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While some men can look good without hair, women are less likely to be able to pull it off. More women have problems with hair loss than most people are aware of. Unfortunately, many hair loss treatments are for men. Hair loss treatments for black women with thinning hair are even harder to find.
So, what is the best hair loss treatment for black women’s hair? There is no one hair loss treatment that is ‘best’ for women with African American hair that will work for everyone. However, some of the best options include:
- Folexin
- Vernon Francois® Styling Light Weight Serum
- Carol’s Daughter Monoi Repairing Conditioner
- Coconut oil
But why do I recommend these hair loss treatments for black hair? And what makes African American different from other hair types? Let’s look at black hair first, as it has certain problems more often than other hair types do.
Why Is Black Hair Different?
All hair types may be the same when it comes to what nutrients and proteins go into making your hair strands. The way your hair follicle puts these together can be different, which is what gives some people straight hair while others have curls.
African Americans almost always have extremely curly hair. This hair type is very porous, which causes a few problems. For starters, deep pores make your hair strands thinner in some places, making them more likely to break at places where a pore might be especially deep.
Also, it makes your hair drier as these pores soak up the natural oils your scalp makes. Dry hair is brittle and lacks elasticity, making it even more likely to break. This is why curls have hair thinning problems due to breakage more commonly than other hair types.
That is beside the fact that your hair strands need the oil to serve as protection against daily wear, damage from styling, and to prevent tangles. A thin layer of oil also helps hair look shiny.
Aside from that, African American hair loss is frequently linked to traction alopecia. Traction alopecia is caused by wearing tight hairstyles for long periods of time. Black women with are most likely to wear these hairstyles.
This causes hairs to be pulled out and strains the hair follicles. The result is hairs that are broken close to the scalp and some hair follicles that have decided to take a break from growing hair at all while they recover from the strain.
The medical term for this is acquired proximal trichorrhexis nodosa (APTN). APTN is when hair is so fragile that even combing it may break the hair. It is caused by years of using chemicals and heat devices to straighten the hair.
Best Hair Loss Treatments For Black Female Hair
African American hair is highly benefited by oils. Because of this, most of the best hair loss treatments include topical treatments that are oily and supplements with ingredients to increase your scalp’s natural oil production.
Your first step when choosing which hair loss treatment for black hair you need is to determine why you are losing your hair. Traction alopecia and APTN may be the most common causes of hair loss for Black hair, but African Americans can still suffer from pattern baldness, hormone imbalances, and stress.
If you can’t tell what the cause is, try finding a dermatologist that has experience with Black hair. They may have insights that another doctor without that experience wouldn’t have.
Folexin
Folexin is a hair growth supplement that is good for Black hair growth just as much as other types of hair. It is easy to take, being in capsule form, and it has over a dozen different vitamins in it and plants with beneficial properties.
Your scalp needs nutrients to make your hair strands as strong as possible. It also needs nutrients to make the sebum that is your hair’s natural oil. Black Health Magazine specifically stated in one of their articles that African American hair is benefited from good nutrition.
A couple of these vitamins are specifically used for promoting sebum production. Almost all the rest are in some way linked to hair growth.
Vernon Francois® Styling Light Weight Serum
This serum is meant to tame frizziness and to lock moisture into your hair to prevent it from drying out. It has argon oil, castor oil, and jojoba oil in it. All three of these oils are good for hair growth, though not all of them have had clinical studies that prove it.
This serum by Vernon Francois also helps with detangling a little. A final important fact is that the company was founded by black people specifically for use on African American hair. The instructions say to warm up a few drops in your palms. You then use your fingers to rub it into your hair.
Carol’s Daughter Monoi Repairing Conditioner
Like the serum listed above, this conditioner is from a company that was made for use on black hair, this one by Tahitians. Though it was bought out by a different company a few years ago, the formula has stayed the same.
It has coconut oil, shea butter, and other moisturizing ingredients in it. It has no parabens, artificial colors, or mineral oils in it, all of which are bad for your hair. It is also used just like a normal conditioner, so it won’t cause you any extra trouble.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a top oil for hair growth. This oil has had studies on it proving that it has antibacterial properties, among other things. This keeps your scalp healthy as well as providing your hair strands with the protective coating they need.
Oil is also very simple to apply to your hair. Though it is better to warm oil up first to help it be absorbed faster, you don’t have to do so. Adding other things like essential oils is also optional. However, essential oils can have many benefits for your hair growth as well.
Peppermint is known for improving circulation, and lavender and rosemary have similar properties. You can also use clary sage if you think part of your hair trouble is due to imbalanced hormones. Other oils besides coconut oil that are good for hair growth include jojoba and castor oil.
Take Care Of Your Hair
With traction alopecia being a big deal for black women, simply taking care of your hair can do more than you might think. If this is the cause of your black hair thinning, stop using hairstyles that pull on your hair follicles.
Hairstyles that require you to straighten your hair or to apply styling products with chemicals should also be avoided. You may also find it helpful to cut your hair shorter if you wear it long. This way, the weight of it won’t pull on your follicles either. In short, try to avoid anything that can damage your hair.
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Final Thoughts
There are many other hair loss treatments that work for African American hair. Minoxidil, for example, is a topical treatment that has a good rate of success. It is also meant to be applied directly to your scalp and massaged in.
This makes it impractical for most black women with even moderately long hair. It is also unlikely to help traction alopecia, which is what you are most likely suffering from if you are a black woman.
If you are a woman who has tried hair loss treatment for black hair, were there any you liked? Have you tried one of the ones I just mentioned? Please let me know your thoughts!
