Long and Thick? - How to Thicken Up Relaxed Hair

A lovely friend of BelowtheWaist (hey girl!!) left me a comment the other day:

I LOVE it. your hair is beautifully thick. How do you thicken it up.

What's the secret to your thickness? Its consistent from root to tip. Spill it! lol

 (First of all, thanks dear!) I responded by letting her know that I don't consider my hair 'thick'. That is, my strands are medium - fine in diameter. Additionally the density is in medium range. In terms of it being consistent from root to tip though, I can offer a few suggestions:

1. Limit breakage at every step.

• Wash hair in braids. This will cause a decrease in the amount of tangles you experience and subsequently in the amount of hair lost while detangle. Read more about washing hair in braids here.

• Comb hair less often. I saw this comment on another blog once "I don't trim too often cuz every time I comb my hair I get a trim lol". Of course it was a joke but I can see what she meant. Limiting the combing of your hair will lead to more hair remaining on your head. Perhaps comb only on wash days to avoid too much tangling or matting, or try finger detangling instead. I am using weekly protective styles to help me achieve this.

• Limit heat. You've heard this time and time again because it's true! Too much heat, direct heat in particular, is the death of thickness. While some argue that once a week is A-okay, I say the longer you can go without, the better.

• Keep hair conditioned and moisturized. I've said it a thousand times, DRY HAIR BREAKS. Keep your hair conditioned and moisturized to avoid breakage. Deep condition, and M&S often to keep hair hydrated. Aim for hair that is balanced where moisture and protein is concerned.

• Stretch your relaxers. This will help you prevent overlapping and hence breakage.

2. Texlax -This is definitely a great way to keep some of the volume and thickness of your natural new growth. I have a few inches of bone-straight hair at my ends and the difference in thickness is certainly discernible. I have never heard a complaint from a texlaxed lady about flat, thin, lifeless hair.

3. Opt for more textured styles - These styles will always look more voluminous than straight ones + they will help you avoid heat, WIN WIN! Try braid-outs, twist-outs, bantu-knot-outs etc. The technique is important when executing these styles. Some textured styles may very well end up flat. Click here to see how I achieve fullness when doing braid-outs.

4. Thickening agents - Some struggle with thin hair sprouting from their scalp. For that I'd say apply castor oil to your scalp. Many ladies have credited this product for producing thicker new growth. I too, have used castor oil on my edges in the past when they appeared thin.

5. Reduce shedding - Tea rinses, garlic and onion infused products like shampoos or oils have been known to help reduce shedding. Supplements like MSM have also been said to help prevent shedding.

6. Now this last one may come as a shock coming from me lol - But trimming your ends into a blunt cut will make your hair appear thicker. I personally am not a huge fan of the blunt cut (I prefer something that looks a bit more natural), but if that's your thing, it will definitely help your hair look thick. 

So there you have it, my tips for achieving thick relaxed hair.

What method do you use to achieve/ maintain thickness?