Um, I have a problem. I'mto  still trying to grow my hair out so it can get to or pass shoulder length, and it's almost all the way down my neck. However, after I take the extensions out, it's a giant, curly, coarse afro-pffball on my head. The only way to make it behave is to blow it out, but if that damages it, I wanted to know if there was a better way to make it behave. Also, after it's the length I want it, how can I straighten it, wiithout too much harsh damage. Since I have black-person hair, I'd likesome insight on what would be best. Any suggestions?? Thankee! :3

Yep - the key to managing your type of hair is CONDITION.  You could try using shea butter or olive oil on your hair to maintain the moisture and help with managability.  Wide toothed combs or finger combing would be best for avoiding the puff-ball look.  

Straightening is going to damage and dry out your hair.  You may find that as it gets longer and you learn to work with the curls, you don't need to straighten the hair.  

Check out some of the threads under African American hair for more suggestions.

That afro will become ringlets with the right treatment.  Trust us.

Well, I am sure those with experience with this kind of hair (I'm stick straight, remember?) will tell me I'm wrong but it would seem to me that it would have to. 

What creates the puffball, logically, is that too many hairs are going in too many directions.  Each supports the other, kind of like in the game (is it called Jenga?) where you pull out the sticks one by one until the mass can't support itself and falls. 

Now each of those sticks could lay side by side.  If each stick itself is straight, you have straight hair.  If each stick bends, but they all bend the same way, you have wavy hair.  What you have is sticks that bend so much they curl, so instead of laying side by side they are all turned in different directions.  The more they do this, the more they create the puffball.  You are trying to get more of them to stick together and curl in the same direction.

If you try and force a dry stick into a new shape, it snaps and breaks.  Soak it in water, and you can bend it into shapes it never could assume dry.  When you condition, you are "soaking your sticks in water."  They will assume the shapes you want more easily.  Using a wide tooth comb encourages them to stay together, whereas using a brush or fine tooth comb encourages each hair to separate.

By making each hair more "bendable", you are also making it less capable of supporting its fellows.  If you soaked your (Jenga?) sticks in water, you wouldn't be able to play the game, because they would bend when another stick rested on them.  That's what you want your hair to do. 

Now I understand that it might take longer than you want for all this to occur.  I am reminded of my daughter's bangs.  When she started to grow them out, they kept getting into her eyes, like growing out bangs do.  I told her eventually the weight and length would cause them to seperate on each side of her face.  On me, this happened when they got just beyond nose length.  Apparently her hair grows in a completely different way, because her bangs were past her chin before they started separating.  But they DID do it eventually.  And yours will too.

That is interesting that you mention the game Jenga because I bought it at a garage sale two weeks ago for $1

Jerry

You are very welcome


I am not sure what game that is?  I am sure I might remember if I saw a picture of it though
I almost thought you meant pick-up sticks but those are not on a tower

Jerry

That's it!  Thank you.  I never played it either.  Wonder why I remember it?

I have curly hair, though I must admit it's not as curly as your seems to be.  However, when it was shorter it looked like a puffball in a ponytail as well.  That's because you need to develop what I call a curl pattern.
You see, curls start when your hair is flattened (I describe it as a ribbon) and kinks.  This makes it turn.  If a bunch of hairs kink in the same place, you get a ringlet.

Here is what  I would do.
1. Oil your hair well the night before you plan to wash it.  I use shea butter, but that's just me.  You can try some different ones.
2. The next morning, wash it using very little shampoo and condition it well. Leave the conditioner on for as long as possible
3. Comb all the tangles out while it is wet
4. Add aloe vera gel or a commercial smoothing gel while it is wet.  Comb this through using a wide-tooth comb or your fingers
5. Let it dry without touching it.  Blow drying can tend to make it puffier.  Just let it air dry.

Hope this helps!