Now that more and more teenagers are transitioning to natural hair, I thought I’d create a page dedicated to the subject and offer some encouragement and advice.
Going natural was not something anyone was doing when I was in high school, but I can tell you now that I would not have had the confidence to do it.
So I applaud those of you who are considering or going through the journey.
Even though I have no experience with what it’s like to go through high school with transitioning or natural hair, I can tell you what I’ve learned about people that will help you stayed encouraged.
It Takes Strength and Confidence to Look Different
For the most part, teenagers just want to fit in. No one wants to be the person who stands out or gets made fun of because they are different.
Can you relate?
That’s why so many teenagers are terrified of going natural. It goes against how most young girls wear their hair — especially today when so many girls are wearing long, straight weaves.
I commend you for putting your desire to go natural and having a healthier hair regimen over trying to look like everyone else.
And let me tell you, when your natural hair is long, healthy and able to do so many funky hairstyles, I guarantee many of those people who tease you will wish their hair is as healthy as yours.
My hair journey has inspired so many people who told me they never even considered going natural. I bet this will happen to you!
So I encourage you to stay strong. Yes, some people don’t like natural hair, but it’s only because we’ve been programmed to believe that straighter hair is more beautiful. Don’t make someone else’s opinion your problem.
And if someone has something to say about your “nappy hair”, you can just casually remind them how freeing it will be to know that your hair doesn’t have to be processed for you to feel beautiful.
Don’t stoop to their level with insults, just confidently reply with a smile, remind them it’s their opinion and keep it moving! 🙂
Transition Hairstyling Ideas
So what do you do while transitioning? After all, that’s the most challenging part of the natural hair journey because you are dealing with two different textures.
Plus, you’re probably busy with school and other activities so you don’t have enormous amounts of time to spend on your hair, and you want it to look nice. So here are some styling options.
1) Extensions/Weaves
Many teens transition by wearing braids or weave because it’s low maintenance. I don’t have an issue with this, as long as you give your hair a break for a few weeks between getting more hair sewn/braided in.
Also make sure you get them done loosely and they don’t pull your edges. This can cause breakage. And if you are already losing hair because of traction alopecia (hair loss around the edges, crown, etc. from pulling) then I would strongly recommend some of the styles below.
2) Flat Twists
Flat twists are great because you can learn to do them yourself (I learned on YouTube) and it’s a good way to blend the two textures at the edges where your hair grows out first.
I wore flat twists a LOT during my transition. It took me about a month or so to learn how to do them properly, but once I learned this was my go-to style often. My favorite style was flat twisting my sides and doing a rod set on the rest of my hair.
Just like extensions, make sure you don’t put them in too tight or they can break your hair.
Here’s one of the tutorials that helped me learn how to flat twist…
And here’s one of my favorite flat twist transitioning styles…
3) Rod Sets
You have to be careful with rod sets because you don’t want to look like somebody’s grandma. 😉 The key is to use small rods and roll your hair in a spiral pattern so your curls are spirally. Plus, the smaller you do them, the longer they will last.
Also make sure you separate the curls completely when you take down the rods, to give your hair a fuller. You can young-up a rod set by adding a stylish, large headband.
I loved rod sets while transitioning because they lasted a little more than a week with little maintenance. I always used the white and blue plastic rods (from the beauty supply) because they are smaller and made my curls last longer.
See my article on rod setting transitioning hair.
4) Bantu Knot Outs
This is another popular transitioning style. It’s ideal because you are twisting your hair to the root, which is good for blending textures.
I never did bantu knots when I was transitioning, but you can see a video of my first bantu knot out style while fully natural. You can still use the same technique.
What’s great about this style is you don’t need to add perm rods because you will automatically curl your ends when creating the knots.
Mom Says “No Way!”
I come across a lot of teens who need advice because their mom is completely against natural hair.
At one time natural hair was in (60’s, 70’s, etc.) Then in the 80’s and 90’s it became all about the relaxer — the straighter the better. So if your mom grew up in a time when natural hair was not in, she may have a very negative attitude about it.
Times are changing. YouTube has revolutionized the way we think about and style our hair. Also, products have come a long way so detangling and overall management have gotten so much easier.
I was doing my hair in front of my mom once and she said, See, we didn’t have access to all the knowledge and products you guys have now. She said she didn’t remember my texture looking the way it looks now, but my texture hasn’t changed.
The products (conditioners, cremes, etc.) are making my hair more manageable than when my mom used to do my hair. She didn’t have access to them when I was younger so the only thing I remember about being natural was tangles and heartache! (I used to hate wash days!)
So if your mom is against natural hair, take her to YouTube and school her on the way natural hair management and styling has evolved. Find a woman whose hair is thriving and has a similar texture to yours.
YouTube has encouraged many people to go natural simply because prior to its popularity, lots of people were unaware of what is possible with our natural hair. The videos are inspiring because they show how versatile our hair truly is.
