Natural Afro kinky hair is far more manageable than relaxed hair. If you have, today is the day to end that adage.
There has long been a misunderstanding between Afro and relaxed hair. Someone once told me that you shouldn’t comb your relaxed hair too much because it would break, but you can do so with your natural hair. Remember, hair is hair. Whether relaxed or natural, it requires equal care.
So, whether you want to move from relaxed to natural hair or if you currently have natural hair but want to know how to care for it, here are a few pointers to keep in mind:
Combs
Although all combs are useful, not all combs are recommended. Avoid using tail combs on your hair as much as possible. All you’re doing is shredding your hair, causing you to lose a lot of hair without even realizing it. Use an Afro comb or a detangling brush to detangle your hair. Both of them are highly recommended.
Dry hair detangling
This is a definite no. If you want to preserve your length, avoid detangling your hair when it’s dry. Dry hair equals a lot of knots and frizzes, and putting a comb in that hair will result in a hair funeral. So grab your spray bottle, add some leave-in conditioner if you like, and spray. It makes detangling easier and reduces the amount of hair that breaks off.
Using your fingers to untangle
There are knots and tangles in your hair that you will take out if you use a comb to detangle them. Let’s look at an example. Do you notice a buildup of debris at the root of your hair when you remove your box braids? This dirt frequently binds the hair together. Using a comb to tug your hair will only make it worse. So, once again, you grab your spray bottle, dampen your hair, and separate it with your palm.
Detangling from the tip to the bottom
If you detangle from root to tip, you’ll end up with a knot at the tip of your hair. You already know what that means. So the ideal route is from tip to bottom. To make detangling easier, divide your hair into sections and comb it.
Now that we’ve covered that, let’s move on to the other things you should know about dealing with natural hair:
Heat
Avoid using heat on your hair as much as possible. I’m referring to excessive stretching and blow drying. All you’re doing is putting pressure on your hair, weakening it. Take note of the word “extreme.” It indicates you can use it, but not regularly.
Tight hairstyle
We feel our hair can survive anything because we have that black girl mojo. No. The goal of your protective hairstyle is to “guard” your hair rather than damage it. The tighter it becomes, the more likely your hair will fall out. Avoid braiding or placing pressure on your edges as much as possible; otherwise, you may end up bald.
Dirty hair
Dirt does not promote hair growth. Again, for those in the back, dirt does not develop hair. It does nothing but blocks your scalp pores. Healthy hair begins with a clean scalp.
