Washing African Hair
A: Congratulations on your upcoming adoptions! Learning to care for your daughters' hair is an important part of welcoming them into your family, and it's wonderful that you're thinking ahead about their needs.
When it comes to African hair specifically, you'll be working with a completely different hair structure than what you might be familiar with. African hair has a unique composition that makes it both beautiful and requiring of specialized care. The hair shaft tends to be more elliptical rather than round, which creates natural curves and kinks. This structure makes the hair appear coarser than Caucasian hair, but it's actually more delicate and prone to breakage. The curved structure also makes it harder for natural oils from the scalp to travel down the hair shaft, which means African hair tends to be naturally drier.
Another important difference lies in how the scalp functions. African scalps typically produce less sebum (the natural oil that keeps hair moisturized) compared to Caucasian scalps. This means that while someone with straight, fine hair might need to wash daily to avoid looking greasy, African hair actually benefits from retaining those natural oils much longer.
For your daughters, most hair care experts recommend shampooing only once or twice per week, unless there are special circumstances that require more frequent washing, such as excessive sweating from playing outside, getting into messy activities, or if they have a scalp condition that requires more frequent cleansing. Over-washing can strip away the limited natural oils their scalps produce, leading to dryness and brittleness.
However, while shampooing should be infrequent, conditioning should become a regular part of your routine. In fact, many families with African hair find success with daily conditioning, even on non-wash days. This process, sometimes called "co-washing" or conditioner washing, involves rinsing the hair with warm water, applying a moisturizing conditioner, and gently working it through the hair with your fingers before rinsing with cool water. The conditioner helps maintain moisture levels and keeps the hair manageable and soft.
For your four-month-old, her hair care routine will be much simpler since babies typically have very fine, soft hair regardless of ethnicity. You can probably get away with washing her hair just once a week with a gentle baby shampoo, followed by a light application of a natural oil or baby-safe moisturizer if her scalp appears dry.
Your three-year-old will likely have more developed hair texture, and this is where you'll really start to see the unique characteristics of African hair. At this age, establishing a gentle routine will help prevent tangles and breakage. Consider sectioning her hair during conditioning to ensure even distribution of products, and always detangle when the hair is wet and saturated with conditioner, starting from the ends and working your way up to the roots.
©Hairfinder.com
See also:
Can daily shampooing dry hair out?
What is the right schedule to follow for washing the hair each week?