As curly-haired women, sometimes we just want to toss our combs and styling tools out the window, forcing ourselves to prevent damaging our cherished locks. Some may even imagine reaching for the phone, dialing “911” and crying for emergency hair help.
Thankfully, with a few helpful hints and daily remedies, we don’t have to take either one of these drastic measures to prevent hair breakage, keep our hair healthy and stop split ends in their tracks!
Prevention is the Key
Choose alcohol-free hair products, and sulfate free shampoos. Because curly hair is naturally dry, we need to make sure we prevent breakage by using products designed for our hair type that will moisturize and protect.
Keep in mind, too, that curly hair is more fragile than straight hair because the cuticle of a curl naturally remains somewhat raised, making the strand more vulnerable to breakage and split ends. So, it is important that we are gentle with our hair when styling it. This means no pulling on those curls and no overheating them with styling tools!
Hair breakage can be prevented by simply opting to air dry curls instead of choosing to blow dry them. Even the gentlest of dryers can damage curly hair over time. In addition, too much manipulation can tangle dry hair, so make sure styling is kept to a minimum and your curly mane is left alone as much as possible.
Sleeping on a satin pillowcase at night is also a great way to keep your hair smooth and free of split-ends.
Protect Curls from Breakage
To stop those curls from breaking off at the ends, we can further protect them from damage by choosing snag-free hair accessories. Yes, there are such products!
Beauty supply stores carry many smooth clips and barrettes that work well, and are much gentler on hair. Also, buy combs that don’t have rough seams. Handmade, seamless wide-tooth combs made out of cellulose acetate are the best combs for curlies.
However, make sure your comb is not being used on your hair improperly. Poor combing habits can also contribute to strands splitting off.
If you frequently tease your curls, you may want to think about ending this hair styling routine. Teasing can cause hair breakage due to the improper brush strokes and massive amounts of product (ahem, hairspray”>.
Protecting hair with a good leave-in conditioner will also benefit your tresses by coating them with a type of shield that will guard against damage throughout the day. Mild shampoos and moisturizing rinses can make a difference as well. The more we eliminate dry hair, the healthier it will be.
Finally, limit styles such as ponytails, braids and tight buns. Prevent hair breakage by giving your hair a rest from these styles as they pull on the hair follicle and cause damage, as well as sometimes causing the whole strand to fall out.
So, for all of you wavies, curlies and kinkies, remember to treat your hair well by styling without heat and being aware of the clips and styles you are using. Once you get all of the bad hair habits behind you, a hair breakage 911 call will be the last thing on your mind.
