by Karen Chaffee

Created on: October 11, 2009

Transitioning from permed hair to natural hair requires the same patience as does growing out a short layered cut. Rather than adding more chemicals to straighten hair, try some of the tips below to make the transition from permed hair to natural hair easier.

Define fine what constitutes your natural hair: wavy or straight, color treated or not, thick or thin, fine or coarse. The transition will be easier with wavy hair, for instance, than with straight hair. Do you wear it long or short; layered or all one length? The transition is faster for shorter, layered styles, but whatever defines your natural hair, rest assured that within a year or less, your transition will be complete.

The first order of business is to visit your salon for a cut and a deep conditioning treatment. If your permed hair is all one length, get as much trimmed from the bottom as possible. If layered, do the same, and get as much cut off each layer as possible. This will speed your transition from permed to natural. The deep conditioning keeps hair at its healthiest while the perm grows out. While there, discuss what you want the final result of your transition to look like, so that the hair stylist can advise you of how often to come back for trims.

The tricky part of the transition process is keeping your hair looking good in the meantime. That means making the straighter root area blend and look well with the permed area. If your natural hair is wavy, then use a diffuser on your blow dryer to loosen the curlier permed area. Before drying, add a volumizing mousse to the root area, and gently spread throughout the rest of your hair with a wide-toothed comb. After drying, apply a lightweight hairspray to hold style without it looking stiff.

For hair that is straight at the roots, after drying, apply a volumizing mousse to the root area only. Wrap narrow strands of the straight hair around a small-barreled curling iron and hold for 20 seconds. When curls cool, gently loosen with fingers only. Apply a frizz control product to permed area, and gently run fingers through whole hair-do before applying a light mist of spray to hold style.

Keep following the above steps throughout the transitioning from permed to natural hair. Use products especially designed for your natural hair type and texture. Also make good use of hair accessories to keep your locks looking stylish during the transition. Ponytails are ideal when transitioning long hair. For short locks, barrettes and head bands can become your best friends, as they help disguise and blend the permed and the natural hair. Before you know it, your hair will be back to its natural state, with you looking great throughout the entire process.

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