The Real Secret Behind Detangling Curly Hair: The Coily Hair Edition

Hey Beautifuls,

I have a secret to share with you. In a moment, you will say goodbye to frightening wash days with regrettable detangling stories. In previous blog posts, I've outlined our detangling process--which remains the same to this day. Let me quickly bullet point them for you.

DETANGLING WITH EASE:

• Pre-poo (oil/conditioner on dampened hair prior to detangling)
• Goody (or any ball tip paddle brush) tool
• Start detangling at the very extreme tip of the hair ends. 
• Detangle under running water with your favorite conditioner
• Work your way up the hair shaft INCH BY INCH under the running water
• The thicker your hair, the more sections you will want to work in. I like to make approximately 4 sections  

These tips have helped us to detangle without any tears. Knots, tangles, rips and tears are at the top of the list why most people decide to put chemicals in their hair. 

What if I told you that I have a secret to drastically reducing the drama from coily hair tangles? If you have already implemented the above tips into your detangling routine, then you are half-way there.

THE SECRET TO DETANGLING COILY HAIR:

Have you ever heard of the Chinese finger trap? Here's a picture of it just to jog your memory. We've all played with it at one point in our lives. They're mostly given out at birthday parties. I remember my anxiety one time when I couldn't remove my pointer fingers from this coily toy. I was scared, so I started pulling harder. When I pulled harder, it actually tightened the hold on my fingers. It wasn't until I relaxed my fingers and stopped pulling that I could release my fingers from this trap.

The funny thing is that the Chinese finger trap is similar in design to coily hair. It is considered a helically wound braid. Designed with the helix structure, the Chinese finger trap could be likened to coily hair, which is described to "grow in a tiny spring-like, helix shape".

The helix structure (long story short) is made to tighten when pulled. The circumference of the coil will narrow. When speaking about the mysteries of coily hair, when the coil narrows, it will make detangling difficult. Why? Because the coil becomes resistant, and will not "give". When you pull with a detangling tool--using strength and force, the coil narrows and tightens. In effect, causing the need for additional force. 

The Chinese finger trap has been known to break when a user engages too much force. Ideally though, the user will just relax, and the trap will release. The same goes for detangling coily hair. While using the above referenced detangling tips, try doing the following:

• DO NOT engage your arm muscle force
• Simply use your wrist, while patiently and gently moving the brush along the length of the hair (starting at the extreme hair end/tips).

At first, this may seem useless, but in seconds, you will see that the brush will glide through the coils.


---------------------------------------------------------------------Always for you,
---------------------------------------------------------------------------tia

How To Avoid Hairline Breakage or Damage on Curly/Coily Hair

Loose Styles Help to Avoid Hairline Breakage. Flat Iron & Wash N Go!

Baby Girl & Curly Edges

                                             
 Natural hair and receding, damaged, broken edges. Recently my eyes keep honing in on severely pulled back puffs, ponytails and buns. They're at the mall, the beach, out on the streets. It's devastating. What quickly catches my eye is the hairline. I'm seeing lots of broken edges. Not even just the little girls, but young and old alike--so this post is for everyone.

SOME CAUSES ARE: Tension styling (buns, ponytails, weaves, heavy/long length dread locs, etc). At times, chemical treatments are to blame. My daughter lost her entire hairline after a professional relaxer application. Thankfully, it grew back in.

SOME SIGNS ARE: Broken edges have puffy hairline of hair sticking up. No, that's not your "baby hair".  I also see the receding hairline where the whole hairline is gone and it starts further back than the hairline is supposed to. That may mean that the hair may be permanently gone at times. The tension from pulled back hair styling will also cause tiny little bumps to show up at the area that is being pulled too hard. The hairline may also become itchy. These are all signs that the hair is being pulled back too taut.

I notice with my youngest daughter that she has lots of broken hairs along her hairline. I recently put her hair into two strand twists for almost 1 month in an effort to give her hairline a break.

