*This article was originally published on September 17, 2011. It was re-posted as part of our ‘Best of 2011? Series.

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By Cipriana of UrbanBushBabes.com

After going natural, some women choose to focus on attaining length. But for many it can be a frustrating process. Here are 5 tips that will help you achieve length will staying motivated and encouraged.

Diligence

Diligence is a must for achieving length. Make sure your hair is properly and constantly moisturized and well-maintained. It can be tempting to slack off but remember that every time you are lazy with your hair you risk drying it out and compromising its health — which can lead to breakage.

Patience

Learning this can not only save your strands when detangling but will also make you much happier in the process of attaining length. A patient natural will be less likely to take out frustration or anger on their hair.

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Baby Steps

Eye on the Prize? Instead of thinking years ahead of the length you want to attain try to focus on 3 or 6 months down the line. This will give you a better idea of what is and is not working for your hair so you can assess and make the necessary changes

Setting Realistic Goals

Hair only grows on average ½ an inch a month so setting a hair goal of 1-2 inches per month is unrealistic and you are only setting yourself up for disappointment.

Looking at Setbacks Positively

Realize setbacks are just steps along you hair journey to achieving your goals. Without those failures you wouldn’t know what works and what does not work for your hair. Every mistake is a step towards discovering a haircare regimen that helps you achieve your length goals.

These 5 tips helped me tremendously during my years to attain and maintain length. What tips and tricks do you use?

For more of Cipriana’s writings check out UrbanBushBabes.com.

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*This article was originally published on September 11, 2011. It was re-posted as part of our ‘Best of 2011′ Series

By Jc of The Natural Haven

If you are yearning to have a larger than life afro or hair that hangs down to your waist, then you must pay attention to both your comb and combing technique. Length retention starts with eliminating hair breakage and combing is the primary reason why curly and kinky hair breaks.

Do you have the right skills, tools and techniques?

1. Section hair

Natural hair, curly or coily tends to have a lot of volume. Make your life easy by creating manageable sections- 4 to 8 usually works but with thicker or longer hair even more sections may be better. Very short hair (under 4 inches) generally does not require sections. Use hair bands or clips to keep the hair under control and if you have tight curls or major shrinkage consider loosely braiding or twisting the sections and washing them in this way.

2. Comb wet or comb dry?

Breakage is likely to happen whether hair is combed wet or dry and the method you choose is really a question of preference and ease. Breakage during wet combing is because although hair is very flexible, its strength and ability to resist the force applied from combing is at its lowest. Conversely, when hair is dry, it is at its strongest but it lacks flexibility and therefore is likely to snap. The ideal condition for combing would therefore be when hair is mostly dry (about 80%) so that it is strong and pliable.  However, no matter what your preference, consider using some hair conditioner to increase slip and help reduce damage.

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3. Finger Combing

Fingers are the first and for some the only tool to use. When detangling with your fingers make sure your nails are smooth and do not snag your hair as you part it. Ideally try to make use of your finger pads rather than nails to separate the strands.

4. Seamless Combs

If you have upgraded to a wide spaced shower comb well done! The next step up is a seamless comb which essentially has no rough edges. These are fairly expensive in comparison to a regular comb but are well worth the investment in the long run.

5. Brushes

If your hair is fine and split end prone, brushes are best eliminated. However, if you have thicker strands and dense hair, brushes are a godsend. Brushing should come last as the brush bristles are closely spaced together compared to other tools (fingers and wide spaced combs). The denman remains a very popular hair brush for naturals

6. Examine Your Hair

Once you are done combing, examine the hair that you have removed. Pay attention to whether you can see hair bulbs or not. Some people are strict and want to see that all hair has a bulb. I am more flexible and would be happy with about 60-70%%, accepting that my hair is kinky and will always sustain some breakage. The one thing that must be cut down on in order to retain length are those tiny little wisps of hair, those are never good.

Have you tried any of these tips and tricks? What techniques do you use to cut down on breakage when combing your hair?

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Via NaturalSunshine.com

Many naturals here on NatSun have shared the ups and downs they have had in their relationships as a result of going natural. We have at times asked questions like; Would you perm your hair because your man wanted you to? We’ve had posts in which we shouted out the men in our lives who support our decision to be natural.  We have even talked aboutmen who simply don’t get it. We’ve covered it all.

But one question that hasn’t been answered conclusively is this, “Should you ask your spouses permission before getting your big chop?”

We know many of you are already boiling on the insides over the idea that you would need to ask anyone’s permission (especially a man) before deciding to cut your hair, but we think there is more to take into consideration.

