Expert Tips and Advice: African American Haircare 101

While there's nothing you can do to speed up hair growth, eating a proper diet and getting plenty of rest and exercise will help make your body healthier, which in turn encourages healthy hair. Also, there are products that are designed to protect and condition your hair, which can help keep it from breaking off as it grows. Strength of Nature's Mega Growth product helps stop breakage and promotes healthy hair growth. Find it product where hair and beauty products are sold nationwide.

A rod set can be done on relaxed, natural or long weaved hair to achieve this look. This type of wet set gives relaxed (or straight weaved hair) a soft curl and unprocessed hair a natural curly look. You can use rods in the size you want your curls to be. Remember, the smaller the rod, the tighter the curl. Before placing the hair on rods, use a small amount of setting product like Motions Foam Wrap on each section. Next, spiral the hair onto the rod (or straw) and secure. Once all the hair is rodded, allow the set to dry. The final step is to remove the rods or straws and smooth oil along the curls as you separate them with your fingers.

Here's a tip for dealing with dandruff between shampoos. Gently brush the flakes out being careful not to scrape the brush against your scalp! Then put a dab of moisturizer on each finger and apply it to your scalp. Just a dab will do; if you use too much your hair will look greasy. Because dandruff is nothing more than dry scalp skin cells that flake off the moisturizer will hydrate your scalp and keep the dead skin in check until your next shampoo.

Hair trends come and go, but short hair never goes out of style! A fabulous hair transformation can be as simple as updating an already classic look and giving it a bit of retro chic appeal to liven it up a little. These days, hairstylists everywhere are taking short hair to a new level, creating fabulous looks that showcase a wide variety of styles to suit every personality.

People are often confused by the difference between lye and no lye relaxers. The distinction lies in the active ingredients. Both are chemically based products that straighten the hair but lye relaxer's active ingredient is sodium hydroxide while in a no lye product it's calcium hydroxide. Talk to a professional about which suits your hair-type the best.

If your hair is thinning, styling should be kept as simple as possible. Trying to make thin hair appear unnaturally voluminous achieves the opposite effect. It is wiser to opt for a clean, sophisticated look that is shaped closer to the head, with no thinning patches exposed.

The least damaging way to lighten dark hair without bleach is a technique called "steps." This means you lighten your hair in steps. Each time that you would normally get your hair color touched up you raise the color a shade. Repeat this about every six to eight weeks until you reach your desired hue.

It's also supremely important to condition and moisturize lightened hair using a product containing shea butter. For an intense conditioning treatment, place a showering cap over the hair and sit under the dryer for 20 to 30 minutes.

Many factors including diet, hair care and genetics have an impact on hair growth. Scalp massage may help to increase circulation and nourish the roots – but be gentle! Also, use a product line that's healthy for your hair like Organic Root Stimulator's Olive Oil line which boasts therapeutic properties that contribute to the on-going nourishment of the hair and scalp.

A great way to achieve a new look is to play with texture. Consider setting your hair on tongue depressors to achieve this cool funky look before styling with gel.

To smooth your hair without a flat iron, dry wrap it, apply a pressing cream and brush with a boar's hair bristle brush. Wrap the hair in a doobie and sit under a hooded dryer on a very warm setting for 15 minutes and then cool for a few minutes. Release the hair from the doobie and style.

It's a bad idea to overuse products like gel or hairspray that contain alcohol. In the long run they dry out the hair making it appear limp and flat, and, ultimately, hard and brittle. Use them sparingly at the root to achieve the effect of fullness.

Everyone can use an amazing hair conditioner to use between salon visits. We love BB Hair Mayonnaise & Honey. It contains a special blend of olive oil and herbs and is formulated to condition and strengthen weak, damaged hair.

Craving a new look but dread going near scissors? Color is one option that can be much less drastic than a new cut and, when carefully selected, can give both you and your hairstyle a fresh angle. Before heading to the salon, look through magazines and find models with your skin tone and see if you like the way their shades look on them. Then, once you've found a color you think you like, bring the picture to the hairdresser with you so that you can discuss your options!

The best treatment for split ends is a regular trim. Removing the ends protects the hair shaft from further damage. There are also products on the market boasting formulas containing a repair seal which helps to protect the ends until the hair is trimmed.

Before selecting a new hair color it's important to understand your skin tone. If your skin is golden, olive or brown you are a "warm" tone which is typical for women of color. Warm, rich hair colors generally compliment these skin colors. If you opt to go blonde make sure that you don't go too extreme or it will look too harsh. Or, you may want to consider highlights instead of a full head of platinum hair.

The key to a proper blow dry is to start with towel-dried hair. Also, be sure to protect your hair and scalp by keeping the dyer at least six inches away from your hair and keep it in constant motion so as not to fry a particular section.

Bored with your long hair? Why not try cutting layers into it the way R&B songstress, Olivia has done here. Adding layers will add depth and personality to your look!

Ever wonder how much hair loss is normal? There are about 120,000 hairs on each of our heads. Therefore it is normal to lose at least 40 to 120 strands on average every day. Hair grows at a rate of about 1cm per month. After a hair has finished the growing period, it goes into a period of rest and is eventually shed. It is because of this hair growth and loss cycle, we don't end up hairless.

Our hair can go through phases when it begins to thin out, especially as we age. There are a variety of circumstances that cause hair loss: stress, diet, over processing, and others. A Hairstylist may be able to offer some help but since they tend to treat the symptoms rather than the cause, the key to remedying extreme hair loss is to seek professional guidance - preferably from a trichologist – a doctor who specializes in the health of hair and scalp.

Love the curly look but tired of frying your hair with a curling iron? Try hot rollers! They're easy to use and easier still on your hair. While they warm up, divide your hair into sections, roll them up and clip them into place. Remove the rollers, mist curls with Isoplus Oil Sheen for a wonderful shine then style.

Want to moisturize your dry hair? Make sure to use a creamy deep conditioner every time you shampoo. And after styling your hair, spray on a quality oil sheen, like this one from Motions, BEFORE you spritz on your holding spray.