Healthy Hair 101

"Letter to the Editor"

Dr. Yakini,

I am in the beginning stages of trying to take care of myself: skin, hair, and body.  So you can imagine my joy when I saw your website!  My question is about my hair. It is soooooo thin. What do you recommend to aid in thickening it up? 

I'm in the process of washing and deep conditioning once a week now so we shall see if this helps at all.  Are there any special conditioners you'd recommend?  What about vitamins?  Hair tips!  Anything would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks again for creating the site and I'm looking forward to all of your updates and advice.  I will be sharing your site with all of my friends!

Thanks

Dear Reader,

Thank you for the lovely email!  I am always happy to share healthy hair tips from my regimen with you and the other ladies of GHW®.  Be mindful, however, that I have extremely fine-textured and soft, type 4a hair that is mildly relaxed.  So I designed my regimen with minimal manipulation in mind, as this is what has allowed me to retain length while also thickening the hair shaft.

I encourage you to use these tips as a guide to help you develop a personalized regimen, based on your own hair type and needs.

---

Overview

As I've indicated, my hair is naturally very fine/thin and that is genetic.  However, prior to 2005 it was thiner and limper than it had to be.  This is before I joined the on-line hair community and learned to properly care for it.  At this time my hair was seriously thin and over-processed, primarily from relaxing too frequently and also indulging in one too many Dominican blowouts.  Further, the ends were split and raggedy.  [Aside: I am a major advocate of Dominican salons today.  However, now I only get the roots blown out after a rollerset].   

In August 2005 I made the decision to start taking better care of my hair, stop relying on extensions for length, and do only what works for me, rather than following the advice of a stylist or hair magazine.  It was at this time that I began to discover the factors that were keeping my hair thin and contributing to breakage. 

---

Past Mistakes

• roughly combing my hair every day, throughout the day
• wrapped my hair every night, in the SAME direction, and securing the wrap with a BRUSH
• relaxing my hair every 6 weeks, and sometimes a few days sooner, if I felt that it "needed" it
• using a regular touch-up, when all my hair ever needed was mild
• playing in my hair with my fingers (combing through it absent-mindedly and/or twirling it around my fingers)
• failing to wear protective styles (i.e., wearing it down often, so that the ends were frequently brushing against my rough cotton coat or shirt)
• not moisturizing properly, especially not the ends. This resulted in dandruff and dry, rough ends that would break easily
• trimming too much and too often. A good trim 1-2 times per year is all you really need... that is, if you protect the ends and DUST them regularly to remove splits
• dying my hair, using permanent dye with bleach, repeatedly, several times a year (out of sheer boredom)
• using a curling iron on a daily basis

---

Since embarking upon my healthy hair journey in 2005 I've picked up some really valuable tips.  I am pleased to note that my hair is substantially thicker and has also reached waist length!  I attribute this progress to a number of reasons:

Thicker, Healthier Hair

*Note* These are tips that work for me.  Various hair types require varying levels of care, so make sure you tweak your regimen and do what works for yours!

Drink lots of water and eat a healthy, balanced diet! Healthy hair begins from within. Your hair, skin, AND nails will thank you!

Sometimes it isn't possible to get all the nutrients our body needs from our daily diet.  Vitamins will complement your diet as well as help to stimulate your hair's growth rate.  I suggest taking a multi- and hair vitamin.  I recommend:
Biotin (10 mg)
One A Day For Women
B-100 Complex (optional)

Avoid DIRECT heat at all costs. That includes flat-irons, blow dryers, and curling irons.

In lieu of direct heat, roller set under a hooded dryer (indirect heat) to dry, with large magnetic rollers. Then finger tousle, rather than comb out, your hair... as the curls fall naturally, this makes for a really sexy, big, wavy look! Very "Charlie's Angels."

Pin curl your hair at night to maintain that fresh-out-of-the-salon, bouncy look. For a curly/roller set look, make the pin-curl smaller. For a looser, wrapped look, make the pin-curl looser..... OR just tuck the hair under your satin bonnet and sleep with it loose.

Shoulder Length Ladies: When hair is shoulder length it's even MORE prone to breakage because it's in contact with your clothing. The frequent rubbing against rough wool and cotton is fraying those ends!

Avoid wrapping if you can (especially fine-haired ladies). Over time, it may thin out your hair on one side. If you MUST wrap, alternate directions nightly.

Try "stretching" your relaxer.  See if you can go 2-3 months instead of <6 weeks. This prevents overlap of the chemicals onto the previously relaxed hair, and avoids weakening of the hair.  Eventually, your hair will be stronger. There are some women who can stretch for 4 months plus. Do only what works for YOU. I find that stretching this long isn't good for my fine hair, so at the most i'll stretch for 8-9 weeks.