Yes, it’s your hair and you can do whatever you want, but when you are in a marriage or dealing with your life partner, your decisions are no longer yours alone. Making a choice to change your hair style so drastically may or may not matter to your partner, but give them the respect of discussing it with them before you make any changes. I recommend starting the dialogue as soon as you begin thinking about wearing your natural hair texture. Allow them the same amount of time as you to come to terms with the decision.**

So we want to know, should you ask your spouses permission before cutting all of your hair off or transitioning to natural? If yes, why? If no, why not? Also, if you are married or involved in a serious relationship how did you prepare your partner for your natural hair journey?

If you are currently in this situation and are looking for ways to get your man on board for your natural hair journey, this article gives you a step by step plan to talk to your partner about natural hair and hopefully get him to understand what you are doing.

**The above quoted block came from How To Get Your Man on Board For Your Natural Hair Journey

By Audrey Sivasothy, author of The Science of Black Hair: A Comprehensive Guide to Textured Hair Care

Are you having chronic hair breakage? Your hard water could be to blame. While black hair needs water to thrive, hard water can be a total hair breakage nightmare. The very thing that we depend on to take care of our hair and fight breakage can also be the very thing that slowly destroys it. Unfortunately, hard water is a common problem. Nearly 85% of homes have hard water coming through the taps.

What is Hard Water?

Hard water is water that is full of dissolved minerals and metals like calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, silica, lead, and manganese, scientists at Malibu Wellness Solutions say. But you’re thinking, ” . . . wait, minerals are good, right?”Well, yes and no. Minerals are excellent INSIDE the body as part of a healthy, well balanced diet. Inside, they are able to travel through the blood stream and nourish hair follicles for new hair cell regeneration. But minerals deposited on the exterior of the hair shaft can cause breakage and dryness problems in black hair care.

How Does Hard Water damage Black Hair?

Minerals like calcium and magnesium can collect in water and bind to the hair shaft during normal washing and conditioning. Our hair naturally has a negative electrical charge, Malibu Wellness Solutions scientists say. Minerals like calcium and magnesium carry a positive charge and when they encounter hair, they attach to it. The chlorine that is often added to hard water also has negative effects on black hair. These minerals have a drying effect on the outer hair cuticle because they prevent moisture from entering the hair. The result? Hard, dry, tangly, puffy, strange-colored black hair. The deposits can also build up on the scalp and cause a dandruff-like condition to form.

The minerals in hard water also react with shampoo detergents and make them less likely to produce a big, foamy lather. Those with no-lye relaxers are also no strangers to mineral buildup on the hair shaft. Like hard water, no-lye relaxers also leave calcium deposits behind on the hair shaft which can dry out black hair if not treated promptly. Interestingly, the hard water mineral deposits left on black hair can also interfere with the success of future chemical services including relaxers and colors.

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Finally, scientists at the Nuffield Foundation point out that the general chemistry of hard water, with its increased -OH ion content, renders it slightly more alkaline (pH= 8.5) than regular water which has a neutral pH of 7. Hair has a slightly acidic pH, and most hair products are formulated to help the hair maintain its acid mantle. Hard water works against this process. In fact, hard water’s elevated pH causes the hair shaft to swell and the cuticle layers to lift more than normal. This regular exposure to high pH water can lead to breakage and cause tangly, unmanageable black hair.

Is My Water Hard?

When you have hard water, you certainly know it. The following questions will help your determine if you may be battling a hard water problem:

Does your hair feel really dry no matter how much you wash and deep condition it?
Do you have problems with your shampoo lathering?
Does your hair tangle excessively after washing?
Does your hair color fade or turn brassy and dull rapidly?
Do you have chronic hair breakage problems that defy treatment and care?
Are you having problems with your chemical services (i.e. relaxers and permanent colors) “taking?”

If you’ve answered yes to any of the above questions, then you may have a hard water problem.

One of the biggest tell-tell signs of a hard water problem is breakage that just will not end no matter what. You may have even performed a wet assessment on the hair to determine the cause of breakage, only to still be left grasping for straws and battling hair breakage. Hard water-damaged, black hair simply does not respond to anything, but feels like it NEEDS EVERYTHING. It can feel weighed down (needs to be clarified), like coarse hay (needs moisture), and gummy or limp (needs protein) all at once in some cases. Hard water damaged hair is truly ambiguous.

Am I Living in a Hard Water Area?

According to the US Geological Survey, the areas with the least amount of water hardness are parts of New England, the South Atlantic-Gulf States, the Pacific Northwest, and Hawaii. Moderately hard waters exist in Tennessee, the Great Lakes area, and the Pacific Northwest regions of the United States. Hard to very hard waters can be found in Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, Arizona, and southern California, the Survey reports.

