I have been on a journey for awhile dealing with my removing all chemicals from my hair and going "natural." I think my first attempt at this as an adult was about five years ago. I decided to go the route of just letting the straightening chemicals, the relaxer, grow out and just flat iron the new growth that was not straight until it all grew out. Well, that did not last long. I was working a corporate job and was in the heat alot from getting in and out of the car as a pharmaceutical sales representative. You can imagine how my 75% straight hair and 25% afro hair looked in the sweltering heat of the South. The heat that I put on the 25% kinky hair did not last in the humidity for any period of time and it all just became too difficult to manage while working in that environment. So, needless to say, I abandoned that idea and got another relaxer. After I got married and left that job, I contemplated beginning the process again. I started doing research about different techniques women used to get some tips. I had a friend at the time who chose to cut her hair off and grow her natural hair back using the loc technique a.k.a. dreadlocs. Her hair grew really fast and she looked very beautiful and afro-centric. Locs are not for me, but I did want to be able to have a nice beautiful naturla fro like the picture I posted above. That is the look I was going for. Mostly I just felt like I was coming into myself and I wanted to get rid of the chemically processed hair that wasn't truly who I was. So, when I got pregnant, there was a perfect opportunity to start again. I did not want to have any chemicals put into my hair or nails or anything while I was pregnant. I wanted to have a natural birth and I felt like not relaxing my hair was a part of the whole journey for me. It is amazing how pregnancy can make you feel like you are really coming into the real you. I'm wondering if other women out here experienced this whil pregnant. A feeling of empowerment and a true acceptance of myself for exactly who God had made me to be. I always thought that I felt that anyway, but I really felt it then. I didn't care that I was getting fat becuase I felt like my body was doing what it needed to do to support my baby. A few stretch marks? So what? Those are battle wounds, baby! So, I have been growing my hair out since that point. However, after I gave birth, my hair started falling out a few months later. I had heard of this happening to other women, so I expected that this could happen. However, the shedding seemed to get worse and worse and lasting a very long time. I assumed this was because I nursed my daughter for a year after she was born and the hormones were still abnormal due to that. But, after I stopped nursing, I still had the shedding. Many people told me that it could take up to two years for my hormones to regulate! What???? I was hoping to be pregnant again by that time and I didn't want to not have a rest period in between. That just didn't sound right, but I was also having other issues at the time. You can see my post of Graves Disease from a few weeks ago. Bottom line this hair loss was because of my hyperactive thyroid problem. This gave me even more motivation to lose the chemicals in my hair. So, a few days ago I took my braids out and after I got out the shower, I looked at my hair in the mirror and I just grabbed a pair of scissors and started cutting. I cut it ALL off. Well, all the hair that was still chemically straightened. Leaving just a short Afro. Well, a short uneven afro since I was the one who cut it. But, I didn't care. I felt so free....so liberated....and very comfortable. It was just me...and I loved it. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm going this week to get it shaped up. But, I feel like it is so right and I'm glad I finally just jumped in with both feet instead of trying to hold on to those last several inches (i cut off 5inches!). Anyway, I'm looking forward to this new journey. I have a couple of friends who are also where I am on this journey and it is good to have them to chat with about stuff. I had to blog about this and share such a significant day. Before my daughter was born I always said if I had a girl I would not relax her hair. Now that she is here I just know that I would never do that. Her hair is so beautiful. As is all of our hair; black hair. All the different textures and types....they are beautiful and the more we accept it and just rock it out...the more it will be accepted in the mainstream culture as well. I want my daughter to always know that she is beautiful and doesn't have to chemically alter any part of her physical self to fit in. I want her to accept everything about herself because she is beautifully and wonderfully made. And I want to lead by example. Luckily, I have a husband who didn't freak out either! He said he loves it and I love him for that!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Another Natural Haired Sista
