New here, "Recovering Natural"

[Fossor]

Hello there!
I am new to these boards so I thought I little intro my be suitable!

I have been natural all my life, dont take this as knowledge, thought I avoided the temptation and pressure many times over to relax, in thinking straight hair is good hair, I still had very old school, and bad methods of abusing it!
Hot combs on the stove, flat irons, violently raking through my poor strands with fine tooth combs, any old sulfate ridden shampoo and condishes, grease galore, you name it, Ive done it.

My natural hair was in bad shape, it was stuck on one length for years and years. I never did weave but I just braided it and left it.
I did have times where I hates my ethnic traits because I thought anything mixed or close to white was prettier.
Luckily for some reason, with my lack of interest for the fads, mags, TV and mass media in general , i didnt expose myself too much as most, sometimes it did slip in from time to time. For the most part I avoided that "creamy crack" pressure lol

Until I discovered the Natural Hair Movement, allll that changed. I saw black beauty in its natural form, I was bombarded by beautiful heads of hair and I sucked it up like a sponge, with mistakes along the way.
Curl obsession hit me like a ton of bricks and was wondering why my hair was a frizz fest.
Methods that everywhere said that worked, didnt.

I protein overloaded as well.
I was at the end of my rope with straw like hair, until i had to look at not curls but porosity, turns out I am Low Porosity. :P

I took baby steps in finding what works with my hair.
Try not to obsess in curl definition to much and I had to look at my frizzy fro and FORRRCEEE out that curl obsession and love the hair I have. (and be a defender of the "type 4")
I slowly learned about how to care for my hair and the one thing that I didnt think i had started to appear, kinky curls lol, didnt mean to, thought I was forever a frizz ball with big hair but yeah I try not to worry about it too much and let it do its thing.

So far so good with caring.
Was able to get rid of that dry, too much protein hair and its feeling good.
I try not to worry about wanting mixed girl hair and love the kinks and frizz i have and work it.

The only question I can have is how do you know its dry? Its feels dry even when I know I'm moisturized or is it because afro textured hair will always be able to feel the texture it is?
It seems soft but dry? I dunno lol

My main goal is healthy hair and with that I can gain my second goal is seeing some length to know I am doing the right things.

I can say my combination of living overseas and lacking cable to watch USA shows and TV with images that promote straight hair, lack of interest in the media so much and my stories of bad relaxer experiences and my dad being natural helped me stay natural, just alot of bad habit needing to be broken!


But yeah that was long!^^'
Great to be here!
Sorry for any typos I may have missed!

[Napi-iz-hapi]

Hi Fossor,

Welcome and here, here on being a defender of type 4 hair!

You mentioned that you were able to get past having dry hair (this is my current dilemma), what did you do in terms of a routine to overcome dryness?

How long did it take to see results?

[chachadiva]

The only question I can have is how do you know its dry? Its feels dry even when I know I'm moisturized or is it because afro textured hair will always be able to feel the texture it is?

Welcome to NP. To answer your question, read this: https://www.nappturality.com/forums/...52#post2638052

Your natural hair will feel the way it feels and that's okay. You can make it feel differently by loading it down with products, but that feeling may be temporary. How your hair feels to the touch may not be the best indicator of your hair's condition if you are pre-disposed to believe your hair should feel a certain way. Textured hair feels textured.

[Fossor]

Sorry for the laaaate reply.
My hair over the months has felt softer and more healthier and I have retained length!
Thank you for your replies!

@Napi-iz-hapi What really helped me in introducing moisture more and more, with co-washing, deep condish etc. They health of my hair has really took a turn for the best!

[deecoily]

Hi Fossor and welcome!
Your story sounds like mine I have validated your membership so you can now post on the main forum.

[Fossor]

Thank you!!
Great to know there are others with similar hair stories ^_^

[NubianLockedPrincessNYC]

I have had three big chops. I`am on my third set of locs, two sets being SisterLocks. in between the last two set of locs, I became bored with my loc. That resorted in a BC to natural to creamy crack to BC and currently SL`d nine weeks.I thought I was missing something until I started the vicious cycle of relaxed hair. Thank God, the insanity lasted about eight months! Sore and burnt scalp was not for me! Waiting hours to get my hair done, wasting money on a style for one day was not cutting it! My scalp itched all the time because of the garbage I was placing in my hair! With the first set of locs I learned a valuable lesson about my salp and hair. The less products you use and the less manipulation you use, the happier and longer your hair will grow.

[forseethis]

I see so much of me in your story!

[MadamHair]

I see so much of me in your story!

That's just how I feel, too ;-)

[Cutie McPretty]

Welcome to NP !!