7 Deadly Sins of Hair Care

Testimony

I too can say that I have fallen victim to the wiles of temptation; the daily flat ironing sessions to maintain that perfectly straight look, trying to make my type 4 hair do what it was never meant to do or neglecting proper care practices because it took up a huge chunk of my time.

I must add that since my redemption, I’ve lapsed into transgression; often carrying around the baggage of former habits. But thank goodness I saw the light!

The Sermon

Brothers and sisters of this assembly, we all know the hair journey we have embarked on comes with its own challenges and that we must endure much persecution on this our pilgrimage to healthy tresses.

I feel like I’m preaching to the choir but that’s alright because even the saved need a little redemption every now and then.

Every so often you have been cast down.Yes, temptations there be, for some the downs may be many and the ups may be few. We all have at one time or another been at a crossroad when we questioned our faith in the process and wondered if we had the resolve to hold out. Can I get a witness?

But yield not to temptation for yielding is sin! You know what I am talking about; that little thing that you find yourself doing even when your conscience gives you a beating for it, wrestling with the commandments of a healthy regimen and the allure of the sinful pleasures of inconsistency.

For all intents and purposes, today’s sermon will be titled “7 Deadly Sins of Hair Care”. I entreat our young converts who may not yet be aware of the biggest sins associated with hair care, to examine the doctrinal beliefs then take an introspective look at your hair-care practices.

Doctrinal Beliefs

We believe…

Item 1- Excessive Heat

…that excessive heat has no place in a healthy hair journey. In fact, including heat in your regimen is walking a fine line. Whipping out that flat iron*, curling iron* or blow drier at a whim is one of the worst things you could do to your hair.

Overuse of heat, especially direct heat saps the moisture from your hair rendering it brittle and prone to breakage.

Item 2- Winging It

…that winging it won’t fly. You must have some semblance of a regimen in place that you adhere to on a consistent basis. Without a regimen you won’t be able to properly assess what works and what doesn’t.

A sound regimen, and it doesn’t have to be anything elaborate either, is the staple of any healthy hair journey. Even minimalists have some basic steps they routinely follow in order to achieve health and length.

Just remember, if you approach your haircare with a willy-nilly attitude you are likely to get helter-skelter results.

Item 3- Over Processing

…that over-processing the hair is one of the sneaky sins of haircare. There is a very delicate balance between just enough and too much.

Quite often we do so much to our hair that it can be challenging to track the many processes, it’s a wonder our strands rebound from it all. While our hair might be quite resilient it is imprudent to continually subject it to the number of processes that we often do.

For instance placing color on top of relaxed hair may not be such a great idea since it gives the hair far too much to contend with. Also, be sure to seek the assistance of professionals rather than attempting to do it yourself since you may end up leaving your chemicals in a tad too long.

If you are a naturalista who likes to make your own stuff, be sure you get your measurements and methods right. The last thing you want is to come out with a mass of steel wool curls because you left that protein treatment in too long or cotton candy hair because your conditioner did too good a job.

Item 4-Under Moisturizing and Neglecting the Moisture Locking Process

…that water is life and the main source of moisture for our thirsty roots. In times gone by, we were told that water is the aggressor now we know otherwise that water is in fact the best source of moisture.

Robbing your hair of moisture, you are leaving it susceptible to dryness, weakening its tensile strength and incapable of length retention. Perhaps you prefer to rock straight styles so to you, adding water periodically would be counter productive to the sleek look you want to achieve but if this is your priority instead of healthy hair or length retention, you can prepare to contend with split ends and being stuck in a length plateau.

Your hair needs water, plain and simple. Apply the principle of all living things in nature; they require the life-source that is water in order to replenish themselves and get on with the business of growing.

Item 5- Manipulation & Roughhousing

…that manipulating your hair unnecessarily will get you every time. Your choice of styling may give rise to a barrage of factors that might call for manipulation – enter the comb, brush or tangle teaser or all of them!

Perhaps you need to rethink some of those choices. Messing with your hair several times a day cannot be great news for your delicate strands since it opens up the possibilities of increased breakage.

Sometimes through impatience we end up roughhousing which is next to butchering the strands while they are striving for survival. If you are after health and length, rough handling your hair in a bid to tame the mane might not be such a great idea.

It is counter-productive to pull your hair out from the root or popping the strands mid-shaft using your styling tools. Even your fingers can do damage if you do not follow the proper precautions when detangling or styling your hair.

Be sure not to rub abrasive materials such as towels in your hair and do not rake fine tooth combs and plastic bristled brushes through your hair. The less you touch your hair the less friction will occur, leaving your hair in a happier and healthier state.

Item 6- Sleep Deprivation

…that denying your body of much needed rest has a damaging effect on hair growth. As it turns out sleep deprivation creates hormone imbalance thereby giving rise to hormones which hinder hair growth and regeneration of cells.

It also stands to reason, that if you are sleep deprived you are less likely to be motivated enough to bother with taking extra precautions when dealing with your hair.

Item 7- Cheating the Conditioning Process

….that trying to by-pass the conditioning step is like cutting off your nose to spite your face. Since conditioning helps the hair be better able to withstand friction (which can result in breakage) then it would not be beneficial if you try to cheat the process.

Sometimes we will do a regular condition but cut out the deep conditioning* step altogether, which should not be. The process of conditioning is your friend as it helps soften and smooth your cuticles.

The Benediction

While we strive for perfection in our healthy hair journey, let us take great care to ensure that we nurture our new growth. Now that we know the sins which may so easily beset us, let us not walk blindly into the practices that will keep us tethered to length plateaus and damaged tresses.

Rather, let us go forth armed with the knowledge that we can withstand the temptations which dog our steps.  To she who overcomes these deadly sins, a glorious crown of healthy hair shall wear.