The styles that cause her hairline damage are any styling that has be be pulled back with tension. That would include buns, ponytails, puffs, and anything else that gets pulled at all day. I make a consistent effort to remove her hair from those styles with tension for bedtime. My niece also has broken hair along the hairline. This is not a permanent situation, the hair can be restored to it's original length, it's just going to take some time and the proper care.

Weekly styling of Dimple's hair will include deep conditioning, moisturizing, and hair styling that does not rely on a tension "pull back".

Here are a few ways to avoid breakage at the hairline:

• Pre plan the hair's texture. If it's not the plan to wear the hair out curly the next day, then the hair has to be stretched overnight (with braids, twists, bantu's rollers, whatever). This way, the next day the hair will be stretched and easily styled without forcefully being "pulled" into submission.
• Understandably there are chaotic nights were nothing gets pre planned, so here's what can be done in the morning. Wet the hair with water (not soaking, just dampen the hairline and wherever else you're gonna want to be easily manipulated. Use your favorite hold styling gel and apply that to the hairline. Brush the hairline back with a soft bristle brush. Guide the hair into the direction that you want. All of this is being done without tension so far. Just water and a styling product is making the hair sleek. Finally, use your hands and smooth the hair into the direction that it's supposed to go for the styling. Without pulling hard, secure the hair into the chosen style of your choice (one ponytail, two ponytails, ideas are limitless), and then secure with a snag free hair clip. Make sure all the while not to pull too tight. Ask yourself (or your child) "is this too tight?" or "will I get a headache?" You want to eliminate tension, while making the hair appear sleek by use of products and water.
• Wear loosely held styles or loose styles. I love two strand twists for the fact that they group the hair together, so that even if the hair is worn in a ponytail, it is not that easy to break off the hairline.
•  Long Length, Heavy Locs may need to be styled in a way that avoids constant pulling at the hairline. Half up, half down styles are great. Positioning a high bun will also avoid the stress from the length. Always wearing long, heavy locs down (or loose) will damage the hairline. 
• Short length hair should not use buns or ponytails as a styling option often. If there is not enough hair to leave some slack in the style, then it will only pull on the hairline and cause unsightly breakage.  

When I don't get a chance to properly care for her hair over the weekend so that she can wear it loose or loosely held, I pull it back into a ponytail or bun. Lets face it--buns and ponytails are a quick hair styling solution! And of course, it needs to be "neat", so it's pulled taut, and laid down with gel. This is a recipe for breakage.

DO YOU HAVE BROKEN HAIRS AT YOUR HAIRLINE? IF SO, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS TO AVOID FURTHER BREAKAGE AND FIX THOSE EDGES?

 The photo above (left) shows a distressed hairline. Little bumps, broken hairs, weakened volume at hairline. To give the hairline a break, all sorts of tension styling was eliminated by working in the direction that the natural hairline rests upon. Cornbraids (not tight), drop braids, and loose hair styling (like braidouts without any pulling) will help restore the hairline.


--------------as always, stay beautiful                   -----------------Tia

Tension Free Hair Styling

Two Strand Twists AND Fine, Thinning, Short Length Hair!

Protective Styling is Great For Hair Length Retention

After an exciting week of hanging out with the Sister In Law (or SIL) as she so "uniquely" put it LOL, we decided to try out some two strand twists. This mocha beauty has an even tighter coil than my last twist adventure that I did on my friend, Kay. My sister in law's hair somewhat resembles cotton. If I had to guess, it would be considered something of a 4C (you guys can tell how into the hair typing I am). NOT. I do, however, find the variety of curl shapes, sizes, weights, and all that good stuff to be pretty amazing.

Protective Styling (for example wigs), is GREAT for length retention....
It's extremely important to consistently care for coily hair even while it's being placed in a protective style. Two strand twists are excellent for easy care and maintenance of hair while not being manipulated for weeks at a time.


I want to capture some "specialty" twisting techniques via video. These techniques will address tightly coiled hair, hairline capture, and directing unruly twists. I also want to share how I "beef up" finer strand hair that has a course texture. I've come to find that course textured hair holds two strand twists THE BEST.

