HAIR CARE IS HAIR CARE!!

Hiya,
How's everyone doing? Hope fine! Well I am doing alright, last weekend on Saturday I went for a hair event organized by The Kinky Apothecary a natural hair blog, they brought in a Hollywood based natural hair stylist called Felicia Leatherwood.



I got to the event venue just in time for the talk, settled in excitedly and then it started... 'How many ladies here have been natural for at least a year?'- Hands were raised... 'How many of you are transitioning to natural hair?'- A few more hands, then I waited perhaps she would ask how many ladies had relaxed hair...well she didn't! I took that in good stride and ignored the feeling of being an unwanted visitor; maybe it was an oversight because I did get an email sent to my mail box inviting me for the event and surely everyone knows my hair is relaxed and I am loving it!

I listened attentively to everything she said and took notes and was later joined by my pal Bas Bas :)
 Berry of the blog Berry Dakara was sitting right behind me-Lovely to have met you!!


 For the most part I was all there and guess what?!!! EVERYTHING Ms Felicia had to say which I must say was very educative and knowledgeable is EVERYTHING I say, Megz from the famous You tube channel Ulovemegz blog says, the same thing Jen of Just grow already blog says, same thing Lesley of Fresh Lengths blog says, same things said over at African Naturalistas blog and at Curly Nikki's blog-  These are all ladies with beautiful relaxed and natural hair alike!! And it felt good to hear her say these things because it was a validation of all that I talk about on the blog but for some weird reason there seems to be a subtle demarcation being created that gives the impression that achieving healthy and long relaxed hair is an entirely different procedure and in some circles its absolutely unachievable!!

On Saturday I am afraid to say it seemed like I was in such a circle! At one point Ms Felicia stated that relaxers cause cancer! A claim that has no conclusive study. What she said made me do some research and the only link with relaxers and any disease-Uterine Leiomyomata (uterine fibroid-tumors that grow in the uterine) is when women suffer scalp lesions and burns from using hair relaxers and the chemicals seep through their bodies and into their urine !! Meaning that when the relaxing process is done properly, see my post on proper relaxing techniques  HERE and you do not suffer burns or lesions you are free from harms way a point she failed to mention... At the end of the talk a lovely lady called Mo with beautiful curls sitting by me;

 leaned in and said 'I am sure you are wondering why you came, they didn't talk about relaxed hair'...and she was right! Just imagine if I was a curious relaxed lady coming to see what a hair meet up is all about, I'd have left there with the notion that my relaxed hair is not good enough!! Recently I have also been told by l quite a few ladies who just went natural that they did so because they didn't think they could have healthy long relaxed hair... 

So this is my submission- the demarcation is totally unnecessary! Hair Care is hair care whether you are relaxed, natural or otherwise. It is my duty to make this clarification because it is not being made enough, if you moisturize and seal your relaxed/natural hair regularly with the right products, using the right techniques, deep condition your relaxed/natural hair regularly, keep the protein/moisture balance of your relaxed/natural hair, protect the edges and tips of your hair with protective hairstyles-IT WILL GROW HEALTHY AND LONG!! Its that simple- avoid the hype and do what works best for you no matter what choice you make with your hair.

I feel the only major difference between relaxed and natural hair is in the styling-relaxed hair generally has less volume and suffers less frizz while natural hair on the other hand gives you fuller locks to work with but you have to deal with frizz and shrinkage and that's it!! The procedure for actually growing hair and retaining the growth is THE EXACT SAME PROCEDURE no matter the state of your hair- again for more emphasis-The gospel is the same, unfortunately because hair business is big business, propagators of the natural movement have tried to sell a different notion that comes with all these special 'natural products' and tools but don't get carried away, these products are simply hair products and will work for your hair just the way it is!!

I am sorry if I have stepped on a few toes with this post but sometimes some things need to be said, in naming my blog Naija Hair Can Grow, my message is clear and I mean it and encourage all my Naija ladies and all ladies out there who are on the crossroads with their hair to believe that it can grow if you join me on this journey, if you are consistent, if you are using the right tools and techniques NOT simply if you go natural- by all means go natural if you want to have natural hair and prefer your hair that way but please please don't do it simply because you feel that's the ONLY way you will have healthy long hair!!

With these few points of mine I hope I am able to convince you that Naija Hair Can Grow and Hair Care is Hair Care!!! :)

Thanks for the support!!
Xxx
Dabs