Calling all naturals

[alona]

In about 3 weeks I'll be taking out my braids (I'm transitioning). I want to do the big chop but I have a dilema about whether to do it myself or go to a salon to make sure it's even.

How did you do the big chop, yourself or the salon and why?

Also, a friend recommended that if I didn't want to cut it off, to use a hotcomb until the relaxer grew out. I heard that if you use a hotcomb (the old school kind that heats up on the stove) on relaxed hair, it can make your hair come out. If I'm going to risk my hair falling out, I might as well do the big chop right?

What do you think?

 

[Koffie]

When I transitioned, I got my hair pressed (roots only) every two weeks, then I got my ends trimmed once a month so I could speed up the transition. I was fortunate enough to have a darn good stylist so my hair grew and grew. I only recommend this IF and only IF you have a stylists that you know you can trust. Good Luck!

 

[jainygirl]

I did my own B.C. I had been doing my own hair for years and didnt see a point to have someone else do something like my B.C.-- which was special to me. I've always loved having control over how i want my hair. I'm glad i did it myself; because not only did it just feel good to be the one doing the cutting, but it came out nice as well. I would have been upset if someone else had done it and not cut it how i wanted it or something. -- jainygirl

 

[Shatani]

When I transitioned, I got my hair pressed (roots only) every two weeks, then I got my ends trimmed once a month so I could speed up the transition. I was fortunate enough to have a darn good stylist so my hair grew and grew. I only recommend this IF and only IF you have a stylists that you know you can trust. Good Luck!

agreed!!! dont let anyone burn up your new growth, cuz that means you have to start the whole process over again!

personally, i didnt big chop....i just stopped relaxing and wore braids all the time....i actually cant even recall when i was finally COMPLETELY natural (i didnt pay much attention to my hair back then)

 

[Ayeshia]

I did my own B.C. I had been doing my own hair for years and didnt see a point to have someone else do something like my B.C.-- which was special to me. I've always loved having control over how i want my hair. I'm glad i did it myself; because not only did it just feel good to be the one doing the cutting, but it came out nice as well. I would have been upset if someone else had done it and not cut it how i wanted it or something. -- jainygirl

same here...plus I didnt want to be in the shop and having people ask me why I cut my hair and so forth. A few months after I did the BC I got a trim to even things out.

 

[hopeful]

I'm with Ayeisha and JainyGirl...I like to be in control. It took a few weeks to get it just the way I wanted it and to get all those relaxed ends cut off but I just knew someone else would have cut it too short.

 

[Chinagem]

I would say for u to to do the BC yourself or go to somebody that knows your hair and hair texture that you can trust to ONLY cut off the relaxed hair. When I BC'd, I wanted to do it myself but I was worried that I'd cut off too much because I couldn't see the back so I decided to let somebody else do it for me. I made the mistake of going to a co-worker's daughter to let her cut it instead of my regular hair dresser who'd been doing my hair for over a year and who knew my hair texture. BIG MISTAKE! This lady started cutting my hair in the back on the left side with no regard for where the relaxed hair met the natural hair. The way the hair sounded as she cut it didn't sound like relaxed hair to me (the sound of relaxed hair being cut sounds different from the sound of my natural hair being cut) so I looked down and to my surprise I saw sooooo much nappy hair on the floor. I jumped out of the chair and told her that she was cutting too much. Can you believe that she and her mother tried to convince me that the hair on the floor was all relaxed hair and that I'd only grown about 1/4" of newgroth in 5 months?! I left her home with the left backside of my head cut and I went to my regular person in tears so that she could cut the rest. The result? The part where mu co-worker's daughter cut was about 1/4" and the part where my hair stylist cut was about 3 1/2". I'm sorry that I took up all of this space. I just wanted to share my story with you so that you can see what could happen.

 

[Peachtree]

I agree with Jainy & Ayeshia

I did my own chop... (I transitioned for 18 mths, so it wasn't a big chop, but a chop nonetheless). While transitioning, I dreamed of the day when I could chop the relaxed ends... that was farrr too special of an event to let sum stranger (stylist) take that moment away from me. After the chop, I was planning to have a stylist trim up any loose ends... I did such a good job cutting, that I didn't need a stylist at all

If ur not comfortable cutting ur own hair, then by all means, let someone do it for you... ask someone that u trust to do it... then u can always follow up with a stylist later

Best wishes on whatever u decide!

 

[naptrl]

Well, I did mine myself. But, when I went to the hair dresser, she said that I didn't have to cut quite as much. However, she ended up cutting of to about 2 inches after that so...

 

[Enchantmt]

I did mine myself. I washed it and left conditoner in it. The natural part was curly, the relaxed part straight. I held it out in sections and cut off the straight parts and then rinsed out the conditioner. Its not perfectly even but it curls up so its not noticeable. I will get it evened up once I have more length.

 

[balisi]

Alona, I did the Big Chop myself, mainly because I have been doing my own hair for years, including trims and cuts during my transition. My hair was damp so that I could see where the two textures met. I held each section out 90 degrees from my head so that I would end up with uniform layers all over. Doing the back was challenging, and I know it was not a great cut, but it's not noticeable. For a few weeks after I BC'd, I snipped a few straight ends here and there that I'd missed. I'd like to correct the cut, but I love my natural texture so much that the thought of straightening it for that or any purpose just does not appeal to me. Looking back, I don't believe that I would have trusted anyone to do this but my mom, and she's 900 miles away, so that was not an option. I wish you the best in whatever you decide, and I congratulate you on your transition to natural hair.

 

[lovelymissyoli]

I did my own B.C. I had been doing my own hair for years and didnt see a point to have someone else do something like my B.C.-- which was special to me. I've always loved having control over how i want my hair. I'm glad i did it myself; because not only did it just feel good to be the one doing the cutting, but it came out nice as well. I would have been upset if someone else had done it and not cut it how i wanted it or something. -- jainygirl

Good points!! I think I might do this when I big chop! I was considering paying someone else to cut my hair, but then I began to worry about all the what if's ..."What if she cuts more than my relaxed hair??" ... "What if I don't like the cut???" So I guess I'll be doing it myself come January!

 

[tropicexotic]

I did mine myself. I wasn't expecting to do it that day, and it just sort of happened that I snipped off my ends after my 7 month transition. Looking back on it I'm happy I did it myself because I controlled how much or how little came off. I will be visiting a salon to get a shaped in a few months, BUT I'll be watching the stylist like a hawk.

My friend just got her BC in a salon yesterday, that was the best choice for her (since she's never cut her own hair and probably would not have felt comfortable trying) and she really likes how it looks.