Short & Curly One-Length Styles for Kids

Short and curly one-length styles can cut down on maintenance time.

Styling a child's curly hair can be a challenge. Curly hair sometimes requires extra care and styling know-how, but it does not have to be a difficult process. Short and curly one-length hairstyles cut down on maintenance time and hassle. While there are benefits of a short and curly style for children, there are ways to effectively maintain curly hair and different styles for one-length hair.

Benefits

There are a number of advantages for a child with short and curly one-length hair. Hair does not need to be washed every day. In fact, washing curly hair every day will dry it out further. Short, curly hair does not require much maintenance. While there are some necessary steps to keep it in good condition, this type of hair simply needs products to keep frizz away. Curly hair also tends to tangle less than straight hair.

Maintenance

Maintaining short and curly hair in children can actually be fairly simple. There are some necessary steps to keeping it in good condition. Curly hair only needs to be washed once or twice a week as washing more often can strip necessary oils from the scalp. After washing hair, apply a conditioner. Leave-in conditioners tend to moisturize better and help to tame frizz. Use a wide-toothed comb or fingers to detangle hair. This can be done in the shower or bath or after a shower or bath. Apply an anti-frizz serum after combing, if necessary. This is required more often in humid conditions. Deep-condition once a week to further moisturize hair. On smaller children, use tear-free products.

Factors to Consider

Before deciding if a short, curly one-length style is appropriate for a child, there are factors that need to be considered. Determine if the child's hair thick or fine. The one-length style may be better suited to children with fine hair as it will give the hair more volume. See if the child's hair tangles easily. If so, then layers may be a better option. Examine the child's hair for damage from the sun or sea water. Damaged hair is more difficult to maintain, especially for a one-length style. Determine how much time can be devoted to style maintenance. A short, curly one-length style does not require much maintenance and it is more likely that a child could maintain the style.

Best Styles

According to Gretchen Heber of the Naturally Curly website, a bob haircut with bangs and no layers, or one-length, is the best style for curly hair. Ideally, a style where the hair sits just above the shoulders and can still be considered short, yet is still long enough to provide different styling options, is optimal. Hair can be worn in loose curls, or there are several accessories that can be added to hair to dress it up. Barrettes, headbands and clips can be added to vary the look. Hair can also be worn half-up, half-down. Some short, curly one-length styles may even allow for a full ponytail.

References

• Children Today: Lovely Locks - Solutions for Your Child's Hair Hang-ups

Resources

• Hairstylechat.com: Easy Ways to Maintain Curly Hair Styles for Children