For over a decade, there has been a big movement where more and more women are choosing to go natural with their hair.
This means that they are ditching the relaxers and chemical treatments in favor of embracing their natural coils.
So what’s a Koily to do? Relax her hair and risk damage? Or go natural and hope for the best?
If you are thinking about making the switch, there are some things you should know about both the pros and cons of going natural.
In this blog post, we will explore both sides of the argument so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not this is the right choice for you.
Pro: Kicking The Creamy Crack to the Curb
The first pro of going natural is that you will no longer be dependent on chemical relaxers to achieve your desired look. This can save you a lot of money in the long run because you will no longer have to pay for expensive salon treatments.
In addition, you will also be doing your hair a favor by giving it a break from damaging chemicals. Relaxers and other treatments can be very harsh on the hair, causing it to become dry, brittle, and even lead to breakage.
For a long time, the use of chemical relaxers on afro-textured hair was the norm. In one form or another, coily hair was chemically altered to relax the natural curl pattern or eliminate it altogether.
Who doesn’t remember those boxes of ‘Gentle Treatment’ with the cute little girl and her pretty straightened hair?
Or the Jheri curl boxes from the 80s with the happy couples on them, both with greasy (but looser curly!) hair.
Black men and women alike have fallen prey to the mainstream propaganda that straight hair is “good hair”.
But these products are not completely harmless. Chemical relaxers, curl kits and “texlaxers” all contain ingredients that can potentially damage hair and cause serious skin irritation.
Lye relaxers, for instance, contain sodium hydroxide, a caustic substance with a pH of 13 or 14! For some perspective, ammonia has a pH of 11, oven cleaner and bleach have a pH of 13, and liquid drain cleaner has a pH of 14!
The sodium hydroxide in relaxers is chemically classified as a “corrosive substance” which means it is in a class of substances that “can attack and destroy, by chemical action, living tissue, organic compounds, and metal.”
Think about that. The chemical used to relax your hair is more corrosive than oven cleaner!
But that’s not all. The pH scale is logarithmic, which means each whole value change (let’s say from 7 to 8 or from 5 to 6) is 10 times more than the lower number.
In the relaxer example, for instance, oven cleaner has a pH of 13 and the active ingredient in lye relaxer (sodium hydroxide) has a pH of 14. That means that the lye relaxer is 10 times more alkaline (and corrosive) than oven cleaner.
The higher you go on the pH scale (7-14), the more alkaline a substance is and the lower you go (1-7), the more acidic it is. And that also means more damage to skin, hair and tissue!
Our natural hair pH is around 4.5-5.5, so relaxers can be really damaging if not used correctly. Application by a professional is always recommended.
Chemical relaxers have been known to cause scalp burns, hair loss, and permanently alter the natural curl pattern.
Once applied, the hair strands will not return to the natural coil pattern and the only way to get rid of relaxed hair is to grow it out or cut it off.
No lye relaxers are made with guanidine hydroxide, lithium hydroxide (LiOH), potassium hydroxide (KOH), calcium hydroxide (CaOH), and other hydroxide formulas, which can also cause scalp irritation and hair loss.
No lye relaxers also deposit minerals on the hair that can cause it to become drier due to the inability of the strands to absorb moisture due to the layer of deposits on it.
Relaxers require special skills and know-how to ensure the scalp and hair do not become damaged by the application. If your goal is to maintain length, having a relaxer can require more work (and money) to ensure that your hair stays healthy.
By going natural, you can give your hair a chance to recover and can be assured that you are not exposing your coils, or your body, to chemicals that could be potentially damaging.
Con: Maintaining Natural Type 4 hair Can Also Be Time-Consuming
The main con of going natural is that it can be time-consuming. Depending on the length and thickness of your hair, detangling alone can cost you hours of your time each week to prevent knots and tangles from wreaking havoc.
Then there’s the time it takes to actually style your hair. Depending on the style you choose, it can take anywhere from minutes to hours to achieve the look you desire.
All of this is in addition to the time it takes to care for your scalp and deep condition your hair.
So, if you’re thinking of going natural, be prepared to invest a lot of time into your hair care routine.
Pro: Fatter Pockets-You’ll save money in the long run
One of the best things about going natural is that you’ll save money in the long run. Once you’ve invested in quality products and learned how to style your hair, you won’t have to spend money on expensive salon treatments or monthly trips to the stylist.
You’ll also save money on heat styling tools and other hair-related products. You can put the hours spent in salons, on blow drying, flat ironing, and/or curling in the rearview mirror.
Con: The Learning Curve-You’ll have to learn how to style your hair
If you’re used to having someone else style your hair, then going natural will definitely be a learning curve. You’ll need to take the time to learn about the different products and techniques that work best for your hair type.
For a few visits, you might need to go to a stylist that specializes in coily hairstyling until you get the hang of it yourself. Choosing a stylist who also teaches you what to do, as well as provide product recommendations, will make the process much easier.
Learning to style type 4 hair can be challenging, especially when you’re first starting out, but it’s definitely doable. I struggled immensely when I first became natural and there were MANY days that I just cried because I didn’t like what I saw.
Years of mainstream mind conditioning convinced me that my natural hair was ugly. I was brainwashed into believing that the only way I could possibly look good (or professional, or desirable) was to have hair that was nothing like my own.
But, with time, patience, and a lot of YouTube videos later, I finally figured it out.
And trust me when I say, it is SO worth it! The feeling of finally accepting and loving your God-given hair is indescribable.
And you really do get better at understanding what your hair needs so that the styling outcomes become more and more reliable. But like all things, you must stick with it to see results.
Your hair will go through an awkward phase. It will be short, it will be unmanageable, and you’ll probably want to give up.
