Infuse your hair with the MOISTURE that it needs... to flourish!
If your hair is extremely damaged, you can definitely nurse your hair back to health!!!! Remember....growing healthy hair requires time and patience. This is not a grow hair quick scheme. With a little patience and TLC you can have the healthy hair that you have dreamed of!!!!!!
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1. Start with a fresh trim.
Please by all means, start with a nice, fresh trim. If your hair ends are severely damaged and thin, they should go. Cut off those thin, damaged and brittle ends. Don't worry, your hair will be thick and beautiful before you know it. Broken ends which are severely damaged and thin cannot be made healthy again no matter what product you use or how much you condition your hair.Your trim doesn't have to be as drastic as my haircut was. I would suggest that you cut just enough to even your hair out. If your hair is natural, please don’t ignore your split ends. Although split ends aren’t as noticeable on natural hair, you still want to clip them so that you hair will be able to achieve its maximum length and thickness. Naturals should use the twist and clip technique for split end clipping.
2. Take hair pictures and start hair care journal.
This may sound clichéd, but it is an excellent idea to write down your thoughts and feelings about your hair. What are your hair goals and in what time frame do you want to achieve them? Do you desire thickness, length or both? Take pictures of your hair every month and monitor your hair's progress. It is so exciting to see you hair transform from thin and lifeless to thick and beautiful right before your eyes!
3. Do clip those ends.
I suggest clipping your ends at every 8 - 10 weeks depending on your hair type with very sharp scissors. Some believe that clipping the ends does hamper hair growth. I don't believe this. Clipping off 1/8 to 1/4 inch every 2-3 months will still allow you to gain length. I have been clipping my ends after every relaxer (every 8 weeks) and my hair has grown to a nice length. Prevent split ends before they start because you can’t repair them once they are here. Split ends will continue to split up the hair shaft resulting in more hair breakage and thin ends.
4. Shampoo once per week.
……(or more frequently if your hair starts to feel dry). Be sure to use a moisturizing shampoo. Many of us were taught to shampoo our hair monthly when we were young but this only results in dry hair. Just think.... water is the basic and most supreme form of moisture. It is very important to keep your scalp clean and healthy for growth to occur. Prior to shampooing the hair, comb through the hair with a wide tooth comb. I usually part my hair down the middle and shampoo each side. It is best to shampoo in the shower to prevent major tangling. Focus on the scalp and work your way through to the hair ends. Please don't pile all of your hair on the top of your head and shampoo vigorously!!!! This will definitely cause tangling and breakage.
5. Deep condition with high quality protein and / or moisturizing conditioner weekly.
Deep condition your hair with plastic cap under the dryer weekly. Moisturizing deep conditioners do not just coat the hair strand. These conditioners penetrate the cortex layer of the hair infusing moisture into the hair strand. Protein conditioners strengthen the hair (hair is 75% protein) by penetrating the cortex and adding amino acids (simple proteins) to the portions of the hair strands that are weak.Use good quality penetrating water based deep conditioner with lots of slip to detangle the hair. If unable to deep condition under dryer apply a warm towel on your hair after applying a plastic cap and leave on for at least 15 minutes. If you still don’t have time for that, apply a deep penetrating conditioner to your hair followed by a plastic cap at night before sleeping. In the morning, rinse out the conditioner and style as usual.
6. Use a leave-in conditioner.
This is a must. Using a high quality leave in conditioner will moisturize, detangle and protect the hair when heat styling. Leave-in conditioners will also prevent breakage and protect the hair from weather damage.
7. Look in your "hair cabinet".
Read the ingredients on all of your hair care products. Don’t use products containing petrolatum and mineral oil to moisturize your hair.. Products containing these ingredients will only coat the hair and not penetrate the hair strand. Therefore, the hair will not be moisturized. Stay far away from alcohol based products, hair spray, gels, mousses and spritz. These products will lead to hair that is dry, brittle and prone to breakage.
8.Maintain moisture in the hair.
Frankly, dry hair breaks. I know that I sound like a broken record but this is why it is so important to keep the hair moisturized. Some people seem to think that their hair just won't grow. This is not true. What is really happening? The hair is growing but it is breaking at the same rate therefore, no length is maintained. It is vital to apply moisture to your hair every day. Hair that is hard, brittle and dry needs moisture. Our hair needs to be moisturized just like our faces do. Moisturizing the hair increases elasticity and decreases breakage. When moisturizing the hair, focus on the hair ends. If ends are dry, they will eventually split and break. A great idea is to moisturize the hair when it is wet and use a light oil to to seal in the moisture. You can't go wrong with this method!
9. Never use bristle brushes on wet hair.
This will GUARANTEE hair breakage! Always detangle wet hair with a wide tooth comb.
10. Monitor your hair tools.
Throw away any hair tools that can break off your hair. This may sound like common sense but I never really thought about old bobby pins without rubber tip, combs with missing teeth and ponytail holders with metal clamps. All of these utensils with sharp ends will definitely cause hair breakage so please stay away from them.
