Timi Komonibo of NaturallyCurly writes;
We all want our curly hair to look great every day. But even with the best products in our bags, we can still damage our curls with bad hair habits. Here are a few that are worth breaking!
1. Pulling back our hair too tightly
Protective buns, puffs, and ponytails can be good ways to keep hair out of your face, but they are also a major source of thinning edges. Tightly hair styles can add stress to hair follicles, causing breakage. You should try keep these high-tension styles to a minimum, but if you must do them, do so wisely. Using an elastic hair band or hair band with a metal part can snag on your hair and snatch you bald, yanking out your follicles. Ouch!
But there is a solution to this problem: Try a silk scrunchy, or if you need something more discrete, a Goody Ouchless headband. Ouchless headbands are comfortable and can be stretched out to allow your hair to breathe a little. KCurly of newlynatural.com had a great tip for safely wearing headbands: soak the headband in an oil or moisturizer before putting it on. This is less damaging to your follicles.
2. Being scissor-happy
When I first did my big chop, I was always looking for a reason to “trim” my hair. Many naturals still believe that the more you cut your hair, the more it will grow. This belief has led many astray. While trimming your hair every so often is good, you have to give it time to grow. Cutting it won’t speed up the process. Instead, focus on having a healthy scalp. A healthy scalp promotes healthy hair growth. So put the scissors down and let your hair grow at its own pace. It will grow eventually if you just let it.
3. Over-shampooing
Yes, I know. It’s hot. When it’s hot, you sweat. When you sweat, your scalp is a mess. But before you run off to shampoo your hair after every workout, think about reaching for some conditioner instead. Most shampoos strip your hair of essential oils it needs. Co-washing is less harsh on your scalp. I’m not suggesting you stop shampooing altogether (although some have); I’m simply saying that you can co-wash in between your shampoo days.
love these tips! the biggest thing we have to get over is the trimming. It took me about a year to let go of the scissors and once i did my hair just grew and grew. i still trim, but more on a strand by strand basis. like, if im doing twists, ill look at strands with each group i grab i look for split ends.
missdeeplyrooted.blogspot.com
I've had to put my scissors in a hiding place until further notice. Every week I would find "insufficient" waves and curls that just didn't "look good," but were perfectly healthy. Until I get my addictions under control, I've lost my scissor privileges.
I work out and tried once a week and co washing and I felt like I was doong more harm than good. I recently wore braids for 2 months and alternated between witch hazel, a diluted mix of generic wen/doo grow oil/ water and taliah waajids moisture spray…but never washed and my scalp was just as clean. I also no trouble detangling. Unless u use a lot if product I don't see the benefit of frequent washes.
I JUST stopped "trimming" my hair. My hair could be a little longer, if I hadn't have cut 1/4 inch every 2 months for absolutely NO reason at all. In the past my hair will grow VERY long, and just start breaking off to the point where I have to get 3-5 inches cut off at once, so I was trying to prevent going through that cycle, but now I'm trying something a little different.
tiannamae.blogspot.com