Black women and children have been sitting on floors and in kitchens for years getting their hair done.

Some of us, in fact, are guilty of being what I call kitchen beauticians.

We learned to braid by watching our mothers. Or press out our hair by watching our grandmothers stand over the stove, blow on the hot comb to cool it then make us hold our ear so that we wouldn’t get burned.

Maintaining our hair has been a way for us to bond. That's what we do as a part of our culture.

Still, the new state law requiring natural hair care specialists to be licensed comes as no surprise -- and is long overdue.

I've worn my hair naturally for years, and I've been to lots of stylists who didn’t know what they were doing. For example, I've had my hair braided so tightly that it caused serious scalp irritation, hair loss around my hairline, bumps and eventually scabs.

I was misdiagnosed by another stylist as having a bad case of dandruff, when in fact my dermatologist said I had seborrhea.

I've seen stylist mix homemade goopy concoctions and put it in people's hair.

Some stylist color hair (using chemicals) without having the proper training and license.

Many of us take for granted that the person handling our crown and glory is qualified to do so. How often do we think to even ask? We just want our hair to look good.

I do believe that when you visit a salon and are paying for a stylist’s expertise that there should be laws to protect the client from potentially harmful practices.

Natural hair stylists shouldn't be treated any differently than any other cosmetology professional. Barbers, cosmetologist, estheticians and nail technicians all are required to complete hundreds of hours and testing before they can be licensed in North Carolina.

Many people don't realize how extensive a cosmetology professional’s course of study can be. You don't just learn technique. You also must learn about hazardous chemicals, medical terminology, bone structure, scalp diseases and sanitation.

I've been a licensed nail tech for the past 11 years, and I dread taking my annual continuing education classes for my license renewal. But it’s what the state requires me to do. It keeps me knowledgeable about new laws, and I learn the latest techniques.

I know that the new state law will be a hassle for many, but in the long run, it will make them all better hair care professionals.