Dryness
Telltale evidence of breakage is excessive dryness. When the hair breaks the ends are frayed and split, which makes it challenging for the hair shaft to retain moisture. Over time this split travels up the length of the hair and causes more breakage, tangles, and dryness. Aside from using quality products that impart moisture into your strands, reducing breakage will also help to reduce dryness.
Over Manipulation
The maintenance of a picked afro is probably the hardest to maintain. You can pineapple a wash and go and re-twist your twist outs in larger section, but what about an afro? You cannot effectively pineapple a picked afro and effortlessly shake it out in the morning. It will require more picking unless lumps do not bother you.
Lack of Clumping
The whole “my hair looks different when it’s wet versus when it’s dry” is usually a combination of shrinkage and manipulation. Dry combing your hair will separate the natural clumpage that your strands create while wet, so if curl definition is your desire, then stop combing while dry. It is important to allow your hair to set (i.e. dry) as is with little to no interference; this applies for any style. For the best twist out on wet hair, wait until the hair has completely dried. The same goes for a low frizz wash and go.
Before changing your product arsenal, explore which styling and maintenance techniques you can change. Products may not be the problem, as breakage is often a result of mechanical and moisture issues.
