Off and On Transitioner

Hello everyone. I have been on this site for a couple of months and have been lurking for the most part. I am in my 50's and have tried off and on to transition to fully natural. I succeeded once when I was going to a natural hair stylist. This woman has the most beautiful natural hair. It is thick and full and all out beautiful. She started me off with twist extensions and I wore them for over 1 year when she was taking care of my hair. In that year it was absolutely incredible how full and healthy my hair got. But being the idiot that I can be I decided that I wanted to get it relaxed so that I could look more "professional"--meaning that I thought that the twists didn't look professional (what a fool). Anyway, after the relaxer my hair began to thin out so then my next brilliant idea was to go back to braid extensions. I wore them for a year--thinking they looked better that twists in corporate America. My hair grew but because I didn't really take care of my own hair it was thick in places and thin in others.
cut to the next year i decided to this so-called wonderful stylist who did these fab relaxers and grew all these people's hair. Well, it started off badly because I tried to explain to her that I only wanted my hair texturized. My hair was shoulder length but because it had been awhile since any chemical had been put on my hair it was still "kinky" when I washed it. Then cut to the biggest mistake of my life with my hair. I went back to her and told her I was not happy with the kink still in my hair. She said okay i'll put a very mild relaxer on for a short time and that should do the trick. Well, the trick was that when I left there that night my hair was thin as all get out. I cried all the way home and when I got there my poor husband didn't know what to do I was so upset and throwing myself around on the beds in the house. I can really laught about it now but it was absolutely awful!!! Turns out that all my hair didn't fall out but it was burned down to the scalp in different places all over my head. I figured I was going to now be a wig wearing old woman from then on!!
I then decided to get braid extensions back in and hope for the best. Well this year in March I finally took the braids out for good and am relieved to see that my hair did grow back especially in the places where it was so short you couldn't even pick it up. I am now wearing twist extensions using very tightly curled human hair (which everyone thinks is mine). I like it but I long to wear my own hair and reading all of your stories and things you've learned is making me really want to get rid of these extensions and have a go at wearing my own hair.

As I read all the posts about the journey's of a lot of you it is so inspirational and hopefully I will break out of the box soon. Thank you all for listening and Nikki, thank you for being so generous and giving and starting this site for those of us who need the help and the inspiration! Who knew this younger generation could be so inspirational to an old gal like myself.

What a beautiful story. Welcome to Curl street!

welcome! You are going to love it here.

Welcome Sister! You'll love and learn a lot here!

Welcome!!

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome.
Let the real journey begin!

Okay, so I have done henna before and I did not like the red color I was left with. I've heard that there is something you can add to make it black. the only reason I want to look into it again is because when I have used it my hair was so much smoother and healthy feeling. I read where Nikki began using it every day and then 3 times per week. That girl has some of the most beautiful hair. While I know that she has that hair type due to genetics I wonder if henna would help my hair as well . So if anyone has info about what to use to get your hair black give me a hint please. That's all for now. Off to see if I can research and find something.

Great story! Welcome to Curl Street!

Ok we need pics please!!!

Welcome!!! **waving**

Great story!! I'm glad you have stopped lurking and joined us.

As for henna, what give the black color is indigo. Check out the Henna section of the forum.

You know we love pics around here.....

How to post a picture.

well this evening I took out my kinky (fake) twists and I really don't know how i'm going to wear my hair. talk about shrinkage!!!! i am surprised at how long my hair is. it's down past my shoulders in the back but the front has a long way to go. the front is where the most damage was from the last perm. I know that i'm going to put the fake twists back in because i don't know what kind of reactions i'll get and i'm just too afraid. i don't know what the heck is wrong with me. i'm way too old to be caring what others think but i just don't want to deal with the comments and criticisms and whatever else would come along. maybe one day i'll get up the nerve! so disappointed in myself. i think part of the prob is that i look at all of these gorgeous curlies and think that my hair wouldn't look anywhere near as good. and i look at those with what i call real curly hair (nikki and others) and am sad that my hair will never look like that. i know that i shouldn't compare but i don't seem to be able to not do it. so that is my issue and rant for the day. feels good to get that out. the truth for once in my life.

So this is sick I realize. But all week I have had people coming up to me about my hair and who did it. Everone of them thought these twists were mine. That made me feel good but I know that one negative comment would make me feel sad. Gotta realize it's about making myself happy not how others view me. Maybe before I die i'll finally get some self confidence!!!

you will have more confidence long before then. That is why we are here. Keep up the good work. Keep your end game in mind. Patience is the key. One day the will be talking about your real hair.

Thanks for the pep talk Shetacular_Napps--that's why i love this community. Everyone is so giving. I certainly hope someday that I can also inspire someone to keep positive and stay strong. Lynnieluve I love your beautiful thick hair! WOW - such an inspiration!!!

Well, I am going to Maui on Friday (7/30/10). I had been stressing so badly about my hair and how to take care of it. I have decided that I will not let this ruin my vacay. I'm wearing my fake kinky twists still and hope they don't slip out with swimming (I don't really do that mush swimming!--lol) . I am going to make sure and run some shampoo through my hair after each ocean day and condition with HEHH and some hair butter(don't know which one yet). I will have a blast with my other girlfriends. I am the only natural going and the other girls are either white or black and permed. Oh well. I'm the unique one. I will certainly come back and write about my hair experience so I can have it for posterity and maybe my experience can help another curly in the same situation. Thanks for listening everyone!