Don't miss: Survival Guide

How to Keep Beautiful Long African American Hair

Jan 14, 2012 / By Pamela Simmons

post comment

Pin It

Joy Bryant shows off her long hair at an "Essence" magazine event.

Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Growing hair long and keeping it that way is especially tough for lots of African-American women. Black hair is notoriously dry, and it breaks off faster than it grows sometimes. If you've tried in vain to grow your tresses, or if your hair is long and luscious and you want to keep it that way, you'll have to take extra special care of your locks so they'll stay strong and healthy.

Shampoo your hair once per week. Most black hair doesn't need to be washed any more often because it'll dry it out, but your hair and scalp do need to be clean. Dead skin cells and product buildup that don't get washed away actually inhibit hair growth, so cleanse, rinse and repeat at least once each week.

Trim your hair regularly. Many women have anxiety about getting a trim; that's because most have at least one horror story of a stylist "trimming" off way more hair than expected, but trims are necessary. They prevent split ends from splitting further up the hair shaft. So get your hair trimmed every six to eight weeks to keep breakage at bay.

Put healthy foods into your body. Vitamins B-6 and B-12 and folic acid strengthen hair and help it to grow. Take a visit to your local health foods store. Many brands sell vitamins specifically developed to grow hair. Omega-3s and protein also support healthy hair.

Condition, condition, condition. This is incredibly important. Deep-condition your hair twice per month. After you shampoo, apply a good deep conditioner, cover your hair with a shower cap and let the conditioner sit for at least 20 minutes. Even better, sit under a hooded dryer. Hot oil treatments are a handy alternative.

Apply a bit of virgin coconut oil to your scalp and hair every three or four days. It strengthens strands and encourages growth. Plus, your hair will be super shiny!

Avoid breakage-inducing heat styling. Skip the curling iron or flat iron some days in favor of styles that don't involve any heat. Try wearing your tresses in a cute ponytail or chic little chignon.