How to Care for Damaged African Hair

Caring for Damaged Hair

Trim away damage if possible. Caring for damaged hair is a long, difficult process, and it will likely never return to full healthy. If you're not willing to cut your hair short, consider trimming away split ends, a common problem in damaged hair. Repeat the trim every 4–6 weeks, removing all the split ends you can find. Leaving damaged ends in place will not help your hair grow out.

Exfoliate your scalp. To begin your hair care mission, apply a scalp preparation to remove buildup from sebum and hair products. This will create a healthy environment and provide nourishment to the scalp and follicles. Besides removing sebum buildup, a good scalp preparation product provides hair-strengthening vitamins and soothes dry, irritated scalp. Ask a salon to recommend a product similar to Scalp Prep.

Protect the ends of your hair. Every week, seal away the ends of your hair with shea butter. For further protection, sleep on a satin pillow, or with a satin or mesh scarf over your hair. Cotton or fleece pillowcases will pull your hair out and cause breakage. If you have extra-porous hair, shea butter may makes your hair feel limp and greasy. Try a light moisturizer instead, or a light oil such as jojoba oil.

Use leave-in conditioner daily. Leave-in conditioner restores natural oils without requiring water. Put this in your hair daily to encourage health and shine.

Shampoo and condition regularly. Mild, all-natural shampoo and conditioner can help your hair recover from chemical overload. Washing once a week is recommended for most people with damaged African hair. Let your hair air-dry, or pat it dry with a towel. Do not rub or blow-dry damaged hair.

Apply protein treatments every other week. Hair damaged by coloring or relaxer is often low on protein. Once every two weeks, apply a protein treatment to restore strength. Follow label instructions for best results.

Deep condition weekly. Every week, massage a moisturizing conditioner into your hair. Hold your hair over steam to encourage the conditioner to penetrate your hair's inner layers. Put your hair up and leave it in for at least a couple hours, or overnight. A hot oil treatment can provide similar benefits.

Wear a protective style. Cornrows, plats, or twists help reduce damage from exposure. Even if you wear your hair down during the day, put your hair in one of these styles before going to bed.

Brush and comb your hair regularly. Work out tangles gently, without yanking your hair. Damaged hair breaks easily when combed dry, so add a small amount of conditioner or water. For best results, use a brush with rubber bristles, such as a Denman brush.

Preventing Damage

Reduce frequency of chemical treatments. If using chemicals is an absolute must, wait for as long as you can between treatments. If possible, wait for 2 inches (5cm) of new growth before the next application.

Switch to natural coloring agents. Henna is an all-natural treatment that will color your hair and help condition it at the same time. Try this instead of damaging your hair with hair dye and bleach.

Use heat protectant before all heat treatments. A quality heat protectant will reduce damage from heat. Add this to your hair before blow-drying, using a flat iron, or any other styling treatment that involves heat. Look for a heat protectant that also provides nutrients to improve shine and texture.