Are you a black woman? 

If yes, are you embracing your natural hair? 

Are your strands getting the melanin hair care that they deserve? 

Hairstyles are the most physical defining feature in all women.

They often manifest our personalities and reflect self-expression. 

However, hair is not only about style and beauty for black women. 

It is a lot more than that.

Here is everything you need to know:

WHAT ARE THE COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT BLACK HAIR?

The fascination with the texture of black hair is not something new.

It started long ago during the error of slavery and colonialism. 

The main misconception about these tresses was that they are usually dirty and they do not grow.

The social contentions, rejection, and stigmatization that followed black people forced some of them to adopt harmful hair care practices. 

They wanted to fit in the community. 

But over time, this hair started to be accepted by schools and, eventually, society.

Today, the narrative surrounding black beauty, precisely hair, is changing. 

Black women are embracing their curls, coils, and kinks more than ever. 

We all have the keratin, not forgetting the cortex. 

The chemical structure in all strands is the same.

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WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT IS ONLY THE SHAPE OF OUR STRANDS.

Black hair is flatter and more oval-shaped compared to the Caucasian and Asian types. 

Therefore, its strands emerge from the scalp in a curly pattern. 

And the more oval and flatter the hair is, the tighter the curls.

Therefore, the tresses end up being fragile; that is, they become less tolerant to over-manipulation and more susceptible to dryness and breakage. 

That explains why many African- American women complain a lot about hair thinning and hair loss.

Ever since, Afros, braids, wigs, and cornrows, among other hairstyles, have been an intrinsic part of black beauty. 

However, it concerns me that if you want to go natural, you have to invest more in either time or money.

So, I decided to create this melanin hair care guide to educate all black women. 

Black hair is not hard to manage. 

You only need to give it quality products, healthy melanin hair care routines, and some special treats because it is unique.

WHAT IS MELANIN HAIR?

Do you ever wonder why people have different complexions? 

Be it on hair, skin, or eyes? 

Or leave that aside; why do our hair color change as we grow older?

It is because of a natural pigment called melanin, which gives these organs their natural color. 

And the more the melanin, the darker the shade. 

That is why there are many skin tones and eye shades, the same way natural hair varies in color.

Let us put our focus on melanin hair. 

In the hair follicles, there are pigment cells called melanocytes. 

They are responsible for producing melanin that is eventually stored in the cortex layer.

During your hairs’ growth process, melanocytes form melanin and deliver it to cortex cells, where they will be transported along with keratin, a protein molecule, to hair tissues to give your tresses a vibrant complexion.

As you age, melanin production begins to slow down, and your hair loses its pigment gradually to white or gray, leaving keratin exposed. 

However, other factors like hormonal imbalance, genetic defects, stress, improper diet, excessive use of chemicals, and environmental change can also alter melanocytes’ functionality.

MELANIN HAIR CARE

We realize that chemicals are the number one contributing factor to the loss of melanin.

Why?

Melanin usually binds with various drugs and chemicals like metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and organic amines. 

They then work in unison to protect the pigmented cells and their adjacent tissues by adsorbing harmful substances. 

The body will later release these substances from it in non-toxic concentrations.

However, prolonged exposure to toxic chemicals will cause melanocytes degeneration. 

Eventually, these chemicals will inhibit tyrosinase activity, an enzyme responsible for melanin synthesis.

So, what do you learn from this brief story?

Whatever you feed your body matters a lot because you may directly or indirectly get the side effects. 

It is always safer to stay natural as much as possible. 

That being the case, you should mind nourishing your hair with products that are natural, non-toxic, and contain synthetic-free ingredients.

These products for melanin hair care include:

Hair Shampoos

There are many types of shampoos for melanin hair care, each tailored to serve specific purposes. 

Therefore, you should select one, which can adequately handle your scalp condition.

The best shampoos you should consider include conditioning, pH balanced, Volumizing, medicated, and color enhancing sulfate-free shampoos. 

Avoid dry and clarifying shampoos at all costs.

Hair Conditioners

After shampooing your hair, it always best to follow it with a conditioner to replace the lost water, smoothen the hair cuticles, and balance its pH. 

Besides, if you are trying to revert hair damage, restore your natural hair nutrients, and strengthen the strands to get your curls back to their original state, then conditioning your hair should be the way out.

The three major types of hair conditioners are leave-in, rinse-out, and deep conditioner. 

But the best ones are those that enhance your hair’s condition. 

So, touch your hair ends, analyze how they feel, and select a conditioner for natural hair that will deal with that state appropriately.

Natural Organic Hair Oils

Nearly all organic oils have a dense composition of essential fatty acids, which moisturizes and lubricates the scalp and hair strands; hence, promoting faster growth of healthy natural hair. 

They also provide a protective layer on the hair surface while balancing oil levels on the scalp. 

These oils include coconut oil, olive oil, emu oil, hibiscus oil, lavender oil, and black castor oil.

Hair Creams

Creams are necessary for locking moisture within your hair strands after washing them. 

Even though most hair products contain moisture-sealant ingredients, you can still use hair cream to boost hydration, slick back your hair, and add a subtle natural-looking shine to your strands.

