Q&A for How to Take Care of Relaxed African Hair

You should wait at least a few days for best results. However, waiting a week is ideal.

Eight weeks is standard for a retouch. You do not want to reapply a relaxer to an area that has already been relaxed; it is very likely to cause breakage.

Relaxed hair has been chemically straightened. The chemicals break the bonds in the hair, relaxing the curl pattern.

Relaxers are permanent. In eight weeks, you will have about an inch of regrowth and probably want a touch-up.

You need to use a purple shampoo because purple cancels out yellow. There are shampoos available for removing yellow from grey hair, specifically for after a relaxer has been applied, but any purple shampoo will work. Check online and your local beauty supply stores.

No, do not use regular soap, such as hand soap or body wash, to shampoo your hair. It is best to use a shampoo for your hair, which is inexpensive and can be purchased at your local beauty supply store.

Yes! Eat a healthy diet with lots of biotin, protein, zinc, and vitamin A, C, and D. These vitamins help your hair grow strong and healthy. Salmon is rich in vitamin D and protein, eggs contain biotin and omega-3, and avocados have a high concentration of essential fatty acids. In addition, eat sunflowers, almonds, yellow peppers, and sweet potatoes. Sunflower seeds are rich in vitamin E, and almonds have a high biotin and protein content. Yellow peppers are rich in vitamin C, and sweet potatoes help retain vitamin A. Include these foods in your meals as often as you can.

Your hair is most likely very dry. The way to solve this is to moisture your hair twice a day and wear a hair net to bed. Also, use deep-conditioning treatments alongside your normal conditioner. Don't wash your hair too often - no more than once a week until the dryness issue is resolved.

On average, everybody sheds about 100 hair strands a day, but if you're combing and you see big clumps, then that's probably not a good sign. My advice to you is to only detangle after you put a moisturizer in your hair, and when your hair is wet, detangle with conditioner in it and start from the ends to the roots. Keep your hair moisturized 24/7 so it won't shed and break so much. Start finger detangling.

Texlaxing would be great. It is leaving the relaxer on for a shorter time, so it won't be bone straight but will have texture.

Yes. It's very good, especially if you want full thick hair. You can use it as oil treatment.

Use a water-based moisturizer first, then use a natural oil like coconut, grapeseed, and avocado oil, and seal with a crème. Do not use so much that it weighs your hair down but this process moisturizes, helps hair lock to moisturizer, and keeps the moisture in.

Yes, alternating will ensure that your hair does not get too used to any chemical formula.

Some gel products can dry out hair, so if it's left on the hair too long, it depletes moisture. Once moisture is lost, hair can begin breaking and shedding, resulting in hair loss. Gel itself won't cause hair loss but be careful not to overuse it.

Yes, it should be fine. Co-washing a week ago should not have any effect on how well the relaxer takes.

No. It can damage the hair further by over-processing the parts around it.

After hair washing, in place of a drugstore conditioner, use Hellman's Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip dressing for a deep conditioning. Just apply generously to wet hair and cover with a plastic cap. Sit under a dryer for 20 to 45 minutes or for up to a couple of hours without a dryer. If hair is really damaged, you can leave it in overnight for ultimate conditioning. Rinse and style as usual.

I recommend Dark & Lovely. It relaxes faster than all the other relaxers, and it doesn't burn.

Yes. For best results, use the clay mask before you use a protein treatment. The clay mask will strip your hair to create curls, and the protein treatment will replenish your hair of lost nutrients.

Trim your hair often. Also, don't make too many changes to your hairstyle. The more changes and treatments you make, the more damaged your hair becomes.

Get a perm for curls. A perm is for permanent curls and relaxer will give you permanent straight hair.

Yes, along with Jamaican Castor oil and coconut oil. They are especially good for dry hair.

Yes, you can.

Yes, rinsing or washing your hair with rice water will improve manageability and prevent any future damage. Besides, the amino acids in the rice water strengthen the hair roots, add volume and make hair silky smooth.

Yes it does. Rice water has so many nutrients that are good for your hair.

If your relaxer did not last a while, you should deep condition your hair. Apply a deep conditioning cream, and let it sit on your hair for 30-45 minutes. Rinse it thoroughly with water afterwards. In addition, you can get a protein treatment to revitalize your hair. Even though the relaxer didn't work well, you should still wait about 8 weeks before you relax your hair again to prevent further damage.

Yes, it is. It's a natural oil that's used to moisturize the hair and prevent damage and breakage.

Wrap and set your hair with a wrapping lotion. Alternatively, roller set it. When you go to sleep at night, wrap it dry and tie it down with a silk scarf. This should help give your hair some body!

Yes, as long as you take care of it. It's also good because it's not pulling on your scalp as much and it's always good to let your hair breathe.

Your new growth is the healthiest and strongest part of your hair. By using protein too often on the new growth you risk causing protein overload, resulting in dry brittle hair. Instead, use moisture on the new growth and keep the protein focused on the relaxed ends. Tip: Do the protein test mentioned from root to tip the week before your relaxer.