One of the biggest challenges faced by most naturals is Moisture Retention. We will travel the world over and back in pursuit of secrets to maintaining moisturized tresses. There are many factors that can contribute to dry hair, some are hard to avoid and others are easily preventable. Daily manipulation in the form of cleansing, brushing, combing etc. leaves your hair vulnerable and exposes it to the risk of becoming damaged.

One process that poses a threat to your hair is Towel Drying. Natural hair loves water and washing your hair provides it with fruitful benefits. During the washing process, natural hair has a tendency to soak up water. One would think that the safest and most effective way to rid your hair of this excess is to towel dry right?? WRONG!!!!!!!!! It is however a very common practice which usually comes quite naturally and is somewhat instinctive. Using a regular towel to vigorously rub the hair after rinsing is not a healthy practice and can present unpleasant results for natural hair.

Four Dangers of Using Towels

1. Creates Frizz - Rubbing your hair back and forth with a towel can cause the cuticles or outer layer of your hair to become raised. Hair will become rougher to the touch and less inclined to reflect light, which gives it a duller appearance. Raised cuticles will cause your hair to become frizzy, making it less attractive and more difficult to style. The trick to achieving smooth, silky-looking natural hair is to ensure that the products and processes applied to your hair leaves the cuticles lying flat. Rinsing your hair with cold water for example is a great way to close your cuticles and cause them to lay flat. Likewise, avoiding unnecessary friction caused by towel-drying will allow the cuticles to remain flat.

2. Pulls Moisture - The nature of the fabric used to construct most regular towels is such that it quickly sucks moisture from your hair if not dried in the correct manner. With water being one of the best sources of moisture for natural hair, it is not a good idea to have all the moisture from this effective source initially removed. If the towel dries up too much of the water too quickly, your hair can become too dry before getting a chance to seal in the moisture.

3. Damages Strands - Aggressive towel drying can result in damage. Wet hair had been proven to be weaker than hair in its dry state. This means that natural hair is usually more fragile when wet and repeated friction between your hair and the towel can cause the hair to snap or break. I remember as a child my mom would sometimes actually place my hair inside the towel and wring the excess water out. This was truly a recipe for breakage and roughed up cuticles.

4. Tangles and Knots - Rubbing your hair with a towel can leave it in a tangled, matted mess. The drying motion can cause strands of hairs to become tangled and knotted with each other. Depending on the condition of the towel also, your hair can get tangled with the fibers from the towel making it likely to be pulled out.

What is the Alternative?

1. Micro Fiber Towel - The use of microfiber towels as opposed to the common terrycloth towels is a safer choice for hair drying. Microfiber is a fine fiber that is lightweight and silky in texture. The softness of the fabric makes it a much more effective and less threatening alternative. The microfiber towel is not as rough on the hair and will reduce your chances of disturbing your cuticles and causing frizz.

2. Cotton T-Shirt - An old cotton T-Shirt will provide results that will blow you away. Sometimes the least expensive options are the ones that work best. Cotton T-Shirts have been tried, tested and proven to be one of the best ways to dry natural hair. The softer, smoother texture of cotton will help to prevent frizz and contribute to the maintenance of healthier locks. It's more delicate interaction with your hair will contribute to the preservation of your natural curl pattern.

In the event that you absolutely cannot avoid using a regular Terry Cloth towel, ensure that you take the necessary precautions and take the correct approach to using it in order to avoid undue damage and achieve the best possible outcome for your hair. Be extremely gentle when using a towel and always blot or pat dry the excess water instead of vigorously rubbing. This seemingly simple stage of your haircare regimen can make or break your hair. Take the best care possible as you strive to achieve or maintain a beautiful head of hair.

Candie's Natural Hairnamix was birthed a few months after Jamaican native Rossette "Candie" Allen began her natural hair journey in May 2010. She gears this column toward naturals, transitioning naturals, aspiring naturals and the naturally curious, sharing experiences, expertise and experiments while celebrating emancipation from chemical slavery.