Top 20 Reasons To Return To Natural Hair

One of my favorite poems of all time is Still I Rise by Maya Angelou.

The words of the poem emit such a great energy, you cannot help but feel the power of the words move you after reading it. For example when Ms Angelou says

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
‘Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Or when she says:

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I’ve got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.

Returning to my natural hair reminds me of that poem because for me it meant turning my back on years of believing that my natural hair was not appropriate for anything, not good enough for my family and definitely not good enough to be worn in public.

My decision to go natural was not my own but I am eternally grateful for the benefits I have reaped from it, from the simplest things to the most complicated.

I thought about the poem again while exploring the reasons I would tell someone to return to their natural hair so with the poem in the back of my mind here are my top 20 reasons you should consider returning to natural hair.

1. You do not have to contend with the risk of chemical burns

You know the ones that leave us with the scabs after a fresh relaxer, they will become a distant memory once you return to natural hair.

2. Versatility

Relaxers leave your hair moving in one direction, straight and down. When you return to your natural hair, you have the option of wearing your hair, kinky*, straight, twisted, braided, up, down, slicked back, slicked up, fro’ed out, tamed down, you get the picture.

3. Its healthier

When your hair strands are intact and not chemically treated in any manner, it’s in its strongest state and that forms the best basis for hair and scalp health.

4. Natural hair is an adventure

You remember the first time you saw your natural hair peeking through and you had that weird mix of excitement and confusion because you were not sure what you were going to get and how you were going to handle it? The road to discovery is an amazing one; you should definitely go natural at least once just to experience it.

6. Community

We have a fraternity now, it’s funny how the community has grown but there is a brewing camaraderie among women who have embarked on a natural journey. We party together, fellowship with one another and help each other.

Best of all, from 3a’s to the kinkiest shrinkiest 4c’s, you are bound to find people with your exact hair type to help you with your challenges. Yes, the community is strong and it is loads of fun being a part of it.