Since installing my 22-inch-box braids two weeks ago for the first time in my life, I have been bombarded by every type of reaction possible. Ranging from excitement and curiosity to visible disapproval of me “ruining my hair,” the assumptions I’ve laid to rest and the questions I’ve been asked have all been along the same lines. I figured I would write a guide of Frequently Asked Questions for anyone who may not know what exactly I’m doing here with all these braids on my head. Hopefully, this provides some clarity for all those burning questions.

Question: Does your head hurt/did it hurt?

Answer: Sometimes I even forget I’m wearing these braids until one falls over my shoulder or gets stuck in the crook of my elbow. They are very comfortable. It didn’t start out this way though. When I first got them installed, the process itself was only painful during the detangling stages, but that is purely the faults of my hair and the tenderness of my scalp. You would think after all these years, my hair would know how to act when it’s time to detangle! Fortunately, I got them done by a super sweet incredibly talented fellow student, who made the entire experience ten times more enjoyable (SHU students, I would highly recommend her for anything hair related!). For the first few days, I woke up a few times each night when I would toss and turn on my pillow. Putting all of my hair up to shower was also a bit of a challenge because the braids closest to my face were tight. Still, it was not a constant pain, my head just needed some time to realize what the heck was going on. Now, I throw them up in every style I can!

Question: So where did your REAL hair go?

Answer: First and foremost, my hair is still here. It did not jump off my head and no cutting was involved in this process. My entire head of hair is woven into these braids. With the help of synthetic hair in each braid, they’re all roughly the same length and width. I’ll stress it one more time — my hair is, in fact, still here. In a seven-hour process, all of it has been carefully crafted into these braids. Here they are in their entirety:

Question: SYNTHETIC hair? Is that safe?

Answer: Yes, this hair is made to be braided into mine and is perfectly safe.

Question: Fake hair sounds itchy, what do you do when your scalp itches?

Answer: I reach up and scratch it. At the beginning, the braids were a little tighter than they are now (It’s now two weeks after getting them done) so I would pat my head instead of trying to scratch my head. However, when it got too itchy to bear, I simply washed my hair.

Question: So you can still wash it?

Answer: Yes, I can use shampoo, conditioner, and water in a washing habit that is exactly like the one I had before the braids. I don’t do it as often because my hair is not getting as dirty as it would when it was out of braids. I’m not using copious amounts of various products, which would usually clog it up. Plus, my scalp is more liberated than ever! It gets so much air and the separation of the little-braided sections makes it super simple to spray moisture right onto my roots.

Question: You had such nice hair before, why did you do this?

Answer: This question can hurt. When asked in a condescending manner, it implies that I “ruined” my hair and is a very rude assertion to make. It also implies that my new hairstyle looks worse than any other I have had. To be honest, even if this is something you think — keep it to yourself. Know that I am confident, happy, and could care less about your negative preferences. If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything.

Furthermore, I have been chemically treating my naturally curly hair since I was six years old. That means I’ve spent 14 years applying formaldehyde onto my curl pattern with hopes of having killing it and having straight hair. I never thought twice about doing it, and have enjoyed having relaxed hair up until this point. Since entering college, I have actively worked on educating myself in every aspect of my life, including about what I have been applying onto my scalp. I have been enjoying a journey towards discovering my truest self. On my quest to become a natural Heather, I decided that embracing my real hair was a step that I wanted to take. At that point, I began my transitioning process.

Question: Transitioning?!

Answer: This phrase is commonly associated with a man undergoing the process and or treatment to become a woman or vice versa, but I promise that is not the transition I am undergoing here. This term is used when one is undergoing the process of transitioning from one hair state to another, usually from chemically treated hair to natural hair. That is what I am doing, I am growing out my years of relaxer addiction by letting my curly roots join the party. That being said, I now have two extremely different hair textures on my head. I have over six months worth of brand new baby spirals at my roots, threatening to tangle every hair on my head. Then, I have mostly pin straight hair on the rest of the strand, hanging limply and knotting up at an alarming rate. The point in which these two textures clash is called the line of demarcation. It is the most vulnerable point on my head because it is where the super strong natural curls meet the damaged relaxed hairs. This is responsible for a lot of breakage. That is where this braided style comes in — it's called a protective style for exactly these reasons. It is guarding my hair against all the factors that could be breaking it down. Before I got these braids, I was shedding hair like a dog and frankly, that is a detrimental sign for anyone. I've included a picture to better visualize the two textures:

Question: Oh okay! So braids help you with the roots?

Answer: Yes! By having all of my hair textures harmoniously braided back, they are at peace. It’s like a mini-vacation! Plus, the pulling, tugging, and abuse I would inflict upon them through styling it on a daily basis has stopped. I’m not blow drying, flat ironing, or ferociously brushing my hair for the duration of this style, so my hair can take a breather and focus on growing. I am saving so much time!

Question: How long are you going to keep them in?

Answer: To be honest, I’m only at week two so I’m not sure what the future holds. I see myself definitely hitting the one month mark and if I continue as strong as I have been thus far, the six-week milestone is looking pretty obtainable too. Everybody is different so this question answer can vary depending on who you ask. Stay tuned!