Caring for African-American Hair

African-American hair has perhaps the most unique hair texture of them all. This hair type is usually black, tight and curly. Commonly referred to as "black hair", African-American hair tends to be weak, requiring a gentle touch. The hair must be properly washed and conditioned to promote hair growth. To survive, it must be fed moisture daily, and proper styling techniques must be utilized to retain hair length.

Washing/Conditioning

Black hair does not need to be washed every day. Shampooing black hair every day, especially with a shampoo that contains sulfates, causes dryness, which ultimately leads to breakage. Shampoo your hair only every 5 to 7 days to maintain proper moisture level. Use a moisturizing shampoo to gently cleanse your hair without stripping it of its essential oils. Deep conditioning your hair is also a must. Depending on whether the hair is relaxed or natural, protein and moisture treatments should be applied to the hair at least once a week. Nevertheless, both types of black hair need moisture.

Moisturize

Moisture does not travel easily up the hair shafts of black hair as it does in other ethnicity's hair, for black hair strands are very tight and curly, making it difficult for oils on the scalp to travel up the hair shafts. Therefore, black hair is notoriously known for being dry. This dryness inevitably causes tangles in the hair, causing the hair to be difficult to manage. A daily moisturizer will help combat dryness and help the hair be more manageable. Avoid so-called moisturizers that contain petroleum or mineral oil. These ingredients only clog the scalp, preventing the scalp from producing any natural oils. Natural moisturizers such as Shea butter or jojoba oil penetrate the hair shafts, combating dryness. Be sure to apply moisturizing treatments at least once a week in the form of deep conditioners or hot oil treatments.

Styling Techniques

Because African-American hair is fragile, a gentle approach is necessary to prevent any breakage. When trying to detangle your hair, avoid combing out knots on dry hair. Instead, detangle hair with a wide tooth comb only when it's wet. Finger combing is also a good option. Avoid brushes with harsh bristles; they will bruise the hair cuticles. Heat on the hair should be used as little as possible. Roller setting is a good way to achieve straighter hair without using a lot of heat. Choose ceramic flat irons over other types of flat irons. Most importantly, make sure you trim your hair regularly in order to prevent split ends that can seriously damage the health of your hair.

References

• Caring for Your African American or Biracial's Child Hair
• Best Moisturizer for Black Hair
• Black Hair Care Tips, Style and FAQs

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[wakeupdolly]

on 7/14/2009 To style natural african hair, apply leave in conditioner, detangle the hair with fingers then put the hair in a bun, braid or twists to keep it free of knots. Other good styling options: roller set hair once a week, comb with hot blow dryer once a week to remove tangles, braids, etc. To style relaxed african hair, wash and roller set once a week or use flat iron occasionally.