First up, her hairline has suffered some damage (I think courtesy of the weaves she used to wear quite often). She speculates that the hairline damage is as a result of bad relaxers. Either way, both procedures (weaves and relaxers) can tax the hair and cause damage if not applied safely and only on an occasional basis. I was not knowledgeable about how to work with a damaged hairline.

She has lots of breakage, and in some areas, the hairline is about 1/4'' in length. Add her strong shrinkage to the picture, and I definitely faced a new arena. I welcomed the challenge--since that meant I would get to put 2 strand twists on her sweeeet textured hair!

Here are the steps that I took in order to do 2 Strand Twists on Thinning, Short Length Coily Hair:

1. Dampened and then put some Olive Oil on the Hair. (pre poo). *I did this because I wasn't sure how her hair would react to the shampoo. This served as a sort of "buffer" between us and possible tangles!
2. Clarified (I used V05's Clarifying Shampoo). At first, I didn't get a lather. This was probably because she typically coats her hair with "Doo Grow", and then puts her hair under a wig. There was definitely product buildup on her strands. I Shampoo'd 2 times.
3. Deep Condition. I used my favorite home-made Avocado, Honey, Olive Oil, Mayonnaise Conditioner Treatment. AWESOME Results.
4. Steam Treatment for 20 minutes (with the Deep Conditioner on her hair). This helps to infuse the moisture into the strands. I also did this step because we didn't have time for her to sit with the conditioner on her hair for 1 hour.
5. Rinsed out the Deep Conditioner after steaming, then I conditioned (with Giovanni 50/50 Conditioner). Detangled with the conditioner on her hair (in sections). NO TANGLES! She says that her hair is not typically easy to detangle!
6. AIR DRY (a bit). T-Shirt dried the hair a bit. Blow Dry (Tension Method) a bit. KEPT THE TEXTURE IN HER HAIR. WILL NEED THE TEXTURE TO HOLD THE TWISTS PROPERLY.
7. Used Giovanni's Wicked Texture Sculpting Pomade to twist her hair. This allowed me to direct the twists where I needed them to go. Also, this helped to lay down her hair (which otherwise may have "stood up". This pomade is an all natural product that does not leave a residue, and seems to add moisture! I LOVE IT!

Want to "Fill Out" Sparse Hair Sections? Pinning Back the Hair Does the Trick

For those of you who are concerned about your "open forehead" section, this is what I did:

She has at least 4.5'' length in the front of her hair, however, her hairline is damaged. I sectioned off the front and directed the section that I would lay down towards her forehead. I pinned that section down so that it would air dry in the direction that I want it to (forward). This now becomes her bang area. I twisted her bang area using the Giovanni Wicked also, while directing the twists towards her forehead. After about 15 twists, I used bobby pins and pinned down the bang until it dried fully. When she sleeps with this, she will sleep with a satin scarf, which will further lay down the hair in the direction the style was done in.

After Air Drying, T-Shirt Blotting, & Finally Blow Drying Slightly

Now, because of her thinning areas (on the crown section), I chose to pin her hair back a bit. Pictures are a great way to track growth progress. I told her that if she kept the twists in for about 3 weeks, that would help her with length retention enormously! Also, if she's able to get her hair twisted once a month, this would be a nice break from the day to day wear and tear on her fine tresses. She lives in Georgia, so I wouldn't be able to twist her hair up, but I wish that I could!

Either way, she can wear her twist out or wear her wigs while her hair is cared for and placed in a low manipulation style. This will ensure length retention, and hopefully will allow her hair the fill out a bit more.

We will try to keep up and update on this coily haired angel's beautiful mane. I look forward to posting more information on her and her luscious locks!

Meantime...........................................................................................stay beautiful.

tia


P.S....I don't often see the Giovanni Wicked Hair Wax in the stores, so I buy mine online. If you don't find it in your local drug/grocery store, check out Amazon's prices.

