Ethnic Hair Care: Tips

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Ethnic Hair Care Tips Tricks

• Valerie D. Callender, M.D.
• Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology
• Howard University College of Medicine
• Washington, DC
• Director, Callender Skin Laser Center
• Mitchellville, MD

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Differences in Hair Morphology

• Black hair tightly coiled, helical or spiraled
  elliptical/flattened on X-section
• Caucasian hair straight, wavy or helical
  round/oval on X-section
• Asian hair straight round on X-section the
  diameter is greater than the other group

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Ethnic Hair

• most often tightly curled, dry and fragile
• Susceptible to breakage
• 70-80 of African-American women relax their hair
  in order to straighten and achieve manageability
• Ethnic hair care is a billion dollar industry

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Ethnic Hairstyles Hair Grooming Practices

• Thermal straightening (temporary process)
• Chemical straightening (permanent process)
• Permanent waving
• Natural styles afro, braids, twists locks
• Hair weaving extensions
• Wigs
• Hair maintenance products

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Ethnic Hair Care Questions

• Is your hair chemically treated?
• Do you have a relaxer or curly perm?
• How often do you re-apply the relaxer to the new
  growth (touch-up)?
• Do you color your hair?
• Do you hot comb your hair?

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Ethnic Hair Care Questions

• How often do you normally wash your hair?
• Do you wash your hair at home or at the salon?
• Do you use a blow dryer or hair dryer to dry your
  hair?
• Which at-home maintenance products do you use?

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Ethnic Hair Care Questions

• Do you use a hot curler, flat iron or hair
  rollers to curl you hair?
• Do you use synthetic or human hair for braiding?
• Is your hair weave sewn or glued in?
• How often do you change your hairstyle?

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Ethnic Hair Scalp Disorders

• Acquired trichorrhexis nodosa hair breakage
• Seborrheic dermatitis
• Traction Alopecia
• Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia
• Androgenetic alopecia, female pattern hair loss

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Acquired Trichorhexis Nodosa

• Cut the damaged hair
• Avoid hair chemicals relaxers, hair coloring
• Avoid excessive heat
• Avoid hair sprays, styling gels, etc.
• Use a large tooth comb
• Sleep on a satin pillow case

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Acquired Trichorrhexis Nodosa

• After shampooing hair conditioners
• Deep conditioning
• Hydrolyzed proteins
• Hydrolyzed human hair keratin proteins
• Daily hair moisturizers leave-in
• Dimethicone
• Silicone
• Essential oils

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Seborrheic Dermatitis

• Differential Dx Tinea capitis
• Determine hair washing frequency
• Recommended therapeutic shampoos
• ZPT, ketoconazole, ciclopirox
• Moisturizing shampoo conditioner
• Apply topical corticosteroid daily between hair
  washings
• Vehicle must be compatible with the hairstyle

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Traction Alopecia

• Avoid hairstyles that put tension on the hair
  follicles
• Braids, ponytail, weaves, locks, hair rollers
• Treatment
• Topical antibiotics
• Topical corticosteroids
• Topical Minoxidil (off-label)
• Hair transplantation

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Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia

• Focus on decreasing inflammation preventing the
  progression of the disease
• Treatment
• Anti-seborrheic shampoos
• Oral doxycycline
• Topical intralesional corticosteroids
• Topical Minoxidil (off-label)
• Hair transplantation

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CCCA Recommendations for Chemically Relaxed Hair

• Have a professional apply the relaxer (salon)
• Have the hair stylist base the entire scalp prior
  to relaxer application
• Use a milder relaxer or a sensitive scalp
  formulation
• Decrease the frequency of touch-ups
• Take a relaxer holiday suggest braids or a wig
• Suggest chemical-free natural hairstyles

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CCCA Camouflage Techniques

• Hair weaves
• Hair extensions
• Wigs
• Color sticks or crayons
• Toppix
• Micropigmentation

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Androgenic Alopecia

• Treatment
• Minoxidil 2, 5 solution, foam
• Compound in petrolatum for women of color with
  thermally-straightened hair
• Hair transplantation
• Camouflage techniques

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References

• Callender VD, McMichael AJ, Cohen GF. Medical
  surgical therapies for alopecias in black women.
  Derm Therapy 200417164-176.
• Cogen FC, Beezhold DH. Hair glue anaphylaxis a
  hidden latex allergy. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol
  20028861-63.
• George YA, Ravis SM, Gottlieb J, et al.
  Betamethasone valerate 0.12 foam vehicle for
  scalp seborrheic dermatitis in Afriacn-Americans.
  Cos Dermatol 20021525-29.

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References

• Grimes PE. Skin hair cosmetic issues in women
  of color. Dermatol Clin 200018659-665.
• Holloway VL. Ethnic cosmetic products. Derm
  Clinics Oct. 200321(4)743-749.
• Silverberg NB, Weinberg JM, DeLeo VA. Tinea
  capitis focus on African-American women. JAAD
  200246S120-4.