One Year Later and the Curls are Back

A little over a year ago I stood crying in my shower in Turkey, having been forced to cut off most of my hair. I still shudder at the thought. I had my very first summer weave (as I like to call it) and had to take it out without the expertise of my stylist sister-in-law. I royally screwed it up and was left with a rat’s nest of a hair cut.

Today, I’m practically skipping with every step because I have successfully taken out my latest weave and I still have hair!

I read countless articles about the step by step process for taking the extensions out, and my husband even made an emergency call to my sister in law to make sure I was doing it right. I was to comb and detangle before washing, first with a big toothed comb, then a little one. I then had to wash my hair in a downward fashion, and most importantly, not scrub vigorously. That’s what did me in before. I was so excited to be able to wash my hair in its entirety that I scrubbed and scrubbed and it felt so good, until I felt the dreadlocks forming of course.

This time I took it easy and scrubbed ever so gently. It took me 3 days of washing to really feel like my hair was clean but boy do I feel like a new woman now.  I actually found out that I could have had my hair re-done out here because there is a pretty large African population in Belgium and therefore a good number of African hair salon’s. I decided against it, because for one, I’m scared they might mess it up or make me look crazy. I also just wanted to see how my hair looked and if it was in better shape than the sad mess that it was at this time last year.

What I like about having the extensions is that it’s a different look for me and something new, but it’s also a protective style, guaranteeing that I’m not pulling, tugging, blow drying, or curling it, so my hair is able to just be. As a result I now have my curls back and my hair feels healthy and strong. The lazy woman in me is also excited that I don’t have to worry about the rain messing with my hair, since it rains here practically every day. What a difference a year makes!