Living With Alopecia: The Coily Hair Perspective

Living With Alopecia: The Coily Hair Perspective

Full, Thick, Healthy Hair Can Hide Alopecia

About 9 years ago, I saw 2 bald spots on my head full of relaxed hair. I remember clearly: I was at the hairdresser, who softly asked me if I was on any medication because she saw a bald spot "the size of a quarter" on my scalp. I won't lie, I freaked out. I went to the doctor immediately, and had them do blood-work. Nothing showed up on the labs, maybe a thyroid number slightly off--but nothing else. Especially nothing else to explain why my hair follicles were "under attack".

I harassed a dermatologist to inject me with steroids--so my hair would grow in quicker. And grow--my hair did. Before I even realized it, my bald patches (2 of them) had grown in quickly, and even caught up with the normal length of my hair. The dermatologist explained to me that my hair would have grown back without the steroid injections (but I was pretty impatient about seeing my bald patches go away).

Fast forward to today. I've got a head-full of curls now. My recent attempt at getting my curls flat ironed straight revealed a large circular bald spot (about the size of a half dollar)!

Alopecia Areata on Coily Hair

I won't lie, I'm not freaking out, but I'm not happy. If I wouldn't have been going through my hair "section by section", I probably never would have noticed this huge patch before it grew back in. I see lots of black "specks", which seems to be the hairs coming through. It's filling in nicely, and I probably don't have to go to the doctor, especially since I see the hairs coming back in. Even if they weren't coming back in, there is very little that can be done to guarantee that bald patch to grow back in.

I share this post for those of you who (are currently or) have experienced alopecia (there are a few different causes for the different types of alopecia). For instance, Alopecia Areata is speculated to be genetic, while Alopecia (traction) usually has external causes (like pulling, or tension on the hair). Some folks who suffer with Alopecia Areata struggle to figure out what they may have done wrong to cause this situation. Understand that it is totally out of your hands. Genetics and stress are the top causes for this type of reaction from the body.

Check out the helpful information below from www.niams.nih.gov.

Two Strand Twists on Thinning, Fine Coily Hair

Inflammation is a culprit in this situation, so I take care not to eat too much sugar, or bring stress to myself! Meanwhile, I will probably keep taking pictures so that I can track the progress. So far so good. I will soon be doing my favorite styling: 2 strand twists. I just recently did a set on my Sister In Law (picture above), and had to work through a few thinned out areas on the top of her scalp. The twists were positioned to cover her balding areas (not from alopecia). Two strand twists are a great way to ensure length retention. Thinning hair can be discouraging. There are numerous ways to work with thinning hair, and nurse it to health so that it will cover the thinned out areas/sections. But that's a whole 'nother post guys!

As always, Stay Beautiful!

------------------------------------------------------tia

What Is Alopecia Areata?
Fast Facts: An Easy-to-Read Series of Publications for the Public

Alopecia areata is a disease that affects the hair follicles, which are part of the skin from which hairs grow. In most cases, hair falls out in small, round patches about the size of a quarter. Many people with the disease get only a few bare patches. Some people may lose more hair. Rarely, the disease causes total loss of hair on the head or complete loss of hair on the head, face, and body.

Who Gets Alopecia Areata?

Anyone can have alopecia areata. It often begins in childhood. There is a slightly increased risk of having the disease if you have a close family member with the disease.

What Causes Alopecia Areata?

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease. Normally the immune system protects the body against infection and disease. In an autoimmune disease, the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks some part of your own body. In alopecia areata, the immune system attacks the hair follicles.
The cause is not known. Scientists think that a person’s genes may play a role. For people whose genes put them at risk for the disease, some type of trigger starts the attack on the hair follicles. The triggers may be a virus or something in the person’s environment.

Will My Hair Ever Grow Back?

There is every chance that your hair will grow back, but it may fall out again. No one can tell you when it might fall out or grow back. You may lose more hair, or your hair loss may stop. The hair you have lost may or may not grow back. Even a person who has lost all of his hair may grow all of his hair back. The disease varies from person to person.

How Is Alopecia Areata Treated?

