Some Things I've Noticed Since Starting My Transition

1. I used to have REALLY dry scalp. Seriously! I never went a day without not having dandruff or a head so itchy I just wanted to scratch off my whole scalp. The dandruff would just come back no matter how much I washed. The only time I didn't have dry scalp was when I was washing. You used to could look at my scalp and see how flaky it was. Since I've started transitioning (and becoming more 'hair-conscious'), my scalp looks AND feels So. MuCh. BETTER!
2. The texture of my hair is so much softer! I love running my hands through my hair and feeling all the thick, baby-soft curls! My hair used to look so thin after a fresh relaxer! A couple of [grown] women have told me how my hair texture looks so much better. Even my mom! AND my g-ma!
3. The hair on my temples has started to grow in some. I guess the relaxers hindered that.
4. I feel like I'm becoming more of who I am on the inside. On the outside I feel so quiet and nervous and insecure... And I feel like part of that has something to do with my hair. The me on the inside is just dying to come out and show everyone how unique and confident she is! You know I don't even sing and/or dance around my own mom and g-ma? I don't. I just feel so uncomfortable. I try to... It just doesn't happen. I would be more confident with big natural curly hair! It would match the inside me, the true me, and more allow her to come out.
5. My g-ma reminisces about the days when I was relaxed. I don't ever go a day without her telling me how long and pretty my hair would be now it I let my mom put a relaxer in it. Or how she could just get a straightening comb and go to town on my head... But I'm not doing this for anyone else. Not even g-ma. This is something I have to do for me.
6. People think I'm crazy when they find out I don't use shampoo anymore (well, rarely). AND when they find out that I wash my hair every few days. "Black folks ain't s'posed to wash they hair every day!" That's what I used to hear when I first started transitioning. I used to cowash nightly. But it was too much hassle (and costly). The people around here don't know how almost wrong they may be. They aren't really aware that African-American hair is probably the most fragile, dryest hair there is.
7. I'm learning more and more as I go on this journey. I can't wait to see what else I'll learn!

I'll update this list as I continue on my transition journey.