How to Care for African American Hair

African American hair is very fragile and requires regular maintenance. It needs to stay moistened, so you must only use products made specifically for African American hair. Gently brush or comb African American hair to avoid breakage.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Rinse and condition your hair daily using a lightweight conditioner.

2. Apply a daily moisturizing treatment to make combing easier and to add moisture. Natural oils such as pomegranate seed oil or silicone based dimethicone products are the best choices for daily moisturizing.

3. Comb out your hair using only a wide-tooth comb or pick. You can brush your hair using a natural bristle brush.

4. Use a cream for daily styling.

5. Wash your hair weekly with moisturizing shampoo. African American hair needs oil to properly grow. Washing your hair strips some of this moisture off the scalp.

6. Condition your hair monthly using a hot oil treatment.

7. Perm or relax hair as needed.

Tips & Warnings

• If you braid your hair, prepare your hair by using a protein treatment and deep conditioner. Take down braids weekly when you wash your hair.
• Heat styling such as using a curling iron can be damaging to African American hair. If you must use heat styling, be sure to take a break from heat styling every few days.
• Don't use petrolatum-based products on relaxed hair. These products weigh hair down and make more frequent washing necessary.

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[brat011981]

on 8/21/2009 I condition my hair almost daily and it isn't breaking off, actually my hair loves water. But to each his own. I use any type of conditioner I consider to be moisturizing more often than the ones that contain a significant amout of protein. I have a relaxer and waist length hair that used to be about two inches long, it grew this long in less than three years because of taking proper care of it.

[naturenut]

on 7/17/2009 It would be nice to have some recommendation as to what type of shampoos or conditioners to use on African American hair.

[exzoticbliss]

on 6/30/2009 Noooo don't do it peeps 1x a week to wash hair be sure its deep conditioner in 2 of those weeks! that's it
moisturize and condition leave in!! daily!!

[shalissamoore]

on 6/12/2009 WELl that don't sound right...we don't wash our hair that much are you insane. I use DNAsuperb bond and vitamin restorer and it makes my hair silky and shiny. So keep wahshing your head until it goes red ball and sensitive. BUMP WHAT YA' HEARD.. and get a life. Our hair is too delicate to be washed, and girl you must don't got no perm in ya head talking like that...please...I use to try all that stuff, use something that's for your hair and get a life.

[jordanlne]

on 7/29/2008 I'm not very impressed with the instructions on #1..rinse and condition daily.Hummm...african hair dries at a very high rate and is most likely to break due to its kinky/curly texture. Although I do agree with the rest of the article.