How to Deal After You Big Chop Shameika Armstead

I started my natural hair journey in February of 2013, I had cut my hair again a few years later, and finally caved in October of 2017. I had succumbed to the creamy crack! I know, I know how could I, right? I mean after all almost 5 years of freedom, how could I? I began to get frustrated with my curls...curls all the time sometimes I wanted straight hair and didn’t want to pay for weaves all the time or wigs. I know what your thinking - why didn’t I just straighten my hair? I tried that and got heat damage some of my curls were never the same, which brought me to my second big chop (BC). So I decided after the second time that I just wasn’t going to go there again. I did the wigs and weave, and got really tired of it fast because I missed my curls a few days later LMBO!

What is scab hair?

When I cut my hair the first time, I was so prepared for what was to come..... or so I thought. Never mind the shock factor of cutting all of your hair off for the first time. No one warned me that not only would I be shocked but my hair would be too. It’s called scab hair, I don’t know if that is the correct term but that’s the term I found others use from what I could find about it.

Scab hair is your hairs way to let you know it is shocked and damaged from the relaxer. It is the new growth that tricks you into thinking you can BC because you see the curls popping, then it breaks your heart because you cut your hair and it is brittle and weird and hard. Not really I’m exaggerating...or am I? But seriously what is it? Scab hair is your natural hair that’s damaged from previous use of chemical relaxers.

Scab hair is not bad, so don’t fret if you have it. Your hair is literally as shocked as you are after you cut it. It’s confused on what’s happening, confused on what its supposed to do. It’s no longer being relaxed, so it has to learn how to just be. I promise it gets better, your curls will soon began to form and your true texture will shine through!

ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT SCAB HAIR IS TEMPORARY!

Trust me I totally get your frustration with it, but believe when I say it is TEMPORARY. It’s unwilling to cooperate and just retain some or any moisture. It’s so dry you’re afraid to stand next to a fire for fear of your hair lighting up. But there is light at the end of the tunnel.

How to Manage?

Eventually the hair will change and take its true form, but how do you get there? This hair will require lots of moisture, conditioning, and PATIENCE.

So this time around when I cut my hair I decided it was time to learn how to deal with “scab hair,” what I have found that works for my hair is CONDITION, and MOISTURE! I cut my hair a week ago, and the only time I used shampoo was after it got cut. Since then I have only been using coconut oil, shea butter, co-washing, and deep conditioning. Today I decided to deep condition, however a trick that has worked for me in the past (but may not for you) is deep conditioning all day. Eventually with time and patience your hair will adjust and reveal its true curl pattern.

Just LOVE your curls ladies!

Always,

Meika_tyree❣