Big chop during winter???

Hi Ladies,

I am three months post-relaxer and currently transitioning with micros. My hair grows at a fairly decent rate but I have a really flaky, dry scalp that requires constant moisture so my braids are starting to show more wear than I care to sport just barely two months in. I'm growing anxious to take them out and BC but. . . I live in Chicago where the winters are harsh (cold, snowy, and windy)!

Because of my dry scalp, I know I will need to wash my hair often. In Chicago, I absolutely can not leave the house with a wet (or even a little moist) head. I'm torn. . . Should I remove the braids and try another transitioning style and wait for the cold weather to pass? . . . Should I BC now and weather the storm (so to speak)? . . . Have any of you did the BC during winter?

I'm open to suggestions.

My original plan was to BC this winter at my one year post relaxer mark but I'm postponing now however I think you touched on the dry flaky scalp itchy which jumped out at me (not literally-lol). Before researching my natural hair journey and really looking into products for myself and scalp I suffered with dandruff and dry scalp as a relaxed and I still have to control it transitioning (especially w/change of season). Some suggestions:
I use tea tea oil (about 4-6 drops mixed in with jojoba oil, sweet almond, or grapeseed oil) and apply to my scalp after shampoo and before deep conditioning. For added measure after my deep conditioning has been rinsed out and I'm doing my leave in treatment I will use the same mix on my scalp. I know it seems like a lot of oil but the oils are really light and absorb well and work well w/ my scalp. You would have to do trial and error since everyone is different and the best part no itchies or dry scalp.

A couple of other people on the forum do Apple Cider Rinses (Apple Cider and Water mixed together-sorry don't know the proportion) and that seems to help with clarifying the scalp and getting rid of dry flaky scalp.

These are just some helpful hints weather you BC in the winter or not to help with the scalp issue. HTH

im about to bc in about an hour, and its a nice chil in north caolina, though its not anything compared to the harsh winters of Chicago.lol but winter natual hair does requre alot of moisturizing and care. it really just depends if u want to put in all the effort this winter or next, but i would gget a hat and a silk scarf underneath to wear outside until u get to work and other place

@ yacoomba - Thank you for the tips on how to address the dry scalp. I've read and learned alot from the forum here. However, unless I remove the braids and keep them out, I will have a hard time reaching my scalp. They have to come out some point soon, but when they do, I have no idea what I'm going to do next. Hmmmmm. . . . maybe a half wig???

@ komirra - I love my city, but so wish I could skip the winters! Part of me thinks I should move forward with the BC now because even though the winter will be a challenge, I am sure to learn a lot about my hair during that time period. When I do BC, I will only have about an inch to inch and half of hair, which doesn't bother me because I have a short cut under the braids now (see avatar). If I do it now, I hope to have "big hair" to play with come the summer. I'm looking forward to twist outs, puffs, etc.

Good luck with your BC! It's exciting I'm sure. Post some pics when you're done so I can be jealous. LOL

yacoomba wrote:
A couple of other people on the forum do Apple Cider Rinses (Apple Cider and Water mixed together-sorry don't know the proportion) and that seems to help with clarifying the scalp and getting rid of dry flaky scalp.

I use 1-2 TBS ACV in 4oz Water for my ACV rinse.

Naturally Esq wrote:

yacoomba wrote:
A couple of other people on the forum do Apple Cider Rinses (Apple Cider and Water mixed together-sorry don't know the proportion) and that seems to help with clarifying the scalp and getting rid of dry flaky scalp.

I use 1-2 TBS ACV in 4oz Water for my ACV rinse.

Naturally Esq: Thank you for input regarding the ACV rince.
Mommasum1: Good Luck and I"ve never bought a half wig before so maybe someone else can chime in on that, but good luck on the BC or whatever you decide.

Great question. I live just south of Chicago, and I have decided to BC in December. I forgot all about the winters here I will take Komirra's suggestion of wearing a scarf under my hat.

I will be enduring the first winter coming up. Northern Ohio isn't any fun in the winter either but I think Chicago may be worse? Maybe we're on the same playing field. Lol. Anywho, some of my hair dries quickly because the curls aren't as tight, but the back is the slowest to dry. Today I spritzed my hair an hour before I had to leave and it was slightly dry.

Another solution, I have a Curling creme that's thick and spreads wonderfully so that also moisturizes decently without me having soaking wet hair. I prefer to put water on first and then the Curling creme and hawaiian silky but that's obviously not always an option.

Also, if you're just going out, or if you even the leeway at work, a headwrap is a good solution, especially if for some reason your hair looks a hot mess and your in a rush.

HTH.

I was planning on BC this month but i opted to wait until spring and wear a few more protective styles , how do you feel about wigs, bunds , and cornrows i plan on doing some twist now for 2 months than a quick weave put on a stocking cap for another 2 months and wear some wigs for that extra month than cutting the ends off it's really cold and from what i understand natural hair and winter don't mix so even after i go natural winters will be my protective style months
For dry scalp and hair i had that problem too but i have found that if you moisturize your hair daily with Water, seal with either shea butter , (olive oil, jojoba oil, wild growth, castor oil coconut oil ) or any other of your choice and put some on your scalp your scalp dryness will cease to exist i would suggest protective styling until warmer months to BC or BC than protective styles

i would say spring or summer cause it gives you time to find what your likes and dislikes. in the winter hair is on the dry side so i say summer

I'm going to be brave and bc in January! I look at it like this, if I can keep moisture in the winter (which has been very mild so far down here in the ATL) I think I shouldn't have any problems in the summer. And maybe through protective styling I can retain alot of length so that I will have some hang time with my wash and go's by the time the warmer months approach. I am determined to chop at my one year mark!

Hi Ladies,

Thank you for all of your advice. I went ahead and took down my micros this past Friday and then while my husband was taking a nap Saturday morning, I snuck into the bathroom and did my own mini-chop. I loved it!

Mt BFF came over later Saturday to help me with styling and I rocked my mini-chop in public for four days straight. But the temperature in Chicago has dropped to 40 degrees the past couple of days and my damp head was too much to bare. . . so I went a bought a couple of curly half wigs.

I feel like I punked out a little quickly, but my job demands too much of my time for me to take chances with getting sick. I still have a few permed ends that I wasn't able to cut myself (with confidence anyway), so I will use the winter to allow my hair to grow more and do another chop in early spring.

The wigs are great, btw. I get to experiment and dream of having big hair of my own someday. LOL

so I went a bought a couple of curly half wigs.
Good move and congrats on your mini chop. Please make sure you protect your hair and your edges from friction of the wig/wig cap.