Another reason some are so against natural hair is because they’ve seen poor examples. Obviously if you don’t take care of your hair, being natural can be a disaster. However, with some TLC and patience, your hair can really thrive and the styling options are endless!
Below are some pics toward the end of my 18-month natural hair transition. My hair was mostly natural by this time. I started falling in love with how many styles I could do since my hair was so thick.
And if your mom is still against it, you might just have to sit her down and tell her how you feel. Explain to her that the relaxers are ruining your hair (if that’s the case) and you’d really like to learn how to embrace what your hair does naturally.
Tell her it would mean the world to her if you could have her support. Remind her that she doesn’t have to like your hair, but the support during the transition would make a big difference.
Remember, some people just don’t like natural hair and you can’t change their minds — but that’s not your problem. It only becomes your problem if you let people’s opinions bother you. Stay strong and do what’s best for YOU.
Discuss Your Transition With Other Teens
Sometimes it’s hard to find people who support your transition so you may feel you are in this alone. There’s a thread in the forums created by a teen looking for support as she transitions. Feel free to join in. Also check out this discussion where a mom hates natural hair.
Decided to transition? Here are some tips to help you get started.
I posted here a while back June 23, 2013 at 1:04 pm to be excat. Which means it’s been a little over a year. 1 year and almost 6 months in about 7 days. Best hair journey ever. My hair is my best friend strong. I’m 16 years old a junior in high school. I never used extension or a weave in my hair in my life and I’m proud to say I haven’t applied heat to my hair not once. I don’t plan to unless it’s prom. But even then I wanna be different and wear a natural hair still to prom. My go to use to be a flat top fro hawk. Which evolved into 2 strand twists individuals made using my natural hair takes 3 hours because lasts 1-2 weeks. I’m did my first twist out by accident. The kids at school loved It and so did the boys and a young man I’m dating. I’m planning on finding a way to were twists outs and braid outs on my hair. I’m going to find the time to practice.
Girls it’s possible keep your head up stay strong and be happy your different. It doesn’t matter what they say as long as your happy. Embrace your hot mess days and learn from them. Try and learn something new about your hair everyday. Before you know it you’ll be at 1 year and beyond. I seen pictures today of my twa and wow theirs a huge difference and I feel the difference.
Water is your best friend and so is oil. Don’t be afraid to apply water to your hair just wet the tips your scalp something.
Patients and Faith.
JayLa! I am soooooooooooooooo happy and proud of you!! You are such an inspiration to the teens who see this!
I just decided to go natural like a week after I got a touch-up and I’ve been waiting it out. I’m can’t tell if the touch-up has gone but, I got so over burden with me wanting hm relaxed hair back that I decided I would do the big chop myself so I did but, I only ended up cutting my hair in the middle. My hair has undergone so much that it started to break off even more! I can’t even twist it like I want. I thought about getting the Carol’s Oil Infusion Kit for my hair, but, I really need more tips on what to do
Hey, my name is Dezrhiannah and I am 14 and am a so called natural in my eyes. I haven’t had a relaxer or perm in 5 to 6 months, so I guess I’m natural. I have about a centimeter of straight ends of my hair. Growing up I never had “good hair” my mother always put in braids, lanchhooks, and stuff like that. There was a period between 5th grade and 7th grade that I wore braids. I wore fb braids a GREAT majority of my life so my hair was never worn. My mom always told me I never had that “good hair” and in her eyes that meant like curly or fine hair, I always had kinky c oily hair that the comb broke to. One day I got a relaxer and I was about 11 and my hair was SO SHORT, it wasn’t even past my ears and I was so dissapointed I moaped until she put my braids back in. But now I want to go natural and my hair texture is a 4c and its REALLy hard to style with hair this short and stuff. My kitchen,sides,and front doesn’t even have a curl pattern to it, its just straight . But my top is really the longest and it has coils. And I’m over here stressing because nothing works for me. I tried twist outs, braids outs, eco styler gel and I feel like crying when they never turn out. And school starts next month and its already the 27th and I don’t know quarter to do. Can somebody help me? Please 🙂
Hi I am 16, and i am transitioning because i am tired of my hair breaking off, heat damage and not growing at all. I just started transitioning 1 month ago I think THE WHOLE MONTH OF JUNE I DIDN’T GET A PERM I BELIEVE now but i completely dedicated to transitioning i trimmed my hair because it was uneven. I’m doing well i think so far by doing Bantu Knots as my protective style, not blow drying, detangling every co wash or anything never comb a dry head. Also by shampooing once a month also spritzing when it gets dry [because i do have dry scalp a little bit of dandruff] and trimming. But i did a protein treatment it was okay till the dry and a itchy scalp at the end so I did a deep conditioning on my wash day an co washed and shampooed that will be the only wash i do for the rest of this month. But i am going to deep condition every week btw i have thick hair and i am starting to feel little coils here in there through out my hair . So do that mean that mean i have 3c/4a texture? Also school starts back in august and i am planning on getting a sew in but i don’t know if its best to get a full or a leave out versatile sew in? And which hair is best Yaki straight or Yaki coarse if i get a leave out and not perming or flat ironing my hair? Also the products i use are Elasta QP mango leave in conditioner and curl definer are they good? SORRY FOR ALL THE QUESTIONS
