Relaxed hair needs different care and attention than natural African-American hair. The hair follicle before the relaxing process is flat and full of kinks and curves. The relaxer straightens out this follicle. However, in taking out the curls and bends in the hair, the relaxer weakens the follicles, because that structure supports the hair. Natural straight hair has a round follicle that doesn't need the support. The weakened, relaxed hair follicle thus needs a little extra attention to prevent breakage.
Instructions
1. Wash your hair with shampoos and conditioners that are designed to moisturize and strengthen relaxed hair. These products are available at drug stores and many other retailers. Like finding healthy foods for your family, you will have to read the labels of the hair products to find the best ones. Look for the words "processed hair," "relaxed hair" and "permed hair." Start with products made by the makers of your relaxer, as those products are designed to supplement the relaxer. Also look for products that are rich in proteins like keratin that strengthen the hair.
2. Wrap your hair at night with a silk scarf or hair wrap. As you move throughout the night, the silk will glide across your hair, not pulling as any other fabric does. Weakened, relaxed hair breaks easily, so simply turning your head against a regular pillow at night can cause you to lose hair. A silk pillowcase is also advisable.
3. Avoid daily use of heat on your hair. This includes flat irons, curling irons and blow dryers. Heat only weakens the relaxed hair further, leading to breakage. Use heat-styling products only when hair has been treated with the proper hair products, like leave-in conditioners. Instead, roller set your hair and use the low or air dry settings on your hair dryer. If some sort of styling iron is a must, turn the heat to a low setting. It may take a little longer for styling, but your hair will remain healthy and strong.
4. Keep the hair moisturized. Use a leave-in conditioner or moisturizer after washing. Daily application of a moisturizing cream also helps. Avoid products that contain petroleum and silicones as these are often too heavy for relaxed hair. Instead, look for products that use oils like aloe vera, jojoba, olive oil and other natural oils. These are much lighter than the petroleums and silicones, and they moisturize your hair without weighing it down.
5. Get your relaxed hair retouched every six to eight weeks as the new hair growth appears. Letting the new growth get too long may cause breakage, because the relaxed tip is further weakened by the growth of a strong, curly follicle. At these appointments, also have your hair trimmed to eradicate split ends as these also weaken relaxed hair.
6. Wash your hair regularly. There is a debate as to the frequency of these washings. Some say that it should be done daily, while others swear by weekly hair washes. Dirt weighs down the fragile, relaxed hair follicle, so daily washing can only help your hair--especially if you use the moisturizers and leave-ins. If you do choose infrequent washes with shampoo, "co-wash" between shampooings. This entails wetting the hair and washing with conditioner instead of shampoo. Co-washes ensure that the hair gets at least a rinse and the extra moisture on a regular basis.
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