by R. Renee Bembry

Created on: January 05, 2010   Last Updated: May 20, 2010

Ease of transitioning relaxed hair to its natural state depends on hair type. Curly or kinky hair that has tight curls when not relaxed tends to draw toward the scalp in its natural state. This hair type may require a more radical transition process than hair that is less compact.

African American hair tends to fall into the kinky or nappy category wherein natural hair draws to the scalp. Even if pressed with hot combs or flat irons, all it takes is a swim or a shower or finding oneself caught in rain with no umbrella to return kinky hair to its natural state. The return is as obvious as Cinderella’s carriage returning to a pumpkin, her horses to mice, and her beautiful princess gown to rags. To those who do not have kinky hair - this is no exaggeration.

Although natural hair - or afros - look distinct and attractive when cut and groomed properly, women often find that wearing kinky hair in its natural state makes for too much work and that the style itself does not coincide with current fashion sense. Aside from this, women with hair that would normally grow into afros think the same as women with straight or less curly hair. Women, no matter what their hair type or color, tend to want their hair to look some other way. This is the nature of female outlook!

So what do women do when they tire of relaxing their hair and decide to get away from chemicals that can damage their beautiful tresses? Here are a few tips for transitioning back to natural hair.

Tip # 1 - When transitioning to natural hair, women - or girls - may have to cut most of their hair. In fact, it is virtually inevitable. Perming or processing hair with hair altering chemicals truly does permanently straighten the hair. The thing is - only the permed hair becomes straight. As new hair grows, women and girls with permed hair must get another perm to straighten the new growth. For this reason, returning hair to its natural state may require cutting away permed hair up to the length of the new growth.

Tip #2 -  Prepare for a drastic change in appearance. Depending on how much hair one must cut in order to get rid of chemically straightened hair, the remaining hair length could be as short as an inch. Persons undergoing this process will see themselves differently when looking in the mirror and others - especially those with different hair types who do not understand kinky hair care - may wonder what happened to so-and-so’s hair!

Tip # 3 - Use a good hair conditioner following

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