Although I stopped perming in Nov 2001, I didn't start wearing my own hair out until Nov 2003. I had just discovered Nappturality, and I went to a gathering, and I was on other dites, and I was so gung ho about my hair!
But I definitely had unrealistic expectations about what it would be like. At first, I didn't care what anyone said or thought. But comments made by a family member--on a DAILY basis--started to wear me down. I considered ways to fix my hair although deep down, I knew it wasn't what I wanted to do. So, at the end of Dec 2003 I got microbraids again, even though I vowed to not do it. I took them out 1 month later, and my hairline was damaged. It was like I undid all of the growth that I had attained in that one month.
Then I started wearing it out, but less often. I felt that ppl were looking at me. And the comments from the family member: "you need to do something with that." I started wearing a quick weave to protect my hair from the cold air, but to also avoid negative looks/comments. Then I got kinky twists to stop obsessing about the growth rate of my hair!
It is SO important to have the mental prep that everyone else has mentioned. It also helps to find a hair idol on the hair boards, and to frequent their albums when you need style ideas, encouragement or just inspiration to keep you from going back to the perm. Once I take these braids out, I will be on a no braid challenge for a year.
