I went through a phase about 6 or 7 years ago of being fed up with my natural hair and thinking that the ‘grass would be greener on the other side’ and that straight hair would be so much easier to deal with, I had it straightened - chemically - permanently - what a mistake!  Even in the salon, I wondered if I was doing the right thing, but once the various solutions were applied, I knew there was no going back. For a while I loved the different look, but after a while, it gradually dawned on me that my curls weren’t going to spring back, they would have to grow back. The growing out process was horrendous. Because I didn’t want to BC, I had to wait for the curls to grow through and the damaged straw-like excuse for hair that I now grew to hate, to gradually be chopped off. Every trim I had and the curls began to fight back felt like a small victory and the very last cut I had to chop off the nasty damaged hair, I cried with relief, such was the feeling that I had missed my curls and it was like welcoming an old friend who I hadn’t seen for a long time.

If it’s taught me any lesson, it’s that I now love my curls and I’ll never ever do anything to compromise them again.

I’ve been chemical free since summer of 2006 and I’ve been natural since November ‘11. Prior to 2004, I did the BC in June/July 2004 and wore my hair with synthetic braids constantly until I had a relaxer just before I went back for my last year of university (2006). That was my last relaxer (yay). I can’t really remember when my first relaxer was but I must’ve been quite young because I can’t really remember ever seeing my natural texture until now.

I did the BC because I’d started transistioning without even realising it! I’ve had depression most of my life and during 2004 it was particularly bad. I wasn’t looking after myself and my hair was suffering majorly. Because of the relaxers, it hadn’t been particularly healthy anyway so you can imagine how it must’ve looked…. I went on holiday and it was like a wake-up call. It sounds weird but it’s as I had been blind and suddenly I could see! My hair was beyond repair and needed to go! Chopped it off the following day. Then a couple of days later, had braids put in lol.

Last November I finally decided to get rid of the braids because I was fed up of giving hairdressers all my hard-earned cash, and cringing every time they blow-dried my hair (you could see my poor strands flying off in every direction imaginable). Also, I was curious to see if I could take care of my hair myself and I wanted to see my curls! I decided this the night before my scheduled appointment at the hairdressers lol, I had no clue what I was letting myself in for

I’m SO glad I decided to do it. I saw a photo of myself yesterday at a friend’s wedding in Nov ‘10, wearing *those* braids, and I thought to myself “I’m so glad I don’t have that hair anymore”.

I can finally see my curls and coils now!!!