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Hard Water Solutions for Black hair

Shampoos

Hard water mineral deposits on black hair cannot be removed by regular shampoos and clarifying formulas. A specially formulated chelating shampoo is required to remove mineral deposits from the hair. Chelating shampoos chemically bind to hard water minerals and help to lift them away. Joicoand Kenra make great chelating shampoos. Kenra’s formula is actually a clarifying shampoo with chelation abilities. This shampoo is great for black hair because it moisturizes while it chelates and clarifies.

Water Filters

For roughly $70-$100, these portable gadgets will attach to your shower head and filter out dirt and metals coming through the tap. Minerals and salts, however, cannot be filtered out. Some permanent, “whole home” units are available. These are also different from kitchen sink, reverse osmosis machines, say Clearwatergmx staff, which ‘removes salt and some contaminants from your drinking water at a very slow rate and . . . wastes a lot of water.”

Water Softeners

The priciest option is a water softener which converts the old mineral ions into less harmful sodium ions. Water softeners are permanent plumbing fixtures that affect water going to all places in the home. Units may cost into the hundreds of dollars.

Ladies, have you ever experienced breakage due to hard water? How did you deal with it?

Audrey Sivasothy is a Houston-based freelance writer, health scientist and author of The Science of Black Hair: A Comprehensive Guide to Textured Hair Care (available on Amazon.com & Barnes&Noble.com).

For more insight from The Science of Black Hair— relaxed, natural or in between, visit us on the web atwww.blackhairscience.com and on facebook & twitter.

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References
Vandervort, D. Water Softener Systems. Hometips.com
United States Geological Survey. Water Hardness and Alkalinity. USGS.gov
Staff. Acid-base equilibria. Chemistry-react.org
Tcherkezian, S. pH and Your Hair. Verticalsinhair.
Staff. Hair-solutions: Hard Water. MalibuWellness
Staff. Water Treatment Methods: Hardwater.org
Staff. The Differences Between the Water Treatment Technologies:Water Softeners, Water Conditioners and Water Filters. Clearwatergmx.com

Agbeke writes;

I have a dilemma. One of my friends is making me very uncomfortable in regards to my hair and I’m not sure how to approach the problem without coming off as a “typical angry black girl” (I hate that term so much. There’s a difference between being militant and defending your rights, but that term is used as a blanket statement for even appropriate responses…but that’s a discussion for another day).


Anyway my friends and I like to tease each other relentlessly. Be it grades, degree of nerdiness, who could punt who across broad street, etc. But it’s always good natured. One day, I’m not even sure how we got started but me and my one friend were going on about beating each other up, typical stuff. Out of no where she says “If you’re not careful I will knot up your hair”. Okay. Weird. It came out of nowhere so I didn’t know what to do except laugh it off. I was wearing yarn twists btw. It was an odd joke to make but I didn’t think anything of it. Everyone goes too far at least once so I figured that was her free pass.

She made the comment again on another occasion. Not even during fighting banter. She just asked if she could please knot up my hair. I asked her where she even got that term from and she said that so many black girls she’s met are always fascinated with how her hair doesn’t stay in a knot. And how they complain that their hair does. Apparently you can tie a strand of her hair in a knot and no matter how tight it will always come undone by itself. She’s Asian btw. In my head I’m saying “Thank you fellow black girls for affirming her superiority complex about her hair”.


Third occasion, she mentions it again. My roommate notices that I’m really not okay with it and asks this girl why she keeps saying that. She says she thinks its funny. But no one else is laughing. I ignore her the way you kindly pretend someone didn’t say something, to save them from further embarrassment. But apparently she was neither embarrassed nor willing to stop.


And then on this final occasion, we’re sitting in the car and she accidentally hits me in the face with her hair. When I tell her this, her response is “Oh you mean my soft, silky, long hair?”. To which I respond “No, your limp, lifeless thin hair. You might want to get a weave for that to add some body”. No joke, this girls hair is so thin she only needs those teeny tiny hair ties to hold it up.


So basically my problem is that I dont think I’m nearly close enough friends with this girl for her to be making such statements to me. But I don’t know how to approach her without coming off as angry and defensive. How can I explain to her that making fun of my hair, which IS soft and short by choice, is like me making fun of her eyes? Or that making jokes in relation to the hair that I’m proud of is like she’s saying I should actually be ashamed of it?


I’d love to get your thoughts, keeping in mind that I’m leaning more towards educating her on her ignorance and not insulting the hell out of her like I’d like to do. TL;DR My Asian friend keeps making corny jokes about my natural hair and I’d like to figure out the best way to discuss the matter. Also, if I’m over reacting please let me know. Thanks in advance!

Ladies, what advice can you give? And have you ever found yourself in a similar situation?