When the scissors count...

An important thing to note is that our hair is NOT alive once it emerges from the scalp. It is dead tissue like the free edges of our fingernails. It may be difficult to accept that one has damaged hair because it presupposes that it will have to be cut off. A lot of ladies are in denial of the fact that their natural or relaxed hair is much damaged.

Come on sister-sister!! Our hair grows!! If you cut off 6 inches of bad hair, you will have about 6 inches or more of hairs grow back in its place within a year. With proper care and length retention practices, you will be on your way to having a glorious and envious head of hair in a few months!! That should be a better choice than having a whole head of damaged hair you cannot show off but have to keep hiding with weaves, braids and wigs. Hair products may promise to heal or cure your damaged hair. 

There are also conditioning treatments and products that can help protect the hair, and can lessen some damage, but the best way to have healthy hair is always prevention. If you notice your hair has one or more of these characteristics below, you need to cut all or some of it off, and take better care of the new hairs that will keep growing.

Some characteristics of damaged hair are:

•        Dry and dull grey tinged hair with no sheen.
•        Rough and untidy looking.
•        No elasticity and breaks easily.
•        Limp and lifeless hair that can't hold a curl.
•        Frizzy and extremely porous strands that soak up moisture.
•        Becomes spongy and matted when wet.
•        Weak and brittle hair that snaps easily under pressure.
•        Spilt ends with a "Y" shape shows that strands are weak.
•        Color fades or absorbs too rapidly

Cutting off even an inch of hair, is a bold decision but remember, it may be a decision you will make only once in your lifetime, IF you take good care of your hair care from then on!