Black Hair Care PART 2

BLACK HAIR CARE PRODUCTS

Black hair care consists of washing with gentle shampoo, deep treatments to strengthen and moisturize hair, keeping hair moisturized daily, and styling hair without breakage.

 

Using a gentle shampoo is necessary to keep black hair healthy. Most shampoos use harsh sulfates to get the hair clean. They use the same chemicals that are used in concrete cleaners and engine degreasers. This is especially harsh on hair that is already chemically relaxed. These types of shampoos actually strip the hair of its natural moisture and strength and can lead to more breakage.

 

Conditioning treatments are used to build hair strength and moisture.

 

Protein treatments are used to replace protein lost during chemical treatments. The protein in hair keeps hair strong and helps to prevent breakage. If protein that is lost is not replaced, the hair will become weak and eventually break. This will limit the length the hair can grow. For an effective protein treatment, add a raw egg to your favorite conditioner and apply to wet hair after shampooing. Cover with a plastic cap and allow to sit for 30 to 60 minutes.

 

Moisture treatments are used to keep hair soft and supple. They must be used when protein treatments are used to combat the dryness that can be caused by too much protein. For an effective moisture treatment, apply virgin coconut oil to wet hair and cover with a plastic cap. Cover with a plastic cap and sit under a hooded dryer for 10 to 15 minutes.

 

If protein treatments are done without balancing it with moisture, the hair can become dry and break.

Keeping hair moisturized is key to growing black hair long. If black hair is not moisturized properly, it will become dry and eventually break. Black hair care products often contain ingredients which are considered moisturizing. However, many of these ingredients do not moisturize effectively. Petroleum and lanolin are often used in black hair care products, but they are not good for moisture. They only coat the hair with a gloss instead of actually penetrating the hair and moisturizing the hair. To effectively moisturize black hair, you must use a moisture product that can penetrate the hair. Water based moisturizers are capable of penetrating the hair. Coconut oil is the only oil product that can penetrate the hair and moisturize it from the inside. Coconut oil also helps prevent protein losses and keep black hair strong.

 

PRODUCTS AND INGREDIENTS TO AVOID FOR HEALTHY BLACK HAIR

Black hair care products must be formulated to build hair strength and keep hair moisturized. Many products on the market contain ingredients that do not do this. To keep black hair healthy, choose gentle shampoos, use protein and moisture treatments, and moisturize your hair daily with water based moisturizers or coconut oil. Avoid products with sodium laureth sulfate, petroleum, and lanolin. These products are made with cheap ingredients and will not help your hair grow its longest.

 

RELAXERS AND BLACK HAIR CARE

Black hair is often chemically processed with relaxers. Relaxers straighten the hair by breaking down protein bonds in naturally curly hair and loosening the curl pattern. However, the protein bonds are also what gives the hair its strength. When the hair is relaxed, the basic structure of the hair shaft is changed. The chemicals penetrate the hair's cortex and enter the inner layer of the hair. They continue breaking down the bonds and stripping the hair of its strength and elasticity. This is why breakage is commonly experienced by women who use relaxers.

You can minimize damage and breakage from relaxers. Relaxers should never be applied to already damaged hair, or on someone who has had scalp damage. Hair should be in its best shape before attempting to chemically relax it. This means that the porosity and moisture content should be normal. If hair is not at its best, then protein and moisture treatments should be used to restore the hair to a healthy condition.

The relaxer should not be applied until these issues have been completely resolved. These are the main reasons breakage occur from relaxers:

Over processing the hair. Excessive use of relaxers or applying the chemical to previously relaxed hair, is the most typical misuse of these chemicals.

Not performing a strand test. A "strand test" should be performed prior to applying a chemical relaxer to gauge the result of applying the chemical.

Not using a protective cream on the scalp. A protective cream should always be applied to help protect the scalp from being damaged or burned.

Not properly neutralizing the hair. After the hair has been processed for the appropriate amount of time, the relaxer must be completely removed with warm water. Then a neutralizing formula is used to lower the pH of the hair. If the pH is not lowered, the hair will break. This is because the chemical will continue to work on the hair strand weakening it further.

Pulling or Combing Hair While Relaxing. From the time the relaxer is applied to the time it is neutralized, the hair is in an extremely fragile condition and must be handled carefully. Avoid all pulling, tugging, and excessive combing of the hair during this time.

Not using protein and moisture treatments. Protein and Moisture treatments should be used to restore some of the natural moisture and proteins that have been stripped from the hair by the relaxer.

Not moisturizing daily. Daily moisture is needed to keep the hair soft and supple. If newly chemically straightened hair is not properly moisturized, it can become brittle, dry, damaged and break. Relaxed hair will tend to be drier and break easier than natural hair.

Using excessive heat. Excessive use of heat tools will only further damage chemically relaxed hair. This is due to the fact that they work by drying the hair our ever further. If heat tools are used, then they should be used along with thermal protectants. Use of heat tools should be limited as much as possible.

 

HOW DO I STOP MY HAIR FROM BREAKING AND GROW LONGER HAIR?

Hair vitamins can be used to make black hair grow faster, but it will not repair any damage done to your hair, or prevent further damage. You must use treatments and other hair care products to keep your hair from breaking. HairFinity vitamins can make your hair grow up to twice as fast as normal.

Using protein and moisture treatments will rebuild hair strength and keep it from breaking. The reason it is so important to use protein treatments is because the hair is made mostly of protein, acutally about 88%. When your hair is relaxed, for example, many of the protein bonds in the hair are broken. This allows the curly pattern to become looser, and eventually straight. If you do not rebuild the protein lost after this type of service, your hair will definitely break. However, protein and moisture must be balanced, or it will also cause breakage.