Transitioning from relaxed to natural hair can be very difficult, which is one of the reasons women choose to big chop. If you’re anything like me, I knew it was time to big chop whenever I took out my sew-in that I’d had for 12 weeks. As you may know, protective styles (such as sew-ins) really give your hair the opportunity to grow…a lot. My original plan was to get my hair straightened for one last time so that I could enjoy my hair’s true length before I big chopped. I got my relaxer in December 2014, so I figured that big chopping around the one-year point would be a good idea.
Well, as we all know, the fantastic thing about plans is that they don’t always work out the way we’d like them to.
When you’re transitioning, the relaxed part of your hair can tend to become very weak and damaged, causing your hair to look really healthy at the roots and disgustingly thin at the ends. As you may have guessed, this is exactly what happened to my hair. So there would be no “one last straighten” before big chopping; it had to be done right then and there.
Some of you may be experiencing the same thing. You may realize that your relaxed ends are literally hanging on by a thread, but you may be hesitant to let them go because you don’t know if you’re ready to rock a TWA. On the other hand, some of you might experience this in the future and may have the lingering question, “What comes after the big chop?”
If you’ve never had short hair before, the thought of wearing a short hairstyle might be the scariest thing in the world. I know it was for me! So you’ve big chopped—now what?
Of course, there’s always the option to just wear your TWA, or whatever length your hair may be after big chopping. Besides, you’ve finally achieved what you’ve been working so hard for—being natural; so own it!
As great as it can be to embrace your natural hair—no matter what length—some of us aren’t as comfortable wearing our hair so short. This is where protective styles come in!
There are a TON of protective styles that are popular today from crochet braids, box braids, to yarn twists, and so much more. Not to mention, you can always wear extensions. However, if you plan to wear your hair curly and not straight, it is highly advised that you use a closure with your sew-ins to prevent heat damage.
Other than thinking about how to style your hair after big chopping, another thing that’s super important to do is to develop a new hair care regimen. What worked for you while transitioning may not work for you when you’re completely natural. Play around with different styling products, shampoos, deep conditioners, and all that good stuff. And most importantly, MOISTURIZE!
There’s so much you can do with natural hair, so experiment, have fun, and don’t forget to take care of your hair. This is your fresh start—don’t waste it!