Hair Things

Black hair is chemically the same as other types of hair, but it has a unique physical structure that requires special hair care techniques. If you have Black hair, here are some tips to help your hair look and feel its best.

1. Avoid overwashing your hair. Straight and wavy hair tends to get oily very quickly because of its structure. This is why it has to be washed quite often. Black hair is different. It doesn’t get oily quickly because of its tightly curled structure. This structure keeps sebum, the natural oil that the scalp produces, from flowing along the hair shaft in Black hair. That is why Black hair is dry, and that is why it should not be overwashed. Too much washing will cause it to dry out even further.

2. Use hair care products made specifically for Black hair. Black hair is drier and more delicate than other types of hair, and it needs lots of moisture to stay healthy. Many hair care products are designed to strip moisture out of the hair, and this is the opposite of what Black hair needs.

3. Avoid brushing your hair. Use a wide toothed comb, or your fingers, to work with your hair. Brushes can destroy Black hair by shearing it out of the scalp.

4. Avoid sleeping in hair accessories such as curlers, barrettes, scrunchies, head bands, etc. Wearing these kinds of accessories when sleeping puts unnecessary stress on the hair and can lead to hair damage.

5. Work with your hair to try and find a hairstyle that doesn’t put tension on your scalp. Many Black women suffer from traction alopecia from wearing tight braids, extensions, hair pieces, hair rubbers, and wigs. If worn frequently, these will pull the hair out and cause the hairline to recede. One style that is easy to do with medium length natural Black hair is to wet the hair, gently comb it, smooth it back and gather it into a scrunchie. Just be sure to take the scrunchie out at night. Another style for natural Black hair that is short in length is to wear a soft fabric headband around the head. Match the headband fabric to the color of your outfit for a nice look.

Copyright 2006, Ololade Franklin. Ololade Franklin is the author of Twelve Steps For Growing Black Hair. Visit her blog at ofranklin.wordpress.com.

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Two of the leading causes of sudden hair loss are genes and stress. Hairloss may be inherited, but this is usually not sudden, but happens over time. What is sudden about it is that you notice large clumps of hair staying on the brush or comb when you do your hair each morning. Although this is common in males, it does happen to females as well. Severe stress has also been identified as a cause of sudden hair loss because it interferes with the inner workings of the body’s hormones. This can be psychological stress or trauma to the body following an accident or major surgery.

People that experience sudden hair loss contact their doctor immediately to try to find the causes of sudden hair loss. If there is no underlying stress or side effects from medication, sudden hair loss could be a warning sign of the early onset of a disease such as diabetes or lupus or even an infection of the scalp.

Some people who experience sudden hair loss realize that the problem is caused by DHT. This is usually what causes rapid hair loss due to genetic causes. The doctor can prescribe a DHT blocker as a shampoo or a topical solution that will help to slow the effects of thinning hair and help some of the hair to grow back. Of course every case is different. What works well for one person may not work for another.

One of the more serious hair loss causes is a condition called alopecia. There are several forms of this condition, but there is no cure for it. The forms of alopecia are:

Tags: Causes of sudden hair loss, Sudden hair loss, What causes rapid hair lossCauses of sudden hair loss, Sudden hair loss, What causes rapid hair loss

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Winter is the season that wreaks the most havoc on curly tresses. From the seemingly instant change in climate to the daily assault of dry, brittle wind and frizz-producing rain — a curly girl just doesn’t have a chance! However, you can counter the evils of winter by incorporating a good hair regime and using only quality products for your angel’s hair.

I hope to provide insight to all of those with inquiries

Question: I hope you can settle a difference of opinion between a co-worker and myself. Naomi and I have a mutual African-American acquaintance whose 4-year-old daughter cries when her shoulder-length hair is cared for. I commented how I would rather shorten the little girl’s hair rather than put her through such daily torture. However, since doing some research on the Internet, I’ve learned that short hair would be considered totally unacceptable by other children and the African-American community in general. Here is the question which we are trying to settle. Naomi is strongly of the opinion that cutting a child’s hair before the age of five is greatly harmful to the child’s hair. She explained that a child’s hair is replaced twice and the length of the hair determines the quality and health of the child’s hair in the future. If I remember correctly, she mentioned that a short hairstyle would result in more fragile hair and be very difficult to deal with when she’s an adult and that ‘anyone who knows hair will tell me this..’ It has always been my understanding that the hair follicles are based on genetics and that the length of healthy hair does not alter how the hair will grow out. Is she correct? And if so, does it also apply to boys? I thank you in advance for any light you can shed on this subject and I look forward to your reply. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Answer: I can honestly say, I have never heard such a wives tale! Your co-worker’s claims are untrue. Her 4-year-old old daughter can ’safely’ get a hair cut without worrying about making her hair more fragile. Short or long, African-American hair needs to be treated with tender loving care to thrive….the length of her Nubian princesses’ locks have nothing do with how difficult her hair will be as an adult.
To some extent, your research is correct. Most African-American girls do have a ‘hair complex.’ They long for naturally long, flowing locks that their Caucasian counterparts posess. Contrary to popular belief, African-American hair does and can grow…however, because it is THE most fragile hair texture (next to baby fine newborn hair) it tends to break off rather easily if not treated like a fine silk blouse. Because a lot of African-American girls get relaxers before they get their menstrual periods, they realize a lot of breakage, which results in short hair.
I would like to say that I hope your friend does not cut her princess’s hair out of frustration. I would advise her to seek the advice of a local African-American stylist to help her learn more about caring for her delicate tresses. After all, our hair is our crowning glory.

Question: I’m not a parent, but a teenager who is frustrated with my curly hair. Please help me. I have tried so many products and nothing helps. It’s probably because my hair has too many problems. My hair is dry, thick, poofy and frizzy. Even when it’s wet it looks bad. Recently, I’ve been using grease and mousse to help tame it and keep the curls in but still it’s hard to manage. I think I’m going to cut it short. Maybe that will help me, but I really wanted to let my hair grow. What do you recommend I should do?

Answer: Well, I see what part of the problem is. You are using the type of products that perpetuate the problem. Avoid products that contain mineral and/or petrolatum oil as an ingredient. Do not use products with these ingredients for your hair or scalp. Both of these synthetic oils coat and suffocate the hair shaft blocking out moisture. Further, they clog pores in your scalp and can retard hair growth. Also, most mousse formulations contain drying alcohol that, again, dry out the hair.
Remember this. Curly Hair minus Moisture equals Frizzy Dry Hair. Adding moisture every step of the way is critical - from the shampoo/conditioner to the styling products you use. Are you currently using a daily moisturizer? This is very important.They soften the hair, eases combability, moisturizes and conditions, preps it for the next step, and leaves a little goodness behind.
Also, read your product labels. Remember, the ingredients are listed in order of volume.

Question: I got my curly hair from both of my parents. You can probably imagine how curly that is. Could you please help me find something to unfrizz my hair? Do you know if it will work if I chemically straighten my hair ? I would really like to try that approach!!!!!

Answer: I do not advise on chemical processes for a few reasons. I prefer for curly girls to find alternative ways of caring for their locks without resorting to chemicals…and I do not want to assume legal responsibility for ‘perms gone bad.’
However, I can say that your daily ritual can help debunk and defrizz your locks. Are you moisturizing daily? If so, what are you using to do so? How often do you shampoo and condition your hair? What styling products are you using?

Mahisha Dellinger
Founder of CURLS

http://www.curls.biz

“Superb Hair Care for Women & Girls with Curls!”

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