Firstly, I thank God for the privilege of being alive and well today.
Four years ago, I looked in the mirror and said to myself – “I think I should start today”.
That was October 17 2009, the day I decided to start my hair journey and turn my hair around.
I had tried to take care of my hair before that day and I had failed.
However, the day I started my hair journey I knew somehow that this attempt wouldn’t fail. The one thing that was different about this journey was research. I had been working hard on researching black hair from its roots to its tips.
Since my stylist seemed as clueless as me, I realised I would have to figure things out myself. I realised that I would never get to the root of my hair breakage problems until I understood my hair and what it needed. I knew that was the only way I would be able to identify what I was doing wrong.
THE TRANSFORMATION
From left to right: My hair at 1 year plus, 2 years plus and 3 years plus on my hair journey
Through the first year I have received all sorts of comments, from encouraging ones to downright annoying ones like “wow, you clearly have time to waste, oh you’re trying to grow your hair again, you have tried everything in the past and your hair is still like this, why are you bothering, everyone knows black hair just isn’t good”. But by this point I had seen way too many healthy hair transformations on the internet that I just refused to give up. And now I am having the last laugh.
The only comment that almost got me was “Lade, it’s just hair, calm down”. And you know what, I agree. It IS just hair…….but if you have ever experienced hair loss like I have in the past, when every time you touch your hair loads of it falls out, when there are patches of your head where the hair is “missing”, when you realise you may actually have to rely on extensions to hide state of your hair.
If you have ever experienced the panic and stress that can set in with hair loss, in my opinion, you realise that maybe it’s a little bit deeper than “just hair”. Having hair is normal, hair loss isn’t.
Four years later I am here updating Hairducation with a big smile on my face thinking, I DID IT!!!!!!!
I am not confused or worried about my hair anymore, it is healthy and it is longer than I thought was possible for me as a black and proudly Nigerian woman.
Although this blog and many others may seem to focus on HAIR LENGHT at first glance, I assure you that HAIR HEALTH is the core and true message behind any decent hair care blog.
I want to use this blog post to say to every single person, blogger, vlogger and author who has taken the time to put black hair care information on the internet, thank you. You saved my hair and saved me from permanent hair loss caused by lack of knowledge.
To any reader trying to sort her hair out, the information you need is out there, but you have to be willing to find it, to learn it, to change your hair care habits and with time your hair will thrive, it will grow. Don’t wait till the hair loss is permanent.
There is soooooooooooo much more to life than hair. I am not my hair but my hair is a part of me…….and there is nothing wrong in being proud that at last, I can say my hair is doing just fine.
Happy hair anniversary to me and happy hair journey to you.
X
Lade
Learn | Change | Grow
Happy anniversary. Great job so far. Thumbs up!!!
Author
Thank you Joie
x
Lade
Great post and of course amazing progress! Some may say it’s just hair, but I say it’s a little more than that! To me being healthy includes having healthy hair!
Author
Hi Courtnea, I couldn’t agree more. Thank you and here’s to being healthy from head to toe.
x
Lade
Amen sister, your hair is just amazing.
Well done.
God bless you.
Author
Awwwwwwww, thanks Julie.
God bless you too.
x
Lade
Happy Hair Anniversary! I’m new on my journey but everything you said rings true with me. I started in August and have been researching like crazy. Thank you for being about healthy hair education!
Author
Hey Reesa
Thank you!!!!!!
Big round of applause to you. Research is the best way to start a hair journey, so well done and happy hair journey. I really hope you continue to find some useful information on Hairducation.
X
Lade
Congrats to you for not giving up! Your progress is awesome!! And I definitely agree – I may not be my hair, but it is a big part of me.
Author
Thank you Melanie, I really do appreciate your comment. nothing wrong in admitting we care about our hair.
xx
Lade
Happy Anniversary! Great progress…keep up the good work!
I’d read this post before, but was just looking through the pictures again and realised the 1st year was about the hair getting really healthy and thriving. It had become really thick and full (were you texlaxed or relaxed then)? The 2nd and 3rd year was when the inches really piled on. Goes to show, one shouldnt give up on anyone(thing). With nurture and care things do turn around. Why and when did you make the decision to texlax and how did you go about it?
I am so interested in this. My hair breaks at such an alarming rate and it’s beginning to seem as normal as breathing!
Lade… please your Facebook user…
Thanks for the tips. Really helpful.