HAIR TODAY, GONE TOMORROW:  HAIR
Coarse Hair / Curly Hair

Coarse hair – hair that feels rough, is dull, hard to style, and fly-away – is not dry hair
and cannot be treated using dry-hair products. Most curly hair is in this category. While
this type of hair is most common in African Americans, coarseness occurs in every
gene pool. Actually, this kind of hair is very strong and is very healthy. Chemical
straightening will relax the shaft so it can be styled, but it must be repeated frequently,
which exposes your hair to stress.

1. Use alkaline-based products to soften the shaft. Use a shampoo without proteins,
balsam, or body-building ingredients. Breck and Prell are good shampoos.

2. Wash your hair with very warm water. If you’ve read the other sections, I usually
advise using warm or cool water. However, coarse hair, since it’s so strong, can
handle a warmer temperature.

3. Use a simple crème rinse – not a conditioner – with few ingredients.

4. Add your crème rinse to HOT water (you’re hair is strong – it can handle it!) and
double or triple the concentration recommended on the product’s label. Keep it on
your hair for at least 15 mins.

5. Rinse with warm water for a longer time than you’re probably used to. Take at least
a minute – 60 seconds are longer than you think.

6. Use a towel and pat your hair and gently absorb the water Don’t rub! You don’t want
to create friction that will roughen up the shaft.

7. Use a styling product. Your hair is ready to be tamed.

8. After you’ve dried your hair, rub a little facial moisturizer onto your palms and run
them through your hair. Then brush your hair to distribute the moisturizer.