I have been on a journey for awhile dealing with my removing all chemicals from my hair and going "natural." I think my first attempt at this as an adult was about five years ago. I decided to go the route of just letting the straightening chemicals, the relaxer, grow out and just flat iron the new growth that was not straight until it all grew out. Well, that did not last long. I was working a corporate job and was in the heat alot from getting in and out of the car as a pharmaceutical sales representative. You can imagine how my 75% straight hair and 25% afro hair looked in the sweltering heat of the South. The heat that I put on the 25% kinky hair did not last in the humidity for any period of time and it all just became too difficult to manage while working in that environment. So, needless to say, I abandoned that idea and got another relaxer. After I got married and left that job, I contemplated beginning the process again. I started doing research about different techniques women used to get some tips. I had a friend at the time who chose to cut her hair off and grow her natural hair back using the loc technique a.k.a. dreadlocs. Her hair grew really fast and she looked very beautiful and afro-centric. Locs are not for me, but I did want to be able to have a nice beautiful naturla fro like the picture I posted above. That is the look I was going for. Mostly I just felt like I was coming into myself and I wanted to get rid of the chemically processed hair that wasn't truly who I was. So, when I got pregnant, there was a perfect opportunity to start again. I did not want to have any chemicals put into my hair or nails or anything while I was pregnant. I wanted to have a natural birth and I felt like not relaxing my hair was a part of the whole journey for me. It is amazing how pregnancy can make you feel like you are really coming into the real you. I'm wondering if other women out here experienced this whil pregnant. A feeling of empowerment and a true acceptance of myself for exactly who God had made me to be. I always thought that I felt that anyway, but I really felt it then. I didn't care that I was getting fat becuase I felt like my body was doing what it needed to do to support my baby. A few stretch marks? So what? Those are battle wounds, baby! So, I have been growing my hair out since that point. However, after I gave birth, my hair started falling out a few months later. I had heard of this happening to other women, so I expected that this could happen. However, the shedding seemed to get worse and worse and lasting a very long time. I assumed this was because I nursed my daughter for a year after she was born and the hormones were still abnormal due to that. But, after I stopped nursing, I still had the shedding. Many people told me that it could take up to two years for my hormones to regulate! What???? I was hoping to be pregnant again by that time and I didn't want to not have a rest period in between. That just didn't sound right, but I was also having other issues at the time. You can see my post of Graves Disease from a few weeks ago. Bottom line this hair loss was because of my hyperactive thyroid problem. This gave me even more motivation to lose the chemicals in my hair. So, a few days ago I took my braids out and after I got out the shower, I looked at my hair in the mirror and I just grabbed a pair of scissors and started cutting. I cut it ALL off. Well, all the hair that was still chemically straightened. Leaving just a short Afro. Well, a short uneven afro since I was the one who cut it. But, I didn't care. I felt so free....so liberated....and very comfortable. It was just me...and I loved it. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm going this week to get it shaped up. But, I feel like it is so right and I'm glad I finally just jumped in with both feet instead of trying to hold on to those last several inches (i cut off 5inches!). Anyway, I'm looking forward to this new journey. I have a couple of friends who are also where I am on this journey and it is good to have them to chat with about stuff. I had to blog about this and share such a significant day. Before my daughter was born I always said if I had a girl I would not relax her hair. Now that she is here I just know that I would never do that. Her hair is so beautiful. As is all of our hair; black hair. All the different textures and types....they are beautiful and the more we accept it and just rock it out...the more it will be accepted in the mainstream culture as well. I want my daughter to always know that she is beautiful and doesn't have to chemically alter any part of her physical self to fit in. I want her to accept everything about herself because she is beautifully and wonderfully made. And I want to lead by example. Luckily, I have a husband who didn't freak out either! He said he loves it and I love him for that!
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2 comments:
what a great post! I def. had the eye-opening experience of appreciating the "skin" God gave me via the changes that occurred through pregnancy. It of course depends on the day whether i fully embrace it or not, but my desire is def. to just enjoy the way God made me & not get so wrapped up in vanity that my outward appearance matters much.
esp. fun to hear your thoughts on hair. (DEF. going to need a picture!!!). really excited you chopped it (just so punk-rock/D.I.Y), that's awesome & awesome your husband is cool w/it. we plan to adopt at some point & we haven't figured out yet what sort of process we'll go through/avenue ect. to do so, but i've always said that if for whatever reason God blesses us with a little black girl that i would not put chemicals in her hair (& would take 'classes' to learn how to best care for her hair if necessary). i LOVE when people find ways to wear their hair in a natural fashion...whether that be white women obsessed with keeping hair that stopped being blonde in middle school blonde or black women frying theirs to have it straight. not to say I look down at either of those options, i just think it's fun to see what we're supposed to look like...if that makes any sense. i also like change though, so i can sympathize with wanting to alter it for something 'new' if you're feeling in a rut/blah. anyhow, i'm rambling on. pictures. soon! ;)
I don't know how I missed this! I can't wait to see your hair.
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