Throughout the week, every week, I get several emails from people sharing their hair journeys with me and asking for help to overcome some sort of struggle they’re experiencing. This puts me in a difficult position because as much as I like to help people, and I do, there’s a limit to how much I can help over email exchanges other than giving them a little tip or advice or direct them to a post here in the blog. Why?! Because unless I know more about their hair, their practices, their hair products and more I am not gonna be able to give them the help they need and deserve. They need one-on-one help. Though some problems can be easily solved with a tip, things are often more complex. So how do you know you need help in your natural hair journey?

Well before I answer that question I want you to consider who you can reach out for help. When thinking about naturally curly hair the most common person would be a cosmetologist, a person who is licensed and experienced in dealing with curly hair. Then you have your trichologists (hair and scalp specialist who diagnose the causes of hair loss, thinning hair or hair breakage), your dermatologist (if you have a skin disorder or condition) or a hair coach, someone who can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to improve your hair health.

The important thing you need to keep in mind is that whoever you seek help from needs to be someone you can relate to and trust. Also, though the exact moment you need to seek for help can’t be easily identified, there are a few signs that can help you make that decision.

Let’s have a look at how you know you need help. 😉

#1| You’re Overwhelmed!

These days you can find virtually anything online, you type what you’re looking for in your browser and you get thousands of results quickly. This would be great if it wasn’t so overwhelming especially for natural hair newbies who are new to the ‘game’, though veterans often feel this way too.

There is just too much information to process and you don’t know what to do or how to do it. There’s also the fact that there is a lot of conflicting information and you don’t know who to believe. You’re out there looking for solutions that apply to your problem or situation, trying different things and feeling stressed because you can’t seem to be making any progress.

You need someone to show you the way, someone who can bring you some clarity and peace of mind and guide you to your hair goals!

Wose up for less stress and more clarity!? 😀

#2| You’re Wasting Time & Money

You may not have the luxury to sieve through hundreds of thousands of pieces of information to make sense of them while you try and see if this, that or the other work for your hair. These experiments will often not apply to your situation, do more harm than good or nothing at all. In addition, you’ll also be wasting your money.

I don’t know about you but I like to spend my pennies wisely and as for time how long are you willing to waste? How much of your hair health are you willing to sacrifice?… It can take you weeks, months and even years to figure things out. In the meantime, you can be taking your hair into a downward spiral.

When you reach out and work with a hair coach, for instance, you’ll be saving tons of time and money because the information is already organised.

#3| You Know Yourself Too Well

Know when you want something really bad and you can’t stop thinking or talk about it, but no matter how much you want it you just can’t seem to commit to it? Yes like losing weight, starting a healthy diet, exercising and yes, commit to making your curly hair healthy.

For me, this problem happens when thinking about becoming vegan or seriously reducing meat intake in my diet and not just for a meal or two a week. I am certain that if I paid for a vegan course or a vegan health coach I would make the necessary changes in my diet because I would need to justify the money I just spent.

For some people, this is exactly what is happening to them. Deep down they know themselves. They know they could do anything if they were really committed, but they also know they lack the motivation, they feel lazy at times. They know they’ll never come around to do it unless there is something important at risk OR until they put some money in the game. Deep down they know that unless they do something that ‘scares’ them, like making an investment seeking help, they won’t feel compelled to act.

If you fall into this category you know you’re just delaying the inevitable and you know what to do. Don’t let your hair pay for it.

#4| You Need Accountability

You actually have an idea of what you need to do but you feel defeated by how much you need to do, there’s always something that you miss or skip. Working with someone who can make you accountable for what you do and do not do would help break this cycle.

This person can not only make you responsible for what you fail to do but also praise your accomplishments. There’s also an element of being able to talk to someone who can understand your journey and perhaps as lived some of your same struggles.

When you don’t have a support system (family or friend) to help you through your natural hair journey it’s understandable that you sometimes feel isolated, defeated or lazy. Having someone who can hear your struggles but who at the same time sheers you on and pushes you to do more can be the incentive you need to finally reach your hair goals.

Some people just work well in a group (however small it is) and like to have a little bit more handheld help while others like going solo and just being pointed in the right direction. Sometimes it’s this simple!

In summary, investing in a hair coach, cosmetologist or trichologist can be life-changing when it comes to understanding your hair, its needs and finding the right practices and products to support its healthy growth. You will find clarity, guidance and support and you’ll finally stop wasting time and money experimenting on your hair while stressing over the lack of results.