Hi, I’m 15 years old and I’m trying to grow my hair to be at shoulder length. Right now it is about right underneath my ear at the beginning of my jaw line. I usually wear my hair in senegalese twist or sew-ins. I was wondering if you could give me suggestions on the best way to grow my hair to my desired length. Will wearing my hair natural make it grow better than wearing it in twists or sew-ins? How should I wear my hair so it can grow at its best? When I have sew-ins my mom says I always burn my hair out because I have to straighten the top part that’s out a lot. I sweat easily so my hair can’t stay straight. It always puffs back up when it gets wet. And when I have twists, I feel like it pulls out my hair because of those little lent ball things that happen at the beginning of the braids when you have them for a while. I’m not exactly sure of my hair type. Its really nappy but I have been told that my hair is really soft. I use olive oil hair spray and I have raw African Shea Butter that I use. If you have any suggestions to help me that would be greatly appreciated. I would love to be able to wear MY hair instead of having to pay to get braids or sew-ins every couple months. But I want it to be long when I wear it down. Summer is coming up, so I have some time to grow my hair. Hair grows about half a inch a month and my hair is probably about 5-8 inches from my shoulders. So that’s about 10-16 months. But I don’t know how to grow it /.\ HELP ME!!
Thanks in Advanced
~Sincerely,
Desperate Teenage Girl
HI Sharon
Wearing weaves constantly can put stress on your hair and cause it to thin out. Have you ever tried wearing a straw set? It’s where you take small straws and rod your hair in a spiral motion? It lasts forever and even when it gets old you can use a headband to push it back into a cute puff. It’s a low heat style and very low manipulation. A very healthy style for anyone.
I’m 13 and I’ve recently decided to transition my hair (like, seriously just yesterday). I mostly started doing it because my aunt(18) started transitioning and taught me more about my hair than my mom did. It’s been almost a month since I’ve last relaxed my hair and I gave about half a centimeter of new growth now. My mom isn’t fully on board and said she’d spent a lot of time trying to keep my relaxed hair healthy and that I would have to do my hair myself, but I’ve been trying to make that happen for the past year…
My mom make me feel like my hair is ugly or unmanageable and always wants to put my hair in braids but sometimes I want to wear my here out what do I do
I had the same problem my first couple of months but I would suggest simply looking on YouTube for some inspiration on hairstyles. Find one or two go-to styles and master those. It’s going to be hard but I had to learn to ignore my mom honestly it’ll probably take her a while to accept your hair but once you stop caring what she thinks things will become a lot easier
I been transitioning for 1/2 month. And i like the process. I’m in high school 10th grade. Yes, I get talked bout but it only makes me stronger. Since I been transitioninh I stop caring what others think.
It’s hard finding products and hairstyle. And I’m very inpatienet. Transitioning has help me overcome that. Me & my mom both is transitioning.
Hi ! I’m currently transitioning ! I’m 13 years old. My last relaxer was in August of 2013 and I’ve tried the bantu knots and braid outs and twist outs but. I’m looking for other ways to do my hair. I’m also debating between cutting my relaxed ends but my hair is somewhat at a short length. Do you think you could give me some ideas ?
I have a similar problem, not with rude comments, but just perception. My Mum (yup, I’m British- it’s a ‘u’) was all for me going natural after high school. She actively encouraged it, going on about the ’70’s, black power and black pride. She got me started on the basics and that was that. But my Mother is paranoid. Paranoid that I’m not “doing my Afro hair right”. I can’t do my hair in the morning without her ‘needing to check it before I go’. It’s like my hair is an assignment and my Mum is the teacher, checking my work. “Good effort”, she says, “You just need to cover up these dents/ comb these edges/ squeeze clip harder” etc…It makes me feel like I’m a kid. I’m 20 for the record. Styling my 4c hair can be a nuisance at times. But everyone has bad hair days. It feels like my hair is never right, unless my Mum tells me it looks good. And if its not something she would do, it’s wrong or “doesn’t look right”. Anyone else feel this way?
Hi
Two years ago I tried to go natural and my mom was against it, but reluctantly agreed to help me. As time went on, she kept complaining about my hair, and telling how my hair was not as good as it was when I was younger. So to make a long story short she pretty much convinced me that it is better for me to get a relaxer, and I did. Now I am determined to go back natural, and this time my mom says she will not help me because my hair is “way too much work”. Now, I feel as if I am going through this alone, until I found your site. I would just like to say thank you and I look forward to your next posts.
