Styling the hair of African-American men and women can be a little more challenging because of the natural texture and kink. Some women tend to spend so much time straightening their hair using an iron. Others go through several salon treatments to eliminate the curls. For men, they also venture into getting highlights and hair color. Yes, these procedures will help you get the look that you want. Problem is, they sometimes cause some permanent damage on the strands too especially when treatments are done frequently.
When the strands are weak and damaged, achieving the hairstyle that you want becomes even more difficult. For example, you can not get the micro-braid that you want because of excessive hair fall. If you would like to avoid hair problems which could seriously hinder you from getting the cut and style that you want, here are some of the best tips:
Daily Care and Conditioning
Contrary to what others think, it is important to wash your hair daily or at least every other day. By doing this, the dirt that clings on to the strands will be eliminated since these could also cause damage. It also removes the dead cells on the scalp and promotes the production of natural oil.
For black hair of both men and women, it is important to choose a shampoo that has oil extracts like grapeseed, jojoba or rosemary. This will soften the strands and moisturize your hair. After washing, follow through with a moisture rich conditioner. If you do not have that much time to spend on washing your hair, especially in the morning, do not forget to apply leave-in conditioner.
Styling Your Hair
Whether you are opting for a braid, twist or just letting the curls take its natural wave, keep in mind that you should never pull too hard. African-American hairgenerally have finer strands. When detangling after shower, it is better to use your fingers or a big tooth comb to avoid strand breakage.
If you hair has been previously treated with chemicals, the strands might be even more fragile. Go for hairstyles which do not require much pulling like a cork twist, half updo or a tousled bun. For treated hair of African-American men, be cautious with the products that you use too. Pick a product that has less chemicals or better yet, buy the organic ones.
Essential Styling Tools
It is not just the women who need a complete set of the styling tools that they could use. Men also have to pay enough attention to their hair too.
For starters, a fine tooth comb is a big no no! This will ruin the natural kink of the hair and could also cause hair breakage. Go for combs with bigger tooth. If you want to massage your scalp especially before going to bed at night, a paddle brush is the ideal tool to use. Bigger bristles with rounded tips are the most recommended.
Your blow dryer has to have a low setting which will not give off too much heat. The heat will just cause the strands to become rougher. The ones with gentle warmth work best. You can find more African American Hairstyles here
