Reshare:

1. Daily Moisturizing

2. Trim When Necessary

3. Don’t Over Shampoo

4. Low Manipulation Styling

5. Protective Styling

6. Don’t do your hair when you’re anxious/stressed/angry

7. Be mindful of the accessories that you put in your hair

8. Avoid brushes and combs

9. You are what you eat (eat healthy food)

10. It’s not a race, it’s a marathon. Don’t obsess over having long hair.

These tips are really spot on. Ladies, what do you think?

CHeck Out this Video Also:

Reposted from: Curly Nikki

Whether you use a flat iron, blow-dryer, curling iron, or curling wand is irrelevant, high temperatures (and "high" is a relative term for many women) and frequent usage cause the hair to break down. You may not realize it yet, but if your hair is limp, excessively dry, or experiencing breakage then you may have heat damage. Going natural is all about shifting your perspective of what is beautiful and healthy, and if heat is a part of your hair routine then it may mean a shift in your relationship with heat. Still not convinced? It might be heat damage denial.

Read On!>>>

 Heat damage occurs when the protein bonds in the hair have been permanently altered to the point that the hair does not return to its natural curl pattern and your hair struggles to retain moisture as it once did. This is what the scientist from The Natural Haven has to say:

“If you heat keratin to around 215-235°C (419-455F) the alpha helix starts to melt. This is a physical change and it is irreversible, your hair will retain the shape of the melted keratin at a molecular level. Your hair shows you this molecular damage by not getting back into its natural curl or wave and staying straighter.”

This is a physical change and it is irreversible... Your hair shows you this molecular damage by not getting back into its natural curl or wave - The Natural Haven

"I don't straighten my hair that often"

Most naturals who predominately wear their hair curly, only straighten once to twice a year. To many newly naturals, straightening their hair 3-4 times a month may not seem very frequent, but unfortunately that frequency is enough to damage the hair. If you desire to start wearing your hair curly, then straightening less is important to protect the integrity of your curl pattern, and really the overall health of your hair. And less does not mean once a week, it means a few times a year.

"But I use a heat protectant"

Relying solely on heat protectants to protect your hair will not suffice. Heat protectants are usually formulated with oils and silicones to coat and protect the hair when in contact with hot air or hot surfaces, but this does not eliminate the potential for damage to occur, it only reduces the potential. There is no guarantee that you will not damage your hair.

"My hair doesn't look heat damaged"

Heat damage can manifest itself in many ways depending on your texture. Sometimes the damaged portion can appear to be a looser curl pattern or completely straight. Type 4 hair tends to experience more of loose, frizz ball effect, which can be observed in the photo above. Sometimes heat damage happens in sections like the crown or front portion; this often occurs to many women who wear partial closure wigs or weaves with leave-outs. Other times heat damage occurs throughout the entire hair or only the ends. Also, it can manifest differently throughout your hair. Like the woman in the photo above, it appears that her nape hair is a looser curl pattern than the rest of her hair so you see that the texture is different.

"This is just my curl pattern"

If you have never chemically straightened your hair, but you have consistently heat straightened it, then there is a high possibility that your hair has undergone heat damage. Similar to a person who recalls their hair only being relaxed during their childhood, you may not be familiar with what your healthy waves, curls, or coils look like. Even if you did not wear your hair straight during your childhood, habitually straightening your hair wreaks havoc on the overall health of your strands and you may have grown accustomed to your curls being in a damaged state. Just imagine their potential if they were healthy!

"My roots are puffy but my ends are pretty"

For years women have approached me wondering why their roots are puffy but their ends are wavy or “nice” or “pretty” (yes, it hurt me to write that just as much as it hurt you to read it). I cannot tell you the countless times people have mistaken heat damaged hair for Type 3b curls. If you are a seasoned natural, this may sound like a stretch but it is not. Want to restore the health of your hair? Big chop or exchange the flat iron for a twist out to help blend the healthy, virgin hair growing from your scalp with the damage along the length of your hair.

This Article was Published By:
HealthDiaries.com

Blackstrap molasses is extracted during the third boil of sugar cane production. It contains a unique assortment of vitamins and minerals not found in regular cane sugar and at higher levels than ordinary molasses. Many of these nutrients have proven to be very beneficial for the hair. Here are 5 benefits of blackstrap molasses for the hair:

High In Vitamins & Minerals

Blackstrap molasses contains high amounts of iron, manganese, magnesium, copper, calcium, potassium and vitamin B6. Consuming foods that have a dense nutritional profile like blackstrap molasses is the best way to maintain good hair health.