I’m 14 and transitioning! all of my friends are so supportive i’ve even convinced some to do it with me! Unfortunately my hair is coming out easily, its not full strands either…What’s happening??
Your hair is snapping off at the demarcation line where your relaxed and natural hair meet. This is very normal. Try to deep condition your hair weekly and wear styles that don’t require heat like rod sets or twist outs (with rods on the end). Hang in there!
Ive posted on here before but I wanted to know if anyone could give me some more advice. Ive been transitioning for about two months now and it’s been going good. But now i have a problem, im a competitive swimmer so chlorine touches my hair almost everyday. Which means I have to was my hair 4-6 times a week . I wet my hair and put conditioner In It before practice and meets but It only helps a little. The chlorine causes my hair to become very dry and hard and im starting to see major breakage. I love swimming and I don’t want to quit because of my hair but I don’t want to quit my transitioning because of swimming. Anyone have any tips?
Natural Hair is a great thing i was natural up until 5th grade, My mom said it was hard for her to comb my hair after she washed it and it was very tiring. I loved my natural hair, but my mom made me get a perm, that was the worst day of my life. I miss my natural hair so now i am 16 in the 10th grade and i started my natural hair journey Feb. 1, 2014 and I’m looking forward to my natural hair again.
I never had a perm in my hair, and I decided to grow my hair put on June. After getting Senegalese twist my hair became thinner and shorter. Then I flat I gave on and flat ironed my hair for the past month. I got a trim, but my hair is still very damaged and I barely have natural curls. I used to twist my hair every night, because the curls never stay and I found a patch of hair that broke off. I have no idea what I’m doing wrong but I really want to be natural. But I can’t if my hair is beginning to become shorter.
Hi, this is Neisha again from a post from earlier. Am i the only teen who has been transitioning with braids?
Every since christmas break a year ago , I have been wearing box braids at school. I feel really bald headed by keeping braids in 24/7. Nobody really talks about me and my hair except this one girl when she doesn’t take her ADHD medicine . She be aggravating me to the extreme. I’m sure others probably talk , but they ain’t saying nothing to my face so I don’t care. I love box braids because you can style them so many ways, but I really love natural hair. I really want to wear my real hair out, but I can’t. I tried to over this Christmas break. I flat ironed , trimmed my ends , made a side bang in the front by cutting off all my relax ends. It came a tad bit pass my eyebrow ( I have a big forehead . lol ) . So when straighten , that’s how long my natural hair is after 13 months of transitioning. My hair is now longer than it has been my entire life, I think lol , except the part that I cut in the front, but it’ll grow back really soon. Over christmas break I got really tired of my hair and BOOM put some more box braids in. I’ll probably keep box braids in until the end of the school year , give my hair a break over the summer & maybe even BC , then in August get some more braids for back to school. I’ll probably keep them in until October then some more braids until Christmas break & see if I can deal with my hair or nah, if I can’t then some more braids it will be , I guess. After seeing that the creator of this page transitioned for 18 months, I may BC after taking my braids out in June. I’ll be 19 months post or I might wait until 2 years post in November, like I originally have planned. I HAVE TWO MAJOR ISSUES WITH TRANSITIONING WITH BRAIDS. 1.) As stated earlier, I hate keeping in braids 24/7 and wish my natural hair was to the length that I would feel comfortable with, however I don’t think that’s a major deal, it’ll be okay after time goes by. 2.) I think I may have traction alopecia.
Hi, I am currently battling with myself on whether or not to “go natural.” I’ve never had a perm/relaxer (btw I’m 17) and I’m not 100% what going natural consists of seeing as I’m not transitioning. I have a basic, I guess “schedule,” that I stick to with my hair. I don’t use a lot of heat, but when I get my hair done (every 2 weeks) I get it blow dried straight. I guess I’ve noticed that after years of the same routine my hair hasn’t grown much, or breaks off and then I have to get it trimmed. I’m wondering if maybe discontinuing the use of heat will do me any justice? Or should I take breaks in between getting my hair done?
Hey I’m in 9th grade and I’ve been getting relaxers since about 3rd grade. My hair was long, past my shoulders then broke off due to chlorine. It’s been about 1 month since my last relaxer and my mom says I can go natural. Problem is I just started at a new school and just want to fit in, with transitioning hair idk what to do with it. It’s getting thick really fast and my hair is shedding a lot more. The back of my hair touches to about my shoulders but my front is shorter. And I wear my hair in a bun. Advice?
Hi I’m 14years, natural and transitioning from heat damage and I don’t know whether the end of my hair strands are thin or are split ends? But I know I need a trim, my relaxer transitioning Mom says that trimmings only for when you have relaxedhair!?!..how will I retain length and how do I persuade her that natural hair needs trimming aswell?
