Healthy hair for African American women?

Answer 1

• Switch to using an all-natural moisturizing shampoo and hair styling products. These will nourish your hair, improve its texture, and make it healthier by replacing moisture and minerals lost through straightening or applying heat to hair.
• Put down the flat irons and pressing combs. If you must use it, try to only use it on clean, dry hair a few times a month. This will give your tresses relief from daily heat.
• Use natural brushes. Ethnic hair has a tighter curl pattern and, although strong, can easily snap especially if stress is applied from a brush or comb to a dry head of hair. Instead of brushing your hair, buy a brush made of natural fibers such as boar hair. When using boars hair brushes make sure you condition the brush first so that the bristles are soft. If you don't do that, then you might as well brush your hair with scissors because the bristles will be so hard and sharp that it will actually damage your hair. I suggest buying denman brushes; they should work wonders when detangling hair.
• Limit the use of glued-in extensions, tight braids, tight cornrows, and hard, gel hairstyles. These only place an excessive amount of stress on the hair. If you do get braids or cornrows, alternate between wearing the hair out and braiding it on a monthly basis.
• Braid your hair. Though you do not want to use braids that are too tight, braiding your hair can be a good way to make it grow because you do not need to add any heat or chemicals to it.
• Cut your ends on a regular basis. That is about 1/2 inch every six to eight weeks. This gets rid of damaged hair on the ends so that you can grow healthy hair. If you allow a salon to trim your hair, get a clear understanding of what they call 1/2 inch. It is usually more than you think.
• Avoid coloring if possible. Coloring only damages the hair by coating it with hydroxides, peroxides, and alcohols. These damage hair excessively and cause it to become dry. If dying is necessary, ensure deep conditioning of hair and put extra moisture in it to return it to its normal state.
• Avoid scratching; this breaks the hair from the roots.
• Only shampoo and condition once!