Although most African Americans are born with naturally curly hair, the shape of the curls and the thickness of the individual hair strands can vary wildly from person to person. African American women also often have their hair straightened using a chemical relaxer, creating another variation in texture. Recognizing this variability and taking the time to understand where your hair falls along the spectrum is the best way to determine which hair care tips will work best for the proper care of your hair.
Understand Your Hair
Examine a few pieces of recently shed hair. First try to locate the white root bulb that should be on one tip. Hair with a bulb has shed as a natural part of the hair growth cycle. If you look at several pieces and can’t locate the root, your hair is probably shedding due to breakage. Next, wet a sample strand to check its elasticity. Hold one end between two fingers and gently pull the other end. If your hair is damaged or over processed it will have little elasticity and won’t return to its original shape; it may even break. Finally, notice if your hair waves or curls when wet; you should also note the size of the wave or curl pattern.
If Your Hair is Breaking
Hair breakage is often caused by factors such as over-processing, excessive heat styling or poor nutrition. Unfortunately, once strands have been weakened, there’s no permanent way to repair them. Gentle care can help minimize breaking while you wait for healthy, new hair to grow. Avoid heat styling; use wet sets or wrap sets to style your hair instead. Always detangle with a large tooth comb. Shampoo and condition your hair weekly with moisturizing products and follow that with a leave-in conditioner; every two weeks, use a reconstructive protein conditioner to temporarily repair weak spots along the hair shaft. Every six weeks, regularly trim one fourth to one half inch until you’ve removed the damaged hair. You should also supplement your diet with a daily vitamin that contains B-complex vitamins.
If Your Hair is Natural
Moisture is the key word for natural hair care, especially if you have a tight curl or wave pattern. Consider doing conditioning rinses daily or every other day. To do a conditioning rinse, wet your hair in the shower, as though you were going to shampoo, but instead of using shampoo, apply conditioner. Use the tips of your fingers to massage your scalp. Detangle your hair with a large tooth comb and then rinse the conditioner out. Pat your hair with a towel to absorb excess water and then immediately apply a thick leave-in conditioner mixed with extra virgin olive oil. Allow hair to air dry without agitating.
If Your Hair is Relaxed
Relaxers work by weakening the structural bonds of the hair so they can be reshaped. This restructuring causes hair to be more prone to breakage. You should never apply relaxers more often than six to eight weeks and should only apply them to new growth. Applying relaxer to previously processed hair will lead to over-processing and damage. Shampoo and condition with a moisturizing conditioner weekly; use a deep conditioner once a month. Try wet, twist or braid sets to style hair and minimize the use of heat during the week.
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