The Waiting Room

My hair is driving me crazy. As many of you know, I have a hate-hate relationship with my hair. I have naturally curly hair which I seldom wear in it's natural state. When I was in my 20's and early 30's, I did wear it natural. It was long and curly, but it took a lot of work. Humidity would make it go "POOF" and I would look like Buckwheat. My pal GML suggested having it straightened. GML, like me, has curly girl issues and has her hair straightened. So for a while, that's what I would do. Plus, it was much easier for me to manage, especially when the RA would flare and I couldn't hold a comb. I had an awesome stylist back in Lake Effect Smw Central who did a great job too.

When I started taking methotrexate, things fell apart...literally. One of the side effects was hair loss. And sure enough, my hair fell out. Because of the location of the hair loss and the damage it caused, my stylist felt that it was best for me to go very short and natural in order to allow the hair to recover and grow. It took six months before I had a decent length to do anything. My stylist was able to straighten my hair again before I left LES.

I did find a new stylist in Elsewhere, who does the same thing my awesome former stylist did. As soon as I told her about the methotrexate and that I was still taking it, she was freaked out and did not want to try to straighten my hair. This was despite the fact that I had my hair straightened after the side effects had worn off. And, she has terrible hours. What hair stylist does not work on Saturdays???

I haven't had a straightening treatment for a year and my hair is a hot mess. I have to blow it out with a hair dryer and a round brush, then use a flat iron to smooth it straight. It takes a long time and is a ton of work. With the straightening, all I have to do is blow dry (without the round brush) and smooth it with the flat iron. I am OK with having my hair short, especially living in Elsewhere because it gets stupid hot here. Also, it cuts back on drying and ironing time. I would fly back to LES, but that is kinda expensive. And, I when I do fly back to LES, which I am planning to do soon, I don't want to spend the bulk of my time sitting in a stylist's chair!

The college where I work has a cosmetology clinic. I spoke to the program director-friend who has also been in the business for years. She told me that clinic is having someone coming in to demonstrate the Keratin straightening treatment. The last time someone came in to demonstrate the process, she was the model and had great success with it. She says that I would be a perfect candiate for the treatment.

So, I am going to be a hair model. I'm not nervous about it, since it will be a trained professional and not a student doing it. But, it won't be for a couple of weeks. Until then, I am just going to have to continue to fight with my hair. My program director-friend suggested I consider embracing the curls for a while. It would also put my hair in good shape for the treatment.

I don't know about that.