There is no cure for alopecia areata. There are no drugs approved to treat it. Doctors may use medicines approved for other diseases to help hair grow back. Talk to your doctor about the treatment that is best for you.
The following are some treatments for alopecia areata. They may help hair grow back, but none of them prevent new patches of hair loss or cure the disease.
Corticosteroids:
Corticosteroids are drugs that reduce swelling and pain. They also affect the immune system. Corticosteroids may be given in three ways for alopecia areata:

• Injected in the skin
• Swallowed as pills
• Rubbed on the skin as a cream or ointment.

Drugs that are rubbed on the skin as a cream or lotion include:

• Minoxidil (5%)
• Anthralin
• Squaric acid dibutyl ester (SADBE) and diphenylcyclopropenone (DPCP).

Drugs that affect the immune system include:

• Sulfasalazine
• Cyclosporine.

Photochemotherapy:
In photochemotherapy, a person is given a drug called a psoralen, which is affected by light. The drug can be swallowed or rubbed on the skin. Once the drug is taken or applied, the area with hair loss is exposed to an ultraviolet light source. This combined treatment is called PUVA.
Alternative therapies:
Some people with alopecia areata try other treatments. These alternatives include acupuncture, aroma therapy, evening primrose oil, zinc and vitamin supplements, and Chinese herbs. Because many alternative therapies have not been studied in clinical trials, they may or may not help hair grow back. In fact, some may cause more hair loss. Talk with your doctor before you try alternative therapies.

How Will Alopecia Areata Affect My Life?

Alopecia areata does not make you feel pain and does not make you feel sick. You can’t give it to others. People who have the disease are, for the most part, healthy in other ways. Alopecia areata will not shorten your life, and it should not affect activities such as going to school, working, marrying, raising a family, playing sports, and exercising.

How Can I Cope With the Effects of This Disease

Living with hair loss can be hard. There are many things you can do to cope with the effects of this disease, including:

• Learning as much as you can about the disease.
• Talking with others who are dealing with the disease.
• Learning to value yourself for who you are, not for how much hair you have or don’t have.
• Talking with a counselor, if necessary, to help build a positive self-image.

Here are some things you can use to reduce the physical dangers or discomforts of lost hair:

• Use sunscreens for the scalp, face, and all exposed skin.
• Wear eyeglasses (or sunglasses) to protect eyes from sun, and from dust and debris, when eyebrows or eyelashes are missing.
• Wear wigs, caps, or scarves to protect the scalp from the sun and keep the head warm.
• Apply antibiotic ointment inside the nostrils to help keep germs out of the nose when nostril hair is missing.

Here are some things you can do to reduce the disease’s effects on your looks:

• Try wearing a wig, hairpiece, scarf, or cap.
• Use a hair-colored powder, cream, or crayon applied to the scalp for small patches of hair loss to make the hair loss less obvious.
• Use an eyebrow pencil to mask missing eyebrows.

What Research Is Being Done on Alopecia Areata?

Researchers are seeking a better understanding of the disease. Scientists are studying:

• Genes
• Hair follicle development
• Immune treatments
• Stem cells in the skin
• Medications.

For More Information About Alopecia Areata and Other Related Conditions:

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Information Clearinghouse
National Institutes of Health

1 AMS Circle
Bethesda,  MD 20892-3675
Phone: 301-495-4484
Toll Free: 877-22-NIAMS (877-226-4267)
TTY: 301-565-2966
Fax: 301-718-6366

This publication is not copyrighted. Readers are encouraged to duplicate and distribute as many copies as needed.

Wash N Go PERFECT: NO MATTER THE LENGTH or CURL PATTERN

 Immediately after my big chop, I began defining coils for a wash n go. I remember using Kinky Curly Curl Defining Gel. I got lots of shrinkage. Of course I knew NOTHING about defining coils. I still loved my coily, springy hair though.

When I started to experiment with Braidouts and Twistouts, I stopped doing wash n go's as much. I was working with about 6'' of natural hair, and my hair was just about to enter the "awkward" stage.

