Growing up my hair was so curly and it was my biggest insecurity. The media made it seem like the only way to be beautiful was if you had straight and soft hair. I barely saw models who had hair like mine. Ringlet curls were not represented properly so I thought they weren’t beautiful.
The summer going into 6th grade I made the decision to permanently straighten my hair. I was so excited to be able to fit in and just be able to wake up and brush my hair and leave. I didn’t realize that it would have such an everlasting damaging effect on my hair. For years, I loved having straight hair and every six months I would retouch my roots to get rid of the curls that were growing back in. I could no longer remember what I looked like with curly hair and at the time I loved it.
7 years later and I had never done it. I shouldn’t have taken such huge steps to change my physical appearance at such a young age. If I could go back in time and tell 11 year old me that she doesn’t have to fit in and look like celebrities, models and classmates then I would have healthy, beautiful curly hair. Now I am in the process of growing my curls out and even though I am excited to see the results, I know it is going to take up to two years for my curls to be fully grown out to the length that I desire. I’m already getting impatient and antsy waiting for my curls to return.
Overall, I’m happy that I did it because it taught me to stop giving into society’s idea of beauty. Also, I am grateful that curls are being represented more in the media, I wish when I was younger there was more diversity represented in the media. I hope if you are thinking of permanently straightening your hair you read this and realize that it may not be the best idea and you might regret it in the future.
Please remember that all hair is beautiful and to embrace the natural hair that you were given.