11. If you relax your hair........
A. Please don't overprocess your hair. If you relax your hair more often than every 8 weeks, most likely..... you are overprocessing your hair. It is best to relax every eight to 10 weeks. If you can go a little longer without experiencing breakage...go for it. Overprocessing your hair will definitely result in damage and will ultimately lead to breakage......even with the best hair practices. You can have healthy hair with a relaxer but remember that one bad relaxer job can flush all of your hard work down the drain so make sure that your relaxer is done by a professional if you do choose to relax
B. Say away from no lye relaxers. Many people may disagree with me on this one but I will stand by this. I have used both lye and so called "no-lye" relaxers and I have noticed a tremendous positive change in my hair since switching from no-lye to lye. Please by all means…..RUN away from box kits!!!!! These relaxers are promoted as being less damaging. This is so far from the truth..ca hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, guanidine hydroxide (calcium hydroxide with guanidine carbonate) and lithium hydroxide will dry out the hair over time and leave mineral deposits on the hair making it difficult to moisturize resulting in constant dryness, split ends and dull looking hair. I suggest using lye relaxers. I have tries both lye and no-lye and yes the no-lye relaxer was fine at first but over time, my hair became dull, brittle and dry.....resulting in breakage. Lye relaxers will allow the cuticle to lay flat resulting in shinier hair without the mineral deposits. If you absolutely feel as though you have to relax with a no lye relaxer you MUST use a chelating shampoo after neutralizing. A chelating shampoo contains chelates. These chelates will attach themselves to the mineral deposits left on the hair and remove them.
12. Massage the scalp daily.
Massaging the scalp with high quality hair oils or follicle stimulators contribute to increased blood flow. This allows oxygen, nutrients, vitamin, minerals and proteins to nourish the hair root. This contributes to healthy hair growth.
13. Limit the use of direct heat.
The use of direct heat should be limited to 1 - 4 times per month. Using direct heat on a daily basis will definitely result in damaged hair. Remember brittle hair leads to breakage and breakage = no length retention. Whenever you do use direct heat, remember to use a heat protector prior to the direct heat application. I also suggest using only ceramic / tourmaline irons instead of marcel irons. Ceramic/ Tourmaline irons are less damaging to the hair. I recommend the Sedu iron....it's my favorite. Another tip for direct heat users is to never use heat on dirty hair. Heat should should be used on clean hair only. No more than 2 days after washing the hair. Using heat on dirty hair only bakes dirt into the hair. Dirty hair will always burn faster and of course, will cause damage. Limit blow dryers to 1 -2 times per month. It is best not to blow dry the hair at all. I only use hood hair dryers.
14. Wear protective style.
Protective styles are styles that protect the hair ends. Usually the hair ends are tucked away protecting them from drying out. These styles involve little or no heat and does not require much manipulation of the hair. Styles such as twists, braids, buns, up-dos, cornrolls, zuluknots or any other style variation that tuck in the hair ends. Our hair ends are the most fragile because they are the oldest. These styles protect the hair in extreme cold and hot temps. To see examples of some protective styles, click "HERE"
15. Choose less damaging styling techniques.
There are many styling techniques that you can use that are less damaging to the hair such as roller-sets, bantu knot set, twist or braid-outs (twisting or braiding the hair, allowing it to set and taking the twist or braids out for a free flowing style), loose ponytails, wrapping the hair, straw sets, molecular steam roller-sets (I recommend the Caruso steam rollers) or any other style that doesn't require direct heat.....be creative. Click "HERE" to see more styling examples.
16. No wool collars or hats.
Staying away from wool collars and hats is a good idea if you want to prevent breakage. The constant rubbing of the wool against the hair will surely result in breakage at that particular area. If you must wear wool, I suggest that you line the inside of the hat and/or collar with a satin scarf.
16. Know the difference between breakage and shedding.
Don’t be alarmed with hair shedding. Typically, the hair sheds 50-100 strands daily. Each hair follicle has a cycle of growth which eventually will lead to death. Everyone has a different growth cycle. For this reason, normal shedding varies. Shedding is different from breakage. Check the strands of hair in your comb or brush. If you see a white bulb (hair follicle) at the end of the hair strand, this would be considered normal shedding. If you don't see the follicle this may be considered hair breakage.
17. Protect your hair at night.
Always sleep with silk scarf or bonnet. If your significant other really objects to this, use a silk or satin pillow case. Sleeping with a cotton scarf or pillowcase will cause the the hair to dry out. Just think, cotton is very absorbent and will absorb moisture from the hair.
18. Avoid sculptured hairstyles that don’t move.
Hairstyles that last from one shampoo to the other are definitely not good for your hair. Remember that you need to moisturize your hair everyday. It is not possible to do this with these types of styles. Sometimes we have to sacrifice hair ‘style' for hair ‘health’. Besides, most hair gels are alcohol laden and most alcohols can be drying to the hair and scalp.