Too long for wash-n-go's (but not long enough to hang). Short, but not short enough to be put into a cute hair clip-free wash-n-go styling. The great thing about natural hair is the versatility. When I felt that my hair was not looking good in a wash n go styling, then I did braidouts/twistouts.

 So these next few pictures show me playing with Eco Styler Gel. One thing I love about Eco Styler Gel (well, I love a few things about Eco Styler Gel)--but the main thing is how it can help stretch coils. I wasn't used to the shrinkage that I was getting with my wash-n-go's, and the Eco is great for stretching. It washes out easily, and doesn't dry the hair.

I mostly did some sort of pinned back styling, not loose like I wear my coils now (for my w&g). For this post, I'll share the "good, the bad, and the not so good" LoL!

 I still didn't have my wash n go technique situated yet, but I was having fun. I was playing around with product combinations, and application techniques. Today I can say that I understand the wash n go texture pretty well (from wash to finish). There are a lot of factors that can effect the outcome of a wash n go. 

Figuring out my wash n go step-by-step works out great for me. I avoid white product build-up, can avoid too much shrinkage if I want to. I know how to avoid puffy wash n go's (if I want to).

In 2013, I'm about to start learning how to style on a wash n go! It may be easier now that I have about 17'' of hair to work with.

But enough about that, lets get back to our walk down memory lane...

The great thing about wash-n-go's is that the hair is kept in it's natural state. Usually no heat involved (although some people stretch the roots with heat). Wearing the wash n go is an opportunity to keep the hair moisturized. Don't get me wrong, there are products that are used for w&g's that are drying. Stay away from those products (for instance, hair gels/curl definers with alcohol or mineral oil).

In the next few pictures (below), I definitely notice length. I also notice that I start getting the "hang" of laying down my hair. It doesn't hurt that the new length is adding weight and assisting with the "laid down" look.

I start to use less clips and styling accessories to wear my w&g at this new length.

It seems that I'm past the "awkward" length for wash-n-go's, so I start to focus on perfecting the curl definition, the shine/sheen, the way the hair lays, and the texture (I don't like hard-hat curls). I don't mind some crunch to my hair (matter of fact, I need a bit of crunch to hold the curls for a few days), I just don't like when it feels like my hair is glued together.

I love to define curls and then use the ponytail to display them! It's a break away from wearing my hair down--especially when the time is hot. In the above picture, I defined my coils with Jane Carter's Curl Defining Product (can't recall the name right now). It's really great! It's just super expensive. But the ingredients make it pretty worth the money. When you rinse out a product like this from your wash n go, your hair is left soft and ready for it's next style!

By late 2012, I can say that I figured out the wash n go on my hair and on Dimple's hair. Her coils are pretty similar to mine.

So I encourage you to keep searching for your hair's favorite base ingredients to define your coils. No matter the length or the curl pattern (you just have to have a curl pattern). If you don't have a curl pattern, no worries--you can create them (that's a whole different post)!

Take the mystery out of defining coils. Yeah, I slowed down on doing w&g's when my hair was a difficult length, but I didn't rule them out. I'm glad I picked them up again, because I wouldn't want to miss out on yet another one of the MANY versatile and beautiful ways to wear coily hair.

GIRLS WITH COILS HAVE MORE FUN

When Co Washing Curly Hair Becomes a Nightmare

THE SCENE:

It's mid week, probably just came from the gym--I think I'll co wash my hair. For those of you that don't already know, co-washing is when hair is washed with conditioner instead of shampoo. It's a great way to put some moisture and do a bit of cleansing--without the risk of drying out the hair with shampoo. Co-washing is a great option for curly hair, which thrives on moisture.....unless....

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT..

I step into the shower, drench my hair, and add some conditioner to the ends (so that I can section my hair safely without breaking any ends). Some folks like to co-wash with their hair in big sized two strand twists or even braids. I'm not gonna cause myself any extra trouble--just wanna get in, clean up, and get out. Once I put my hair into about 4 sections, I run some conditioner (liberally) from root to ends. I use my hands to smooth the conditioner through well, then I use the balls of my fingers to massage my scalp.. I may even add some olive oil to my hair, and then I put that section into a mini bun. Once each of the 4 sections are bunned, I finish up in the shower (this gives the conditioner at least 5 minutes to penetrate and the steam to assist).

