Many women feel discouraged from rocking their natural hair and we are talking about afro hair, for the longest time because of myths that are simply untrue. It is either said to weaken your hair over time or cause excessive hair breakage among other things.
We hear these stories from our friends who have had one or two bad experiences, the lady at the salon or even just a total stranger on the internet! It is important to note that there is a variety of hair types and textures like 4A-4C textures, curly hair, coily hair, wavy and straight hair. You need to learn what type of hair yours is and start learning how to nurture it accordingly.
We try so many methods to a point when a few don't work, having natural hair is said to be the reason. If you’ve wanted to know whether any story you have heard about having natural hair is really true or just a myth, here are a few of the myths:
1. Natural hair makes you look unprofessional.
Many women have either had a hassle trying out what hairstyle to have their natural hair on to look as professional as possible to work, or what wig they can wear to work to cover up their natural hair because it does not look 'official'. There are so many hairstyles one can wear neatly and proudly at work or any official event and can last a few days if well-kept. It should nonetheless be commonly knowledgeable that all hair types are as professional as they can get no matter the texture or style.
2. Shrinkage makes hair weak.
Many may actually confuse hair getting frizzy to shrinkage. Frizzy hair is when your hair has a mass of small tight curls that can actually mean bad news for your hair. Having a great double-lined shower cap, in the shower can prevent that. Shrinkage, on the other hand, is actually a part of being natural so you should not be worried. A few methods to stretch out your hair like African threading or banding from time to time can easily fix that. However, if you prefer to use a heat method, use minimal heat after applying a heat protectant to your hair.
3. Oils moisturize your hair.
What oils mostly do is seal whatever is on your hair. If your hair is dirty, the oil just seals the dirt. This explains why it is important to use water or a water-based mist before applying oil to your hair when the hair is clean. That way you seal in extra moisture in your hair.
4. Natural hair grows faster if you put on protective styles.
Protective styles such as braids and twists mostly help with retaining the length of the hair rather than increasing the length since they are low manipulation. The protective hairstyles just retain the hair that would have been lost through combing or high manipulation.
5. The most expensive products work better.
Everybody’s hair varies, depending on the texture and curl pattern, so the cost of a hair product has little bearing on how effective it’ll be on your hair. The ingredients of the hair products are what matters the most. The best natural ingredients to look out for are Seaweed powder, avocado oil, tea tree, and vitamin B3 among others.
6. Natural hair is hard to manage.
What might be a task is transitioning from relaxed hair to natural hair due to the different ways of caring for the two hair textures. Yes, natural hair does not lay flat but that is how it is meant to be in order to highlight you uniquely.
7. Afro hair is tough
Having a tighter curl pattern which can easily make your hair seem denser cannot exactly be classified as being tough. Most people mistake dry tight curl pattern hair for tough hair. It can easily be fixed by adding a little more attention to it by having a haircare routine or a well-defined washday routine. The climate and products used on hair can also participate hugely in the hair texture. Hot and dry climates can easily damage the protective layer in your hair that helps retain moisture, making your hair feel drier most times.
8. Natural hair doesn't suit everyone.
For most people, it may take longer to know how to work with and care for your hair. It is simply a learning process. This should however not mean your natural hair doesn't suit you. Every natural hair texture and curl pattern is best suited to complement its owner. Everybody should always feel proud to rock their hair!
At least 85% of people worry about how to keep their hair as neat as possible in its natural state to avoid getting shamed for its natural state. Practicing taking care of our natural hair is an important form of self-care because through this process you are able to learn to understand your hair and learn your hair needs. Let's get rid of these myths by promoting hair care by rocking our hair in its natural state more often!