African American babies tend to have beautiful, thick curly hair with specific hair care needs in order to enhance and maintain the natural curl they were born with. African American infant hair care involves making educated choices about the ideal products and techniques to use to acquire the best results for the distinctive texture of African American hair. Adequate maintenance and gentle loving care is essential in taking care of your baby's hair and will allow their natural crown of curls to flourish and grow beautifully into their adult years.
The Facts
African American hair has a distinctive curl pattern and texture that characteristically lacks moisture and is more fragile and prone to breakage when not properly cared for. Avoiding products and styling methods that are harsh to African American hair is crucial when considering the hair care for African American infants. Being careful to not use products or styling methods that could potentially be damaging to your baby's hair and scalp is vital for maintaining healthy, manageable hair.
Moisture
Proper moisture is crucial to protect, restore and enhance your baby's natural curls. Because African American curly hair lacks moisture, it is important to consider not using petroleum and mineral oil based products, which are drying to the hair, in order to keep your baby's hair properly moisturized. These ingredients are commonly found in baby oils, shampoos and conditioners and can be harsh not only to your baby's hair, but their scalp, too.
Shampoos and Conditioners
Using a gentle shampoo and nourishing conditioner is the first step in good hair care for your baby. Use of a good shampoo and conditioner plays an important role in African American hair care by giving it the necessary nourishment and preparing the hair to be styled. To protect your baby's hair from ingredients that are hard on the hair and scalp, avoid shampoos or conditioners that contain ingredients such as sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laurenth sulfate, isopropyl alcohol, methyl, propyl and ethyl paraben. Avoiding ingredients like these is a proactive way of keeping your baby's hair and scalp healthy.
Natural Products
Using natural products is a good choice in preventing damage to your baby's hair. Natural based oil, shampoo and conditioning products work with your baby's natural curl and texture. When buying natural hair care products it is important to read the product label. There are products on the market that say they are natural, but contain ingredients that are not. Some ingredients to look for when purchasing natural hair care products are coconut, castor and essential oils and fatty acids, vitamins A B and E, lemon juice, aloe vera and cranberry seed oil. Ingredients such as these will compliment the natural texture of your baby's hair
Common Misconceptions
There are two common misconceptions to address that will make hair care much easier for you and your baby. The first is washing your baby's hair everyday. For African American hair, daily washing is not advised, even with the right shampoos and conditioners, because it strips away the natural oils, causing dryness, frizz and potential breakage. The second is combing or brushing your baby's hair from root to tip. Combing or brushing from root to tip can cause breakage and can also be very uncomfortable for your baby. It is more effective to use your fingers to comb through and style your baby's curls. As the hair becomes longer and thicker, comb through the hair with a wide-tooth comb while the hair is damp to protect the natural curl and avoid discomfort to your baby
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