High in Antioxidants

Blackstrap molasses contains manganese, a potent antioxidant. It is also loaded with antioxidant chemical compounds known as phenols. Antioxidants can contribute to good hair health because they fight free radical activity and oxidative stress, which assists in the proliferation of many different symptoms of premature aging, including
including gray hair and hair loss.

Fights Gray Hair

Anecdotal evidence suggests that taking blackstrap molasses can help to slow and even reverse the proliferation of gray hair. One tablespoon of blackstrap molasses contains over 20% the DV of copper, which is essential for hair pigmentation. It is believed to cause gray hair to fall out and be replaced by healthy hair of one's natural color.

Stimulates Hair Growth

A daily regimen of blackstrap molasses can help to stimulate new hair growth. While there is little scientific evidence to support this claim, anecdotal evidence suggests that it works. Testimonials suggest that ingesting two teaspoons per day over the course of several months encourages new hair to grow and existing hair to become thicker and stronger.

Stronger, Thicker Hair

The vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that blackstrap molasses contains all contribute to the strength and thickness of the hair. While it can't change the hair that's already on your head, it may help to improve the strength of new growth.

Internal Use

Consuming blackstrap molasses on a daily basis can contribute to good hair health. Two teaspoons per day are recommended alongside an active, healthy diet for maximum benefit to the hair. Patience is advised: 3 to 6 months may be needed before visible changes are noted in hair growth and color regeneration.

External Use

Using blackstrap molasses externally may greatly improve overall hair quality. Try massaging the molasses into your hair and letting it sit for one hour. Rinse and repeat daily for maximum benefits.

Blackstrap molasses has been shown to help improve hair quality, color, and thickness in some individuals but is not guaranteed to produce results for everyone. Scientific evidence and clinical research is needed to confirm the connection between blackstrap molasses and healthy hair.

Hair shrinkage is part of the package you sign up for when you decide to go natural. It’s also part of the versatility and beauty of natural hair—TWA(teeny weeny afro) one day and huge fro the next. Afro textured hair can shrink up to 80% of its actual length and that may be bothersome for individuals who want to wear their hair in styles that require more length. If you’ve been struggling with stretching your shrunken hair, here are some tips that may help:

Braids/Twists

This is the most common method out there. Braiding or twisting you hair in sections after you wash and condition will ensure less shrinkage and give you a nicely defined hairstyle when you take them out. For more stretch, try clipping down the top (roots) of your twisted/braided sections with double prong clips.

Sets

Rollers, flexi rods, and strawller sets are all methods you can use to stretch your kinks. You can air dry or sit under a hooded dryer for straighter results. Obviously this method will only work if your hair is long enough to wrap around the rods.

Banding

This is a very effective and simple way to prevent shrinkage. All you have to do is section your hair into parts depending on your hair’s thickness and wrap as many ponytail holders as you can fit around each section as shown here. Once your hair is dry, remove the bands and style!

African Threading

My African sisters will feel me on this one. This is probably the closest you will get to blow-dried results without using a blow dryer, and I think banding borrows from this method. African hair threading is not only an amazing protective style that you can wear under wigs, but it also stretches your hair so well and you can leave it in for a week or longer. The threads used vary from cotton to a stretchy rubber texture and you can find them at most African shops/markets; they come in bundles like this. Here is an example of fully threaded hair and this one shows threading spaced out.

Blow Drying

Heat is definitely not the most preferred technique for women who don’t want to damage their curl pattern, but if you choose to go this route try not to have the blow dryer directly up against your hair. You can have someone else hold the dryer over a section while you comb it. As always, use a heat protectant first.

What methods do you use to prevent shrinkage? Please Leave a Comment Below:-))

Please Copy And Paste the Links  to your address Bar or Click on the Titles to See my Videos on: WonderHowTo.com

Here are the Links to the 5 Videos:

Watch my how-to video, How to style a slipknot (aka tie-knot) on micro braids on WonderHowTo.

Watch my how-to video, How to style pixie braids in your hair on WonderHowTo.

Watch my how-to video, How to have sexy curls using the Conair Infiniti Hot Rollers on WonderHowTo.

Watch my how-to video, How to get rid of stretch marks with African Shea Butter on WonderHowTo.

Watch my how-to video, How to stretch hair length with the banding method (no heat) on WonderHowTo.

I was featured as one of the top rated beauty salons in Marietta on: Thumbtack.com 

 Beauty Salons - Marietta, GA

Beauty Salons, Marietta, GA