# blind black girls' hair

Category: Daily Living

## Post 1 by hi5 (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Wednesday, 10-Aug-2011 8:05:45

There's a big thing with us and our hair. Should we weave it? perm it? braid it in extentions or go natural? Does anyone find it dificult to care for your hair independently as a totally blind individual? Right now I only get my hair braided on special ocasions and put it up in one the rest of the year. I've also been trying to find a natural relaxer to make my unruly hair more manageable. Any resource or info is greatly appreciated thanks :).

## Post 2 by Sword of Sapphire (Whether you agree with my opinion or not, you're still gonna read it!) on Sunday, 14-Aug-2011 20:37:18

I just get my hair straightened once a month. I don't know how often you wash your hair, but getting it pressed and flat-ironed is a pretty good route. It stays for a long time if you care for it well, wrap your hair up at night, and pull it back from your face when you sweat.
I used to get my hair french braided when I was in junior high.
I would say don't perm it. Chemicals will destroy your hair, not that heat probably won't eventually. So maybe go back and forth between getting it braided and straightened.
I don't know anything about weave because I never wore and will never wear it.
Our hair can be a pain to care for and style sometimes, but I must say that I absolutely love mine. It is naturally supercurly, but it's very thick and soft. It's beautiful!

## Post 3 by forereel (Just posting.) on Sunday, 14-Aug-2011 21:49:32

women looks so lovely with braided hair. So many styles, add color with ribbions and such. Easy to care for and it grows.

## Post 4 by SunshineAndRain (I'm happily married, a mom of two and a fulltime college student.) on Monday, 15-Aug-2011 12:46:26

Well, I am not African American, but I do have blind friends who are. Some of them I know, actually learned to braid theirs & others' hair by feeling while others did their hair or someone else's. I imagine it would take tons of practice, time, endurance & so on, but it can be done. My husband is black & he used to get his hair corn-rowed & it got to be super expensive so he shaved it off eventually. Obviously you don't have that option. Lol. If you really want to style it without using chemical straighteners & heat, I'd recomend finding a patient friend or family member who can sit down & show you hands-on how to do it. It would certainly be beneficial if theycould show you the correct way to part so you don't make them crooked. Myhusband used to get his hair straightened prior to braiding it & he said it stayed in longer & his auntie that was doing it for the first couple years said it was easier to handle when it was straightened. Sorry I can't be of too much help. Just sharing some of what I've heard from others.

## Post 5 by blw1978 (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Monday, 15-Aug-2011 22:46:07

I've heard shampoos like Mazami are made for black hair. Mazami is available in salons. I don't have anything to add, as I'm not black. But like the previous poster, I'm sure you could learn to braid your hair from a sighted family member or friend. My older sister's former roommate was black, and she's get extensions a lot. but I don't know much about them. Hth.

## Post 6 by hi5 (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Wednesday, 17-Aug-2011 5:26:59

I'd love to learn how to braid my own hair. I've actually met two totally blind ladies who do it completely on their own. Sure would save me alot of time and money if I knew how. I mean, my aunt showed me how to braid a while ago and from time to time I do it so my hair isn't all tangled when I want to go out. Right I wouldn't actually go out with my amiture braiding skills lol but it does help with keeping it maintained when I'm at home. So Raven, you only get your hair straightened once a month? Besides wrapping it up at night how do you keep it up? How would you go about washing it? I wash my hair when I go out and the reason for that is I find the water helps me comb it back better. About going bald, lol that's not entirely out of the question. A cousin of mine and a few other ladies my mudder has come across on the street have gone hairless. It doesn't work for everyone though lol. Keep'em coming ladies and gentlemen.

## Post 7 by Sword of Sapphire (Whether you agree with my opinion or not, you're still gonna read it!) on Wednesday, 17-Aug-2011 13:30:07

I get my hair done at a salon. I only get my hair washed once or twice a month because that's all that's necessary. When I get it washed, it has to be straightened again.

## Post 8 by blw1978 (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Wednesday, 17-Aug-2011 22:09:36

I learned to braid back in high school, but I'm not sure if the braids that are popular with African-American women are the same type. In any case, just keep practicing. I'm sure you'll get the hang of it.

## Post 9 by TechnologyUser2012 (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Thursday, 18-Aug-2011 12:43:49

Black hair can be a real pain to take care of sometimes lol. Mine is extremely thick, wavy and frizzy. I wash mine about every 5 or 6 days. After I wash it I put in hair cholesterol treatment, put a showercap over it and apply heat to it for about 30 minutes. Then I rinse it out and put in leave in conditioner. I will either let my hair air dry or blow dry it then straighten it. I usually just wear my hair loose or put it in a ponytail. I use hair spray to help make it less frizzy. I'm not really good at braiding but my hair is only about shoulder length. I do wrap it at night to help keep it straight.

## Post 10 by hi5 (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Thursday, 18-Aug-2011 15:33:17

Wow Amanda that sounds like alot of work. My sister use to go through all that with the huge blowdryer curlers hairpins and whatever. Now she just braids her hair and wears nice wigs over it lol. So for those who have hair long enough, does it lay down or is it still poofy? I have a good amount of hair when I use to perm it in high school it fell on my shoulders and I was wondering if straightening would give me a similar effect.

## Post 11 by Sword of Sapphire (Whether you agree with my opinion or not, you're still gonna read it!) on Friday, 19-Aug-2011 14:37:08

After your hair is straightened, it will be thick, of course, but it will not be poofy. So it will fall to your shoulders, but if you want to put some curls or a small bend in it at the end, it looks nice.

## Post 12 by Athalia (Newborn Zoner) on Friday, 09-Sep-2011 10:11:44

A style which is also quite nice, is if you cornrow just the top of your hair, but only have cornrows be as long as about four finger breaths and let the back hang lose. I love this style because it's more girly than full cornrows unless you have really long hair, it doesn't take as long to do and it's easy to care for as well. Washing it in that style is relatively easy and sleeping with a scarf around your head will keep them looking neat, although depending on your hairtype, you may not even need to do that. I don't put them in myself, but that's because I'm a perfectionist and need the lines to be either completely straight or purposefully curving to make a pattern, but it's not a hard stle to learn when you are totally blind.
Hope that helps.

## Post 13 by smelly (Generic Zoner) on Saturday, 10-Sep-2011 16:20:42

All of you have given great advice. I agree straightening hair is the way to go. Do any of you know how to use a flat irn because going to a shop to get it done can get a little expensive.