How To Go From Treated To 100% Natural Afro Textured Hair

True story: I never knew my natural hair type until I was 26 years old. Ever since I was little, my hair was always straightened and braided, then, when I was old enough, chemically treated. Even when the treatments burned my scalp, I put up with it because that’s what everyone does if they want long, straight, beautiful hair, right?

One day, I genuinely got sick of going to the hair salon and having to soothe my scalp after treatments. I asked the hairdresser to cut my past-shoulder-length hair off. She was a little alarmed and asked why I’d do that, but I felt it was time. I was gradually getting to know myself better; burning my hair, which I always wore in a bun anyway, didn’t match who I am.

I remember my surprise at discovering I had 4C hair. It was a joy to see my hair in its natural form, as it was always intended to be. I loved how it curled up tightly and how it looked as it grew longer and stronger. Since then, I haven’t set foot in a hair salon, and I even trim it myself. That said, you don’t have to do the big chop to transition to natural hair. Follow a few guidelines to figure out the best way to go.

Short and sweet versus long and slow

There are two main ways to transition from chemical treatment to natural hair. You can go my way, with a short and sweet haircut. It can be quite refreshing to let go of treated hair, but your scalp feels a bit exposed, and you worry about people’s reactions to your dramatic transformation. That’s a normal part of the change, so take it a day at a time and get used to your new look.

Or you can go long and slow, meaning a long-term transition process. As your natural hair grows, you trim off the treated ends until none are left. It takes months to fully transition to natural hair with this method, but you can wear braids or wigs to ease the process. This transition is less dramatic than the big chop, but it requires patience and protective styling.

The awkward phase

Depending on your hair type, the transition might become a little frustrating because of the different textures and shapes it takes as it grows. In my case, my AC curls would never be cut evenly because the strands love to coil on each other. After the big chop, I struggled to keep my hair looking neat and even, but I gave up and accepted it as it was.

With a long-term transition, however, you may have straight, smooth, treated strands up top and coarse natural hair underneath, usually in contrasting colors. For example, your treated hair ends may be brownish, but your natural hair is jet black. Try different hairstyles and accessories that embrace these textures, and commit to the process.

Avoiding setbacks

One mistake we often make is to straighten the natural part of our hair to match the relaxed part, but that can slow down the transition. Curling irons, flat irons, and even blow dryers can weaken the natural strands, causing splitting where they meet the treated hair. Use a heat protectant product if you must curl or straighten your hair while you transition. Otherwise, use low heat to dry your natural hair, moisturize it regularly, and be patient until it fully grows out.

Addressing common challenges with transitioning

Because of the differences in hair textures, you may find your natural hair is more brittle or dry as it grows out. This is quite common because you’re creating a new environment for natural hair growth.

You may also find that your natural hair shrinks or gets matted under the treated strands, which is also normal. However, it makes detangling quite challenging because new growth is often weaker.

Also, the new growth may require more manipulation for styles to hold because it’s not strong enough yet. This means further weakening and breakage as you try to style the different hair textures during the transition.

In all these cases, always be gentle with your new natural hair. Hydrate, condition, and oil your hair to strengthen it as it grows out. Find a hair routine that you can sustain for several months until you can confidently trim off the relaxed ends and enjoy your fully natural crown.

Trust the process

Moving from relaxed or treated hair to natural afro textured hair is indeed a process. Shaving your tresses takes some adjusting, plus it will take a while before you can style your afro. A gradual transition also cannot be rushed, and you may need to get super creative with styling or spend extra money on wigs. Give yourself at least six months to transition to natural hair and enjoy the journey.