My top tips for healthy transitioning

Do you envy your friend or colleague with the curly hair or the girl down the road with the tight healthy coils? Do you long for a bush of luscious, healthy hair but the only way you think you can achieve it is to cut it all off and start over again? No need to reach for the shears and no need to throw that dream out by the window.

What is transitioning to natural hair?

You may or may not have heard about the term “TRANSITION” and if you are one of those who didn’t know, let me break it down for you.

Transitioning to natural simply means that for a period of time, you need to stop doing to your hair what you have been doing to it up until this point. This might include chemical treatments such as relaxers, Brazilian blowouts,  the extensive use of a flatiron or hair dryer or any product or tool that might damage your hair or alter your natural curl pattern. During this period you will also chuck away any products that contains products that might be harmful to your natural hair or donate it so someone who is still struggling to come to terms with their natural hair texture. All of this might seem drastic but if you want a different result, you have change how you do things now and this is the way to start.

Once you change your ways, you’ll find that after a couple of months, your regrowth will start to show and it will be different to the ends of your hair. Now this is the tricky part. Caring for TWO different textures of hair at the same time will be difficult but your only focus should be to make sure the regrowth is well cared for. Let’s be real. There’s absolutely nothing you can do to bring those damaged ends back to life.

When do you get rid of the dead ends?

Cutting your dead ends is totally up to you. If you are unsure where exactly to cut, just check for the area where the regrowth meets the processed ends – also referred to as the line of demarcation, and make your cut there.

Some people do trims every few weeks while others prefer to wait until their regrowth is at a length they’re comfortable with. You will also have to stop or minimize the amount of heat you use on your hair to prevent the regrowth from damaging and to keep it in a healthy state.

The Challenges

I have never personally transitioned before but I have guided a few people in doing so. I can also confirm that transitioning to natural is actually very difficult and would want you go back to the creamy crack every 3 days.

• You will have to take care of your regrowth while your damaged ends is still attached to it.
• This will make it difficult to figure out which products works best for your hair.
• You will be tempted to use heat on your hair to “make it look good”

How do you overcome the challenges?

The best advice I can give you is to find 1 or 2 hairstyles that looks good on your hair. One of these hairstyles should definitely be a protective style because you would want to keep your hands out of your hair. You want to grow your hair out fast and by not styling or manipulating it every single day, the chances of id breaking and forming split ends is relatively smaller.

My hairstyle suggestions

For the Type 3 ladies I will suggest Roller sets, flexi and permrod sets for everyday styles and for protective styling boxed braids. Slick back ponytails with gel & tamed edges can also be rocked with little manipulation.

For the Type 4 ladies, bantu knots works well and braids and cornrows for protective styles. Crochet braids are also very cute and easy to do.

Along with keeping your hair and scalp moisturized and clean, you should have a whole lot of patience.

Best of luck and don’t give up!

Till later.

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