5 healthy tips to care for our daughters' hair

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Healthy Hair

Wednesday, 27 April 2011 00:00

Photo credit iStockphoto

Proper hair care helps girls develop positive self-image

By Nichole Nichols, My Salon Scoop writer

Hair-nistas know how to keep things fresh, fierce and of course healthy when it comes to their own hair; however, caring for your little girls' hair and teaching them how to do so is a different story.

This doesn't have to be a challenging task. Following the five tips will help you and her discover a fabulous look that's all her own.

Moisturize
Regina Mumford, stylist for Northeast Beauty Salon in Greensboro, N.C., says one of the biggest mistakes parents make is not keeping their daughters' hair moisturized and supple. "Get deep-conditioning treatments and oil or grease their scalp."

Atlanta-based freelance hairstylist Telice Adams urges parents to adopt a regular deep-conditioning schedule.

"Deep condition her hair at least twice a month. This conditioner will soften, detangle, protect and moisturize her hair deep within her hair shaft," she says. "Leave this treatment on for about 25 to 30 minutes under a plastic cap. Then, rinse with cool water to seal the moisture into the hair shaft."

Adams sells natural hair products and services through her website, CocoaCurls.com, and recommends Darcy's Botanicals Deep Conditioning Mask ($20).

Wait with relaxers
When it comes to little girls, a relaxer is not always the best answer.

Shannon White, a stylist who specializes in hair care for children and salon owner of Braided to Perfection in Calumet City, Ill., believes that putting a relaxer in a child's hair is a parent's No. 1 mistake when it comes to hair care.

"Parents may feel that their child's hair is course or unmanageable; therefore, they give the child a relaxer. Without proper hair care and products, relaxers can be damaging to the hair," White says, adding the best product to care for relaxed hair is KeraCare.

However, she would prefer parents not to chemically alter their children's hair. Instead, keep the hair natural and shampoo, condition and oil the scalp regularly.

Products of choice: Murrays CoCoSoft Coconut Oil or Blue Magic Coconut Oil Hair Conditioner. White says she's tried the expensive brands, but after 12 years of working with children, tried-and-true products gave her the best results. "What works on 90 percent of my clients' hair is Blue Magic. It's old school, but it works."

Make hair easy to comb
Hair time can be easy when parents use the right products and know the proper way to comb their children's hair.

"Parents can find a detangler such as Johnson's (No More Tangles) Detangling Spray. Use a wide-tooth comb or paddle brush to remove tangles," White says. "Parents should part the child's hair in small sections and comb the hair beginning at the ends and work their way up to the scalp."

Stress-free styles
Keeping the stress on your daughter's hair to a minimum is key to ensuring its growth, so opt for styling tools and accessories that are gentle on hair.

Photo credit iStockphoto

"Try and avoid breakage on your little one's hair by not pulling the hair back too tightly or too regularly," Adams says. "Also make sure you cover her hair at night with a satin or silk scarf, avoid bonnets because these have a tendency to slide and cause hairline breakage as well. Also beware of barrettes and clips that snag and pull. Use hair accessories that are gentle on the hair and that don't have metal clasps on them."

She also advises parents to try braided or twisted styles that require little to no styling for a couple days to avoid breakage. White gives these "play-proof" styles her thumbs up.

Create age-appropriate looks
Because TV, videos and film play a huge role in young girls' development, parents must help their daughters decipher what hairstyles complement their daughters best without aging them. But how do you share this sentiment with your girls without them feeling like you're cramping their style?

"I would tell them that you can wear that hairstyle, but it will be a shorter length or it won't be as exaggerated," Mumford says. "I would just tell them that I feel like they need to wait. You have to take control."

She also suggests allowing the stylist to offer suggestions on a similar style that's trendy, yet appropriate. "We can make it meet in the middle. Not too grown (looking), but a young teen look."

With proper guidance and support, your little girl will start to develop her own style and take pride in her appearance. Doing so will bolster her confidence and self-image.

"Love your daughter's hair and teach her to love it as well! Regardless of the texture or length, it is absolutely beautiful!" Adams says.

Nichole Nichols is a freelance writer who has written previously for MySalonScoop.com as well as Pink Magazine. Check out her blog, Reasons and Roses. She is based in Greensboro, N.C.