So I opened up to you all that my hair had been ripped out by an unwanted touching through force. I had to make the decision to tell about it because it has affected my blog that chronicles my journey to long hair. How can I show you my journey to long hair when parts of my hair is missing? Well I have been forced to be open with you. So without further adieu, I am sharing some of the things I am doing to get my hair back.
One thing I have been doing since the first week of the trauma is washing those areas at least once a week with a conditioner. I also apply an amla powder and henna powder mix to those areas. I leave the mix on for at least 30 minutes and then I wash my hair. Amla works great because it also strengthens the hair follicle. Henna is great because it has natural anti-fungal properties. When a person pulls your hair, then you never know what kinds of bacteria and/or fungus their nails carry. In my case, I knew the person carries fungus, so I needed a good anti-fungal medicine to ensure my hair will grow back properly.
On my list of to do is to see a dermatologist. This is beyond my scope so it is good to see someone who has more knowledge than you. I will update you all when I do and I will be sure to post the questions I asked too. Well, lastly, but not really lastly I went to the Lord in prayer! I asked those in the natural hair community to join me in prayer and I believe that has by far been the most helpful. Since, my blog's title incorporates the Bible, I will do another post on the prayers that I do for my healing and for long hair too. Thank you for your time!
Peace Ladies!
Friday, January 22, 2016
Sunday, January 10, 2016
MY Hair Tragedy
Since October, I have been dealing with a traumatic episode with my hair not of my own making. Before that fatal day, I had been debating as to, "Whether I want to display my hair on my new blog?", as I have been building it. I struggled with the fact of my displaying my hair would breach my privacy. I know that writing my hair story on a blog shares private facts about myself, but I was not quite up to displaying it with visual aids! I ... now, have decided that I will show my hair soon, especially because what I am going through may help other women. It is a subject that I have been familiar with and that I witnessed women in my life go through, but that I myself didn't allow myself to make it a thing at the forefront of my mind. It is a subject that I have been a victim too over and over again, but now it has affected my hair too. My hair had been the tool I used to break the bondage of my familial tyranny over my life and now, the one who abused me the most, ripped good portions of my hair out. So, I am now writing this blog for you, for the women who need to gain strength in getting out and away from bondage of all kinds! I share my story to help others to get out of situations they may be in denial, or unaware through naivete and/or manipulation like myself.
Shalom!
Shalom!
Thursday, October 8, 2015
A Short on Dealing with Breakage
My natural journey spans a fifteen year process with the later half of thirteen years being fully natural. I have done just about everything you can imagine to my hair and for the most part it has withstood the tests. And yes, in this more than a decade of returning to natural hair I have experienced breakage.
One thing my hair just could not take was a "temporary" blow dry straightener (that is a later discussion) bleach, color, and heat in combination. Over time my low porosity, dense, and thick hair simply broke under the weight of it. I had good habits with the exception of blow drying my hair every wash, but still my hair broke off. So my journey to health natural hair began in 2011. I am now four years into my natural hair journey and I am enjoying it.
I had to take an inventory along these four years of what habits caused the ripe conditions for my long hair to break off. First, I cut all of the obvious breakage off, simple! My hair was bra strap length at the time, so I cut off about four inches. Next, I dealt with the rest of the damage. I nursed my hair with deep conditioners and protective styles. I also went through some weird phases like completely shaving a four inch section on the right front side of my hair two years ago. The rest of the time was rather uneventful. Three years later (2014), I decided to go on a journey to long hair.
Once again in my four year mark I am dealing with damage again. My damage this time came from choosing to use the wrong kind of synthetic hair for my twists. However, this time is different. I went through the trauma of damaging perfectly long hair after several years of being natural! Now I know to pace myself and their is no need for me to chop off large sections of my hair. The short of it is that I just need patience and this too shall pass. I still will reach my length goals!
Peace ladies!
Peace ladies!
Monday, September 7, 2015
Wear Your Hair!
I had not noticed that I had been accustomed to wearing protective styles so often that I had stopped wearing my hair out. Am I embarrassed of my hair I thought? How could I so easily tell another young girl to wear her natural hair out and I hadn't worn my hair out in months? In fact, many people thought that faithful wig of mine was my real hair. I was living a lie and not knowing it. So this year starting in September of 2014 I decided to wear my hair out more.
It was a little hard at first because I had grown accustomed to just cornrowing my hair and throwing the wig on it. I had also grown accustomed to styling my braids or two-strand twists with weave for added length and longevity. I had to re-learn styling my hair. I didn't however have to re-learn how to take care of my hair. Luckily I had embarked on a new journey to finally grow my hair long and kick habits from my perm days (long overdue), which made my battle easier. The hardest part was that my hair was in the darn mid-length stage and it made it very frustrating.