Hey, I just started transitioning in November and it’s frustrating because i really want my curls back. I know it’s my fault that there gone. I like flexi rods. Im 13 and my sister took all the heat stuff. My mom just bought a wand and in was so tempted to just curl my hair with that. We have a weaver 2 straighteners and a wand. Before i started i would never give my hair a break. I started doing my hair when i was in 6th grade. Last year ! I didn’t know how to control it. Sunkissalba helped me. She had a lot and if she can do it,so can i !!
Do you have any tips on how to deal with transitioning while in college. I have tried transitioning twice in high school but after a few months i would always end up relaxing for cheer-leading. My hair was a pretty good length (about 2-3 past my shoulders) and i have cut it to about 2 inches above my shoulders. Now that i have been in college for a semester I’m finally ready to start this process of going natural without any interruptions. Do you have any more tips or words of encouragement, and also does a keratin treatment help with transitioning?
Hey, I know you probably wanted to hear from the lady who posted this article but I feel the need to reply to you question since I am in the same situation as you. I am a college student too and I am currently transitioning. I would say if you are scared like I was to do the big chop, take your time. There is absolutely no rush to get things started. Trim your ends whenever you think you need a trim. A good way to tell that your ends need trimming is if you can see through your strands. Also limit the amount of shampoo you use on your hair. Co-wash your hair more than you shampoo. Cut out all heat- flat iron, blow drying, pressing combs and curling irons. Those things break your hair like crazy. Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize!! This is key, oil your hair daily, don’t allow your hair to become dry. Remember, moist hair grows, dry hair breaks. Most importantly, you want to eat properly, and drink lots of water. Keep in mind that transitioning is a process, it takes time so don’t expect too much results too fast! Just be patient with your hair and naturally you will see changes:) hope this helps!!!
Thank you for the advice!!
Im 14 years old and my last relaxer was on August 9 (3 months post) and I refuse slap another in my head lol. I had alot of trouble convincing my mom to let me go natural, but after about 3 weeks of bugging her about she finally agreed(i convinced her by showing her a power point lol). Everyone around me thinks my hair is very long……but to me its horrible. My mom pays sooooooo much money for me to go to the salon and the only thing she does is make my hair worser than what it (ex: over flat ironing, relaxer left in my head forever and the annoying scabs!) can’t wait to see my natural hair!!! 🙂
I am a full natural. i am 14 and my hair isn’t even shoulder length since i cut it when i was twelve. ihow long will it take for my hair to grow shoulder length?
I’m 18 years old and currently in college. I’ve been trying to naturally come out of perms since my very last one in March. Until I went to college(about a week ago) I was trying protective styles. My last sew-in was a disaster because a patch of hair fell out. The last two months I’ve been getting my hair pressed and flat-ironed every week. But now, I can no longer afford to get it done that often and every time I try to straighten it, my hair feels brittle and weak. It just recently started growing long and healthy. I have no idea how to take care of my own hair and I don’t know how to style my hair naturally like I want. Could you help?
Hey Ms. Lisa im kierra ive decided to go natural!! im soo excited and I can wait I have kinky twist in and im so anxious to take them out. when I was younger I had long, good hair. got me a relaxer done and it broke off quite a bit, but my mother kept giving me relaxers. my hair is still manageable, but I have very bad dandruff. can you maybe give me some tips on how I can manage my dandruff to not be as ou of control when I start to transition to going natural thank you! and I love your website your tips, and stories have giving me the inspiration to go through with going natural. thank you soooo much ! _kierra
Hi I’ve just started transitioning 3 months ago and i was wondering if there’s an ideal time to do the big chop?
It’s all about when you’re ready. There is no “ideal time” because everyone is ready at different stages. Take your time. 🙂
Im 16… I would recommend to everyone to watch which products they user and check for chemicals!!! Research natural products it even home remedies. I only use e edible products on my hair and it’s very strong and healthy
Im so glad i found .. Im 16 & my experience with my natural hair had been a roller coater. I bc’d last year and it was HARD my relaxed hair was so long but very damaged as well and i knew it had to go. Now i have amazing 3c/4a healthy curls that i absolutely adore! Nut words to any transitioning teens would be to just go for it. It’s different but it’s beautiful. It’s a giftgift that god gave you so there’s no need to ruin it with chemical after chemical. Your hair is apart of your body and your body it’s your temple.
Hey, I’m 16 and I’ve never had a perm but my hair is severely heat damaged. In 8th grade I found out that my hair was really curly and pretty. I still flat-ironed it a lot, though and from there I noticed it getting straighter and straighter. I kept thinking that at certain points that my hair wouldn’t get straighter and that I can keep on flat-ironing but I was wrong every time. At one point my hair was so damaged that it didn’t curl at all when washed and when I blow-dried that it looked like it was flat-ironed. After that I didn’t flat-iron my hair for about 3 months and I soon noticed my curls returning. Now, it is just the ends that are straight and they’re weighing down my roots and shaft making them look less curly. My hair used to be in between shoulder and bra strap length (that was in 8th grade) now, it’s like a little above my shoulders. I have had a few very miniscule cuts but, now it just doesn’t grow anymore. Or doesn’t seem to be at least. I still like straight styles but, I’m ready to take care of my hair the right way. I haven’t talked to my mom about it yet but, I’m planning on it soon.
