After having a recent
conversation with a fellow natural about hair care, I decided to do a series on
natural hair care and maintenance. The focus of this post is dry hair.
Naturally curly hair is prone to dryness because of the structure of the hair.
The natural oils produced by the scalp of those with curly/kinky hair are not
able to travel all the way down the hair shaft because of the twists and turns
of the curls. Dry hair is a set -up for breakage and breakage ensures that you
will not “see” hair growth! Other problems can also exacerbate this dry state
of affairs. Listed below are some common causes and solutions.
Possible
Causes
•Shampooing too often•Use of 'poos with harsh sulfates
Use of products with alcohol which can also be drying
•Not drinking enough water
•Sleeping on a cotton pillowcase or using a cotton scarf, which rob hair of moisture
•Overly porous or low porosity hair
•Not using water based hair moisturizers
•Not
sealing moisture in with an oil or butter
•Improper
hair pH•Excessive use of heavy products w/out proper cleansing (build-up)
Chemical Damage such as relaxers or other chemical straighteners
Color treated hair (notorious for dryness)
•Using too much direct heat (blow dryer, flat iron, curling iron, etc. on a consistent basis)
•Too much chlorine (from swimming pools or tap water)
•Salt (from ocean water)
•General weathering from the elements
•Mechanical damage from over manipulation (which leave the cuticle vulnerable)

