Black hair is chemically the same as other types of hair, but it has a unique physical structure that requires special hair care techniques. If you have Black hair, here are some tips to help your hair look and feel its best.

1. Avoid overwashing your hair. Straight and wavy hair tends to get oily very quickly because of its structure. This is why it has to be washed quite often. Black hair is different. It doesn't get oily quickly because of its tightly curled structure. This structure keeps sebum, the natural oil that the scalp produces, from flowing along the hair shaft in Black hair. That is why Black hair is dry, and that is why it should not be overwashed. Too much washing will cause it to dry out even further.

2. Use hair care products made specifically for Black hair. Black hair is drier and more delicate than other types of hair, and it needs lots of moisture to stay healthy. Many hair care products are designed to strip moisture out of the hair, and this is the opposite of what Black hair needs.

3. Avoid brushing your hair. Use a wide toothed comb, or your fingers, to work with your hair. Brushes can destroy Black hair by shearing it out of the scalp.

4. Avoid sleeping in hair accessories such as curlers, barrettes, scrunchies, head bands, etc. Wearing these kinds of accessories when sleeping puts unnecessary stress on the hair and can lead to hair damage.

5. Work with your hair to try and find a hairstyle that doesn't put tension on your scalp. Many Black women suffer from traction alopecia from wearing tight braids, extensions, hair pieces, hair rubbers, and wigs. If worn frequently, these will pull the hair out and cause the hairline to recede. One style that is easy to do with medium length natural Black hair is to wet the hair, gently comb it, smooth it back and gather it into a scrunchie. Just be sure to take the scrunchie out at night. Another style for natural Black hair that is short in length is to wear a soft fabric headband around the head. Match the headband fabric to the color of your outfit for a nice look.

Other tips on black hair caring

• Hair need to be strong and healthy to take any type of chemical treatment. To check hair strength and natural elasticity, pluck out a hair and hold it firmly between both hands, then pull gently. If the hair breaks with hardly any stretching, it is in week and poor condition, in which all chemical treatments should be avoided.
• One of the most effective ways of styling very curly hair is to crop it close and short. With this type of cut you just need to shampoo, condition and finish it with soft wax.
• Massage the scalp regularly to encourage oil production.
• If you use hot combs or curling tongs, make sure you shield the hair by using a protective product.
• If the hair is pulled too forcibly too often, it will disrupt the hair folicles, cause scar tissue to form and ultimately hair loss. To help prevent this, avoid braiding or pulling the hair into tight braids.
• To prevent frizziness and maintain the definition of curls, special lotions called curl actibators and moisturising sprays can be used to revive and preserve the formation of curls.
• Black hair should be colored with caution because of its natural dryness and porosity.
• Once a month, try a hot oil treatment which will lubricate dry scalp condition as well as moisturise brittle hair.
• As with all chemical treatments, relaxing and pumming can be potentially harmful to the hair, removing natural moisture and leaving hair in a weakend state. For this reason it is advisable to get skilled professional help and advice.