Naturally Damaged

Heat damage is REAL!

And I didn't know this until I started to go natural, real talk.
I mean, why weren't the hair stylist telling me about this? I have been natural for 9 years, since I graduated high school in 2004. But the problem is I have been flat ironing my hair, every week for those years.
And I didn't know about heat damage. So how high was my flat iron?
I didn't know about properly moisturizing my hair. So how often was I suppose to deep condition?
I didn't even know about heat protectant! UGH!
Just a little frustrated...

So I go natural and I start to read and research and watch hair videos, read books, read blogs...
Then I hit the kicker...the thing that makes me want to just shave my head and start all over...
Chime Edwards (a natural hair blogger and a personal hair crush of mine) says there is no coming back from heat damaged.  You can, of course, take care of your hair, nurse it to a healthy state, but if it is truly heat damaged (straight, dry, natural but no curl) then the best you can do is CUT IT OFF.

Jaw-dropped, head fell, night over, smh.

Ok...but wait! Some naturals have done protein treatments and regained their curl! I mean, I am natural, won't that work for me? (<-- DENIAL)

After more research, I found out just why EXACTLY, down to the science, my heat damage hair is un-save-able.
Kala G. from The KG Lifestyle put it in great terms in one of her hair videos. She says, heat damaged hair is where the cuticle (or outer layer) of your hair strand has melted and has damaged your hair strand. It is similar to when you get a relaxer. There is no going back.

Quick hair lesson: Your hair strand are made up of two layers, cuticle and cortex. The outer layer, the cuticle, protects the inner layer, the cortex. More on this in the future or check out The Natural Haven: Science And Natural Hair.

So now I am at this point where, yes, I cut off a bunch of my damage but I still have more left. I can see them in my wash-n-go's and I feel them whenever I do my hair. Plus they don't be acting right!
The frustration makes me want to just cut them off...but maybe I can just maintain them till I get a bit more length...ugh.

Ladies, if you are in the same boat as me...natural but damaged, lol...there may only be one solution.
Smh.
Heat damage is real...

Nicole Charnel

Would you cut off all your heat damage and start over?