Sorry to tell you this, but hair past the scalp is dead hair. So no matter what you do to your hair, it ain't going to be healthier, except to other humans, like wash it reguarly. If you have dread locks, what filthy hair you will have, since you can't wash all the sweat and dead skin cells out while in such a condition. Healthy hair in the ads is false, as all hair past the scalp is dead hair. You can probably get softer hair or shinier hair by shamponing it with what ever, but healthier hair is crap.

As a Sista of color, I have looked into this issue before. In my research, I have come across info that suggest that African-American hair can be washed and conditioned every day just like European hair. I tend to do a wash condition (wet hair in shower in the mornings, put in conditioner, pin up and just go) type of thing in the summer months (I personally cant see doing the same during the winters of the Mid-west.) One of the worst things for our hair is HEAT. Blow drying and curling irons every day is what really damages our hair...so use the two sparingly. But here are a few sites dedicated to African-American hair. I hope this post will be a little more helpful than the previous post. HAPPY HAIR!!! http://www.ourhair.net/index.htm http://www.blackhairmedia.com/default.htm http://forum.blackhairmedia.com/default.asp http://www.afrohair.com/

If you are like most African-Americans, your hair is very dry and delicate. Depending on your particular hair style, you should wash and condition your hair once a week, or once every two weeks. Hair care products for other ethnicities are designed to remove oily buildup. But since African-American hair has the opposite problem, lack of oil, you don't want to strip your hair of oil by washing it too often. http://myblackhairjourney.bravejournal.com/

I wash and condition my hair every two weeks religiously and my hair is fine.Try it and see what happens.

I wash my hair with conditioner rather than shampoo. You might want to look into conditioner only washes. (Some people need a month to adjust to this.) It cleans without overcleaning and drying. You might want to deep condition once every two weeks and adjust to more if it's still dry or less if it gets limp. You can also try using shampoos that are milder and less stripping, shampoos without sulfates in them. It may be dead, but it doesn't have to look (or smell...) like it. By "healthy" hair, I usually take it to mean hair that is soft, shiny, not dry, and that has very few or no split ends. And not everyone with dreadlocks lets them get to a state where they're actually dirty/smelly/gross. It's up to the person how they take care of them. http://articles.pointshop.com/beauty/51026.php

ABOUT DEAD HAIR! Yes hair past the scalp is dead - like with most things on our earth. ANALOGY: Once you chop down a mahogany tree the wood is dead. However, if you don't use the best products (oils etc..) to condition it & seal in the moisture the expensive dead wood will become cracked and dry up. Silk is another material which is dead but you wouldn't use dishwasher powder to clean a Silk dress now would you??? WHAT TO DO ABOUT AFRO,CURLY, DRY HAIR! IMHO & as an Afro-Carribean: You must take care of your hair the same way you would with any other material. Use the most natural and Organic ingredients on your hair to lock in moisture. IMHO - If you can't EAT the ingredients why put it ON your hair and scalp. TRIED & TESTED METHOD: WASH Wash your hair once a week with a Shampoo Bar that doesn't contain SLES, propylene glycol or SLS or anything else that can dry our hair. CONDITION Deep condition with a NON protein conditioner as protein tends to dry hair out. http://www.anitagrant.com makes a deep conditioner mud with natural ingredients AND pure chocolate. I use those on my hair once a month and my hair is left fluffy & soft. HEAT Stay away from excessive heating products like pressing combs etc.. they will damage your hair. Imagine putting grease on and pressing the hair on your arms or legs - yes it will burn your skin so just think how your scalp feels... huh... GET RID OF PRODUCT BUILD UP ON YOUR SCALP Clarify your scalp to get rid of build up, flakes & dandruff. Use an inexpensive clarifying rinse mixture of Apple Cider Vinegar and water (I got the recipe from anitagrant.com the "Tips & Tricks" page) - do a Google on clarifying and Apple Cider Vinegar you will find LOADS of information. SEBUM - OUR NATURAL OIL Contrary to your beliefs our hair does produce natural oils it's called sebum. Every human being produces sebum. For those with straight hair sebum will travel from the scalp straight down to the ends. BUT for those with curly afro hair sebum the spirals make it difficult for our sebum to travel down to the ends that's why our hair needs that little extra attention. WEBSITES TO REFER TO: GREAT Hair Sites! If I were you I would check out a website called: http://www.nappturality.com or http://www.motowngirl.com GREAT Natural Hair Products! Then purchase organic & natural hair care products like those from http://www.anitagrant.com (my favourite) OR http://www.oyinhandmade.com (second favourite) that don't contain animal by products. READ THE LABEL With the exception of beeswax and honey (which are naturally preserved) animal by products like Lanolin are usually preserved with pesticides. Unless you want pesticides in your scalp I would stay clear of that. HAIR LENGTH Hair length depends on a lot of factors - eating correctly, excerise, where you live in the world (hot climate or cold) and how you condition your hair. PEACE