19. Never use hair glue.
In my opinion, hair glue is one of the worst hair products created. Hair glue coats the hair with a sticky substance which is difficult to completely remove while shampooing, can easily pull the hair out from the scalp and can cause serious hair breakage. The use of hair glue can be extremely damaging and devastating to the hair and scalp. If you want healthy hair, say 'no' to hair glue. If you want to give your hair a rest by wearing extensions, try sew-in extensions but always remember to take care of your hair while wearing extensions.
20. Exercise and eat a well balanced diet rich in vitamin and minerals.
This not only benefits your hair but it also benefits your whole body!
21. Avoid hair stylist who don't value healthy hair.
Some stylist focus more on hair 'styling' and less on hair 'health'. Find a stylist who specializes in healthy hair. If you stylist is scissor happy, heat happy or chemical happy…you will never see any results.
23. Keep it simple.
Find a simple hair regime that works right for you. A regime that fits in well with your lifestyle. Be patient and consistent. Stick with your regime and don’t give up despite hair “set backs” that we all go through. Generally, hair grows 1/4th to ½ inch per month so again I say be patient and give your hair that extra TLC. Your hair will love you for it!!!
24.Remember.....To have healthy hair you must:
A. Apply healthy hair practices to your hair care regime, have a healthy diet,
AND
B. Use high quality hair products to enhance the process.
(If you have a great hair regime and do not use high quality products, your progress won't be great. Also, using high hair care products alone will not help us if we are abusive to our hair........ie. frying our hair daily with the curling irons...lol)
c2007- Saleemah Cartwright
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Saleemah's Personal Weekly Hair Regime
1. I shampoo my hair weekly with Hydratherma Naturals, Gentle Amino Clarifying Shampoo to remove product buildup (1st lather).
2. I then follow up with Hydratherma Naturals, Moisture Boosting Shampoo (2nd lather).
3. I then deep condition with Hydratherma Naturals, Moisture Boosting Deep Conditioning
Treatment or Hydratherma Naturals Amino Plus Deep Conditioning Treatment (I alternate conditioners weekly). I sit under the warm hood dryer for about 15-20 minutes, comb through with a wide tooth comb then rinse. Since I give myself a light protein treatment every 2 weeks with Hydratherma Naturals, Amino Plus Protein Deep Conditioning Treatment, I do not use heavy duty protein treatments.
4. After washing and deep conditioning with the Hydratherma Naturals products, I section my hair in 4-6 sections. While still wet - to each section, apply the Hydratherma Naturals protein balance leave in conditioner (protein), daily moisturizing growth lotion (moisture) and seal with the hair growth oil (sealer).
5. I style as usual. Roller set, braid out etc.
Daily Maintance- Relaxed Hair
1. Apply the Hydratherma Naturals, Daily Moisturizing Growth Lotion (pea to dime size amount) and a few drops of Hydratherma Naturals Hair Growth Oil (to seal in the moisture) to my hair on a daily basis. To maintain my hair style during the week, I usually just pin curled it and wrapped with a satin scarf before bed. Click "HERE" to see pincurl pictures.
2. Sometimes I wrapped my hair at night or place a few zulu / bantu knots in my hair for soft waves the next day.
3. Toward the end of the week, I usually wear buns. When bunning, I use a dime size portion of Hydratherma Naturals, Moisture/ Protein Balance Leave-in Conditioner or Growth Lotion.
4. Trim your hair after every relaxer….usually every 8-10 weeks. Once in a while I would flat iron my hair with a ceramic/ tourmaline iron and I always used the Hydratherma Naturals Herbal Gloss Heat Protector before flat ironing my hair to provide heat protection.
Daily maintance -Natural Hair
1. I apply Hydratherma Naturals, Protein Balance Leave In Conditioning treatment, Daily Moisturizing Growth Lotion and the Hydratherma Naturals Hair Growth Oil (to seal in the moisture) to my hair on a daily basis.
Finger comb go go.
Happy Hair Growing!!!!
Helpful Healthy Hair Tips
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My relaxed hair (black rinse)
Healthy Hair Tips and Popular Myths
In addition to using our wonderful products be sure to incorporate great hair practices from this website to get awesome results!
Hair Tip-
As we all know, keeping your hair moisturized and preventing breakage can be a challenge. The goal of our product line is to help you to maintain a nice balance of moisture and protein in your hair. This balance is crucial for healthy hair.
Many people don't know this but moisturizing the hair while soaking wet is the key. Water is the ultimate form of moisture- so moisturizing at this time with our water based moisturizer is crucial. After washing and deep conditioning with the Hydratherma Naturals products, section the hair in 4-6 sections.
While still wet - to each section, apply the Hydratherma Naturals protein balance leave in (protein), daily moisturizing growth lotion (moisture) and seal in with the hair growth oil (sealer). Then, style as usual.
These 3 products should be used daily on dry hair to maintain a nice balance of moisture and protein in the hair during the week.
If you are experiencing dryness, this tip will help you!