So I had to make a concerted effort to choose my hair over and over again. When I first went natural, it was hard because I had grown accustomed to long hair and I had finally obtained the hair length goal I wanted with my permed hair. So, I used weave to get me through my return back to natural because well my mother paid for it and I had a lot of college work to do being a double major and all in college. This time, my second go-around at the mid-length stage because I had just colored and bleached my hair and it got damaged it made it even harder because I decided I wanted to wear just my hair. No weave! However, I am and was armed with the fact that I have made it through the mid-length stage before. I know that it really is a matter of months before it goes away, but feels like an eternity! I had to keep choosing my hair over and over again!
This choosing my hair over and over again I did the same styles like double-strand twists, but with my own hair and the good ole tuck and roll. I did falter once in July and used weave for the double-strand twists because I was desperately tired in the morning and wanted the extra snooze. After taking those out in August, I soon regretted it because I had a few mid-shaft breaks even though I had gained some inches. I rebooted and now I style with my hair alone. I wanted to go back to what I was doing as a young girl and teen enjoying my hair, but my NATURAL HAIR!
One year later September 2015, I am wearing my hair through thick and thin. I pledge to do this until I reach my hair goal of all my hair being bra strap length. Of course, I have a longer goal, but I wanted to re-dedicate myself to accepting my hair that G-d gave me!
Shalom!
It was a little hard at first because I had grown accustomed to just cornrowing my hair and throwing the wig on it. I had also grown accustomed to styling my braids or two-strand twists with weave for added length and longevity. I had to re-learn styling my hair. I didn't however have to re-learn how to take care of my hair. Luckily I had embarked on a new journey to finally grow my hair long and kick habits from my perm days (long overdue), which made my battle easier. The hardest part was that my hair was in the darn mid-length stage and it made it very frustrating.
So I had to make a concerted effort to choose my hair over and over again. When I first went natural, it was hard because I had grown accustomed to long hair and I had finally obtained the hair length goal I wanted with my permed hair. So, I used weave to get me through my return back to natural because well my mother paid for it and I had a lot of college work to do being a double major and all in college. This time, my second go-around at the mid-length stage because I had just colored and bleached my hair and it got damaged it made it even harder because I decided I wanted to wear just my hair. No weave! However, I am and was armed with the fact that I have made it through the mid-length stage before. I know that it really is a matter of months before it goes away, but feels like an eternity! I had to keep choosing my hair over and over again!
This choosing my hair over and over again I did the same styles like double-strand twists, but with my own hair and the good ole tuck and roll. I did falter once in July and used weave for the double-strand twists because I was desperately tired in the morning and wanted the extra snooze. After taking those out in August, I soon regretted it because I had a few mid-shaft breaks even though I had gained some inches. I rebooted and now I style with my hair alone. I wanted to go back to what I was doing as a young girl and teen enjoying my hair, but my NATURAL HAIR!
One year later September 2015, I am wearing my hair through thick and thin. I pledge to do this until I reach my hair goal of all my hair being bra strap length. Of course, I have a longer goal, but I wanted to re-dedicate myself to accepting my hair that G-d gave me!
Shalom!
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Starting a New Journey
I decided last year to stop using combs to comb my hair and in that I decided to also grow my hair long once and for all. This month I start a new, or, at least, I feel brand new. It has been nine months and I am starting to see the payoffs.
My hair looks healthier and IS longer. This time, around I am not chopping it off subconsciously because this is what I was taught to do, but I am methodically on a limit trimming my hair. I am starting a new way of thinking and it is paying off. I hope you join me in this new training.
Finger detangling has been a little more difficult in that I have been struggling to just finger detangle. I confess I have used a comb, a wide tooth comb nonetheless. I forgive myself in that I am still learning a good technique.
This post is short and sweet and there is more to come!
Peace ladies!
My hair looks healthier and IS longer. This time, around I am not chopping it off subconsciously because this is what I was taught to do, but I am methodically on a limit trimming my hair. I am starting a new way of thinking and it is paying off. I hope you join me in this new training.
Finger detangling has been a little more difficult in that I have been struggling to just finger detangle. I confess I have used a comb, a wide tooth comb nonetheless. I forgive myself in that I am still learning a good technique.
This post is short and sweet and there is more to come!
Peace ladies!
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Missing the TWA!
I miss the days of my teeny weeny afro sometimes when I look at the lovely ladies who have just big chopped. Sometimes I think I did not bask in the glow of my big chop like I should. I wish I wasn't so busy with college at times where I just ignored thinking about what styles to do, or my hair altogether. I also let my natural friends and friends sometimes dictate what I did to my hair. Ultimately, I think I miss the liberation I felt when I first cut off all of that long permed hair.
If I had to do it all over again, then I would have set a date to big chop and plan a regime. I would have studied the natural hair sites at the time and sat down with my natural hair friends for tips. I also would have learned how to African thread properly before I big chopped too. Instead, my big chop was a rush of emotions and as a result of a weave gone wrong that gave me an excuse to do what I had been dreaming for years to do. I wanted to stop perming my hair!