I stopped getting perms last summer and the last time I removed my sew in extensions my permed ends were almost nonexistent. My hair is about 3.5-4inches long and I have no idea how to style it for school besides a puff because twist-outs never last in my hair due to humidity.
I really appreciate this post. I did the big chop yesterday, and I have a mini afro. I did two strand twists last night & when I took them out this morning, they weren’t as luxurious as I hoped for. Im 18 & Ive been wanting to go natural for 2 ywars but my mom was completely against it. When I told her I was cutting off my hair she just kept trying to convince me not to. I wanted to go natural because I wantes to love me for me, accept my true beauty, and because I hate everything about perms & what they stand for. I was SO ready for this experience but I feel really unattractive at times. I posted some pictures on instagram & got really good responses but it really hurts my feelings not having the people closest to me not supporting me. My mom has never really been the type to tell me I look beautiful or cute, only when there was a point I lost a lot of weight. But I gained it all back & I know she doesnt think Im pretty & with this natural haair I know it made things worse.
Really touched by your comment. I’m sorta going through the same thing Lauren. Hold on Sis, everyone will wish they had your hair when they realise how beautiful natural hair is. Keep letting your hair grow freely sis, you’ll be glad you did when your hair has grown a bit longer and able to do more things with it. I’m 6 months natural and just recently cut my hair- NOT BIG CHOP but big enough anyway (ha ha). My mom hates it but it’s in braids anyway. I’m loving the curls i’m starting to see, not such a big fan of the struggles that come with thick 4C hair. But if others can do it, I sure can too! 😀
im 16 and thinking about going natural ive bought alot of conditioners and oils but now where do i start also my relaxed hair is not damaged i just had my ends trimmed so what now
hi im 14 going 15 next month and my hair has been relaxed since i was about maybe 6 or 7 because my mom could have control my hair cause it was to hard for her to comb so she relaxed it and for the longest while i’ve been trying to convince my mom into letting me go back natural and now she finally is and i am so glad that i found this site because i had no idea of what products to use .plus im having a bit of a problem with my hair tho on top of my hair is always dry and hard but in d middle is soft n i want to put braids in my hair n i’ve read that the Senegalese twist is the best as protective style for transitioning, is that true???
BTW….love page 😀
I loved this post thanks for the encouragement again lisa!
Hi I’m turning 12 July 4,and it’s almost been a year since my mom transitioned me from blow dry/flat iron to natural. I like it a lot and me and my mom watch your videos on YouTube, but I kinda need help with moisturizing my thick hair. Thanks!!
Hi well i’m 13 and i decided to go natural last december and since then i have stopped getting a relaxer.My mom didn’t think it was a good idea but she also thought it would save her money and time so i went ahead and started.I just need some help because i wash my hair and deep condition over night which helps.But i need help with the products that you think will be healthy for my hair because i want to keep my hair really good.I also have cornrows in right now with my own hair so i was wondering what i should do to it when i take them out like next week.I really need some help with the best kind of shampoo,conditioner,oils,deep conditioners,moisturizers and just some advice to help me keep my two textures manageable because my hair grows really fast and when you touch my scalp you can feel nothing but a bunch of hair
Thank you so much for the encouragement! I’ll be starting my first year of highschool after summer and I plan on openly being natural. My mom had urged me to do it, it’s been about nine months. What I love most about it is how healthy and full its is and looks! And like you said, if people making fun or don’t like it, they’ll just have to wait and see when its long, full, and healthy!~ Hopefully, when I become a senior, everyone will see the difference frfom freshman year and become encouraged by it. I’m glad I started young. 😀
I Love this site i have been transitioning for three almost 4 months now this is soo fun. I have learned alot about my hair and my self. To all the girls above and below me KEEP GOING IN THE END ITS WORTH IT! Top things i have learned 1.Water is your best friend your scalp loves it your hair loves it yourbody loves it so use it. (although i use botrled water for my hair because hard water is not my friend) 2. Deep condition the more you do the softer and more manageabke your hair and new growth will be. (if you dont feel a difference have some one else feel it. 3. DONT THROW AWAY THAT SULFATE SHAMPOO Yes, its best use natrual shampoo (i have some my self (Burt’s Bee’s best selection Walmart 8 bucks not cheap)) but some days or etleast once a month use it because sometimes natural doesnt get it all and your hair needs a fresh start. Today i was doing my hair and i seen all of my coils and kinks (wet so i guess i have 4a hair runs in the family. My grandfather was full indian. OHH AND DONT WORRY OR TRIP IF YOUR MIXED OR NOT IT DOES NOT MATTER somtimes your hair is not where you think it comes from. When i was young i was jeoulus of my sister hair because it was curly and pretry. While mine was nappy and just no. But yoir young idk how to take care of it. Which leads to relaxing in most cases. But its also called purbety hormones chanhe your hair type. So now i have that coily hair that i envy from my sister.)i got excited hard work pays above. I did a length check i have 1 1/12inch all the away around. Sure its not much but its just the beginning. 4. Dont get caught up in what people think or looking at other girls hair. You’ll get there. To the Mother above Transition your daugther now before she becomes a teens and begins noticing her hair. Because feeling like the only girlin school with no hair is not fun. Trust me been there done that. By the time she a teen she’ll have a head full of hair with no care. Im 15 about to be a somophore i wish o did this sooner do your daughter a favor she’ll thank you later. 5. Cover your hair when you sleep 6. DONT USE HEAT AVIOD IT its not your friend saygood bye to all of those tools for a year or more they will hood you back.
