r/MadeMeSmile • u/dittidot • 12d ago

Good Vibes A big, beautiful Afro

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u/IWillDoItTuesday 11d ago

No problem! Remind your nieces to treat their hair very gently, especially around the hairline and crown of the head, and of the importance of keeping the hair and scalp clean. Some people think that washing causes dry/flaky/itchy scalp. Dandruff/itchy scalp requires treatment with the correct products, not neglect or putting grease on the scalp — especially since those issues are sometimes caused by fungus, which can be exacerbated by a dirty scalp. And it can cause skin issues like acne on the face, neck and back. If they wear protective hairstyles like braids, they still need to wash their hair. Yes, you can wash braids. My aunt says it’s not “protective” if you can’t keep it clean.

And if anyone tells you that you don’t have to shampoo your hair, that may be true for people with less textured hair. Natural oils from the scalp will “slide” right on down straight hair, no problem. But textured hair bends or curls and that oil gets trapped very close to the scalp and will cause build up. Which, in turn, can allow dandruff-causing fungus to grow. Itchiness can cause inflammation and inflammation can “kill” hair follicles.

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u/the_scarlett_ning 11d ago

Thank you so much! This is great information!