But if you can make it past that point, I promise you, it is so worth it! Going natural is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Pro: You’ll Be More Informed About What’s Going Into Your Hair
When you style your own hair, you’ll be more aware of the products you’re using and what ingredients are in them.
This is a BIG one for me.
Pre-natural, I was completely unaware of what chemical relaxers actually were or what was really in those products that I was spraying/lathering/piling onto my hair every day.
Once I committed to my natural coils, I was propelled into a virtual rabbit hole of learning. I discovered that many of the products I thought were good for my hair were actually not that healthy or helpful.
I learned that petroleum-based products clog hair follicles which can impede growth. I learned that there are additives in our hair products that have been linked to cancer:
“In December, research published in the International Journal of Cancer found that using chemical hair straighteners increased a woman’s risk of breast cancer by 31%, regardless of her race. A study published a year prior by Silent Spring Institute, the leading scientific breast cancer research organization in the country, discovered the use of five chemicals banned in the E.U. for their toxicity, in “kiddie relaxers” like “Just for Me” that are marketed for children.
Chemical straighteners have been linked to the development of uterine fibroids, — cysts that grow on the uterus that can cause pain and infertility — a condition that overwhelmingly affects black women; as well as early onset of puberty and menstruation in young black girls.” (Safiya Charles, Montgomery Advertiser, Feb 24, 2020)
These and other facts terrified me and it was enough for me to stand firm in my commitment to learning how to manage my coils and reprogram from the lies I had been fed about my natural hair.
I also realized that there are so many amazing organic products and techniques to take care of my hair that I never knew existed!
Going natural allowed me to become much more informed about my hair and what it needed to be healthy.
Con: You Will Need To Put In Some Time And Effort
The reality is, that going natural takes time and patience. It took me years to figure out what products worked for my hair and what didn’t. I was a veritable product junkie when first starting out.
Every new product that promised softer, longer, stronger hair I bought it. I wasted hundreds of dollars on things that did not deliver on the promises.
I had to learn, however, that, a product is only part of the solution. I had to understand my hair, and what it needed, before digging deep into my pockets to buy a product.
It’s taken me years to figure out that I have medium-high porosity hair and that heavy oils and butter products will just sit on my strands and block out moisture.
I learned that shampooing and conditioning regularly were so important to maintaining the moisture balance in my hair.
I also had to accept that my hair will never be bone straight unless I use harsh chemicals or heat that damages my strands.
But, overall, I am happy with my decision to go natural and I love my coils! I keep learning more and each new revelation brings more satisfaction and better, more consistent results.
Pro: You’ll Be Embracing Your Natural Beauty
For many women, going natural is about embracing their own unique beauty. It’s about loving the hair that they were born with and feel confident in their own skin.
I don’t know about you, but I love knowing that I can wear my own hair and not have to rely on damaging chemicals or weaves to feel beautiful. It’s really a mindset and spiritual shift that changed my perspective on a lot of things.
Con: You’ll Have to Put in Work
Yes, going natural requires a bit more effort than just throwing your hair in a bun and calling it a day. Or slapping on a wig and taking the selfie.
There are different products, methods, techniques, etc. that you’ll need to learn about and experiment with to find what works best for you.
It can be overwhelming at first, but there are so many great resources online that can help with the journey and provide encouragement.
Con: You May Have to Deal With Some Negativity
Unfortunately, not everyone will be supportive of your decision to go natural. You may get some negative comments from friends or family members about your hair.
You may even be the victim of microaggression at work because of your natural hair.
When I first became natural, I would go to work with a wig or crochet style when I didn’t have time (or desire) to style my hair.
At the time, I was only 1 of 2 other Black women in the office. I remember hearing exclamations of “your hair looks so good today” or “that style looks so good on you” whenever I wore the fake hair.
When I wore my natural coils…crickets and stares.
I don’t believe my coworkers were trying to be mean or intentionally hurtful, but it made me realize how deep the disdain for our natural coils really goes. And how we are not seen by the majority as attractive unless we hide our hair.
I also remember being told by a coworker (not at the same office), “you’re such a pretty girl. You really should change the hair, though”. Again, I didn’t think she was trying to be mean (older Black lady and really sweet any other time), but the point was made. My hair was not desirable.
But, try not to let the negativity get to you. Remember that it’s more than just the hair. Going natural is about empowering yourself and taking control of your own beauty.
I’m a firm believer in normalizing coily hair in society. People will never get used to the norm of seeing us in our natural glory if we always hide it.
I, for one, am thrilled whenever I go out and see so many koilies. It makes me think we are finally moving forward to collectively loving our natural selves. Everyone else be damned!
Don’t let anyone else’s opinion stop you from becoming your full and brilliant natural self!
Pro: You’ll Feel More Confident and Beautiful
When you finally embrace your natural hair, you’ll feel a sense of confidence and beauty that you may have been lacking before.
You’ll also realize that other people’s opinions are not your problem.
What matters is how you feel about yourself and your hair. Also, you will no doubt have learned what your hair needs in order to thrive. Your hair will become healthier and stronger, and you can see length and growth that you never imagined.
If you love your natural hair, then that’s all that matters and, with time, you will have contributed to a movement of normalizing coily hair as beautiful for generations to come!
So, if you’re reading this and you have natural hair or are considering going natural, know that you are a part of something special.
Something beautiful and powerful.
You are helping to change the way our society sees natural hair – and that is something to be incredibly proud of.
Share your story with a friend who has similar hair texture; let them know why you love your coils and how they make you feel.
And keep doing what you’re doing – being unapologetically yourself in a world that often tries to tell us we should be different.
Did you enjoy this article? Please comment and let me know! Let’s keep this GROWING
