Many African American women choose the ease of keeping their hair short. However, while short hairstyles may not require as much time to maintain as longer ones, one must still work to make sure that her tresses are in good shape.

Keep Hair Moisturized

Regular deep conditioning treatments can protect Black hair from breakage and help to repair the damage that can be caused by heat styling. Choose a conditioner with natural ingredients that is free from excessive alcohol based additives (search the ingredients list for words ending in ‘-0l’, i.e. glycol) and sodium laurel sulfates that can dry the hair out even further. Select a styling product designed for Black hair that is easily absorbed without weighing your hair down or flaking up; again, choose one that is low on alcohol and fragrances that may smell nice, but will dry Black hair out.

Trim Regularly

Black hair should be trimmed on a regular basis, in order to promote healthy hair growth and eliminate split ends.  Natural hair should be trimmed every six to eight weeks, while chemically processed Black hair should be trimmed every four to six weeks.

Sleep Softly

To keep your short hair soft and prevent breakage, sleep with a silk or satin scarf or bonnet or on a satin or silk pillowcase. Cotton scarves and pillowcases can promote split ends and absorb much needed moisture from Black hair.