The Fight Against Dandruff cont. My Story

     I have recently self-diagnosed myself with either Seborrheic Dermatitis or Psoriasis (both conditions cause a severe case of dry scalp and dandruff).  Since I was a little girl, I struggled with the fact that my dandruff was abnormal in its abundance.  I remember countless sessions of laying in my mother or sister's lap while they scratched the dandruff out of my hair.  As I type, I can imagine readers wincing at the thought of this seemingly painful practice; however, I can assure you the sessions were so regular I felt nothing and even came to see it as somewhat therapeutic. 
     The switch from relaxed to natural has made my struggle with dandruff and dry scalp more intense. Since natural african american hair is dryer than other hair types, I have begun to lose the fight against dandruff. Searching for oils, shampoos, sprays and basically anything that will offset the white specs that inhabit my scalp and hair strands has drained me of money and hope. 
   All in all, comments such as "You need to wash your hair." and "What's that in your hair" have begun to hurt and I have to  find a time efficient, affordable solution.

Click the photos below to get a better view of my scalp issues

Protective Styling

PROTECTIVE STYLING: styling the hair to protect it against damage from various elements such as heat & breakage. Women with natural & relaxed hair turn to this method of styling because if done correctly, protective styles can assist with retained length and healthy hair. In some cases, protective styling also gives us a break from our day-to-day hair routines. They can last for any time span from a week to even 3 months!!!

CAUTION: Protective styling does not indicate that we can simply stop taking care of our hair. Our hair still requires moisture and care in order to thrive; even in protective styles. Be aware that:

1. Excessive tension on the hair strands can result in hair loss. While protective styling, be extremely cautious of how much tension you are placing on your hair.

2. Dry hair = breakage. Continue to apply oils, leave-ins, and moisturizers to the scalp and hair. It is even okay to wash your hair while in some protective styles.

3. Different protective styles may or may not work for different hair types. Pay attention to your hair and its reaction to certain styles. If you notice a negative reaction, you may want to consider a different protective style.

There are numerous protective styles to consider.

WEAVES                              BRAIDS W/ EXTENSIONS           NATURAL HAIR
Wigs                                     Micro Braids                                     Mini 2-Strand Twists
Sew-Ins                                Kinky Braids/Twists                        Mini Individual Braids
Crochet/Tree Braids          Nubian Twists                                  Tuck & Pin Styles
                                              Yarn/Rope Twists                                Buns
                                              Senegalese Twists                           Cornrows
                                              Cornrows                                           Flat Twists
                                              Individual Braids                              2-Strand Twists
                                                                                                          Plaits

Here is a slide show that displays various styles I tried during my own Six Month Protective Style Series.

Wraps & Music

The Fight Against Dandruff

During my natural journey I have been forced to come to terms with a lifelong problem of mine... dandruff.  My dry scalp has haunted me since my childhood.  While relaxing, my scalp was so dry I was inevitably subjected to chemical burns; even after a full application of sensitive scalp before the relaxer.  Now, it seems as if my natural hair increases the amount of dandruff on my scalp.  I have found that no matter how much I wash/oil my scalp. The dandruff persists. So I have declared war on my dry scalp.

First Battle: Doo Gro Stimulating Growth Oil (Fail)

Of course, there is no product that you can apply topically to your hair to make it grow.  However, I felt this oil mixture might just be the weapon I need in this battle.  This product was a dud.  Not only does the dandruff continue to thrive, but my hair feels greasy after application.

2nd Battle: Head & Shoulders with Almond Oil (fail) 

This weapon backfired on me!!!  My skepticism on Head&Shoulders was fueled by the company's failure to direct this product to different ethnicities.  Yet, my open mind told me that I still may have use for it.  So I bought a huge bottle from Sam's Club and tried it out for a couple of weeks.  Problem #1: this shampoo burns like hell when in contact with your eyes.  I am used to milder shampoos that don't cause much damage to your eyes upon contact so my shampoo process became extremely painful during this trial.  Problem #2: after shampooing I discovered (multiple times) that I had a layer of white film on my scalp.  Back to the store we went.



3rd Battle: Argan Oil, Lavender Mint Shampoo, & Coconut Oil Root Spray

Argan oil from Morocco is the next new thing in the beauty world; equivalent to the beauty secrets of olive oil and aloe vera.  The pure oil spreads very well making the supply last for a while.  Hollywood Beauty's version contains silicones making it a thicker spread.  This product does not make my hair feel greasy and it smells great.  It costs around $8 at Rose's. 

The tingling sensation I experienced during a salon visit was new and intriguing to me.  The stylist explained to me that it was a teatree solution to help with my dandruff.  I've been on the search ever since.  After taking the Head&Shoulders back, I was in need of a new shampoo.  While walking around the SmartStyle salon in Walmart I found this on sale for $9.09 (including tax).  The shampoo has a very clean scent to it due to the lilac and spearmint extract.  The tingling sensation I experienced in my first encounter with teatree oil is not quite there; however, a new refreshing element is present.  Time will tell if this shampoo is right for me.

I am in love with this spritz!!!  With this product I feel I am taking a step in the right direction.  For naturals, adding a moiturizing spritz to our routine improves the health of our hair.  The key elements in this product our Water, Coconut Oil, Eucalyptus Oil, & Peppermint Oil.  Since the first ingredient is water, the spray is not heavy on my hair so I don't have to worry about product build up. It's light and spreads easily across my scalp.  I love this product for protective styles to refresh my scalp in between washes.

MTO DOUBTS SOLANGE'S NATURALITY!!!

Apparently, not all understand the power and dynamics of natural hair growth!!!!

If MediaTakeOut.com knew anything about natural hair, they'd know that hair can grow up to six inches within a year so it is in deed possible for Solange Knowles to have foot long hair within two years.

THE "UNBELIEVABLE" NATURAL HAIR JOURNEY OF SOLANGE KNOWLES

To view the original MTO post.... click here: http://cdn.mediatakeout.com/47639/solange_knowles_claims_her_hair_went_from_bald____to_a_foot-high_afro_in_less_than_2_years_do_you_believe_her.html

STYLE OF THE DAY

SIDE PUFF

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi3t5LKp9p4&feature=channel_video_title

Dress: H&M

Flowers & Bows & Clips... OH MY!!!!

The simplest accessories from clips to scarves to hats can change your feelings about your style of the day.  These little additives can instantly turn your style from boring chic. From the supermarket to local boutiques, you can find the cutest hair accessories anywhere. 

 You can add a head band to free hair or pulled back styles

Fedora's are great toppers for natural styles

Don't feel like dealing with it today... throw a beanie on and be as cute as a button :)

Spruce any style up with bows or flowers

Find great hair accessories at:

Etsy.com

Claire's

Walmart

Target

Love21

Or Make Your Own With Nikkimae2003: http://www.youtube.com/user/Nikkimae2003#p/u/94/RtnVp3vfcmg