Hair Growth Products For Black People

At any given time about 90 percent of your hair is in a growth phase that lasts about two to six years, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Normally hair grows about half an inch each month. However, several factors can affect this growth, including grooming with the wrong products. The right products, on the other hand, nourish your hair and stimulate healthy growth.

Mild Shampoo

Despite marketers' claims to the contrary, shampoo is really for cleansing your scalp, not your hair, explains Anthony Dickey, author of "Hair Rules! The Ultimate Black Hair-Care Guide for Women with Kinky, Curly, or Wavy Hair." However, shampoo is pH balanced so that it doesn't damage your hair. In particular, mild shampoos with few synthetic chemicals prevent excessive stripping of your hair's natural oils. As a result, your hair doesn't become excessively dry and break, which slows its growth.

Detangling Conditioner or Moisturizer

Black hair--natural or chemically relaxed--tends to be dry and to tangle or becoming matted. In these states, your hair is very likely to split or break. Detangling conditioners and moisturizers serve two purposes. They separate your hair more easily from its tangled state, making it easier for you to comb without ripping or breaking the hair. They also add back in essential moisture to make hair more resilient and elastic, thereby preventing further breakage. Some detangling conditioners also contain ingredients such as disodium EDTA to remove deposits left behind by hard water that hardens hair and makes it more likely to break.

Light, Natural Oils

Unlike oils such as lanolin and mineral oil, lighter oils such as avocado, almond and olive do not clog pores and block hair follicles, which slows hair growth. Also, normally, your scalp produces enough oil to nourish and protect your hair. But in some cases, the scalp may need a little help, which light, natural oils can provide. If you apply these oils to your hair after a leave-in conditioner or moisturizer, they will seal in moisture even more to protect hair from dryness and breakage.

Protein Conditioner

According to Dickey, if you chemically relax your hair, you must use a protein conditioner. Harsh chemicals in relaxers alter the protein structure of your hair and make it weaker and brittle. Protein conditioners contain keratin, which is the same protein found in hair. When applied in a treatment using heat or steam, protein conditioners easily penetrate the cuticle of the hair to reach the cortex. As a result, hair becomes stronger and more elastic, explains Dickey. However, protein buildup on your hair makes it hard and brittle. Don't use a protein conditioner more than once a week and completely rinse it out. Apply a liberal amount of moisturizer to your hair afterward.