Go with the mildest relaxer that you can! How do you really know that you need that super.... or that regular? If a milder relaxer can straighten your hair to your liking, then opt for this one!  I recommend experimenting with a milder relaxer for one touch-up just to see how your hair likes it. 

As long as the ends of your hair are exposed.... they aren't protected!  During your grow out process, they should be seen only rarely. Find a style that allows you to moisturize and tuck those ends in.  (Click the thumbprint to enlarge image of my protective style).

Be creative AND frugal! Use what's in your kitchen.  Add eggs or mayonnaise (protein) honey, ripe avocado, coconut milk, or coconut/olive oil (softness/silkiness/moisture), crushed garlic (prevents breakage), or cayenne pepper (stimulates scalp) to your conditioning treatments for at-home special pampering treatments!

Dust as needed.  I haven’t had a "major" trim in years.  And I really don’t need it! If you protect the ends well, all you'll require is an occasional dusting. You'll NEVER see growth if you allow your stylist to give you a trim with every touch-up! While fresh, bluntly cut ends are attractive, be mindful that this is an aesthetic preference and has very little do with growth!*

If the ends have already split or thinned you have no choice but to cut them.  Best to get rid of the damaged ends now....then protect, protect, protect! The good news is that after one GOOD trim, all you'll need to do is dust for maintenance from that point on.

Try not to comb your hair every day! The less you comb/manipulate your hair, the less your ends risk breaking off (especially during the early phases of your hair journey, when your hair is still vulnerable/damaged). The growth that you retain will be well worth it! Combing when wet is best for me.  When I do comb dry, I use a soft, medium- to wide-toothed comb.  If you can find a seamless comb, even better.

Whenever possible, avoid brushing your hair.  The bristles of a brush are harsh and may snap your hairs, resulting in unnecessary breakage. 

Your hair is made up of about 70% Keratin Protein. Essentially, you NEED protein for healthy hair! If you don't think you are getting enough protein in your diet, then add a protein shake. In the past I've drank Perfect Zero Carb Isopure Whey Protein in mango peach.  It is delish! Have fun and throw some fresh fruit and honey in it!

My hair responds well to strong protein, but that does not mean yours will too.  I use Aphogee Treatment For Damaged Hair every 10 weeks, but I may sometimes use a milder protein treatment in between.  I like the ORS Hair Mayonnaise as a pre-shampoo treatment. Topical protein is just as important as internal protein!

Deep condition your tresses at least once per week, for a minimum of 15-20 minutes.  I exclusively use Dominican products (Aceite de oliva shampoo by Capile or Nacidit, Aceite de oliva rinse for detangling, Avocado Cream Conditioner with cholesterol for deep conditioning).  However, there is a wide array of shampoos/conditioners on the market, and I urge you to do your research, experiment with a few, and find what your hair likes/responds to!

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!!!! This is a 2-Step Process: moisturize & seal.  African-American (Type 3-4) hair is naturally drier than Type 1-2 hair.... so it's important that we keep our hair moisturized in order to retain our growth. Otherwise, it will grow.... and then break right on off.

Still not getting enough moisture? You may want to consider "baggying" your entire head at night. Here's how a frugal lady like me baggies: I use one of the cheapie plastic caps from the drug store, or saran wrap/plastic grocery bag if I've run out.  Moisturize as usual, bun loosely, wrap the plastic around my head closely, and put on my silk scarf to secure. You will find that your hair is slightly damp in the morning, and that's okay. In the morning your hair is already styled (the same bun from last night) and all you need to do is use your fingers to "clean it up," i.e., lightly scrape back any hairs that are awry. The brush/comb does not need to touch your hair at all during this process.

Shedding is natural. A shed hair is long (the length of a full strand) and has a bulb at one end. Breakage is NOT natural! If you are finding short, broken hairs on your shirt and/or the floor when you comb or style this may be an indication that you are lacking protein, moisture, or BOTH!

Consider using Henna, especially if you have FINE strands like me.  Henna thickened my strands substantially, and also added a lovely, subtle auburn tint. It was somewhat drying, so I did have to increase my moisturizing to counter this. At one point I was using the Henna weekly, then my schedule no longer permitted.  After I stopped the results of the Henna lasted for a few months, and then I found that my hair reverted to its natural finer texture. Refer to my Henna article for more about my experiences with this.

