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Black people's hair can seem like it's hard to grow, especially when the owner is anxious to wear longer hair styles but it seems like the desired length is not being achieved. Anyone with a chemical relaxer knows that black hair grows rapidly; relaxers need to be re-applied to new growth every four to six weeks to straighten it. So the growth is there. Maintaining the growth is the challenge for seeing growth in black hair.
Black hair in its natural state runs the gamut between curly and kinky. The curl pattern of individual black hair strands can be either an "S" shape, which is a straighter curl, or a coarser "Z" pattern. These hair strand structures are unique among hair types and result in an extremely fragile hair strand. Every bend of the hair strand is a weak link, capable of breaking by application of the wrong hair products or by improper handling when styling.
Straightening black hair--either with chemicals or hot irons--releases these curls for a while, but it doesn't eliminate or prevent them. The rule of thumb for growing black hair is "easy does it"--especially when washing. -
Shampooing is a particularly vulnerable time for maintaining the length of black hair. Curly, kinky black hair often tangles, and it takes a great deal of patience to detangle wet black hair.
Don't overly agitate the hair in the process of washing it. Consider adding oil such as olive or grapeseed to the hair before washing to create a beneficial oil-soap emulsion. It's a gentler way to shampoo. This emulsion help prevent damage from harsh sulfates found in shampoos, and aids the comb-out after shampooing.
Wash black hair regularly to retain it in a state of moisture as provided from water. Moisture in black hair has somehow become synonymous with grease or oil. Oils can bring shine to black hair, but not moisture. Moisture is water or a product with moisturizing ingredients such as water. -
Most black women are poor judges of the changing condition of their hair. They are unable to spot when the hair needs a particular kind of conditioning treatment.
Protein conditioners are more popular with black women, who are always looking to fix the hair problem (growth, breakage, weakness) rather than preventing those conditions.
Black hair needing a protein conditioner reveals this deficiency by breaking off in longer strands. You'll see hairs in your sink basin or on your pillow case. Black hair needing a moisturizing conditioner may also break off, but the strands are shorter. Black hair may have a spongy feel when needing moisture as well.
When in doubt, apply moisturizing conditioner. Moisturizing conditioners should be your routine everyday conditioner, not protein. Save the protein for when you're doing a deep repairing conditioning treatment.
