Afro Caribbean Hair FAQ's?

How do I deep condition my hair?
A good hot oil treatment or deep conditioner is essential. Apply the conditioner or hot oil treatment to the hair and scalp, cover with a plastic cap and sit under a dryer for 15-20 minutes.  Alternatively, you can wrap your head in a towel.  Then wash the hair thoroughly. This is very important for for dry brittle hair.

Which oils should I use (and avoid)?
Oils, pomades, daily moisturizers, leave-in conditioner and creams will make the hair feel more soft and flexible.

They are particularly important to be added to permed hair which has been stripped of some of its ability to oil itself.  Mineral oil and petroleum use should be minimized or avoided.  
 
These products can tend to clog the pores, are not easily absorbed into the hair and attract dust.  If you use products with these oils, try to use the ones that have the least amount.  Generally, the further down the ingredient list, the less there will be in a product.  So, try to use products where these are listed near the end. Some natural oils to try are shea butter, jojoba oil, olive oil, and sunflower oil.
 
Oils are best applied to wet hair to help hold in the moisture already there.  Creams or leave-in conditioners can be used on days when you don't wash or wet your hair.  The type of oil or cream you use in your hair is going to depend on your hair type and may take a little experimentation in order to determine what works best for you.
Also, the time of year and your hair's exposure to the elements will vary your routine.

How often should I wash my hair?
This will depend on your hair type and how prone your hair is to drying or becoming oily. As we said earlier, not all African Americans have the same type of hair. Generally speaking, our hair tends to be dry and shampooing too often will worsen that. Rinsing your hair with plain water every day and washing once every week to ten days works for most of us. Bi-racial people may want to wash their hair more often as it may tend to be more oily. When you dry your hair, do not rub it, rubbing your hair can cause breakage. Blot it with a towel.

How do I handle natural hair?
If you have super curly/ kinky hair, your hair is best handled wet. You may find it easiest to comb it with a wide tooth comb while in the shower. Use a wide tooth comb, one that was made for your hair. Try to avoid combing your hair while dry as the comb will tend to catch and break the hair. If you need to comb your hair while it's dry, be gentle. Try to spritz with some water or a cream first. If you're unbraiding your hair and get to some tangles, pull them loose with your fingers before you go on combing. Other than this, follow the basic guidelines above.

Why is my natural hair so dull looking?
This is a question that is quite often asked. With the obvious caveats about how we all have different hair types due to our diverse ancestries, natural afro caribbean hair is going to appear more dull than Caucasian hair or even permed hair. It's just the structure of our hair. Our cuticles on our hair, because of the curvature do not lay flat. Flat cuticles reflect light better making that hair appear shinier. If you try to make your hair shine like someone with permed hair or naturally straight hair, you're going to end up making a mess of your hair.

Having said that, we can make your natural hair look very healthy. There are two things that many individuals do not get enough of , the two things are water and oil. Make sure you are drinking plenty of fluids and wash your hair often enough (as described above). Make sure you are oiling your hair with good, natural oils that the hair can absorb. Too much of the wrong kind of oils, can actually damage the ability of the hair to absorb moisture and make the hair appear even more dull. Natural African hair is beautiful. But, it must be maintained properly to be and appear healthy.

How do I handle permed hair?
First of all, make sure you have a good stylist. If you do apply your perm at home (not recommended), use extreme caution. Make sure that you follow the directions religiously. Make sure you apply touch ups only to new growth. Do not overlap the the perm on to the already permed hair.

Now...

1.    Dry your hair slowly and with as little heat as possible. Allow a couple of hours to wash and towel blot your hair. Apply a hair and scalp oil, then let it air dry as much as possible. Finally, blow it dry and begin your conditioning and styling routine.

2.    Wet your hair as much as possible (at least twice a week). Spritz it with water daily or rinse it in the shower every day or two.

3.    Use a leave-in conditioner and/or moisturizing pomade. Again, this is especially important for relaxed hair as you've stripped the hair of some of its ability to oil itself and its protection against moisture loss.

4.    Have your hair trimmed on a regular basis (whenever you have a perm applied). If your ends split, this split can travel along the hair shaft causing damage to the hair further up. Don't hang on to damaged hair for the sake of its length. If your hair has been damaged by a bad perm or general abuse, trim it back and let the healthy hair grow out to make up for it. Keeping the damaged hair around can actually begin to damage the healthy hair.

5.    Touch up frequency will vary depending on your hair type and how fast it grows. I need to go pretty often. Two to three months is fairly normal.


Should I go permed or natural?
This is one of the hottest debates of recent years. There are pros and cons associated with each option. In the end the decision has to be yours.

Permed or Relaxed
Common in the UK
Easy to style the hair
Hard on the hair- works by actually breaking the hair down
Require diligent care to keep the hair healthy

Natural
As determined by your genetic make-up
Better for the hair
Easier to maintain
Less styling options (debatable)

How do I transition from relaxed to natural hair?
This s a very frequently asked question. The truth is that there is no quick or easy way. To reiterate; a relaxer is permanent. It cannot be removed. There are no products that will remove a relaxer (other than scissors). If you want to just grow your hair out to a natural state, be prepared for breakage. There are three good ways to transition:

1.    Cut off the relaxed hair- depending on how much new growth and your preferences you have a few styling options. You can wear a very short afro or two strand twists pretty easily with almost any length hair.

2.    Braids and/or extensions- you can have your hair braided until it grows to a length where you feel comfortable cutting off the new growth and going with other styling options.

3.    Find a transition style. Shorten your hair and wear a transitional style e.g. twists until you are comfortable that you have enough growth to enable you to cut of the remaining relaxed hair.

Trying to transition in other ways, like pressing the natural hair as it grows in underneath the relaxed hair, are going to make your hair prone to breakage and can damage the natural hair you're trying to grow in.

Is there something that will make my hair grow really fast?
There are medications that will make your hair grow. For men, there is Minoxidil (aka Rogaine®) and Propecia®. For women, there is Rogaine. There are also supplements that can help with hair growth. If your hair is damaged, your nutrition is poor or you have a scalp condition there are products that can promote normal hair growth that will make it appear your hair is growing faster. Also, if you hair is breaking off, it will appear that it is not growing. By preventing that breakage, your hair will become longer. Before you run out and buy a super pill or an ointment, make sure you're doing the day-to-day things to give your hair a chance to grow on its own.

How can I regrow lost hair?
This largely depends on how and why you lost your hair. It's easier to tell you what not to do than what to do. Do not go for any "miracle" cures. Anything that claims it can grow hair on a cue ball should be avoided. Hair Growth Supplements are very effective for a variety of types of hair loss. But, they will not cure all baldness. Minoxidil has been shown to be effective for women with a certain type of hair loss. If you think you need Minoxidil, you should see your doctor.

If you're a male an have lost your hair due to the natural aging process, please do not spend tons of money on things that don't work. There are only two medically proven treatments. One is Finasteride (aka Propecia). Propecia is a blood pressure medication that has the side effect of growing hair. The other is Minoxidil. Both work in about 30-40% of cases and both only work on what is called male pattern baldness (thinning from the crown of the head). Minoxidil has worked, in combination with other treatments, on frontal balding. But, not often enough for the FDA to allow the manufacturer to make the claim. Both drugs must be taken forever, to continue to be effective. Any gains made by the drugs will go away within a few weeks if they are discontinued. Minoxidil has been known to cause scalp irritation. Minoxidil must be applied every day (two times/day is better) directly to the scalp and massaged in. Due to the hassle, cost, possible side effects and limited effectiveness of both drugs whether you take them is a personal choice.
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