How to Deal with Challenges when Transitioning Long-term

Despite the courageousness associated with the Big Chop in terms of going natural, there's a lot of bravery in transitioning for a long period of time (six months or more) as well. While some women chop off relaxed hair without a second thought, others need time to get used to the idea of wearing their natural texture. There's nothing wrong with taking baby steps.

Some women start their natural journey with the intention of transitioning for the long haul, but find that they're ready to cut sooner rather than later. If you fall into the long-term transitioning camp, be prepared to deal with these three challenges. Typically, you'll face these once you move into a one-to-two years transitioning time frame.

1. Texture Frustration

It's one thing if you were never a "bone straight" type of girl. Your relaxed ends may not be all that different from your new growth if you mostly texturized or texlaxed your hair. On the other hand, if your mentality was "the straighter, the better," you'll probably notice a huge difference between your chemically treated ends and your new growth. It's this difference that can lead to styling challenges. Should you curl your ends to better match your roots, or should you press your new growth to match the ends? This will become harder the more your hair grows. It's usually best to create styles that make the most of your natural texture. Bantu knots, flat twists, braids, roller sets and flexi-rod sets all work for transitioners, by blending both straight ends and curly/kinky roots in a gentle fashion. By continuing to press new growth in order to match your ends, you risk heat damage (even in the form of "heat training"), which will mask your real texture.

2. Breakage

The place where your new growth meets processed hair, or the line of demarcation, is a notoriously weak area. The longer you transition, the more care you'll have to take with this spot. This is often where breakage occurs. Fight any weaknesses with protein treatments, but don't forget about regular moisturizing. A gentle weekly protein treat should suffice, along with deep conditioning immediately afterward. Skipping the deep moisturizing will allow the drying effects of protein to wreak havoc on your hair.More »

3. Product Picks

You don't have to toss all your hair products once you decide to transition, but over time, you may find that what worked so well on straightened hair doesn't offer the same results with your new growth. Natural hair may feel drier than what you're used to, even though it's not suffering dryness. Water-based products provide the moisture your tresses need, while heavier products can seal in that moisture. Gradually incorporate new products while using up what you currently have. Some products work well on straight and natural hair, so keep those in your rotation.