Super Curly Hair

Super curly hair: Kinky, frizzy, or woolly hair is most characteristic of Black people. It is also found among many Caucasians.

Overview: This chapter provides you with the techniques and methods for servicing super curly hair.

Behavioral objectives-student goals: After completion of this chapter, and after instruction study and practice, you will be able to demonstrate competency in super curly hair services by demonstrating the following techniques for servicing super curly hair: combing the hair while it is wet, combing the hair when it is dry, hair brushing, cutting and shaping, wet setting, chemical blowout, Perm-A-Curl, thermal roller curling, hair pressing, chemical hair hair straightening with sodium hydroxide formula (whole head and retouch), corn rowing and French braiding. You will also be able to demonstrate competency by identifying, explaining, and/or listing the requirements and procedures for shampooing and conditioning super curly hair, relaxing super curly hair with thioglycolate relaxer, and the retouch procedure for hair press.

Kinky, frizzy, or woolly hair is sometimes called super curly hair or Afro-American hair. Although super curly hair is not restricted to Black races, the extreme degree of curl pattern and kinks observed in Afro-American hair is almost nonexistent in other races. Chemically, Afro-American hair is the same as Caucasian hair. There are, however, some major structural difference which limit the styles in which Afro-American hair can be worn. Altering the hair structure by either chemical or mechanical means in order to overcome the excessive degree of curliness and kinkiness can result in extreme damage.

All the styling methods for super curly hair that are in common use today cause some degree of damage to the hair. The most widely used technique utilizes curly relaxers and chemical hair straighteners. The relaxers are used to:

• Soften and control tight kinky hair
• Remove some but not all of the excess curliness so that there will be greater styling versatility and manageability.

Chemical hair straighteners are used to remove all traces of curl from their hair. These products are extremely alkaline and cause considerable damage to the hair and some degree of breakage. The greatest damage associated with chemical hair relaxers and straighteners is excessive dryness, structural weakness, and cuticle abrasion.

Damage by mechanical means includes hair pressing services, thermal curl styling, braiding (corn rowing) and the use of hair picks. Heat styles causes dryness and weakness of the hair shafts. Braiding and h air picks cause cuticle abrasion.

Super curly hair is flat in structure, and the sharp angle of the follicle results in the hair growing in the form a tight spiral. It grows straight up and away from the scalp. The spiral form of its lack of weight make the hair stand out from the head. The outer layer of cells lies extremely close to the cuticle. The function of these cells is to protect the cuticle which, in turn, protects the cortex. These cell are constantly removed from the hair by normal brushing.

Super curly hair does not retain moisture like other types of hair. When it is not brushed or combed thoroughly, most of the cuticle protective cells remain, become hardened, and are more difficult to remove. If this condition is permitted to continue, the hair will appear dull and coarse. This condition can cause breakage.

The sebaceous gland next to the hair follicle secrets sebum which mixes with the water and salts excreted from the sweat glands and forms the acid mantle around the hair shaft. The acid mantle acts as a waterproof barrier and provides the lubrication which minimizes friction between the hair strands. Individuals with super curly hair fewer sebaceous glands. This accounts for their dry fragile hair.

Afro-American super curly hair contains more protein and less water than Caucasian hair. The number of layers in the hair cuticle of Caucasians is as few as seven. Super curly hair has as many as 15 cuticle layers.

Sanitary and safety precautions for super curly hair

• Use a hair clipper (fine blade: 0000) to cut the hair at the back of the neck and hairline. Do not use a razor.
• Sanitize hair clippers and electric scissors after each use.
• Always cut super curly hair while dry not when it is wet.
• Do not spread protective base on the hair.
• Do not brush the hair excessively prior to a relaxing treatment or a chemical blowout.
• Do not interrupt chemical services once they are started.
• Use a timer to clock the processing time.
• Protect your hands with protective gloves when using strong chemicals.
• Adjust the water temperature so that it is warm and comfortable.
• Test the temperature of pressing combs and thermal irons before they make contact with the hair.

Note: The most important aspects of disinfection are the removal of foreign matter (loose hair, dandruff, etc.) and a good scrubbing of the instrument (s) and hands with soap and                 warm water followed by a thorough rinsing. Instruments must be totally immersed in 70% isopropyl alcohol, or other E.P.A. approved disinfectant for a minimum of 10 minutes, then wiped dry before use. These procedures should also be used before disinfecting implements prior to storage for reuse.