’t get over how many times I have been stopped by folks in the street – just to say – hey “I love your hair”, “please give me some of your hair – mine won’t grow’  ‘I love your hair bun’ I just love your hair.”  And men “hey – that’s great no chemicals!”  I’ve even been followed around in the supermarket – It’s all good!

As the movement gathers around the globe on this natural hair – even TV has recognized it and is already putting ads with natural haired ladies!  The very friends and family who put you down – will unashamedly join you – get ready to be shocked!

And you know what, even if they never appreciate it – it’s your hair – you can do what you what with your own hair, enjoy it – it’s beautiful! Isn’t it?

So after weeks and weeks and months of deliberation, you finally took the plunge!  You’re going to go natural yeh!!.  That long relaxed hair is going to be pruned it’s going to get trimmed and trimmed until it’s about 3 inches long and then you’re going to go for it! Yep – it’s done – you’re natural! You peer at your natural strands they are about 3inc long maybe more… you zoom in on your texture – its smooth, its straight its curly perhaps tightly coiled, oooh its soft, its fluffy – it’s your hair and your excited – this is gonna be good!  You can’t wait to see what the next few weeks and months is going to bring you as you excitedly examine your new natural hair probably for the first time in years!

Six months down the line and you’ve got yourself an afro, you’re got puffs, and you’ve got braid outs and you’ve got twists…. The momentum of hair products is now filing your bathroom cabinets and bedroom! Plus other places you care not to mention right now!  Like the rest of us you are fast becoming a product junkie you grab the latest hair product that you read would help grow your hair make it silkier, softer, longer, smoother, elongate or stop those curls from shrinking into a tight ball ! whew!

For some this is a trying time a mixture of feelings after two to three years when perhaps expected growth did not materialize, you’re worried – its breaking and you’re not quite sure how you will handle this, well don’t despair – help is at hand…

I’ve learnt going natural takes patience – lots of it! You have to put the work in and that includes time, clever time management.

To be happy natural my list includes:

1. Wash and condition every week, set aside a time to do this.
2. Steam the hair every 10 days to infuse moisture into the hair, this provides stimulus to the hair follicles and improves growth if done regularly, regular steaming also helps with dandruff and itching..
3. Plait or twist the hair every night, no excuses!
4. Moisturise every day and add your favourite oil, don’t forget the evenings…
5. Cover your head for bed with a silk scarf and silk pillowcases will further stop friction to those tresses.
6. Do what makes your hair happy – just because someone swears by olive oil doesn’t mean your hair is gonna like it!.  Listen to your hair – be happy to be natural!
7. Be sure to take vitamin/mineral pill everyday and include biotin
8. Every sixth or seven weeks do something different – if you have had your hair out – now keep it in a protective style like twists or braids, buns or a wig! For four weeks at time. Give your hair a complete rest.  Then start again!

Happy with your natural growth so far?