Good Habits For A Healthy Afro
There are many people on this great interconnected web of information proclaiming at the top of their lungs that their hair solutions are just the best thing for you to set your sights on. I’m not one of those people. I simply want to let you know how I have maintained a healthy afro over the course of six years.
One of the problems you will face while maintaining a healthy afro is hair breakage. Thus, this article will specifically focus on how to prevent hair breakage.
1. Silk and Satin Are Your Best Friends
We all have those friends that we can count on. They are reliable, just like silk and satin. Many other fabrics like cotton, elastic, and especially wool are not your friends. They are your enemies. These fabrics cause friction, causing your hair to be pulled out. If you’ve ever worn a wool hat, then you know the struggle of seeing the hat lined with our hair after removing it.
When looking for a scarf or bonnet to wrap your hair in, you want to look for silk and satin products because they love your hair. There are also many winter hats that are lined with satin.
Though, if you are only looking to use natural products, silk would definitely be the way to go.
2. Moisture Goes A Long Way.
Your hair is bound to break off if it dryer than Sub Saharan Africa. Often we use products that fail to sufficient moisture our hair when leads us to apply more frequently. Maintaining an afro can be very tedious work and using the wrong products just makes the whole experience more difficult.
Naturally, vitamin E oil would do wonders towards a healthy afro; but, there are a plethora of oils that could be used to moisture your hair but I find these listed below to be the best of the lot.
- Castor Oil: Widely known for improving the growth rate of hair.
- Argan: Widely known to be rich in vitamins and antioxidants. It makes hair softer and more manageable.
- Tea Tree Oil: Best for people who just need a light oil to moisturize with. It is also known as a remedy for dandruff due to its anti-fungal and antimicrobial properties.
- Coconut Oil: A light oil that prevents oil buildup resulting longer, thicker and fast-growing hair.
- Olive Oil: A great moisturizer that also prevents dandruff.
The oils are listed in preference, but also descending in price. Coconut and olive oil are the cheapest options as they can naturally be found in the grocery stores. Though, it is best to use the cold-pressed oils as these oils retain the majority of the nutrients in the oil, like vitamin E.
3. Trim Those Split Ends.
On my own journey towards maintaining a healthy afro, I just looked into getting my first trim of the year. I’m excited and nervous at the same time!
Obtaining a trim a couple of times a year helps to establish the perfect grounds for more hair to grow.
If you never trim your hair, you will more than likely have split ends which prevents your hair from growing any further. Essentially, they are like bad vines. Nothing good grows from a bad vine so save yourself some time by getting your hair trimmed on a regular basis.
I am shooting for at least two times a year, but three sounds like a more sound number.
4. No One Touches The Fro
People love to look at your lushes afro and confusing your cuteness for that of a petting zoo.
No, ma’am. No sir!
It is good practice to keep your hand out of your head, but letting the world touch your hair is devastating and really rude on their part.
This also stands for your beauticians. Try to stick to one beautician. Your hair is your crown. You don’t want negative energies to get inside of your hair causing your hair to have a tough time growing.
Sticking to one beautician allows you and your beautician the time to learn how your hair functions. This, in turn, results in fewer mistakes in the long run and your beautician is becoming dedicated to helping you grow and maintain a healthy afro.
5. Don’t Over Wash.
Afros are able to maintain moisture for the span of weeks, depending on the condition of your hair.
Overwashing causes dry, brittle, lifeless hair that looks like an appointment with the flatirons went horribly wrong. Don’t be a victim of this terrible description.
I aim to wash my afro every 2 ½ to 3 weeks. This way, my hair has the time to breathe, reveling in the nutrition it is getting a couple of weeks before a wash.
Though you can go longer if your hair is twisted, which is similar to the process of growing locs.
Last year, I twisted my in the middle of September but didn’t take it out until the middle of December. I had no intention of locking my hair, but it definitely started thus I had to let go of the whole Tarzan look, must to my grandma’s delight, and finally washed my hair.
Of course, there was a lot of dead hair, but the growth far outweighed the latter.
Also, the best shampoo and conditioner are sulfate-free. Sulfates dry your hair by stripping away at your natural oils and proteins.
I kept my hair in a ponytail and braided in two for a couple of weeks later; and, after letting my afro out, my coworkers were happy to see my “signature” as they love to say.
6. Wild Growth
One product I will include is ‘Wild Growth’. The name gives it all away right?
After using this product, my sister and I noticed our hair was growing more frequent. This is one product I will continue to utilize in maintaining my healthy afro.
Many of my friends have also noticed a drastic change in their hair growth after employing oil. Though, it is not to be used as the sole moisturizing oil for your hair. That would be overdoing it.
Ya know, just read the label when you pick up your bottle from the beauty supply store this weekend.
A healthy afro has always been my joy and my pain. It was only ever a pain when I refrained from being consistent with the care and pampering. Staying on top of your healthy afro routine is a must in order to have a vibrant body of hair.
What do you think about these afro hair care tips? Let us know in the comments!
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