[Harper Consults]

Help! We are an African-American family with a question about "hair breakage". My daughter experienced a lot of breakage (thinning from the hair ends) about 6 to 8 weeks ago after coming out of braids. The hair used was synthetic and coarse. Her hair is fine. So the braids simply "ate through" her weakest part. Until that experience, her hair - though fine - was healthy and without breakage. We recently placed her in braids for about 2 1/2 weeks after resting the hair for about 6 weeks. We used "100%" human hair, and still she experience breakage and thinning even further (yet, nothing as bad as before). Help! What's going on? Should I just keep her hair free from braids and cut it. Or deep condition it and place it back in braids as the process just works it was through and her strongest hair grows out. I am so frustrated, and my daughter is petrified of losing all of her hair. Please respond. Thank you in advance.

[adgeer]

Are the braids micro braids or cornrows?

My hair is fine and I'm also African Amercian. I would say that with fine hair microbraids are not that great for fine hair.

I would suggest weekly deep conditioning treatments and also some sort of protein treatment on hair every 4-6 weeks and follow that up with a moisturizing conditioner. Because of the curly nature of our hair, it is important for African Americans to keep hair moisturized.

I'm assuming that your daughter's edges are probably thinning, if so, try doing scalp massages (for about 5 minutes every night) on her edges with castor oil. Other essential oils that you can probably mix with it are jojoba oil, coconut oil, oil, etc. Natural essential oils can be purchased online or from any health food stores in your area. If you can't find other essential oils castor oil alone will work wonders.

HTH

Antonina