What to Avoid When You Transition

By Del Sandeen, About.com Guide

Even if you know how long you want to transition and you have a running style list to get you through the coming weeks and months, do you know what not to do? Ease your way into natural hair and avoid these common pitfalls during your transition.

1. Pressing too Often

When you're only used to dealing with straight hair, it can be hard trying to understand the curls sprouting out of your scalp. You may be tempted to press the new growth to make it match your relaxed hair. Remember: you're growing a chemical out of your hair in order to enjoy your unique kinks and coils. Don't make the new growth match the old; instead, wear styles that make your relaxed hair more closely match your natural hair.
Also, to experience the healthiest growth possible, you must keep heat styling to a minimum. Don't damage your natural hair with too much pressing since your ultimate goal is to move away from straight hair every day.

2. Texturizers

Although texturizers are designed to only slightly relax hair instead of completely straightening it, these are still chemicals and will only make your transition to truly natural hair even longer. Don't believe the hype that texturizers are more natural than relaxers. They contain the same chemicals. The biggest difference between them is the amount of time you leave them on your hair.
A texturizer won't make your transition "easier." It will hide your true curl pattern and only delay the process.

3. Naysayers

This is one thing you can't control as you transition. You'll run into people (you may even be related to them) who'll tell you that you need a relaxer, relaxers make your hair grow, you won't be able to get a job with "hair like that" and all kinds of other myths about natural hair. Do yourself a favor and ignore them. This may be much harder than not pressing and not texturizing your hair, but in the end, it's your hair, not theirs and if you choose to wear it the way it grows out of your scalp, it's your prerogative.