My Natural Hair Journey

I thought I would tell you about my natural hair journey.

I started using relaxer when I was about 14-15 years old, I wanted my hair to look sleek and straight like all the people you see on TV. My hair didn't need the relaxer though and my mom warned me about using it but I was adamant and my mom finally caved in. My hair was long, quite curly and had a lot of frizz. After using a relaxer for about 9 years I noticed that my hair wasn't as long as it used be and it was quite damaged. I decided to stop using relaxer and had my last relaxer on the 10th May 2010. I didn't do a big chop as I was afraid to see what I would look like with short hair so I opted for a transition where I would have relaxed ends and new hair growth, I would occasionally get my split ends cut. I felt like the new hair growth was quite "harsh" but after a year the hair started to soften. The transition was really hard, it took a long time to finally manage it and then problems began.

Around November/december of 2011 I noticed that my scalp was itching and really dry, I went to the doctors and they gave me shampoo for fungal infections. When that didn't help I was sent to the dermatologist. Here I was told that I had psoriasis. I had to come in for five days straight and get coal tar massaged in to the scalp, I couldn't wash it out until the sixth day. It smelled horrible and it was almost unbearable but I had to hold it out until the last day. I was then given a coal tar shampoo that I'd have to use twice a week. After that ordeal I haven't had any problems and my hair started to grow again.

Alopecia: Fast forward to end of February 2014, I started to notice some hair loss at my right temple. It wasn't much but I still went to the doctors, here I was told that it was a fungal infection again and got a prescription for a shampoo. I kept losing hair but the doctor told me to keep using the shampoo and that it would be fine. By March/ April my hair loss had gotten a lot worse and I started to loose hair at my left temple too (hence why I've been MIA) and by May I had two big bald spots and each side of my temple. It had gotten to the point where I was afraid to comb my hair as it would just come of in a big chunk. I told this to my doctor who finally sent me to a specialist. I was here given a penicillin (that I've since been on three times) but they couldn't give me a reason for why I was losing my hair, I was just one of the unlucky ones that this happened to and that the majority who has had alopecia has had regrowth. For the first time since I started to lose hair, I've seen some progress here in July, I can see some new hair growth and the bald patches has gotten smaller. I can comb my hair without massive chunks of hair falling off. I've been wearing headbands for a long time now and get wait to get rid of them as soon as the hair growth is long enough.

I've been relaxer free for four years now (seen hair growth on my two bald spots) and couldn't be happier.