Starting
your hair care journey on the right foot is essential. The worst way to
go about this is asking questions the wrong questions and undermining
the mental and emotional transition of potentially accepting your self.
Misplaced expectations and poor hair care practices can be detrimental
to your journey, so make sure you’re asking the right questions, ie not
these.
How can I make my hair grow?
Nothing “makes your hair grow.” If your health is in good condition,
meaning your are eating a balanced diet and exercising according to your
doctor’s orders, then your body is performing at its optimal health,
which cannot be surpassed. If you have improved your diet, incorporated
vitamins and supplements, and started cleaning your scalp regularly and
noticed increased growth, then that is evidence that your health or
regimen was lacking before. Things that impede hair growth are
medication, poor diet, alopecia, dirty scalp, poor blood circulation,
physical trauma, and stress, which all affect the hair follicle. In the
event that you have experienced physical trauma to the scalp, then
consult a trichologist so he or she advise you on the next steps.
If you want longer hair, the first item to address is your health. After evaluating your health, the next question is how do I retain length? If
you are not experiencing permanent hair loss or scalp trauma, then
evaluate your regimen. Are you using moisturizing products? Are you
handling your hair roughly or too often? Are you keeping your scalp
clean and trimming your ends when necessary? These will provide answers
to why you are experiencing breakage. Notice I said breakage and not
reduced hair growth. If you are not retaining length, then you are
experiencing breakage not loss or slowed growth.
How do I make my hair curl?
Gels, creams, custards, and mousses all capture and enhance the
definition that you already have; they do not create curls. If you see
curl or coil definition while your hair is wet, then the goal is to
maintain that definition as it dries. The only way to manufacture a curl
is through styles like roller sets. There is such thing as having no
curl definition and that does not make your hair any less healthy than
the next person. But if you used to have curl definition and it seems to
have disappeared, then that may be evidence of dryness, heat damage,
and an elasticity issue.
How do I loosen my curl pattern?
The only way to permanently loosen your curl pattern is through
chemical processing. Loosening your curl patterns requires a relaxer or
texturizer, but even using those means will not provide you the looser
curls or waves (I assume) you are aspiring to. A relaxer will never make
4b coils 3c. The chemicals will merely relax/stretch/elongate the curl,
but they do not alter the circumference of the curl to create a new
one. There is possibility for your hair becoming limp and even more
susceptible to dryness and breakage, so I do not think that is the
solution.
Which texturizer or relaxer would you recommend?
Neither. NaturallyCurly celebrates, educates, and empowers the
influencers of curls, coils, and waves. Any questions regarding
permanent chemical straightening can be sought from the awesome ladies
at the Hairlista.com forum.
How can I make my hair look like hers?
Asking the right questions is important to reducing the frustration
of finding the root of your hair problem and the proper solution.
Sometimes the root cannot be sought from an outside source.
Self-acceptance plays a huge roll and is the biggest part of the
journey. Going about your hair care with hair envy is miserable and no
one should value someone else’s beauty over their own. Learn how to be
the best you and not a replication of someone else.
