There are many facts about fine natural hair that you should know if you want to cancel out the stereotypes that have grown over the years.
Once you discover what’s true and what’s not true, you can apply the following techniques to care for your hair leading to improved look, feel and overall health.
Fine Natural Hair Technique #1
Handle your hair as if it’s a delicate fiber.
Because, it is. Due to the structure of fine natural hair, not only are you dealing with the hair lacking a medulla (the innermost layer of hair – the meaty portion), you’re also dealing with the grooves and curves that form every strand of naturally curly hair. Every twist and turn of a curl is an opportunity for snagging, tangling and ultimately breakage.
With all of it’s challenges in place, fine natural hair should be treated with the utmost care in order for it to thrive.
Fine Natural Hair Technique #2
Protect your hair with everything you’ve got. Like-it’s-your-child.
Protection is key to caring for this most delicate of hair types. That means protecting your hair when you wash it, when you style it, and when you sleep.
Some ways to protect your hair include:
– Pre-pooing to protect from hygral fatigue when washing
– Styling in low manipulation hairstyles and protective styles
– Sleeping on a satin or silk pillowcase with your ends protected
Fine Natural Hair Technique #3
Keep your ends oiled.
Since splitting usually occurs at the ends (although it can happen anywhere along the hair shaft), keeping them oiled keeps them lubricated so that they do not become too brittle from friction amongst neighboring hairs.
Oils that penetrate the hair shaft like coconut oil, olive oil or Jamaican Black Castor Oil (my favorite to use when doing twists) also work very well at nourishing fine strands.
Fine Natural Hair Technique #4
Limit or even exclude long term protective styles.
Natural hair that’s fine also needs to breathe. If you keep it “protected” for too long, there’s the potential for the hair to loc up. If that’s your goal, have it.
For those of us who want to work with out hair in it’s most natural state, it’s best to not over do protective styling. As a rule of thumb, keep a style in for no longer than 1-2 weeks.
Fine Natural Hair Technique #5
Make protein a regular part of your hair regimen.
Light protein treatments will help keep your hair strong and fortified against breakage. Only use heavy duty protein treatments like Aphogee when your hair is severely breaking. Even then, you don’t want to use it more than every 6 weeks.
For hair maintenance, use a deep conditioner weekly that contains a light protein (mid-way on the ingredient list) OR use a natural herb like henna that mimics a protein treatment. Adding a bit of henna to your favorite deep conditioner creates what’s called a henna gloss. This will provide your fine hair with all that’s needed to maintain its strength and well being.
These hair care techniques are simple but have great impact when applied to the care of fine natural hair. Make each a part of your lifestyle to see lasting change in your fine hair.
