Women, especially those that have recently crossed over to natural hair, become very aware of the fact that they need to moisturize their hair on a regular basis. Afro-textured hair (i.e. Type 4 and combination Type 3 & 4 hair) is quite dry by nature and it’s important to keep hair moisturized in order to prevent breakage that will result from lack of moisture.

But there is a catch. Moisture is indeed great for our hair. But it is possible to have too much of a good thing. And when I say this, I mean that is very possible to over-moisturize your hair and end up with hair that is just as weak as it would be if your hair were overly dry.

How is this so?

Well, let me first say that in most cases, I have rarely seen a woman with afro-textured hair that is over-moisturized. Oftentimes it is quite the opposite and women will have dry hair because it is not moisturize enough. And if you’re not familiar with what hair that’s over-moisturized would look like, think back to when Jheri Curls were in style. Here’s a visual refresher.

Man, wasn’t Eddie looking extra “Sexual Chocolately” in this pic 😉

Now “over-moisturized hair,” or “Soul Glo hair” as I like to call it, is basically hair that will be very elastic and stretchable. If you’ve ever dealt with dry hair, you know how easily it pops and breaks under tension. Dry hair also often feels straw-like, not soft or gummy. Over-moisturized hair is the very opposite. It feels very soft and can, in some cases, even feel “mushy.” This type of hair will not immediately pop when stretched. Instead it will stretch and stretch like Laffy Taffy. Ultimately, in the case of over-moisturized hair, hair is moisturized (a good thing) but the hair is also weak (a not so good thing).

So what should you do to avoid over-moisturizing?

Here are a few ways you can avoid over-moisturizing your hair:

• Cut back on lengthy or overnight deep conditioning treatments (an example is women who like to deep condition their hair for 2-3 hours, or even overnight, when a manufacturer’s label says to wash out the conditioner after 15 minutes)
• Stop frequently wearing hair in a wet state (i.e. frequent wash-n-go’s)
• Regularly use products with protein, hydrolyzed protein and/or amino acids (will help to strengthen hair)
• Cut back on bagging (bagging is when you use a shower cap or plastic bag over hair while you deep condition)

Ultimately, growing healthy and even longer hair is about keeping hair moisturized. But you have to also maintain a balance of moisture. Over-moisturized hair is just as bad as overly dry hair. So while it’s important to moisturize your hair, be smart and strategic about it. It is possible to overdue a good thing.

So ladies, have you ever been guilty of over-moisturizing for hair? Is your hair over-moisturized now? What changes will you make to your hair regimen in order to achieve more balanced and healthy hair?

ATTENTION LADIES! Book release countdown has begun!

“If You Love It, It Will Grow! A Guide To Growing Long Afro-textured Hair” will be available on February 6!! The book is currently available for pre-order on Amazon and in response to the growing number of customers who have expressed interest in purchasing both my paperback and ebook, I have decided to price the Kindle/Nook versions at only $5.99. I am dropping serious hair and health knowledge in this book, so be sure to grab your copy of my book when it releases! The paperback ($16.95) and ebook is set to release Feb. 6. This ebook price is available to ALL CUSTOMERS for a LIMITED TIME!

This post was written by Dr. Phoenyx Austin. Dr. Phoenyx is a physician, author and media personality. She writes on women’s topics and well-being. Be sure to pre-order her fabulous new book If You Love It, It Will Grow! A Guide To Growing Long Afro-Textured Hair. If you have any questions/comments you can find Dr. Phoenyx on her blog, Facebook and Twitter.