Now here's where the problem can happen. You ever co-wash and have shed hair tangled onto non-shed hair? It hangs so low, you don't know where it starts or ends--now you're tempted to rip it off, but you know better. FRUSTRATION BUILDS. 

When my once trusty conditioner fails to give any "slip", then my hair actually knots up and tangles, and the co-wash becomes a "hot mess". This may very well be the same conditioner that worked wonders just a few days ago. "What could be causing this drastic difference" you ask?

I'm so glad you asked! One possible culprit for a tangled mess during co-wash could be product buildup. I bought some "cheapie" conditioner to co-wash a long time ago (before I knew any better), and didn't check the ingredients to see if there were synthetics and other things that could coat the hair. Some synthetic ingredients coat the hair like plastic, and won't be removed without harsh sulfates or an apple cider vinegar rinse. 

If the hair is washed with synthetics during a co-wash (or after a shampoo), they will sit on top of the hair strands and make the application of any other product(s) nothing short of ineffective.  Buildup on top of build-up will result due to repeated c0-washing with synthetic ingredients. 

All of a sudden, the mid-week co-wash brings to mind tangles, knots, shed hairs and breakage. The worst part of this whole scene is the fact that the hair is most vulnerable to breakage when wet. During a co-wash, hair without slip from the conditioner will suffer breakage even with finger detangling alone.

I've heard quite a few curly girls say that they don't like to co-wash. If the whole idea of the co-wash is to replenish moisture, avoid dryness, and have an easy cleansing session, then what's the problem? Co-washing should not be a cause of hair breakage/thinning. 

Another possible culprit for damage during a co-wash could be thinned out, unhealthy hair. Hair that is already in a fragile state will not respond well to constantly being manipulated while wet. I've seen this happen firsthand. My daughter chopped off over 5 inches of hair in patchy sections (well, she was 4 years old when she did this), and every time I went to wet her hair I would get really nervous. The hair kept breaking whenever I would manipulate it while wet. As a result, I stopped manipulating it while it was wet. I did all of her de-tangling when her hair was dampened and coated with conditioner. This worked wonders for her hair health and length retention. Her hair has finally recovered from the fragile state.

A FEW CO-WASHING TIPS:

• Co-washing with build-up can cause tangles. It can even make carefully done finger detangling an impossible task. Probably won't get any "slip" from the conditioner, and knotting and or breakage can occur at the ends.

• The most successful co-washes are done on hair that has minimal products (or products that don't build up and put a coating on the hair)---and has been properly deep conditioned. Butters leave a film as well--maybe not working well with the conditioner for slip and easy detangling.

• Co-washing when the hair is fragile due to breakage (or choppy, thin layered sections). This type of hair is extremely vulnerable, and will break easily.

• Co-washing hair that has split and damaged ends. This hair will not separate easily, and may tangle, rip, and continue to split up the shaft

• Most times, I detangle only 4 times a month. I may co-wash 1-2 times during the week. Co-washing presents as high manipulation when the hair is loose. I especially love to co-wash when I have my hair in small sized two strand twists (still low manipulation). 

• When I co-wash, I do not use a tool to detangle. I use my fingers to detangle and pluck away any tangles. 

IN SUMMARY: The Co-Wash is great for relaxed, transitioning, and tex-laxed hair as well! A few main requirements for having a successful co-wash session appears to be the avoidance of product build-up, pull out shed hairs before they cause tangles, plus strong, healthy strands and ends!

THE Plan To Reach Waist Length in 2013: Coily Haired Length Retention

Blessed to see the start of another year, I want to wish all of you a happy, healthy, prosperous new year. The start of a new year is like wiping a slate clean. New beginnings, with so much opportunities. I remember last year's ideas and strategies for healthy hair and length retention. Of course, there were plenty more categories that strategies and planning were put  in place for self advancement, but there is not enough time in the year to cover all of those categories! Pertaining to hair growth & length retention, I've got a few fool-proof ideas for success in 2013, won't you join me!

