Transitioning

Ok, so I was on nappturality.com today and came across a post by a traumatized 16 year old who just wanted to transition from perm to naps but was so confused about how to do it. She had a crazy stylist who was feeding her all types of horror stories so here is my post to her. I thought it might help some other youngsters or anyone else who is thinking about transitioning but doesn't want to Big Chop and or look crazy with the two textured madness, while their perm is growing out.

It's really not that complex. I never dealt with my hair while transitioning. I was cute the whole time. I had full head nappy weaves, cornrows and kinky twists with endless styles. Find a good braider not a salon that deals in perms but a braid salon or even a local girl or woman that is known to do great cornrows and braids. If you see a woman or girl with pretty braids or kinky twists, ask her for her stylists number. Your mom really just wants you to be groomed and look nice at the end of the day but the only way she knows to groom you and keep you cute is perms. If she's willing to shell out to a salon as often as she does, she'll pay a braider to keep you fresh. Buy a braid book from your local beauty supply and bring the book home to show your mom and dad all the gorgeous styles you can have while growing your perm out. Have your mom help you choose your styles. Transition under braids and kinky twists and if you like full head weaves.

My oldest daughters are transitioning and they are in sixth grade (twins). I have been doing large indivuals with added hair and cornrows with added hair on them and redo them every two weeks to four weeks. I have been cutting the perm off a little at a time each time I redo their hair. They only have about a half an inch left to cut they started with chin to shoulder length permed hair. They are over a year into their transition. Transitioning this way, they haven't had hair drama and trama because of dealing with two textures. They now have about chin length natural hair right now but want to start wearing it in twists, and braid outs etc. when it is about shoulder length. When I was transitioning, I had my braids and weaves done by a couple different stylist in my area.

Have your hair deep conditioned every time you have your cornrows or what ever style braids you are wearing redone. Have your hair braided with something that is moisturizing and conditioning. Spray your braids every day and tie them down to keep them fresh (I use aloe vera juice mixed with olive oil). Have your braider watch her tension. You don't want braids that are to tight because you don't want traction alopecia. You will look cute all the way through and your hair will be growing out without you having to deal with the several stages that it will go through on the way to it's natural perfection. You can practice doing braids and twists on your hair the day you take it down to have it redone. That way you will be familiar with it when it is completely natural.

Read all you can about caring for natural hair while you are transitioning so you can be prepared to handle your hair. It's not as hard as it's made out to be. There are four 4b's in my home and if it were that hard, we'd all be looking crazy or have perms but we are just fine. You tube tutorials will be a huge help in learning how to do all the gorgeous styles you see here as well as this sight also bglholine.com is great for learning about and seeing the versatility and beauty of natural hair and they feature lots of tutorials.

...and yes, your hair will break off, the permed hair, but you aren't trying to keep that any way and if it 's up in braids, you'll never have to deal with if it's looking right or not. The important thing is, that your natural hair will be growing in and that hair will be healthy and unbroken and it will grow long. It took a little more than two years for my hair to become the giant that it is now.