Every 2 weeks you wash your hair and don't blow dry it leve it wet and heat up Extra Virgin Olive Oil (evoo) for about 20 seconds and poor it in your head it may be a little hot for a few, but it goes away, then keep it in your hair for 30 min. and then sit under a hair dryer or use a hand healed drier so it can get hot, and then wash it out and do whatever you want from then on, and you can also every other day put greas in your scalp , what you do is, 1.)Part your hair 2.)Put greas in it 3.)Then put greas all over your head

Every day

Do research on essential oils. The more natural the better. Alot of products out there that claim they promote hair growth & healthier hair for Afro americans does not. Businesses are only trying to make money of the insecurites of black women. Essential oils like lavender are really good for deep conditioning but you will pay a pretty penny! Essential oils soften the hair. www.aromaland.com is a good website, oyinhomemade products are natural and very good, there are alot of sites out there you just have to research, research, research. Do not, I repeat, do not put grease on your hair or scalp! First of all it clogs your pours, secondly it attracts dirt to your hair and scalp. It is a myth that hair grease makes your hair grow! Don't beleive the hype.

I know it is late and years later but here is what I do: I shampoo during the first four months of the year and the last four months of the year every other week. During the middle four months I shampoo every week. I deep condition my hair every 6 weeks, and mild treatment my hair every 3 weeks *in between deep conditioning. :)

Hello Years later here is what I do I shampoo during the first 4 months and the last four months every other week. During the middle four months every week. I deep condition once every 6 weeks and mild treatment every 3 weeks * as long as it falls on a shampoo of every week or every other week. :)

Never put Grease in your hair.. Deep condition 1x a week Use natural products in your hair Moisturize daily condition daily leave in's you don't need grease! do this nite and morning are day!! cover at nite!! silk bonnet oil massages your hair and wash out by morning 1x a week here are some good ones to oil washing... alma,coconut,neem,shakiki,evoo,jasmine,rosemary esstential oil mix with any carrier oil etc... Always..........use apple cider vinegar are sage tea for hair rinses!! my hair and my kids hair are down our backs clean scalp healthy scalp don't let the product sit on your hair more than 3 days!!

hi sista/ afro hair like mine just get dried so quickly and for you much u try to keep it shining and looking fresh, it turns out to be a battle for us buut there is always a way-out , oh yea it is.. listen up> almond oil-white of egg-squeeze two or three lemons, depending on how long is ur hair, before preparing this formula, make sure u got a nice shampoo, organic shampoo are expensive but at least u are putting something real on ur hair rite.. well shampoo and after that rinse ur hair with plenty of water, next step is the formula, put that all over ur hair, leave it for 45 minutes , have a cap within ur hands to put it on for 45 minutes, make a come back to the bathroom and hit ur hair up with water, water and water ready to have a shining and healthy hair, my hairdresser went bananas when i went to have my hair done, she said how come it is ur hair so soft and shining..what did u put on ? she even took notes of this formula.. STOP BUYING CHEAP SHAMPOO AND USE ORGANIC SHAMPOO WHICH ARE MADE UP OF CITRUS LIMON-BLEND OF DIFFERENT OILS, NATURAL VITAMINA E to MENTION fews, this is what wat we need to feed our hair. stay healthy good luck sisters..