Watch it Grow!

This is month three since my last hair cut and month eight since my decision to go natural. I went natural because my hair as well as my scalp was damaged severely by relaxers, colors, weaves, and extensions. In March of this year, I visited a dermatologist and was diagnosed with alopecia areata. Please remember that alopecia stands for hair loss. Alopecia is a result of either a pre-existing condition, a family trait, or an abuse of your hair. My alopecia was a result of abuse and neglect towards my real hair. View my updated photo!

Nowadays, my dating situation has changed dramatically and I think that it is because of my hair. I seem to attract more older men. I am 27 years old and men in their late 30s to early 40s have been approaching me on a regular. Is am afro a style that younger men do not appreciate or is it a style that older men have grown accustomed to because of the decade of the 70s?

First NIne Weeks of Class is Over

I am still enjoying my natural hair and I love the way it feels. I love the way my hair looks after a fresh wash. I love the fact that I can use scented shampoos and still smell it after an hour or two. I have not had my hair cut again since August. I have never seen my hair in a long and healthy state before. I am challenging myself to stay healthy, active, and fit. I want my mind, body, and soul to reap the rewards of not having to focus so much on the upkeep of my hair while exercising, while sleeping, or when it is raining outside.

My hair has made a huge impact on my lifestyle.

Sorry about the lateness of my entry. I have been really busy with this new school year . There have been a late of changes in the district and I wanted to ensure that my lab was set up for the upcoming lessons that I have planned.

I am still enjoying the naturalness of my hair. Oh, the money that I have saved over the past few months. I would have been through about ten packs of weave, four wigs, two relaxer touch-ups, and three dyes by now. LOL! I know. . .that is a lot!

I am no longer going to a dermatologist because the dents, that were left in scalp after the injections, are horrific. My dermatologist and I both agreed to cease the shots!

I was so surprised by the true curliness of my hair. It is so pretty. When I step out of the shower and add Bantu Leave in conditioner to my hair, it becomes so springy and soft. Here are some pictures of the products that I use. (I only use the Softee product to seal in my moisturizer.)

I have also been at the gym a whole lot more often. I have lost quite a lot of weight.

Nobody enjoys a dent.

My recent blogs have been more so about my hair growth and not as much about my scalp disorder. My first post in this blog was about why I eventually cut all of my hair off after years of neglect and abuse. I have alopecia areata. Now . . . I am learning to accept it.
August is the first month where I am steroid-injection-free. Those injections have left small indentations all over my scalp. My hair is currently growing around the dents from the shots. When I recently got my hair cut, I noticed that those injection sites were hideous. I felt weird as my dents were being revealed while getting my hair cut in the barber's chair. Somehow, the barber who cut my hair in Chicago really knew what he was doing, because he was able to line and cut my hair to the point where my dents were hardly noticeable when he finished. He made my edges look a looked faded which was pretty awsesome. My dermatologist I have now both agreed that this is the time to stop the steroid injections. I will only use my topicals. I was also told to use Rogaine for Men. Now I know that on the Rogaine for Men box that it states that it is not to be used by women. But hey . . . my dermatologist told me to use it. She stated that the 2% Rogaine for Women really doesn't work well as the 5% for men. I let you know what happens.

To the Barber I Go!

I just finished vacationing in Chicago for a week! When I got back today, I knew that I had to blog about my hair changing experience. As you can see, my hair is growing at the top, but my sides are still very thin. As a result of that, I wear scarves, wraps, and headbands all of the time. That can not be healthy. While in Chicago, I met a great barber through a friend of mine. The barber's name was Yaki (Ya-Key). He was slightly cocky about his work, and confident that he could make my hair look great. He said that the only problem that I will encounter will be finding a barber in Memphis to keep my cut up. LOL! OK! The barber, Yaki, then asked me about the style I wanted. I told him to do whatever he feels is best. (I know that this can be a mistake in most cases, but I had faith in him . . . and I was praying while I was in his chair.) This is the result and my hair cut is gorgeous. Yaki did an excellent job! If you are looking for a barber with talent and heart then check Yaki out at League Styles Barber Shop, which is located in Chi-Town!

Wraps, Scarves, and Handbands

I woke up this morning in a rush. I was running late for a luncheon with a friend. Thankfully, I had taken a bath and picked out an outfit to wear on the previous night. I jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom. I brushed my teeth, put on some clothes, a pair or stud earrings, a pair of cool glasses, and a headband. Whoa! I am getting ready a little bit too fast here! Hmmm. . . have I forgotten something. It was at that moment that I realized, that about 30-45 minutes was saved due to not having to worry too much about my hair! I didn't have to flat iron, curl, or affix my hair this morning. Dang. . . that felt goooood.
I have been wearing my natural hair for about a month now and I am still very much loving it. The thin spot at the top of my head is almost non-existent. Check out my updated scalp photo at the bottom right of my blog.

Oh, and I chose a dark brown hair dye. I think that it looks great on me! No more random white or gray strands for a few weeks.

IT'S FROTASTIC!

I spent my 4th of July with family and friends. This was the first holiday that most family members were able to see my "FROtasticness!" I was kind of nervous, because as you know, family members will not lie to you about how your hair looks. I myself, knew that I was looking cute. I just also love to receive compliments. No matter how big of small! (I am such a typical Libra!)My bald spot is now a thin , so I am able to pick it out to where it is hardly noticeable.

Oh, and I have also lost 33lbs. I have been wearing my hair like whenever I workout. It looks similar to the above picture right? LOL! Since my hair is so easily maintained, I am able to workout and not worry about the condition of my hairstyle. That is a wonderful feeling. Now that I have experienced it, I will not trade it for the world. :)

My hair has been cut twice since my first dermatology appointment. Every week or so, I would see some straight ends popping up and I would snip them. I have noticed that my hair seems to be extremely curly at the back of my head and more so kinky in the front. Two textures are kind of weird to me! LOL! One of these textures needs to catch up a little bit with the other one.

I WANT TO COLOR MY HAIR PEOPLE. MY DERMATOLOGIST STATED THAT IT WAS OK. I JUST BETTER NOT REVERT TO A RELAXER THOUGH!

WHICH SHADES DO YOU SUGGEST AND WHICH BRAND OF COLOR?