Question from a reader

Happy Terrific Tuesday!!

Today's post is in response to a question from a reader. Enjoy and feel free to chime in.

Question:

In regards to transitioning...can I use braid (kinky twists) to help manage my hair during my transition, or is this a bad idea? Also, what about haircare with braids...can I still use the water/glycerin/oil mixture?

My Answer:

You can definitely use braids and/or kinky twists to help manage your hair. Make sure you moisturize, moisturize, and moisturize. The hair added to your hair for the braids/twists has the tendency to dry out your own hair. You want to maintain the moisture to help prevent breakage. Keep your scalp clean as well. You can gently wash and condition your hair while in the braids or twists and let it air dry. When washing your hair, rub the shampoo down the shaft of your hair. Before you rinse out the shampoo, apply conditioner over the shampoo and then rinse. Continue to rub the shampoo and conditioner down the hair shaft until it is all rinsed out. This helps keep your hair from having that stripped feeling after it is shampooed. Don't scratch your scalp to clean it. Rub your scalp in a circular motion with the pads of your fingers. Always be gentle with your hair. This will help keep breakage away as well. Don't be alarmed once you remove the braids if you see shedding. That is very normal. We can shed anywhere from 50 to 100 hairs per day. If you keep your braids in for 2, 3, 4 weeks you can just imagine the amount of shed hairs you should expect. It is ok. Just make sure you pay attention to your hair. It will let you know what it needs.

You can still use the water/glycerin/ oil mixture on your braids. It helps with moisture retention. Glycerin is wonderful to use in the summer time but a threat to your hair in the winter. It is what is referred to as a humectant. It is attracted to areas of low moisture/humidity so that it may draw moisture into whatever it is appled to. In the summer, the atmosphere has lots of moisture or humidity, depending on where you live. So, your hair is the place where glycerin will like to reside due to the hairs low moisture content. Glycerin draws moisture and water molecules from the air to your hair. This is reversed in the winter. The atmosphere is drier or has low humidity and glycerin will want to reside there since it has low moisture. This results in glycerin pulling or robbing moisture FROM your hair into the atmosphere leaving your hair dry and possibly brittle.

If you all have anything else to add feel free to do so. We learn from each other ;-).

Until Next Time,

Indulgenceiskey

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Fresh Fridays: Questions from my readers

Happy Fabulous Friday!!

I hope that you all are having a wonderful day thus far!  Fresh Fridays is something that I will be doing from time to time answering questions from my readers that come fresh from the emails I receive.  Enjoy!

Q:  Will it hurt your hair to let your perm grow out and not cut it?

A:  It won't hurt it if you pamper it. That's basically what I did. I let my hair grow for 12 months and then I cut off all of the perm. While I was transitioning, I trimmed my ends here and there. You have to make sure you keep your hair moisturized and sealed, meaning moisturize with a water based product and then seal that moisture in with a butter or an oil.  Your hair thrives off of moisture so stay hydrated from the inside out.  Protect your hair while you are asleep by donning a satin scarf or sleep on a satin pillow case. 

Minimize the pulling and tugging on your hair because you have what's called a line of demarcation where the natural hair meets the relaxed hair. This is the weakest point on the hair shaft. You want to make sure that you pay attention to your ends as well and cut or trim the split ends. You don't want a split end traveling up the shaft of your hair and onto your natural hair. You will then have to cut your hair up to that point if you do.  

Detangle your hair while it is wet and saturated with conditioner or a product that gives you a good amount of slip.  Use a wide tooth comb to detangle and try detangling in sections.  Frequent deep conditioning treatments along with the other tips above will help keep your hair healthy during and after your transition.

 

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Check out my products and goodies at  Nature's Indulgence by Dionne 

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Until next time, take care and enjoy the rest of your day!!

Indulgenceiskey