Curly hair rules a dermatologist follows and ignores

For most of her life, a dermatologist who specializes in hair loss believed her hair was simply frizzy. At 42 she discovered it was curly, and she started asking one question about every curly hair rule she met: does this rule protect hair health, or does it only help me get the perfect curl? Those are two different goals, and mixing them up leads to wasted money and, sometimes, missed hair loss.

Here are seven popular rules, what she keeps, what she ignores and what she actually does.

Rule 1: Do not wash curly hair too often

Curly hair is drier because natural oils travel down the shaft less easily, so the lengths and ends need gentle treatment. The scalp is another story. It still makes oil, sweat and dead skin cells, and it collects the product you apply to define your curls.

Her rule is simple: the curl tells you how gentle to be, and the scalp tells you how often to wash. If your scalp is oily, itchy, flaky or sweaty, or if buildup is obvious, wash it. She washes about twice a week, but only because her scalp is less oily after taking a small weekly dose of Accutane, not because twice a week is a magic number.

If you have seborrheic dermatitis, commonly known as dandruff, controlling inflammation matters more than protecting your curl pattern.

Rule 2: Sulfates are bad

Sulfates have become a villain, but they are effective cleansers. They can be drying, yet whether a shampoo suits you depends on the whole formula and on what your hair and scalp need. When her hair feels dull, heavy or coated after using many styling products, she chooses a stronger cleanser, which often contains sulfates. Judge the result on your hair and scalp, because your hair does not read marketing labels.

Rule 3: Never brush curly hair

This rule is too absolute. She does not brush dry curls, because that breaks the curl pattern and creates frizz. Frizz and damage are not the same thing, though. To detangle, she conditions and slightly dampens her hair and works from the ends upward. Starting at the roots pushes everything into a knot at the bottom. This matters because curly hair is more prone to mechanical breakage.

Rule 4: Breakage is not hair loss

Curly hair traps shed hair, so after four or five days between washes the shower drain can look alarming. You are probably seeing several days of normal shedding at once.

What gets her attention is a change from your normal:

• A hair part that looks wider
• A thinner ponytail
• More scalp visible under an overhead light
• Patches of hair loss
• Sudden, much heavier shedding

If any of these sound familiar, do not buy another serum. See a dermatologist, because breakage and hair loss need very different treatments.

Rule 5: Never use heat

She uses a diffuser and sometimes a curling iron. Air drying is not automatically better, and environment matters. In New York her wavy to curly hair air dries flat and stringy, while near a beach it dries beautifully. Her philosophy is consistency over intensity. She uses plenty of heat protectant, keeps temperatures reasonable, keeps the dryer moving and avoids unnecessary heat. She does not use the curling wand on every wash day.

Rule 6: You need a million curl products

Six months earlier she used only shampoo, conditioner and something for hair growth. Now she may use three to five products when she wears her hair curly, but she is clear about their purpose. Gel, mousse, curl cream and leave in oil help you achieve a look. They are not required for healthy curly hair. Shampoo and conditioner are the basic maintenance, and heat protection matters if you use heat. Sometimes she picks a product just because it smells good, and she points out that not everything in the bathroom needs a medical indication.

Rule 7: Curly hair needs oil

She dislikes oil on the scalp because it takes forever to wash out and she sees no clear benefit. Oil on the hair itself is different. It can reduce friction, add shine, soften the hair and possibly reduce breakage. But oil does not hydrate hair, and putting it on the scalp does not make hair grow better. A product can make existing hair look healthier without doing anything for the follicle.

What she actually does now

• She washes about twice a week, based on scalp needs.
• She uses a repairing shampoo and conditioner to remove mineral buildup from hard water.
• She prefers lightweight sprays, mousses and gels, because heavier creams weigh her curls down in summer and fall.
• She adds root volumizer for lift, scrunches in mousse and uses a curl gel through the mid lengths when she needs hold for events.
• She dries with a diffuser and adds a curling wand on top only occasionally.

Takeaway

There are two conversations happening at once: how to make curls look the way you want, and how to keep the hair and scalp underneath healthy. Sometimes the answers match, and sometimes they do not. Take care of your scalp, minimize unnecessary damage, investigate real hair loss, and style your curls in whatever way makes you happy.