Thinking about going natural with my daughters hair she’s about to turn 9 and she’s been getting perms since she was 5 but her hair is really damaged and breaking off more and more. What should I do?
I’m am 19 years old and have been getting perms forever. My hair is about 20ish inches long and is very thick and course. I didn’t start straightening it until I was in 8th grade. It’s pretty healthy but I’ve been thinking about going natural just for a change up. I’m a little hesitant because I don’t know how it would look and how long it would take for it to be fully curly. Thanks
My last relaxer was November 24, 2012. I have been tranisitioning for 6 months. I have been wearing braids throughout my transition, but now since I’m 6 months I want to take care of my hair. I want to transition for 2 years. When I was relax, my hair was really damaged and since I have been wearing braids 5/6 months of my transition, I think my new growth is a little bit damaged. I just took my braids out 5 days ago & I’ve deep conditioned once & put shea butter on my hair daily as a moisturizer, but my hair is really hard. I plan to deep condition my hair once a week, but what do y’all suggest I do to get healthier/softer hair? What products should I use? How often should I use them? How long will it take for me to see results? Any information would be appreciated.
Im a 17 year old teenager who has been wearing braids and weaves since middle school. I always think about wearing my hair natural because my hair has been damaged a lot, and now its thinning in the front, but its getting really thick in the middle and the back. Its really difficult for me to do my hair into the new and pretty hair styles today. I need a way to let my hair take a break without really letting all my hair hang out, but what should I do?
Hi Lisa,
After months of stretching my relaxer for months at a time, I’ve given up on relaxing my hair. I found ypur videos on YouTube and its made me want to transition even more. At first I was scared but I got more and more excited with the transition. The biggest problem that I’ve had so far was getting someone to trim my hair and my aunt just wants me to cut it all off. Any ideas on how to help? Thank You
Hi Anissia,
I learned how to trim my hair myself but you can always find a natural hair stylist in your area to help you along. Even if you don’t go to them often sometimes it’s good to have a go-to professional if you need a trim or advice.
Thank you Lisa. Now I’m about to do the final step in my transition with my best friend and do the big chop. Thank you so very much and I will be using these styles a lot while natural.
Hi there, I just found your page and I’m loving it! Reading this article was like God-sent for me as is encouraging me to keep on going. I’m 18 and everyone was against me going natural except my brother (i have pretty long relaxed hair) but I stuck it out and pretty much I’m doing my own thing now but I’m really happy to see all my beautiful natural curls come out (I’m 5months post-relaxer).
Question 1: Could you please make an article explaining the effects of certain ‘bad’ ingredients in hair products?
Question 2: As I said, my mum is against me going natural so I have to wash my own hair (it’s really thick). Any tips on how to wash my hair now that I have both natural and relaxed hair textures?
Thanks for creating this website 🙂
Hey I’m 16 and my hair last summer was shoulder length but was full of split ends so i had to cut them off , now one side of my hair is chin length the other to end of my ear. But the real problem is the middle of my hair that suffered alotta damage due to tight of braids in a sew in it is now really short ( about half of my pinky) so my hairs been through a lot even though I’ve never had a perm , Id just like suggestions on how to grow my hair back naturally and some cute natural style ideas (no weaves)
I’m 14 and i transitioned i started August 2012 and now its June 2013 and i am officially all natural i go throught it by getting blow outs and just wrapping my hair every night to keep my hair nice till my next blow out. Now that i am all natural i need help with finding a hair product for natural hair to curl my hair. I have never wore my hair in any natural hairstyles but my blow outs can anyone help me ?
How did you start your transition ?
I transitioned just by growing the relaxer out because my hair is cut in a bob.
I am 13. I’ve recently decided to go natural. My mom didn’t want me to but i convinced her. But yeah so like I usually would get a perm right now but I don’t know what to do. Lol I need my hair did. It’s just washed and puffy. I’m going to transition but i need some hair styles. Do I just hop right in to the weave?
