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| Relaxed Hair |
age 2(natural)
When I entered middle school, my mother turned me loose on my hair, and the roller coaster began. As a teenager I would let my friends cut my hair, and color it with Clorox bleach and kool-aid? I even relaxed and colored my hair in the same setting! I had no idea what I was doing with my hair and it showed! I soon learned at an early age that too many chemicals on my hair topped off with using heat every day was a very bad idea. My hair starting breaking and shedding all over the place. I would always experience extreme breakage two weeks after I'd color my hair, yet it would not stop me from coloring it again and again. I would gain a good head of healthy hair once I stopped coloring, but then would get the itch to add color, and the breakage would start all over again. By the time I graduated from high school my hair was barely past my ears, and this wasn't by choice.
When I entered middle school, my mother turned me loose on my hair, and the roller coaster began. As a teenager I would let my friends cut my hair, and color it with Clorox bleach and kool-aid? I even relaxed and colored my hair in the same setting! I had no idea what I was doing with my hair and it showed! I soon learned at an early age that too many chemicals on my hair topped off with using heat every day was a very bad idea. My hair starting breaking and shedding all over the place. I would always experience extreme breakage two weeks after I'd color my hair, yet it would not stop me from coloring it again and again. I would gain a good head of healthy hair once I stopped coloring, but then would get the itch to add color, and the breakage would start all over again. By the time I graduated from high school my hair was barely past my ears, and this wasn't by choice.
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| (Damaged w/relaxer and color..I'm the one wearing combat boots-in May?!) |
I soon resorted to wearing braids back to back, because I didn't know what to do with my hair. And,when the braids came down, my hair was longer, but dry and thin. So I'd chop it off and start over. Due to this vicious cycle I was unable to maintain a healthy length of hair. As a young adult, I decided to seek out a "professional" stylist to help me with my hair, but that resorted in a lot of unnecessary trims and hair cuts that made it appear as though my hair wasn't growing. I also used a lot of commercial hair products, that were loaded with all the wrong ingredients. My hair was always weighed down and limp! I was so tired of not having the kind of hair I knew I could have. I started to take control of my situation and begin to use less heat on my hair, I soon started going to a family member who was an ex- stylist that actually cared about my hair and this placed me on the right track, at the same time I began reading a book by Paula Begoun called Don't Go Buying Hair Care Products without me my hair began to soar after I read this book! I learned how to ignore marketing tools used to sell hair products, and look at the ingredients in the products, and I found most of them were loaded with harsh chemicals that were killing my hair. When I changed my regimen based on Paula's advice, my hair began to make a 190, and it was actually growing past chin length! I was almost afraid to get too excited in fear that it would start breaking again. But it didn't break, it was healthy and it was growing. I was so excited to finally have a decent length of "healthy" hair.
Individual braids Lace front wig
Braid out
Hair in Transition(post mini chop)
I received my last chemical relaxer December 2008 and did the Big Chop (Cut off all of the chemically relaxed hair) Sept 27th 2009...
Post BC
Since My BC I've poured my self in to researching how to care for natural hair, and I've educated myself and others on healthy hair care practices from a natural perspective. I've also obtained a license in Braiding and a Certification in Natural hair care. I am experiencing the best hair health of my life, because of what I've learned my hair is thriving naturally. I'm retaining length, my hair is thick, lush and healthy. I am also sharing with others how they can do the same....I am still on my journey at 25 months all natural..so stay on board, and we'll grow Healthy Happy Hair Together!
11 Mos Post BC 13 mos Post /Straightened
14 mos post BC
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15 mos All natural(wash n GO)   I've been natural 2 years and I'm still learning new things every day on this Natural Hair Journey. Continue to follow my photo journey at http://members.fotki.com/chawthorne/about/ where I am now on a journey to grow and nurture my hair to its longest lengths! Do you know your terminal length? I don't, but I think I'm ready to find out? Remember to always keep it Healthy and Happy! styleseat.com/healthyhappyhair |