Remember, what goes in your hair and scalp will always find a way into your body. 

Therefore, you should always be skeptical and read the ingredients carefully.

BLACK HAIR PROBLEMS SOLVED

Why is black hair so strenuous to manage?

Black hair naturally has tight coils, so we call it kinky/nappy hair, or perhaps, hair type 4. 

However, black people with a minimal admixture will tend to have curly or wavy hair, categorized as type 3.

Because of their pattern, the scalp’s moisture and other essential nutrients find a hard time traveling down the strands to the ends. 

That explains why the hair is very unpredictable and hard to manage. 

It tangles easily, and getting rid of those knots is a no child’s job. 

Dryness is another monster that is so hard to handle. Let’s not even get started on frizz.

THE BEST WAY TO MAINTAINING THESE HAIR TYPES

There are more than a million tips, tricks, and methods of handling natural hair. 

But remember, we are all unique and different. 

Whatever may work on me perfectly may not work the exact way with you.

The bottom line is, no one is restricting you on what to do to take care of your beautiful hair. 

Take your time to develop your natural hair regimen through trial and error.

With that in mind, keep the following basics of melanin hair care into practice:

  • Shampoo and condition your hair as needed
  • Moisturize it daily
  • Choose the correct styling products
  • Wear low-maintenance styles

Water retention is everything that black hair needs to be in check. 

Therefore, whatever products you will choose to feed those strands, make sure they are lightweight and water-based.

HOW TO WEAR HAIRSTYLES CORRECTLY

Healthy hair comes down to consistent care, and that involves limiting the stress of environmental factors on natural hair by keeping its ends tucked away. 

Therefore, it is pretty necessary to wear protective styles to minimize hair breakage and encourage growth.

Here are five tips to follow when wearing protective hairstyles

  • Look for a fantastic inspirational photo/video and analyze it extensively before you start installing the style.
  • Prepare your hair and make sure it is stretched enough
  • Select the best styling products for your style
  • Be gentle to avoid damaging your hair ends
  • Use correct tools for better results
  • Be bold and creative to express yourself with styling!

The most common protective styles include wigs, buns, two-strand twists, cornrows, and braids (with or without extensions). 

Watch this YouTube video to learn easy-to-create safe hairdos for melanin hair care.

IS YOUR HAIR ON THE RIGHT TRACK?

Most people are always fugitives of looking for that miracle product, which will give them their dream hair length. 

However, natural factors like genes largely determine your hair growth rate. 

Therefore, you should know how your hair is formulated and understand its growth patterns so that if any problem happens, you will learn how to tackle it.

There are various ways of determining if your hair is progressing well. Check these out:

  • Healthy hair should be flexible and elastic. If it snaps/breaks easily, then it is dry, or rather, it lacks moisture
  • A healthy hair should feel fine when you run your fingers through the strands. If yours is dry, then the strands are most likely to be rough in texture
  • A healthy hair has its melanin looking excellent and uniform. What If yours is lighter at the crown or it is developing some browning-red steaks? That is an indication that its melanin is getting compromised by either bleaching agents or the sun
  • Healthy hair does not have split ends

Damaged hair often experiences more shedding, which results in patchy/circular bald spots or hair loss around the edges. 

It would help if you overcame these lifestyle and environmental factors impairing your hairs’ growth for a change to occur. Therefore:

So, how will you know that your hair is making some tremendous progress in growth?

It’s simple! Just keep track of its length!

Whether you are on a hair growth journey or want to get your tresses back on the right track. 

Documenting your hair length over time is the only way to figure out if your hair is growing. 

But are you acquainted with how to calculate your hair length?

There are many ways of measuring hair length. 

You can use a tape measure, ruler, measuring shirt, or taking comparison shots.

The latter involves taking pictures of your hair over time, say over six months, and then comparing its length. 

With the hair length check t-shirts, you check where your hair level is, record it, and compare it over time. 

Alternatively, you can use the shirt along with snapshots.

You can measure your hair length in three stages; to the front, sides, and back. 

The latter is the easiest, and a tape measure will provide the most accurate results because it gives your hairs’ exact inches.

HOW TO USE A TAPE MEASURE:

  • Stand up as perfectly straight as possible
  • Let your hair fall on your back unobstructed
  • Place your cloth tape measure in the middle of your forehead at the beginning of your hairline
  • Lay the tape in the middle of your back
  • Measure up to the end of your longest strand, as shown below.
  • Record the result in a notebook and keep it safe for comparison with your forthcoming measurements.

The average growth rate for all-natural hair is ½” per month. 

But this change may not be noticeable in black hair because of its curly pattern. 

Or perhaps the rate of hair shedding may be equal to or higher than that of growth.

Therefore, black hair does grow. 

Clear those misconceptions in your head and end your hair growth struggles with this ultimate hair growth eGuide.

You cannot achieve something great within one day. 

It is a process. 

Therefore, whatever challenges you may face in your melanin hair care journey, do not give up.

Success comes after a struggle, and it is always right at your breaking point. 

Check out this ePlanner to guide you through growing the healthiest and strongest natural hair strands.

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