Shay Shay's Mane-A History and Hair Anticipation, Part I

Most people who really know me, know that I am very up front about my hair. I am very honest about how in the past I have used the maintenance of my hair as an excuse NOT to work out. My hair used to be chemically relaxed (permed straight). For someone like me who hates to maintain my mane (and really not all that great at it), sweating out my relaxed hair (especially fresh do) was not going to happen!

And moving to Georgia, with this extra humidity, made managing my hair just awful! In Summer 2006, at the urging of my good friend Gina, I decided to get braids. They were nicely done, but I just didn't feel like me (although this may have also been due to the extra weight I was carrying).

I took out the braids and because of how much my natural hair had grown, my stylist at the time and I decided to stop chemically relaxing my hair. I was going to let my natural mane grow and go back to old fashioned hot straightening combs. Nice concept if you are NOT trying to get back in shape!

In June 2007, I discovered clean eating and hair weaves. It is not like I didn't know about hair weaves, but I had never considered them an option for me. I got my weave and the rest is history!

I've been wearing a full head weave and loving it! See me and my full weave in the picture above this past December. It has been awesome not having to worry about my mane while working out and playing tennis. Many times, I've been on the tennis courts until really late and had to rush home to get ready for an evening formal event. Ordinarily this would stress the best of women, but with my full weave getting all done up and looking fabulous in a short time was a snap!

It's been almost four years without chemically processing my hair and almost three years of consistent weave wearing, except a brief two week stint when I took it out for Gina's wedding. I have a beautiful healthy head of hair--with no chemicals--underneath this full weave.

In about two hours, I am going to my awesome stylist Hikmah Hassoun (www.heirstudios.me) and we're going to take out this weave! This time there will be no hair waiting for me when I arrive. I have only a slight idea of what Hikmah will do, but I trust her. As I type, my emotions are mixed. I am excited and nervous at the same time.

This is a HUGE step for me. Stay tuned . . .