How to let my hair grow out
How I did it: This took some time, but I was able to do it. First thing I did back in about 2000 was to cut out all of the relaxed/chemically treated hair off my head. I had to allow my hair to grow back to its natural state. This took some time because my hair had been chemically treated since 1983. It took about 3 yrs for my hair to get back to its most nap-tural state. I continued to wear my hair in a short cut until 2005. I cut it ALL the way down as much as I could take. From then on I deep conditioned my hair daily (I could do this as I was living in the deep south), washed once a week, kept my hair moisturized by putting loc gel in it & occasionally a leave in conditioner as well to add some fragrance to it every once in a while. Finally in the summer of 2008 I went to a local beautician after relocating to NY to have my hair washed conditioned and flat ironed and its length was to my shoulders. which it is still today without the straightening.
Lessons & tips: With tightly curly, natural hair like mine, it is ESSENTIAL that it is moisturized daily. It is not true that people of African descent cannot wash their hair on a daily basis. By wash, I mean get wet. What did during my hair growing period was condition my hair daily, and wash once a week. I used the Organic Root Stimulator (r) products. They worked for me personally (this is not an endorsement, you have to go by your hair texture and type. See a qualified natural hair beautician.) Another lesson that I learned even when I was growing up, DO NOT allow people who do not have your hair type to do your natural hair. This is because the majority of people in the U.S. do not know how to style or properly care for black hair. Its always best to see a black beautician whether you have a natural or chemically treated hair.
Resources: Zayd's Naturally Natural Hair Studio on Almeda in Houston, TX did a wonderful job styling my natural hair. They are highly recommended. My personal stylist was Zaneta Hill. If you don't find yourself fortunate enough to have a stylist, you can go to sites like Nappturality to get styles, hair care tips and suggested products submitted by the site owner and users who are going through the transition or already gone back to having a natural hair style.
