Poll: How long have you been natural?

[gigi2011]

I've been natural for at least 7-8 years. I'm a little salty that I do not know the actual date as everyone else. I know for sure it was back when seeing other natural ladies was few and far between.

 

[B_Phlyy]

My 4 year nappiversary was in April this year. Will probably be natural for the rest of my life.

 

[lilyofthenile]

My last relaxer was in 2004 but I only started caring for my hair properly last September.

 

[Lucie]

17 months with no transition.

 

[softblackcotton]

softblackcotton

How often do you manipulate your hair?
My hair is much like your screenname, except that it's brown , and low to no manipulation has been helping me to retain hair.

I also grow less than the 6" per year, so I know how it is to feel behind on the growth.

Hang in there, girl! You'll figure it out soon!

MzSwift GIRL that fro is BEAUTIFUL and thanks for the encouragement! I have been on a low-manipulation regimen for the LONGEST. I only wash my hair once a week, sometimes once every two weeks when it's cold out. Deep condition, detangle, and style in a very shrunken curly fro. Other than that, I do not comb or mess with my hair except for the daily fluff out in the morning. I have been very adamant about a low-manipulation regimen or else I think I would be bald.

 

[keepithealthy]

I have been natural for 2 years as of June 2011. I bc'd with around 2 inches of hair.

 

[Netta1]

October 16, 2011 will be my 8th year natural!!!! I have no regrets of going natural I LURVE it

In 2010 I decided to loc my hair...locing your hair starts your journey OVER believe me...there is no such thing as instant long locs even if your hair is long when you loced (such was my case). Locs take a while.

My best advice is to be patient with your hair...
Try to keep it in stretched styles to avoid having to untangle a nightmare of snarls...
Protect your ends at all cost
You may have to sacrifice some style if you want length...

Now of course with locs you don't have wear protective styles or baby your ends...I heart locs

 

[2sweetnsugarland]

February 2011 and still loving it!!

 

[ms.blue]

I just made my 3rd year annversity on June 20. It was a bittersweet day since the bc wasn't intentially but I never looked back.

 

[chebaby]

i chose 2-3 years. my 2 year anniversary was in April or May of this year(i always forget because i actually cut my hair twice).
co washing several times a week, oiling my hair befor shampooing, using protein and moisture on the regular, properly moisturizing my hair and ends as needed, and detangling properly has done wonders for my hair.
i use a jumbo rake magic star comb and i go back and forth between a denman d3 and denman d34(i think thats the number).

 

[anartist4u2001]

i've been natural 10 years now.

 

[aja1121]

My 9 year anniversary just passed on 7/7. I wish I had 9 years worth of hair growth, but I wouldn't change much about my journey. It took me 7 years to learn my lesson with heat. I now absolutely LOVE my hair!!!

 

[melissa-bee]

I've been natural for almost 8 months.

 

[SEMO]

I've been fully natural for 5 years, but have not had a relaxer in 6+ years.

Sometimes I forget how long I've been natural (which is why I keep my stats in my siggy ). On one hand it seems like I was just transitioning yesterday, and the other I so used to being natural that I wouldn't even know how to handle relaxed hair anymore.

My biggest "success" was learning what was normal for my hair. How my hair is supposed to feel. That way I can tell when something is going wrong with my hair. And I can pretty much tell what I need to bring my hair back to normal. Which is not to say that I don't have bad hair days.

 

[NikStarrr]

3 years.


Sent from my iPhone 4 using LHCF

 

[Giselle685]

@MzSwift GIRL that fro is BEAUTIFUL and thanks for the encouragement! I have been on a low-manipulation regimen for the LONGEST. I only wash my hair once a week, sometimes once every two weeks when it's cold out. Deep condition, detangle, and style in a very shrunken curly fro. Other than that, I do not comb or mess with my hair except for the daily fluff out in the morning. I have been very adamant about a low-manipulation regimen or else I think I would be bald.

I think you made a good point on trimming ends. Do that. If your hair was prone to split ends while relaxed... that doesn't change once you become natural. Do a (Random small number : 1/5' ) trim every couple of months as you see fit. Don't do a half inch trim because you will be reversing all that grew in that particular month. Trimming a fraction of a half an inch will help you more than hurt you.

 

[Melaninme]

@Asha97 your hair is BEAUTIFUL.

In the top right siggie picture, how long is your hair when straightened there? I love the cut! The shape is awesome.

Thank you! Not sure about the length. That style was created from twists set on wet hair and I have major shrinkage. If I had to guess, I will say that the length is probably lower neck, but above my shoulders.

The hair below it in the middle is bra strap length when straightened.

 

[Starronda]

6 days

 

[lilanie]

My last relaxer was late July 2010, I made the decision to be relaxer-free late August 2010 and big chopped in March 2011 (right after starting a job at a conservative engineering firm *gasp*). So natural since March of this year, I guess???

I concur wholeheartedly with anyone that stresses the importance of patience and getting to know YOUR hair. I definitely had to get out of that "relaxed hair" mode, not to say that relaxed hair is easier (it gave me more anxiety knowing that it was much more fragile/breaky/snappy) - but the silkiness (at times) led me to believe that...

My early natural styles were slick downs, gel/pull what I had into lil' buns & knot and product-less fro'. Now I am extremely pleased with my gellie-fro achieved by working the gel through my hair and picking the gel through the strands.

Everyday I love my hair more and more and are perplexed as to why i waited so long...

 

[godsflowerrr]

I did by big chop 9/08 and I'm approaching my anniversary again loving my journey!

 

[mzteaze]

I have been natural since 2005 (at least)...or as early as 2004. I started wearing weaves full time in 2002 and slowly transitioned over two years (or less) since relaxing didn't make sense. I did a BC (of sorts) when I decided to give up the weave in 2008.

 

[ChocoKitty]

About 15 years not counting my 2 year transition.

Sent from Chocokitty's EVO

 

[Starronda]

I did by big chop 9/08 and I'm approaching my anniversary again loving my journey!

Gorgeous hair!​

 

[Spongie Bloom]

A little over 2 years. I was relaxed for 6 yrs out of the 24 yrs Ive been alive. Most of those years I spent in braids so wore my relaxed hair out for the 3 yrs out of the 6

sent from my galaxy android

 

[OriginalMe]

14 years. I went natural my freshman year of college.

 

[LadyMacgyver]

For about 3 weeks

 

[SmilingElephant]

I have been completely natural for 6 months.

 

[NikkiGirl]

Since there is a transitioning vote, I will comment. I have been transitioning for 1year, 7months. I am honestly losing my patience.

 

[LuvlyRain3]

Since June of 2010 so a little over a year.

 

[Stormy]

Today makes one week!