essential steps for achieving healthly natural hair care

The first step to achieving healthy natural hair is maintaining a balanced diet, supplying the body with its requiremented intake of eight glasses of water per day, and taking a multi-vitamin supplement daily, ensuring that body gets everything its needs to be in the most healthy state.

People of African descent's hair comes in many textures, from thick curls , to kinky spiral curls, even wavy bouncy curls

The next step in maintaining healthy natural hair is knowing your hair type. Below are examples of African hair textures.

Type 3c – Springy, spiral curls of about 9mm to 12 mm in diameter (loose)

 

Type 4a – very tight curls with peaks from 5 to 7mm apart (tight)

                                              Type 4b – very tight spiral curls of 7mm or less in diameter (kinky)

Next step is to plan accordingly, meaning use the proper tools and products to maintain your hair in a healthy state.

• A large toothed comb to help comb through the hair with ease
• A rat-tailed comb for parting and combing around the hairline
• A  moisturizing shampoo – afro hair lacks moisture and need to be conditioned regularly, and after each wash. Obtain a good moisturizing shampoo made specifically for African hair types. using a moisturizing shampoo at least twice during each wash (wash once or twice per week) to help retain moisture in your hair
• Apply detangling conditioner. Most conditioners made for African hair are naturally detangling but there are a few that are not, for example deep conditioning conditioners.
• Apply a generous amount of leave-in conditioner after using a deep conditioner

Following the steps above will lead to beautiful hair in its natural state.



And now for the don'ts in maintain natural hair



  African hair is naturally the weakest of all hair types, and although relaxing (http://www.ahbai.org/vitale/basicfacts.html)
provides an easier alternative to dealing with the curls, it can also be very damaging. Coloring does not do African hair much good either; it causes damage to the hair, making it dry and frizzy. Additionally, avoid straightening natural kinky hair too often using flat irons or hot tongs.
Using hot tongs once or twice a month is unlikely to cause any damage to the hair, as long as plenty of moisturizing products are used as well. Once straightened in this way, the straight hair could last as long as 10 days. Rather than applying chemicals or heat to the hair, try going for the natural look. Kinky twists and the twisted out looks are particularly effective in dealing with natural African hair.