I am a 13 year old girl and I try to take care of my hair. But my mom says that I dont know how. I hate that I dont know how to comb hair I suck at it and I want to get better so I can get an emo bob style hair and I really need help.
Hey, well I’m currently 14 years old and when I was younger (like 11 or 12) I would always tell my mama that I was going natural. I really didn’t know what natural was , I only knew it meant you didn’t have to get anymore relaxers. So, my last relaxer was in November and in Feburary I decided to go natural and I was serious about it this time! Originally, I was wearing braids because I hated my hair, it was really damaged and I didn’t like the length of it. I was suppose to wear braids, cut off all my split ends and deep condition & give myself a hot oil treatment more often, then after seeing how long and healthy my best friend’s grandma hair was , I knew it was time for me to go natural. Well , basically I’m still doing the same thing except no more relaxers! Yayyy! Lol , but I’m currently 6 most transitioning & I plan on doing my Big Chop after 2 years of transitioning. I can’t wait! But this month I have learned alot about natural hair & I can’t wait to I’m completely natural! My mother didn’t care about me wanting to go natural and actually she’s going natural also. She’s 2 months transitioning. Since I wear braids all the time, you wouldn’t even know that I was transitioning & only about 4 of my friends know that I’m transitioning & they haven’t said anything negative about it, so I’m wondering what they’ll say when I’m 100% natural. So I’ll be a Junior in High School & I can’t wait! Wish me luck guys!
I was so inspired by your story. I got my first relaxer when I was twelve. I’m fifteen now so I am beginning my natural hair journey for two years also. My parents and my little sister don’t support me on the decision. Its partially because my natural hair was really long so my relaxed hair is long to. I’m glad to have such a inspiring YouTube community on my side about going natural. I just want my parents to know I love them but I’ve grown to hate relaxers. I think this decision will hurt my mom the most. Do you have any advise about getting my mom to support me in this transition?
Hi Breauna, Come by the forum https://napturallycurly.com/forums and sign up! There are also several teens on there as well. There’s nothing like having a supportive community to chat with and bounce ideas/questions off of while you’re transitioning. Trust me, when your family sees your progression, I bet they will join the club. That happens so often!
Show your mom some of those youtube videos that inspire you. Show how versatile natural hair can be. Do you subscribe to CharyJay’s channel? Her name is 160days20lose2 on YouTube. I know it’s tough when your own mom doesn’t support your decision but I bet she’ll come around. 🙂 Hang in there!
Hi it’s Breauna again I wanted to let you know I finnally got my parents and my natural hair is now shoulder length. They love my hair and are so excited for me. It’s been one amazing journey and I will never regret it. My curls are beautiful and I want to thankyou for your advice. I thought it would be hard since I’m in highschool but it’s actually not. I can’t wait till it’s mid back. Thanks once again.
Hello,
I was thinking about going natural, because my hair is full of split ends and is damaged. When I asked my mom ” what if I go natural?” then she said ” girl your hair will break off ” . So that kind of discouraged me to do it. What do you think I should do? Ohh, and by the way i’m 17 yrs old.
I say do it! I did the big chop on my daughter in March of 2012 when she was almost 13. Her hair was so damaged from relaxers and it just couldn’t be saved. I wanted to start “over”. she was not to into the idea, but I explained her hair would be so much healthier. I chopped off all the relaxed ends. Her hair was really short, but looking at this website I think you can slowly trim while growing out your natural hair. I thought relaxing her hair would be easier, however, dealing with her natural hair is so much easier, and healthier. Her hair looks really good and she can do so many different styles with it. We do lots of flat twists, twist outs, and “pineapples”. Relaxing her hair was the worst decision I ever made for her hair! We are so glad we transitioned and her hair is much healthier and growing faster. Hope that helps!
Hi, my daughter is 12 and I recently cut a big chunk of hair due to damage and falling out. She always had this thick hair that I just did not know how to manage so I relaxed her hair. Now I feel trouble that her hair is so short, and have made the decision to not get any more relaxers. We are doing braids now until it grows enough for at least a ponytail, we also do deep conditioner. She is very down and thinks her hair will never grow back. My question is how long does the growing back process takes since you have been in this position for a while now. And any extra advice and encouraging words I can give her will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Hello My daughter is 11 and I did the big chop on her in July of 2013. She was not happy but her hair was breaking very bad from the perm and she have always had long and thick hair. It has been 7 months and her hair is now to her shoulder and she is happy that I did it because. Once they see that their hair will grow back they will be happier. Tell her to hang in there and do braids until it grows to a length that she is ok with.
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Just Protective style , keep your hair oiled and deep condition your hair. I been transitioning for 2 months now. And I’ve a lot of growth. Just keep trying and don’t give up.