So, um...

I'm like really new to this, but I'm gonna give it a try. So I went natural in 2004, but  I was terrified of doing a BC, so I decided to transition... During my "transition" phase, I continued to wear my hair straight. I figured if I pressed my hair, it would still look the same and no one would even know that I was going natural. Since I was modeling at the time, I didn't want to change my image too drastically. 

Anywho, I continue using the blow dryer and hot comb on my hair and I never really trimmed my relaxed ends off other than regular trimmings. Nothing noticeable, nothing major. I contiued this way until about 2007. I was going on vacatio, and I wanted to be able to get my hair wet. St the time, when my hair was wet, it got so thick and unmanageable, it was unbearable!!! So, I put a texturizer in my hair, and I LOVED the way it turned out... How about I didn't wear my hair out the ENTIRE time was on vacation?! I had cornrows with extentions the entire trip! When I came home I washed my hair, and don't you know HALF of the front section of my hair fell out! Right in my hands!!! So, If I parted my hair into four sections, the front section on the right was a stingy, stringy, rough-looking ponytail. I was SO hurt! So, I wore conrrows and wigs until it grew back (mind you, I never cut ANY of it off. Just braided it up, and hoped for the best). 

In 2008 I did it AGAIN! I put another texturizer in my hair and it was the  worst thing I could have ever done! My hair felt so disgusting, and hard, and waxy. I just wanted to cry! I mean, even combing it, it would literally snap off! So, for vacation, I wore it in a bun with a wavy ponytail (weave). I don't even remember what I did when I came back from vacation that year. But I vowed to myself that I would never put another harsh chamical in my hair... and I didn't. BUT I continued with the blowdrying, hot coming, and flat ironing. I never knew that it was doig damage to my hair. It would grow, but never seemed to go past my shoulders. It would get to my shoulders and start to break off. So I wore it in a bob and wigs and half-wigs until the summer of last year (2009). Then I tried to grow it out again. This time, I bought a bwtter dryer, changed the shampoo and conditioner and oil sheen I was using, and decided to wash my hair EVERY two weeks. And it grew. It went right past my shoulders. It got about an incha past my sohulders... and broke off again!!! So, I got fed up! I'm still against cutting my hair off, but almost 2 weeks ago (January 19, 2010) I decided to do natural the RIGHT way. I threw away all the products I had (except my Olive Oil sheen spray), and I started reading about everyhting I would need to take care of my natural hair the right way. I saw some Youtube videos and I bought myself some SLS-free shampoo. I switched to Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk shampoo and conditioner. I went to the Africans and bought some 100% unrefined shea butter, and finally I went to the Vitamin Shoppe and bought some extra virgin coconut oil. I washed my hair, twisted it, trimmed my ends, and wore y first twist out; and I have been keeping up with it on a daily basis. I did my first co-wash last week, and it turned out great. It still takes some getting used to, and I need to figure out how to keep it soft... But here I am. Now I'm still wondering... Should I cut my hair off? Or since it's been without chemicals for so long am I ok?  I really don't know.