Treat yourself sometimes! Although I am a major advocate of protective styling, I do wear my hair out on the weekends and special occasions.  I find that wearing a bun, or similar updo, is an attractive, conservative look for work.  However on the weekends it's fun to "let my hair down" in every sense of the word. I encourage you to do the same! 

---

*More On Trimming

In the past I trimmed with every relaxer, per my stylist's suggestion. I had been conditioned to believe that this is what you are "supposed" to do. Thus, although my hair "looked" and certainly was healthy, I was not seeing any growth at all.  Essentially, my stylist was trimming off the 1/2" of new growth I got monthly.... so I never saw a difference in length.  My hair remained at one length for years.

These days I wear my hair in a protective style Monday through Thursday, which keeps the ends free of most destructive elements.  For the last several years I have only gotten my ends "dusted," as needed.  I dust about 3-4 times per year, and I find that is plenty.  I realize now that anything more is excessive and would only derail my hair goals.

The lesson learned: While fresh, bluntly cut ends certainly do look nice, as long as you roller-set your hair, protective style a few times throughout the week, wrap/roll it at night, avoid direct heat, and keep it relatively healthy.... you should be able to avoid most split ends, and a trim with each touch-up becomes unnecessary.

---

Concluding Remarks

Achieving healthy hair is a process and it does take time.  However, if you are reading this article and have reached the end, it means you have decided to take back control of your hair, as I took control in 2005.  Congratulations to you!  That is the FIRST step, and a very important one. 

In this article, I have listed many practices that you can begin to incorporate into your regimen that will ultimately result in thicker, healthier hair.  The last, and perhaps most valuable, piece of advice I will give is to have fun and enjoy your hair journey, every step of the way!  It is amazing what you will learn, about your hair and also about yourself, as you evolve and grow in this journey.

---

Dr. Yakini is a clinical psychologist and freelance lifestyle writer living in Brooklyn, NY.  She owns and edits Girly Home Webzine®, the online magazine for ladies living siddity in the city.

CLICK HERE to return to the Home Page.

Comments

[Yvette]

Hi Kinikakes!
Thank you so much for allowing your advice to be viewed publicly. I greatly respect you for wanting to help and I think your hair is just STUNNING. Thanks again!Happy hair growing to you!

[Saleemah AKA Godsflowerrr]

Wow! I was soooooo excited when I saw your site!!!!! Congrats to you and I'll be saving this site in my favorites! Also congrats to you...now u r a doctor!!!!!!Yeaaaaaaah! I heard the news! I'm so happy for ya...do your thing and stay beautiful as always!
Blessings always,
Godsflowerrr

[CreoleInDC]

KINIKAKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Soonergirl]

Thanks for this wealth of info.Glad you will continue with your updates, that we all look forward too!! We appreciate you...

[lovinlife]

I love hennalucent. I am not sure how much henna it contains but my hair is changed whenever I use it.

[desire]

Hi Kinikakes, I read on the LHCF that you take Nioxin as well as 7.5 mg of Biotin per day. I just started taking Nioxin and I also take 5,000mg of biotin. Can you tell me how to manage such a high level of biotin without ache breakouts? I think I get a two or three pimples a day. How much water to you drink? Do you split your dosage up throughout the day? or take it all at once. Your help/feedback is greatly appreciated.

[liz]

Hi, Kinicakes, I was wondering what your pre poo treatment is that I've heard so much about? Could you please tell us more about it.

[jerszigirl91]

thanks you really helped me out alot...im 17 and just actually started to realize the health of my hair is very important. Also, i realized that for my hair to be manageable i dont always have to straigthen it..i can rock my curls and still have well taken care of hair...actually i think it is easier to take care of my hair when its in it natural state...well thanks again=)
o and you should put up more tips!!!

[Nucie]

I am trying to grow waist length hair (my hair grows a little over 1 inch per month) and I am trying to do the cowash thing, but i can't seem to understand how to maintain my hair when it is wet 90% of the time and is this a healthy way to go. please help!!!

[Kathy]

what is the cowash thing?

[Zanee]

Doc...Guuurrrlll, U are one beautiful sister. And congrats on ur doctorate...I wish u continued success! I read ur short bio to my daughter (who is 14) and let her see how
pretty u are, so that she can see education and beauty go
hand in hand! Keep up the good work!

p.s. I'm a georgia peach! I live in NYC tho!

[Tomi]

Hi, in regards to you comment about moisturizing and sealing, what products do you suggest for moisturizing and sealing. My hair is also fine and Im looking for moisturizers that wont weigh my hair down

Thanks!

[Alcoholic cocktail recipes]

Good hair... very interesting!!