Do You Have What It Takes To Go Natural? | Natural Haircare News

Do You Have What It Takes To Go Natural?

Dianne Austin
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Do You Have What It Takes To Go Natural?

Do You Have What It Takes To Go Natural?

Can you relate to any of the following while considering whether to go natural:

“Going natural takes much too long.”

“Natural hair is too hard to manage.”

“It’s much easier to have relaxed hair.  I don’t have the time to style natural hair.”

“Won’t my hair break off more easily if it’s natural?”

The reality is, natural hair is not an option for some black women.  Some women prefer straight hair. Others prefer braids.  But if you are someone who wants to give it a try, don’t let misconceptions stand in your way.

Don’t fall prey to the hype that natural hair is more difficult to manage, won’t grow, or is just generally harder to take care of.  Caring for natural hair is similar to caring for any type of hair:  You need to take the time to care for it if you want it to look good.

Some of the many misconceptions about the difficulty of caring for natural hair comes from just not knowing the best way to handle our hair.  You are bound to become frustrated and have hair that is hard to manage, or that breaks easily if you treat your natural locks in the same way that you treat straightened or relaxed hair.

A black woman’s natural hair is extremely fragile, contrary to popular belief.  If you try combing or brushing it while it’s dry, you’ll experience breakage and your hair won’t grow.

Our natural hair is prone to dryness, so if you use harsh shampoos, and don’t moisturize your hair properly, it will be difficult to manage.

With proper care, natural hair can and will grow long and healthy.

What’s great about wearing your hair natural is that there are also a variety of styles from which to choose. You can experiment with different braid styles and twists, or just wear your hair loose.   Natural hair can actually help you feel freer, because it is conducive to an active lifestyle. You won’t be afraid to get your hair wet in a pool, or in the rain. You won’t fear sweating your relaxer out at the gym.

Natural hair can help you to rid yourself of a dependence on chemical relaxers. You won’t have to rush to the salon to have your new growth processed, because the new growth doesn’t match your relaxed hair. You won’t continue to be caught up in a vicious cycle of having to keep up with the processing, so your hair doesn’t break. Think about all of the money that you will save when you do not have to go out and buy a relaxer kit or have your hair professionally relaxed at a salon.  Of course, natural girls do go to the salon for braids, twists, and for lock maintenance, too, but they do not have the fear of their new growth showing through. They embrace their hair’s texture.

Take the first step!  if you currently have a relaxer, you can immediately cut the relaxed parts of your hair down to the new growth, or you can let your hair grow out without getting touch ups and then cut it.  Some people use protective styles that do not require much manipulation of their hair to allow their natural hair to grow out before they cut it. You can effectively keep your hair up and out of the way as you transition to natural hair.

So, if going natural feels right for you – take the plunge!  It’s not as difficult as you may think.

Author:  Dianne Shaddock

Comment on this article“Changing attitudes about natural hair” is what we do at Natural Haircare News. Through informative articles, podcasts and videos, we go beyond just sharing the latest advice and tips on kinky, curly, wavy haircare – We shake things up and focus on the realities of wearing our hair natural. 
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