I'm thinking about transitioning W/O the Big Chop!

[Poohbear]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

[ QUOTE ]
sweetcocoa said:
when my natural hair got to chin length..i waited 2 more inches(see my post) because i was taking in account the shrinkage factor...so when it was just above the shoulders i did the final cut...which when dry came to my chin.

[/ QUOTE ]

Was your natural hair just above your shoulders or relaxed hair? Did your natural hair or relaxed hair come to your chin when dry?

I was a little confused...

 

[inthepink]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

[ QUOTE ]
Poohbear said:
[ QUOTE ]
sweetcocoa said:
when my natural hair got to chin length..i waited 2 more inches(see my post) because i was taking in account the shrinkage factor...so when it was just above the shoulders i did the final cut...which when dry came to my chin.

[/ QUOTE ]

Was your natural hair just above your shoulders or relaxed hair? Did your natural hair or relaxed hair come to your chin when dry?

I was a little confused...

[/ QUOTE ]

I believe sweetcocoa was referring to her natural hair. Meaning that once her natural hair was shoulder length she cut it b/c she knew it would then shrink up to chin length.

 

[silvergirl]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

good luck to everyone one their transitioning journey. the main reason im transitionin instead of bc'ing (besides the fact i dont like short hair on me) is cause I know that as long as I have some relaxed hair attached to my natural strands, i know that ill be growin AND retaining 100% of my new growth and my natural hair will be growing out to the maxium every year. I plan to grow out all my hair till a couple inches past brastrap before I start doing aggressive trim to become 100% natural.

 

[Ipanema]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

[ QUOTE ]
silvergirl said:
good luck to everyone one their transitioning journey. the main reason im transitionin instead of bc'ing (besides the fact i dont like short hair on me) is cause I know that as long as I have some relaxed hair attached to my natural strands, i know that ill be growin AND retaining 100% of my new growth and my natural hair will be growing out to the maxium every year.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is one reason why I wish I had transitioned longer. Last year, I had to trim a lot of my natural hair when I could have retained it all & have much longer natural hair by now.

 

[inthepink]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

[ QUOTE ]
silvergirl said:
good luck to everyone one their transitioning journey. the main reason im transitionin instead of bc'ing (besides the fact i dont like short hair on me) is cause I know that as long as I have some relaxed hair attached to my natural strands, i know that ill be growin AND retaining 100% of my new growth and my natural hair will be growing out to the maxium every year. I plan to grow out all my hair till a couple inches past brastrap before I start doing aggressive trim to become 100% natural.

[/ QUOTE ]

You said this way better than I could have but that's a big reason I am transitioning, too! So when I do cut off the relax ends, I will have ALL of my natural hair instead of growing trimming and growing! The relaxed ends (in a way) are protecting the ends of my natural hair as long as I keep it moisturized! I am sure though, when I do get rid of the relaxed ends, I'll cut a little bit more just to make sure since I do have some breakage to deal with! Very well stated!

 

[sweetcocoa]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

[ QUOTE ]
hairlove said:
[ QUOTE ]
Poohbear said:
[ QUOTE ]
sweetcocoa said:
when my natural hair got to chin length..i waited 2 more inches(see my post) because i was taking in account the shrinkage factor...so when it was just above the shoulders i did the final cut...which when dry came to my chin.

[/ QUOTE ]

Was your natural hair just above your shoulders or relaxed hair? Did your natural hair or relaxed hair come to your chin when dry?

I was a little confused...

[/ QUOTE ]

I believe sweetcocoa was referring to her natural hair. Meaning that once her natural hair was shoulder length she cut it b/c she knew it would then shrink up to chin length.

[/ QUOTE ]
thanks Hairlove...that's exactly what i meant...

 

[Poohbear]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

[ QUOTE ]
silvergirl said:
good luck to everyone one their transitioning journey. the main reason im transitionin instead of bc'ing (besides the fact i dont like short hair on me) is cause I know that as long as I have some relaxed hair attached to my natural strands, i know that ill be growin AND retaining 100% of my new growth and my natural hair will be growing out to the maxium every year. I plan to grow out all my hair till a couple inches past brastrap before I start doing aggressive trim to become 100% natural.

[/ QUOTE ]

Silvergirl, sounds like a great idea! I agree with you about not liking short hair and doing the big chop! How long have u been transitioning and what is your natural hair length now?

 

[silvergirl]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

Ive been tranistioning since may 2003. on the 23rd will be exactly one year!! I have about 7 inches of new growth since then.

 

[spanishteardrops]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

I am kinda transitioning. I plan to be with out a relaxer for a 1.5 years

So far I am almost done with 1 year.

 

[Bobbie]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

[ QUOTE ]
silvergirl said:
good luck to everyone one their transitioning journey. the main reason im transitionin instead of bc'ing (besides the fact i dont like short hair on me) is cause I know that as long as I have some relaxed hair attached to my natural strands, i know that ill be growin AND retaining 100% of my new growth and my natural hair will be growing out to the maxium every year. I plan to grow out all my hair till a couple inches past brastrap before I start doing aggressive trim to become 100% natural.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is an excellent plan!

