Transitioning involves a change from one state or condition to another. With hair transitioning, the goal is to go from wearing permed or relaxed hair and return our hair to its’ natural condition.
Natural hair wasn’t popular when I grew up. To make our hair easier to comb or for special occasions like weddings, we always felt that a ‘nice hair style’ included straightening or perming the hair. I remember wearing an Afro for a few years in High School and College. But, at some point I started perming my hair. Many years later, I began transitioning to natural hair.
If you are planning to transition to natural hair, I’ve found some tips to help you avoid a lot of frustrations and mistakes. You will also understand how to care for a different texture of hair.
Hair Transitioning Tips
- Be Patient – you will need a lot of patience and perseverance as you figure out your hair. Learn to embrace your hair texture.
- To Cut or Not to Cut? Don’t do a big chop. Let your perm grow out and trim the ends about every 4 – 6 weeks.
- Handling New Growth – Your hair is fragile. Handle carefully. Only comb your hair when you detangle it after washing. Deep condition your hair each week and give yourself a hot oil treatment, once a month.
- Avoid Heat – Don’t use blow dryers or hair dryers on your hair. You may use a hood hairdryer on a low setting, for a few minutes, if necessary.
- Hair Products – Use only sulfate-free shampoo. You may need to try different hair products before you find the one that works best on your hair. Try a small size of a product before purchasing a larger quantity.
- Protective Hairstyles – these styles require little or no combing of your hair for a set period of time. Some protective styles would be twists, braids, cornrows, rod sets, extensions, etc
There is a lot more information, even hairstyles and many more transitioning and natural hair tips. If your little girls’ hair is permed Curly Nikki, has an article to guide in transitioning young girls’ hair.
