While it sounds easy, there are still quite a few hurdles that Black women face when trying to grow their hair, and one of the main hurdles is the misconception that natural hair doesn’t grow long. I am a hair colorist based in Los Angeles. highbrow hippie caddy lee The authors theorize that this bias exists because “the beauty industry doesn’t show many examples of healthy, long, natural hair, which quietly reinforces certain ideas about textured hair.”
Hairstylist in South Carolina maya smith The way natural hair behaves also contributes to this bias, he says. “shrinkage” [which refers to how tightly curls form] Smith says, “It can lead to the illusion that hair is short. With unprocessed hair, it’s often difficult to gauge a person’s actual length.”
Of course, external factors such as heat and chemical damage affect how long your hair will grow. But in general, both stylists and Martinez agree that consistency and less manipulation are key to growing long, natural hair. Experts share tips for growing curls and coils while preserving as many inches as possible.
Know that protective style is not necessarily the same as protection
“A surprising number of people seem to be using protective styles incorrectly,” says Smith. “Protective styling doesn’t mean putting your hair away and forgetting about it for the next three to six weeks,” says Smith, who explains that doing this will definitely dry out your hair.
It’s no crime to maintain your style for two months, but don’t forget to moisturize and keep your scalp clean if possible. whitney trupinradM.D., a board-certified dermatologist and medical director of urology, suggests using an antifungal shampoo with ketoconazole, selenium sulfide, or zinc pyrithione to help cleanse the scalp. Mizani scalp care anti-dandruff shampoo In addition to zinc pyrithione, it contains soothing peppermint and cucumber oils. Something like apple cider vinegar cleanser R+Co Lost Treasure Apple Cider Cleansing Rinse It also helps to clean the scalp when wearing protective styles. Pharm to Table Scalp Relief Tea Tree Leave-in Conditioner and camille rose mint condition spray Contains tea tree oil, peppermint oil, and aloe to soothe itchy scalp.
I love braids as much as the next black woman, but I recently accepted the truth that braids aren’t the best protective style for me because they add tension to my scalp. “I often see people with textured hair struggle to grow their hair long because they over-manipulate their hair, whether it’s by restyling it too often, using too many hot tools, or taking short breaks from styles that protect the hair,” says Lee. “All of this causes unnecessary breakage,” agreed Dr. Trupinrud, adding that this type of damage can lead to traction alopecia. Traction alopecia is hair loss caused by repeated pulling or tensioning of the hair, often caused by tight hairstyles worn for long periods of time.
Source: Allure – www.allure.com
