No More Tears: Being Gentle with my Natural

     Before my relaxed days growing up I remember when my mom use to do my hair and I use to cry. I know some one out there is a witness!!! Oooooh, the pain of the comb raking through my kinky hair after shampooing, and my scalp would ache when I was getting cornrows, or twist was always a nightmare for me. Every tight grip to lock each flat braid would make my glutes numb up. I would be so uncomfortable from sitting on the floor, between her legs on a few pillows, oh child hood memories. Haaahaaa! I am not upset at my mother for those past experiences; I believe she had done the best to her knowledge of styling my textured hair.

     I use to always think the kinkier the hair the roughness should increase with combing and pulling the hair. Honestly I did! The excuses I used were, "My head is not tender" or "It doesn't hurt!" But as I became Natural again, I learned so much about my hair and scalp where I will do nothing else but treat it with TLC. I want to grow my hair longer and healthier so mistreatment is not a way to accomplish those results. My hair is precious to me. ...and plus my husband loves my hair, and when he plays in it, I do not want him touching scraggly hair. Oh no Honey!

Here are a few tips that I go by when I manage my hair, with no pain at all. Remember: I am not a hair professional; I can only inform you with research that I collect and also with what I have experienced since I have been natural. This is not a list of what you should do. I am just sharing what I do to maintain the painless styling of my coils, curls, and waves. 

#1.  When it is time to untangle, I try not to touch my hair while it is dry. Using a spray bottle filled with water and a few carrier oils, mixed with a leave in condition, or sometimes I add glycerin in it, I saturate my hair with it. (I use whatever I have available).  The moisture from the water brings the elasticity back into my hair and makes it softer and stronger for easy untangling. 

#2.  When styling my hair I always keep it in sections, mainly in fourths but sometimes a few more. This helps me moisturize each section and detangle not having to worry about my hair entirely. Doing this I concentrate on one section at a time. I do this while shampooing, co-washing, deep conditioning, styling, etc. I live by this method. If my hair is dry and I really need to detangle, I carefully make sure that I moisturize with water first, then I separate in sections then I carefully grab smaller sections rows at a time and smooth my hair out with my hands, using a liquid conditioner. I start from tip to root slowly stretching out my strands smoothing out the rough areas.

#3.  I try not to use a comb that much. If I do I have different kinds for different reasons. Mainly I detangle using my fingers, gently starting at the ends and working my way up. The shedding hair (the hair that has a white bulb on the tip) is what should be on my fingers, during this process, and not short pieces of hair (a result of hair breakage) I also found out the more I manipulate my hair with combs, brushes, and untangling tools, they promote split ends and that is what I am trying to correct or prevent from happening to my hair. Of course I can not escape split ends entirely but, I want to keep it to a bare minimum. 

#4.  Even while wearing protective styles, I treat my hair with care. Even though when wearing extensions rather it is wigs or sew-ins, easily I can forget and think, "My hair isn't showing so I really do not have to do anything to it." Yeah, and as soon as I take all those extensions down, I will be pulling my hair down and out right with it. This will lead to hair breakage and hair loss. So while I am hiding my hair, ends, and edges I make sure I extra moisturize. 

#5.  A Satin pillow case is a hair saver. It is gentle on my hair while I am catching my beauty rest. The cotton ones are a no-go for me, I will never sleep on anything other than satin. Some times I even forget to place a bonnet on my head, but I am fine as long as I have my trusty satin pillowcase.

#6.  PATIENCE, having patience help me untangle with ease. I try to live by the NO RUSHING POLICY, trust me it helps and works for me.

#7. When I shampoo, I keep my hair in sections and I shampoo with smooth, downward strokes as if I am applying a conditioner to my hair. This helps prevent frizz when it dries, and I found out that frizz creates tangles and we know that is no good.

...but, these are just a few tips I wanted to share that I do consider while trying to be gentle with my hair. I think of my hair as this delicate flower and that helps me to keep light with my heavy hands. I now have enough knowledge to take care of my Lizzy’s (daughter) hair without her feeling the detangle- method of pain. So with mentioning everything I would have to say, "No more Tears".  

Be Blessed.