Last year, I wanted to see length retention of 6''. I do believe I captured that.

March 2012

November 2012

In 8 months time (March 2012 through November 2012), I was able to keep a length gain of at least four inches. In the month of March, the longest lengths reach to the bottom of my bra strap. In the month of November, the longest length reaches approximately 3.5'' below my bra strap. I love how evenly everything is trying to grow. I don't think my hair will ever grow blunt (I wonder if anyone's does). My hair always grows into a "v" shape. I don't mind, as long as I'm not getting any breakage. 

So what are my plans for 2013 and reaching waist length? 

I can't believe it, but I could very well reach waist length this year!  I'm about 4 inches away from having waist length tresses! I've put together a plan, and I'll share it with you.

1. Detangle only during deep conditioning treatment (1x week)
2. Low manipulation styling (braidout/twistout worn all week until wash day, 2 strand twists, buns, etc)
3. Scalp massages (3x week). I have a tool that I use, will link it below. Scalp massaging feels like it stimulates blood circulation (which is very welcomed by the scalp for hair growth encouragement).
4. Keeping my scalp clean (I use amla paste for cleansing my hair and face)
5. No heat. I don't even feel like I need it anymore (Yeah, I was previously tempted from time to time). Now I will probably only put heat on my hair during my birthday and at the end of the year.
6. Trim only as needed
7. Steaming 2x week (helps with moisture levels/maintaining moisture)
8. Just have fun while it's growing!
9. Oops, almost forgot--cardiovascular exercises! 

I love my scalp massager. I got mines from the mall a few years ago, and paid about $10.00, but it's a good quality one. I see there are cheap ones for sale--don't bother, if the balls are not right or the "prongs" are not copper, it won't have the same effect. I found this one on Amazon, alongside lots of junkie ones, and this looks similar to the one I've been using. It's got nice size balls at the end of the massager, and a nice, sturdy handle. 

I use mine every other day, and will probably get hubby to massage my head with it, for that extreme spa experience! LOL Add the oil of your choice (like olive or coconut--or even an ayurveda blend), and you can't go wrong. If you don't have one yet, check it out--hey, you deserve some relaxation and "tingle time" :o)

This one has great reviews, and I see the product description--which gave me some good ideas on other ways to use mine. The benefits of massage scalp are numerous.

•  Definitely a stress reliever. 
• Also known to strengthen hair follicles (great for anyone experiencing weak hair strands, lots of shedding). 
• Helps relieve tension headaches (It does work--I've tried it). 
• The little balls at the end of the massager manage to get all the way to my scalp (a place where my combs and brushes have not been able to reach in a while) LOL!

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

Basically it is a low tech (no batteries, accessories or complicated instructions) copper handle with 10 flexible copper soft tipped copper wires. Here is the technique suggested by the Tingler manufacturer: Open, and bend the Tingler's wires in the shape of a pumpkin... think of the tines as long, thin fingers - allow them to gently, with no effort, graze your partner's head. The looser the fingers, the more goosebumpy or tickly the effect. Tinglers. If you're looking for a head scratch, just tighten the fingers. Slowly, lower the Tingler on the head, watch out for eyes, let the fingers touch the back of the ears, top of the neck, and up again - twist, turn, or let the fingers touch the top of the head and forehead. Make sure that you can see your partner's eyes, so you can easily avoid them. Don't jab, push hard, use to much effort, or try to overly control the movement of the Tingler. Less is more! Play, ask each other what feels good... it makes friends of strangers - take your Tingler to parties, gatherings, work, school, etc... To massage your BODY - instead of shaping the Tingler in a pumpkin or circle make it into a semi-circle, or rake, or think of it as an open hand with long fingernails - then gently touch your partner's back, arms, legs, necks, etc... great on skin or thin clothing