I wanted to stop perming my hair, but at the core of it all was that I needed liberation from everyone's expectations for me, including my mother. I had "transitioned" for about two years before my big chop, but that transition was interrupted every step of the way by my mother.
I would come home during my breaks and my mother would ask me, "Why I didn't perm my hair?". At first, I said that I didn't want to and then she would promptly perm my hair. Then, I would say I didn't have enough money or I didn't know any good hair stylist and then she would promptly perm my hair. The best alternative came in weaves. The last weave before I went back to natural was by a woman I not gone to before. Little did I know that my hair had been severely tangled in one front section of my hair until I decided to take the weave out less than a month later.
I seized the moment. I grabbed the scissors and chopped that section off. I then called my mother and told her that I have to cut all of my hair off because it was all matted. After I hung up, I chopped the rest off! It was exhilarating!!!! Really I think I missed that moment of time of true liberation from everyone! I miss that moment of strength and glory.
Peace ladies!
If I had to do it all over again, then I would have set a date to big chop and plan a regime. I would have studied the natural hair sites at the time and sat down with my natural hair friends for tips. I also would have learned how to African thread properly before I big chopped too. Instead, my big chop was a rush of emotions and as a result of a weave gone wrong that gave me an excuse to do what I had been dreaming for years to do. I wanted to stop perming my hair!
I wanted to stop perming my hair, but at the core of it all was that I needed liberation from everyone's expectations for me, including my mother. I had "transitioned" for about two years before my big chop, but that transition was interrupted every step of the way by my mother.
I would come home during my breaks and my mother would ask me, "Why I didn't perm my hair?". At first, I said that I didn't want to and then she would promptly perm my hair. Then, I would say I didn't have enough money or I didn't know any good hair stylist and then she would promptly perm my hair. The best alternative came in weaves. The last weave before I went back to natural was by a woman I not gone to before. Little did I know that my hair had been severely tangled in one front section of my hair until I decided to take the weave out less than a month later.
I seized the moment. I grabbed the scissors and chopped that section off. I then called my mother and told her that I have to cut all of my hair off because it was all matted. After I hung up, I chopped the rest off! It was exhilarating!!!! Really I think I missed that moment of time of true liberation from everyone! I miss that moment of strength and glory.
Peace ladies!
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Awkward Stage "Part Deux"
Ode to the Awkward
Oh how I love my hair
Oh how I love thee
Oh how I do not know what to do with you
I love you, but I don't love you
I love the curls, the wave, the full pattern,
But I just can't bun it
I can't top knot it
I can't, I can't I can't
Can I chop it?
Here I am again at the Awkward Stage again and this second time around again I am not enjoying it. I had forgotten what it was like, but luckily I have been there and luckily I still have long hair in the back. I believe that this stage requires more self love and patience because it requires more attention then the former and latter stage. This stage in essence is your pre-teen (tween) years.
One, nurture yourself during this stage. In Middle School, I nurtured myself unwittingly and I came out with flying colors in High School. I stayed away from the bad crowd and I focused on my studies, thus ignoring all the family strife at home and just simply read books. By the time, my teenage years rolled around well I was set. I excelled in High School. Treat your mid-length hair the same way.
Two, love thy hair no matter the stage. Like those darn Middle School pictures your mother will love so much and show everyone to your crushing defeat, so too will appear your mid-length hair pics. Love it. It is your hair!
Three, pick up good habits. If you pick up good habits at this stage, then long hair will be a breeze for you and well that awkward stage will not be around so long!
Peace ladies!
Oh how I love my hair
Oh how I love thee
Oh how I do not know what to do with you
I love you, but I don't love you
I love the curls, the wave, the full pattern,
But I just can't bun it
I can't top knot it
I can't, I can't I can't
Can I chop it?
Here I am again at the Awkward Stage again and this second time around again I am not enjoying it. I had forgotten what it was like, but luckily I have been there and luckily I still have long hair in the back. I believe that this stage requires more self love and patience because it requires more attention then the former and latter stage. This stage in essence is your pre-teen (tween) years.
One, nurture yourself during this stage. In Middle School, I nurtured myself unwittingly and I came out with flying colors in High School. I stayed away from the bad crowd and I focused on my studies, thus ignoring all the family strife at home and just simply read books. By the time, my teenage years rolled around well I was set. I excelled in High School. Treat your mid-length hair the same way.
Two, love thy hair no matter the stage. Like those darn Middle School pictures your mother will love so much and show everyone to your crushing defeat, so too will appear your mid-length hair pics. Love it. It is your hair!
Three, pick up good habits. If you pick up good habits at this stage, then long hair will be a breeze for you and well that awkward stage will not be around so long!
Peace ladies!
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