I received my first relaxer going into the 8th grade and continued to get one every six months until about three years ago. I made the decision to go natural. Yes, I decided that I was no longer going to submit to the hair relaxer. I was no longer going to endure a burning scalp, brittle hair shafts and dry hair. Liberating? Of course. I have noticed many young women around campus who have been either natural for a few years or currently transitioning through the natural stage. I must say, I love it! There are many different myths surrounding natural hair. One of the more common ones is that you have to shave off all of your processed hair and start with a short cut.
Senior accounting major Cherrelle Hill said, “I went natural originally because I wanted to color my hair and thought it would be much healthier if my hair was chemically unprocessed and I’ve been natural since then.”
When asked which method she used to go natural, Hill said, “I chose not to cut my hair off and instead let the processed hair grow out and then trimmed. My transition period was great and I got many compliments. ” Many are afraid of the transitional phase but I encourage women to choose whichever method works best for you. Whether it is cutting off all your hair and starting over, or simply giving up chemical relaxers.
I have stumbled across arguments written about the difference between those who are free of all chemical processors but still flat iron their hair and those that don’t use heat or chemicals. When asked what she would define as “natural” hair, Cherrelle Hill said, “Any hair that is chemically unprocessed. It’s not about whether you use heat or not, but if you use a chemical relaxer.” I agree with Miss Hill, putting heat to one’s hair has no bearing on whether or not someone is natural.
As I continue my journey through natural hair, I occasionally come across someone who views natural hair to be ‘ugly hair’. Senior Sociology major Montrinaa Hill said, “A lot of people’s reaction was mean and told me I looked better with my relaxed hair. Gradually, they got used to my hair, because it was not my hair they appreciated, it was personality.”
Personally, I noticed how much healthier my hair is without the relaxer and easier to manage. I went natural because I wanted my hair to be healthier. To say the entire process was a walk in the park would be lying. Of course, there are those days you’d just like to straighten your hair with more than a flat iron. Days where the humidity is 100 percent and you look like you stuck your hair into an electric socket, but once you get a good idea as to what products work best for your hair, doing your hair will be second nature. African Americans are a minority the majority does not accommodate, so most of the products targeted for our hair texture simply do not work for us. I encourage and support anyone going natural to please do research and be patient. Hill said, “Just do you. I know its cliché, but why should others opinions matter when it comes to what you want? Make the transition for yourself.”I am a firm believer in doing what makes you happy. If natural hair is not for you, that is fine. Personally, this journey has been refreshing, liberating and my hair has never been so soft and manageable. I was mentally ready to grow my hair out and I have loved the entire process.