How to Have Healthy Afro Hair

Last Updated: August 4, 2021 References Approved

The “afro” hairstyle is worn by people of African descent and is known for its voluminous, ultra-curly texture. It’s a delightful and natural way to wear curly hair, but can easily become dry, damaged and frizzy if it isn’t treated properly. The key to keeping your curly afro hairstyle strong and healthy is to use the right products and take steps to prevent dehydration and breaking from occurring. With the right protective measures, your afro can have all of the thickness and bounce with none of the breakage.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Washing and Moisturizing Afro Hair

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Use special moisturizing cleansers. Pick moisturizing products that contain nutritive oils when washing and treating your afro hair. Most shampoos contain harsh chemical ingredients designed to strip hair of excess oil and dirt, but because extremely curly hair tends to lack natural moisture, these formulas can dry your hair out and make it brittle. Your best bet is to find a moisturizing cleanser that contains botanical oils derived from fruits and other natural sources, such as avocado oil, coconut oil or almond oil, and pair it up with a deep conditioner that also serves to add moisture.^{[1]
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- Oils like coconut, avocado, jojoba, castor, and olive are deeply nourishing and repeatedly make lists of best products for afro hair. These should make up the bulk of your hair treatment arsenal.^{[2]
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- Shampoo hair by thoroughly lathering and rinsing completely. When conditioning, let the conditioner rest in your hair for 5-8 minutes to allow it to penetrate to the roots. Rinse it all, or let a small amount of conditioner remain in the hair to coat and protect.
2
Apply deep conditioning oils or creams. Afro hair quickly loses its natural moisture, making additional moisturizing a key part of your hair care routine. Instead of just shampooing and conditioning, rub some specialty moisturizing cream or oil into your hair after you're done showering. These products are made to “wear in,” so that rather than washing them out after they’re applied you allow them to soak into hair strands to replenish lost moisture. Some of the best oils for this purpose are argan, jojoba, and grapeseed, as these also contain biological compounds that strengthen hair.
- In addition to regular creams and oils, many hair products, such as masks, pomades, and leave-in conditioners, also include the compounds you’re looking for, and can also aid in styling hair.
- Apply moisturizers a little at a time. If you use too much, it can saturate your curls and make them look wet and droopy.
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3
Don’t wash your hair every day. Try cutting down the number of times you shampoo per week to three of four, instead of every day. Because of the way they clean, even moisturizing shampoos with beneficial oils can rob hair of its natural moisture. Just rinse your hair thoroughly a couple of times a week during your daily shower and avoid relying on products that deplete your natural hair oils.^{[3]
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- You can still condition between showers where you shampoo, or you might instead use special moisturizers after bathing.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Protecting Hair from Damage

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Change out your pillowcase. Trade your coarse cotton pillowcase in for a soft satin one, or some non-absorbing fabric with a high thread count. Not only can rougher fabrics damage your hair through friction while you sleep, they can actually soak up a considerable amount of the oils in your hair, leaving it feeling like cotton the next morning.
- Satin pillowcases don’t soak up as much oil from your hair and are machine washable in most cases, making them ideal for those looking for a less distressing sleep solution.
- High thread count fabrics tend to use thinner, tightly-woven threads, making them less absorbent.
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Cover your hair in harsh weather conditions. Put on a hat or headscarf if there’s a chance of precipitation. Weather can be wearing to hair if there’s a lot of direct exposure; wind whips, heat fries, and rain displaces moisture, making it frizzy and unmanageable. If you know you’ve got to be out in it, make sure you pack a protective layer for your hair.^{[4]
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- Leave a bandanna or head wrap in your car or bag so that you'll have one on hand in case the weather takes a turn. If you happen to get caught without headgear, bring along an umbrella, put up your hood or find a covered walkway.
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Groom gently. Go easy when washing and brushing. Brushes and combs are hard on hair because of their stiff teeth, but even washing too vigorously or using water that’s too hot can create stress on hair that will add up in the long run. Wash hair in mild, warm water and detangle it gently once it’s been cleaned, moisturized and smoothed.
- Brushes with wider, softer teeth are available and can make detangling hair less damaging (and painful).^{[6]
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- Even pulling back hair using bands with metal clasps can abrade your hair's outer layer. A better option is to find one piece nylon hair bands (made of pantyhose material) with plenty of stretch.^{[7]
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4
Avoid excessive straightening, curling, and styling. Heat is one of the worst things for curly hair and, along with rain, one that is most likely to cause frizz to go wild. If you choose to blow dry your hair or straighten or curl it occasionally, make sure you do it sparingly. Since it's already naturally dry, afro hair is prone to take on a crackly, coarse texture when damaged by heat. Once it gets to this point, there’s only so much you can do to restore it to its previous strength.^{[8]
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- If your hair becomes too damaged, you can undergo a deep conditioning treatment at most salons that will restore vital suppleness to dry, scraggly locks.
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Braid your hair before sleeping. One way to lock in moisture overnight is to braid your hair before going to bed. By keeping your hair bound up in the braids, the strands will be held closely together, sharing their moisture and keeping them from coming loose and rubbing against the pillow. Just plait a few braids (not too tight) in the evening and you won’t have to worry about the pillow chafing and leaching oil from your hair while you sleep.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Maintaining Healthy Hair

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Trim split ends regularly. Split ends are the most obvious symptom of damage, and if left unchecked can continue splitting and destroy the healthiness of your hair. Inspect your hair for split ends every couple of weeks and either get your hairstylist to touch them up or trim them yourself. Make sure to also give your hair a “feel test” every now and then by running your fingers along the length of a few strands of hair. This can tell you if any breakage has occurred along the strand.
- Make sure you trim split ends past the point of the split, or else it will just continue breaking.
- Even if you don’t have split ends, hair that feels rough when you glide your fingers over it can be in danger of weakening.
2
Eat a nutritious diet. Eat a balanced diet full of protein, fiber, and good fats. Many of the vitamins you might use to keep your hair healthy are the same ones that are found in food. Unprocessed foods like salmon, nuts, olives, green vegetable, and whole grains can give your body the nutritive boost it needs to keep hair, skin, and nails healthy.^{[9]
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- The term "good fats" typically refers to monounsaturated fats—the kind found in avocados, almonds, olive oil, dark chocolate and other foods that you might see displayed on your shampoo bottle.
- Excessive sugar and alcohol consumption has been shown to be bad for skin and hair.^{[10]
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3
Get plenty of sleep. Your body heals its tissues while you rest, so make sure you’re getting enough. People who suffer from sleep deprivation often experience hair loss as the hair and follicle become weaker and weaker due to physical stress. For most folks, 6-8 hours a night will be optimal. Not only will you feel better by being more rested, your hair will also reap the benefit of your repose by retaining its strength and luster.^{[11]
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- Supplement your nightly rest with short naps throughout the day if need be.

Community Q&A

Question

How do you protect afro hair from breakage?

Community Answer

Use gentle cleansers that contain natural moisturizing oils and avoid treating hair with heat. Also, cover up in especially cold or hot weather.
Question

How can I protect my natural hair from breakage?

miss naady

Community Answer

Low manipulation hair styles help. The longer your hands are out of your hair, the more growth you will see. Sleeping on a silk pillow case helps too.
Question

Is there a home remedy I can use to have healthy Afro hair?

Community Answer

Water is the best thing for Afro hair. Always keep a mist bottle with a little drop of conditioner mixed in on hand.

Warnings

Always wash and moisturize hair immediately after swimming in the ocean or in chlorinated pools.

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Avoid chemical washes and treatments at all costs. These are extremely abrasive and will wreak havoc on even the healthiest hair.

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