The Pros & Cons of Doing the Big Chop Over Transitioning

I've been natural for almost two years now. When I made the decision to stop relaxing my hair for good I decided that I would transition because I was really attached to my hair. But then I became impatient by how slow the process was taking and on the spur of the moment I did the big chop (cut all of my hair off) in order to start fresh. If you're looking to go natural, here are the pros and cons to doing the (gulp) big chop.

The Pros to the Big Chop

After I cut off the first section of my hair for the very first time, there was a moment where I was shocked that I did it. But then I realized I couldn't turn back so I relaxed and went with it.

Now, looking back I'm so glad that I did. For me the big chop saved me so much time and energy. I no longer had to wonder about how I was going to look with my natural texture or with super short hair. I no longer had to worry about how I was going to style it or manage it because I had to learn how to as soon as it started to grow out.

I also found that doing the big chop was extremely liberating. I'd always had long or medium length hair my whole life and I never ever imagined cutting my hair short because I didn't think I'd be able to pull it off.

But once I chopped all my hair off, I had to pull off a boy's hair cut for months and I loved it. It was so low-maintenance, all I needed was a brush and some oil and I was out the door in minutes. I thought that I would feel boyish with my short hair, but I was surprised that I actually felt way more feminine and sexy than I did with long straight hair. So it was a good experience.

The last benefit to doing the big chop instead of transitioning my hair was that I instantly had hair that was 100% healthy. Sometimes when women transition their relaxed hair instead of just cutting it off they damage their natural growth by trying to straighten it or just through trying to manage two textures.

So by just chopping it all off I was able to start fresh. My hair was way easier to maintain as it grew in because I only had one texture to deal with not two.

The Cons to the Big Chop

For me the cons to the big chop weren't major because after I cut my hair off I accept myself and my natural hair. But there were a few times when my hair started to grow in that I had my moments of regret.

After doing the big chop there were times when I didn't feel so hot. During those times I'd normally hide behind my long straight hair. But when you have no hair or your hair is short and kinky there's nothing to hide behind, so it was tough to deal with my insecurities.

Also in my first few months of being natural my hair was either too short to style or it was in that weird in-between phase of being not short enough and not long enough to do much with it, so I had no idea of how to style it.

Plus, I still didn't know what products worked best for natural hair so those first few months were about trial and error. Some days were good hair days, but a lot of them weren't.

In the End

For me the big chop was the best thing that I personally did when it came to going natural. If I had to do it all over again, I would have probably cut all of my relaxed hair off the minute I decided I was serious about going natural. You have to do it sooner or later, and I wish I would have done it sooner. It made me get comfortable with myself and my natural hair which you have to do eventually if you go natural.

If you don't know if you'll like the way you look with short hair and especially with short kinky hair then don't do the big chop, unless you're absolutely sure you're making the right decision and you can live with the results.

If you're not sure just transition from your relaxer instead, it will help ease you into the process, and if you change your mind you can always just relax it again.