How to Care for an Afro

Getting a healthy, well-rounded Afro takes a lot of care.

Getting your Afro to look the way you want while keeping hair healthy requires consistent attention and care. Your hair texture and grade have a great deal to do with how you should approach hair care. Despite popular images associated with the Afro and African-Americans, people of all races and ethnic backgrounds can grow an Afro. Although Afros are suited to curly or coarse hair, anyone with enough hair to make an Afro can wear this style.

Things You'll Need

• Multivitamin
• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Hot oil treatment
• Wide-tooth comb
• Pick
• Silk scarf
• Satin pillow

Instructions

1. Eat a healthy balance of food every day. Whether you eat small meals throughout the day or three big meals, ensure that you include a balance of fruits, lean meats, vegetables, grains and dairy. Multivitamins can contribute to healthy hair, which will enable you to grow an even, round Afro.

2. Wash your Afro about once a week if you have coarse hair. Coarse hair is naturally dry, and daily shampooing can make it even more brittle. If your hair is fine, wash your Afro about three times a week. This means that you will have to spend more time styling and shaping your Afro than someone with coarser hair.

3. Use a deep conditioner on your Afro after each washing to keep your hair healthy, moist and strong. Apply hot oil treatments to your Afro every two weeks if your hair is coarse or brittle. Hot oil treatments offset dryness and are not necessary for finer, softer hair.

4. Avoid frequent exposure to flat irons and blow dryers. These heated tools can seriously damage hair and halt growth.

5. Purchase a wide-tooth pick or comb. Pick or comb your hair two to three times each day.

6. Wrap your Afro in a silk scarf or use a satin pillow at night. This will prevent the ends of your hair from breaking off or making your Afro appear to be uneven.

7. Get your hair trimmed when you notice split ends. This is crucial, especially if you want to grow your hair into a big Afro.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid picking your hair excessively, which can cause you to lose large amounts of your hair and make your Afro appear to be uneven.

References

• Daily Glow: Caring for Afro Hairstyles