Q&A for How to Stop Breakage and Damage to African Hair

It's likely that the cutting instruments weren't sharp enough for your hair. If you use dull cutting tools to cut your hair, it's going to split the hair as portions are trimmed off. Over time, the split ends travel up the hair and leads to breakage.

While it won't stop breakage, getting your hair dyed at a salon is a safer option than dying it at home.

If you want your to convince your Mom that you can do your own hair, you need to 'show off'. This means doing pretty hair styles effectively. For example, do a fishtail, French braid and so on. Do any hairstyle that looks good and takes knowledge of good hair care. If she can see you doing a good job in this respect, she might be impressed enough to agree to you caring for your own hair. Sadly, if she says no, you may have to wait for a couple of years but just keep doing good things with your hairstyles to show you're capable.

Oil is not a moisturizer. Try a water based moisturizer, one where the first ingredient is water.

You don't necessarily have to wrap your hair at night, just make sure you have have a satin pillow case so your hair won't get tangled and easy to maintain and comb in the morning. It is also depends on what style you have, because with a blow out or any type of flat iron, curling iron, etc., you are going to have to wrap your hair, but if you have just a regular blow-dried hair and used a protective style such as braids or twists, then just put a little coconut oil, avocado, Jamaican castor oil or any type of oil you have at night on your hair so it wouldn't be as dry and protect your ends by pinning bobby pins at the ends of it.

If you comb your hair and little bits of hair fall onto your shirt or shoulders then your ends are dry and breaking off.

It sounds like you may have dandruff. Wash your hair thoroughly and apply shea butter to the roots, and massage into your hair.

Try and trim the split ends of your hair and constantly moisturise it with natural products, depending on what type of hair you have. Make sure to comb the hair gently, too. This should keep your hair from both damaging and breaking.

Deep condition and wash your hair once a week. Trim your ends about half an inch every 6-8 weeks. Moisturize your hair regularly with oils.

Get recommendations from people with the same hair type as you and try them! Also, ask your hairdresser.

It depends on the maintenance and quality. However, it will be good to switch them out between 6-8 months.

The best way is to air dry it after dabbing it with a towel to remove some of the water (don't rub). If you have to blow dry it, be sure to use the lowest heat setting.

Use Jamaican black castor oil. It will moisturize and ensure rapid hair growth.

Your hair probably is moisture-protein unbalanced. If your hair is constantly dry, you need a good moisturizing deep conditioner, cover your hair with a plastic cap and sit (preferably under a hood dryer) for 45 minutes to an hour. If your hair is moisturizer but is still shedding, you need some protein ASAP. Get a strong protein treatment and follow the same deep conditioning instructions. Protein should effectively reduce shedding, but don't do it too often, once a month should be all you need.

It's generally good to oil your hair 4-6 times a week, but take care not to use too much. If your hair looks too oily, don't apply more oil.

Replace your shampoo with a cleansing conditioner or find a shampoo that is moisturizing and does not have sulfates.

Extend the time between relaxing sessions, and use Jamaican black castor oil.

Durags are better for people with close cuts, so if you have a close cut, then I'd say yes. If you don't, I would recommend a satin cap instead.

The best way to stop the shredding and breaking is to cover your hair in a satin cap and trim your ends. When you wash your hair also make sure to wash with rejuvenating shampoo that has oils. You can use tea tree oil when conditioning if you want your hair to shine and become very healthy. Also, do not use hard gels that dry your hair such as jam (this can cause your hair to break and dry).

Coconut oil is great, and it can be found in your local supermarket. Place a small quarter or nickel-sized amount in your hand and rub it together. Then apply it to your hair.

Continuously deep condition the hair almost everyday (every other day) and do a protein treatment once a month. Build a regiment based around cleansing conditioner and conditioner (I prefer Herbal Essences naked cleansing conditioner and conditioner) then deep condition (I use Palmers coconut deep conditioner). Then with your products go from thinnest to thickest: oil; leave in conditioner; moisturizer; curling cream; curling gel. Then add spray products: heat protecting spray; hair sheen oil; vegetable glycerin. Do this on dripping wet hair to seal in moisture. To replenish hair the rest of the week use the water and vegetable glycerin.

If your hair is fine at the bottom/ends, that is a sign you should get your hair trimmed. If you are trying to transition from using perms back to your natural hair, there are plenty of protective styles you can use without getting weave, like individual box braids, cornrows with different designs, or crochet braids/twist. You can google "protective hair styles" and find ones you would like to try. Also, try not to use heat on your hair, even when drying, and make sure to moisturize and deep condition your hair. Also, use a protein treatment. Find which products work best for you as everyone's hair reacts differently.

No, they are not the same. Keratin treatments temporarily straighten the hair for 6 weeks. While it does restore keratin, a form of protein into your hair, they are different. Protein treatments are done to restore protein in hair that is "mushy", but it does not alter the curl pattern like keratin.

Try trimming your hair and then getting a really good hair conditioner that moisturizes really well. Add a heat protecting product to your hair before applying any heat. If this doesn't work, maybe you should grow it out and chop your ends, and find a salon where their dye options aren't too damaging.

Your hair is growing, but it isn't showing because your hair keeps falling out and breaking at the ends. If your hair sheds a lot, try to keep it in hairstyles that don't need to be brushed constantly. Don't wash your hair more times in a week than you really have to. Also, don't apply conditioner to your scalp when washing your hair; it can clog your hair follicles and cause the hair to fall out.

I can't imagine how it could be bad, except that it may be putting strain on your hair strands to bend in ways that they are not built to. I really doubt this would be a problem, though.

Yes, it does. Being hydrated can keep your hair healthy.

If you have experienced hair loss in this area, use castor oil to help with growth. Avoid braiding hair tight in the front.

Avoid harsh shampoos, or just avoid shampoos altogether. You may want to consider trying conditioner-washing your hair instead. Use conditioners with ingredients like humectants, because humectants attract moisture to your hair strands. Use oils like coconut oil after, to seal in moisture. Washing hair too often may damage your strands further.

You need to cut split ends off above where they start to split to prevent further breakage.