I'm glad that this thread exists --- it's very encouraging for long-term transitioners.

 

[Poohbear]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

Bobbie, do u have any pics of your transitioning process?

 

[Ayeshia]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

good luck with the transitioning process everyone!!!!!!!!!! i wish that i could have did the same..but oh well its all gone

 

[Bobbie]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

[ QUOTE ]
Poohbear said:
Bobbie, do u have any pics of your transitioning process?

[/ QUOTE ]

Not yet unfortunately. I am taking pics in early June when I get a digital camera.

 

[mermaid]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

[ QUOTE ]
Poohbear said:
[ QUOTE ]
mermaid said:
Anyways, back to the subject. I transitioned years ago with individual braided extensions, but wasn't trying to transition. I just wore my hair like that for so long, that when I quit the style for a while, it was all natural. Best thing I ever did for my hair.

[/ QUOTE ]

Do you remember how long you wore the individual extensions??? How long was your hair before and after wearing the extensions???

[/ QUOTE ]
Oh, girl! I wore braids for 3 years before I took them out and KEPT them out for any length of time. I think my relaxed hair was about shoulder length to start, then when I kept the braids out and cut it, the relaxed hair was totally replaced with natural and it was to bra strap.
I know you aren't trying to go that long with braids; but I did totally replace my hair length and then some, because I know there was more than just relaxed hair that was cut- some natural ends were damaged and need to go as well.

 

[Poohbear]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

Mermaid, thank you for your reply!

 

[Vanessa22]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

Congratulations to all the transitioners and to the natural hair ladies. I do admire you all for your courage and patience...Good luck Pooh Bear!

 

[DigitalRain]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

I've been thinking long and hard about transitioning too. I'm really getting sick and tired of the cycle of relaxing. Relaxers are killing my scalp. I really wish I hadn't let my mom persuade me to go back to the relaxer 4 years ago.

Back then i did BC when I had less than an inch of newgrowth but it grew so fast, and I remember having a lot of fun playing with my hair.

 

[Poohbear]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

I went to see my mom yesterday. My mom notices new growth immediately. She is so quick to say "your hair is nappy" and "you need a relaxer." I told her about my decision of transitioning and I was surprised she said "well u do whatever u want with your hair" but mom is so coo' anyway.

 

[CharUK]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

I'm thinking of transitioning too now... I've always done it best with braids.

I'm going to have a hard think about it.

x

 

[hotshot]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

my mother and i both went natural without cutting a thing. we wore braids for years. our perms underneath were underprocessed and they reverted. when we went natural we had a sh$tload of hair. we're both type 4's. i didnt realize this wasn't normal for some time. perms just didnt hold up in my hair under braids. they would start to revert, and ultimately, it reverted completely.

 

[deeplyrooted]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

Congrats on your decision, Poohbear.

Just be careful with the braids ... be sure to give your hair some "rest periods" inbetween getting them put in.

You can do it.

 

[alliyah4eva203]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

i agree. wearing braids non stop might weaken and break your hairline.

 

[Poohbear]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

[ QUOTE ]
hotshot said:
my mother and i both went natural without cutting a thing. we wore braids for years. our perms underneath were underprocessed and they reverted. when we went natural we had a sh$tload of hair. we're both type 4's. i didnt realize this wasn't normal for some time. perms just didnt hold up in my hair under braids. they would start to revert, and ultimately, it reverted completely.

[/ QUOTE ]

Interesting HOTSHOT! I am about to PM u!

 

[GodMadeMePretty]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

I'm transitioning also without the big chop. I haven't had a trim in over a year but I'm planning on doing a little trimming this week. I just hope I don't do as I did last time and trim one side shorter than the other. And it still hasn't caught up.

 

[mermaid]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

Y'all. My hairline didn't suffer one bit from braids- BUT I did them myself and didn't use too much tension any wear on my head. My hairline STILL hooks into my eyebrows over the temples if I don't pluck in between the two!!

 

[Maestradiva77]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

Good luck Poohbear!!

 

[gabrielle2]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

just a quickie...hair doesnt "revert" back to being natural. the processed hair has to be cut. the hair has been broken down during the chemical processing.

also, a long transition can be good (even though i didnt do it) because more than the relaxed ends will need to be trimmed away. most people go through the stage of scab hair. for me, my scab hair phase lasted more than 8 months..so i was forever trimming until my true texture started to shine through

 

[Poohbear]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

Guess what you guys...I'm not just "thinking" about transitioning anymore... I AM going to transition!

I have been somewhat lurking for the past couple of months and have done much research on this transitioning to natural! Thanks everyone for all the inspiration and helpful tips on transitioning!

 

[JenniferMD]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

Good luck poohbear! Are you still thinking of transitioning w/o the BC?

 

[kitchen_tician]

Re: I\'m thinking about transitioning W/O the Big C

Hey Poohbear!!!

Best wishes on transitioning!