My 2 yr old daughter has VERY dry hair, I don’t know if it’s due to her having eczema (and yes it is on her scalp as well), and it had starting breaking/falling out in spots so instead of her having her go around with “patches of hair” I cut it off into a nice little afro, which actuallyl looks cute on her, but it doesnt retain any moisture… I have tried a lot of different products on her hair and the results are all the same… after a few hours, her hair is just as dry as it was before I put anything on it. What do you recommend?

Hola amiga,

I am so sorry it took so long to get back to you. I wanted to talk to a friend with experience about this situation.

I don’t have eczema, but I understand that it can range from mild to extremely severe and debilitating. Naturally, I was going to recommend moisturizing to try to prevent dryness, but that’s not going to suffice the itching, flaking and possible soreness that your baby may endure. I’m sure you’ve been told to eliminate any harsh products. Soaps, lotions, any skin product that may contain perfumes and additives, tend to be a trigger in children with eczema. Dreft was the number one recommendation for laundry, while Ivory soap (do they still make that?) was the recommendation for skin.

Because the skin, including the scalp, tends to be super dry, it’s critical that you moisturize after a lukewarm (not HOT) bath. Aquaphor and Vaseline were the number one choices. A pediatrician friend recommended putting a thin layer of hydrocortisone on the breakout area, followed by a heavier layer of Vaseline or petroleum jelly. She said the cycle of itching-drying-flaking can be difficult to curtail unless a parent is diligent about cutting out lotions and regular soaps. She pointed out that while most of us prefer to use lighter oils and creams, particularly during the summer months, it’s important for a child with eczema to lather up to keep the skin moist.

It seems chamomile and witch hazel may also help reduce inflammation. Witch hazel is an incredible natural cleanser. I often take a cotton ball with witch hazel to clean my face. I would follow up a bath or shower with some witch hazel and the top it off with the thicker Aquaphor or Vaseline.

For the moment, I would concentrate on getting baby’s skin in better condition, before worrying about her hair. As long as her scalp and hair are clean, I would continue to do what is working until I could figure out what her triggers were. Also, it was recommended that you keep a journal of the products used on her skin and foods. It’s particularly important to document anything new that is used on her skin, as it may lead you to finding something that helps her, or triggers her eczema.

If anyone has anymore information, please feel free to share. And again…I’m sorry it took so long. I needed to ask a friend who I felt confident would give reliable information.

Best of luck!!

LaNegra

thank you so much for this website, im have been living in Cali for almost 8 years, (thanks to the military) i grew up in the bronx, ny. so i always got my hair done by the dominican ladies. since moving out here i couldnt not find anyone to do my hair so i was stuck doing it my self. now that im geettin out of the military and moving to Austin,
TX, i used this site to help me find a salon. thank you so much. please keep up the great work!!!!

Selina, mi amiga! Thank you for serving our country! I appreciate all you have done to keep us safe.

I am so glad that I was able to help you find a salon. Have your tried the salon yet? If so, let us know what you think. If you haven’t tried it yet, get back to us when you do

Happy Fourth of July!!

LaNegra

Wow! I felt so lucky to find your websitee!! I am deeeply in need of your advice! So lately i noticed that my hair has been getting thinner but i dont even know why. I do not flat iron my hair on a regular basis. Usually when i wash my hair, i put on rolos and go under a hooded dryer or hand drier..i usually leave my hair down.
when my hair starts gettin a little nappy i do braid outs and use flexi rods. What should i do to get my hair back to a healthy, full, strong position? My hair looks very thin…
Should i think about putting in weave for a little? or should i get a hair cut?

Hola Annie

When hair starts to thin, despite a pretty safe regimen, I tend to think that there has been chemical damage or biological issues.
What I mean by that is that it only takes one bad relaxer to cause notable damage to your hair. Depending on the severity, some people only experience breakage (ends snapping off), while others experience hair falling out in clumps.

If however, you are under stress, are not eating properly, do not drink an adequate amount of water, your hair will suffer. You can go for a period of time without food, but you must have air and water to keep your machine, your body running. When you are lacking in certain nutrients, your body will still function, the extras, such as your hair, your nails, your complexion, begin to show signs of damage.

Ok…so this doesn’t mean that your hair is definitely damaged. Nor does it mean that you are not drinking enough water, or eating properly. What it means is that you need to be your own best advocate and figure it out via process of elimination.

I’d recommend getting a decent trim; that will cut off any split or damaged ends. A lot of ladies dread getting trims, because they are trying to grow their hair, not chop it off. Unfortunately, there are a lot of stylists who tend to get lazy and it’s easier for them to wack off several inches, rather than work through the head of hair in small sections, taking off the minimal amount.

Nonetheless, it’s important to keep the ends of your hair healthy. Not trimming your ends can also cause your hair to look thinner. Split ends that are not clipped off tend to snake their way up higher and higher on the hair, unless cut off. So, that’s another thing to consider.

As for the weave, I have not experience with weaves. For some ladies, they are a great option, for others, the glue and weight of the hair causes additional problems. I’ll throw that question out to the ladies here…I’m sure someone can offer great advice.

Lastly, keep a little journal. If you do a treatment this week jot it down. If you notice any changes write your observations next to the treatment you used. This helps you determine not only what products are good for your hair, but what you may have been doing that helped, or exacerbated the problem.

Keep me posted!

LaNegra

MY QUESTION TO YOU TODAY IS: COULD I RELAX MY HAIR AND GET THE DOMINICAN BLOWOUT ALL AT THE SAME TIME OR SHOULD I DO ONE OR THE OTHER?

Hola guapa!

Let me answer your question first, THEN I’ll address a few things.
I don’t know if you are confusing a Dominican blowout with a Brazilian keratin treatment. If so, they are not the same. You can get a Dominican blowout at anytime and the hair usually looks extra pretty when it’s done the same day you get a relaxer. So, yes…you can get a relaxer AND blowout on the same day.

Now…I’m concerned about the hair issues you’ve experienced. I’m really happy that your hair is healthy now, but I’m still concerned as to why it’s not growing. Grease on the scalp tends to block the pores. Using the correct oil on the scalp can be great, but grease…think of what grease does to your arteries.

How frequently do you trim? Have you tried using rosemary tea as a rinse? If it were me, I’d try try to determine the source of any outstanding issued before relaxing.

Please, let me know if have any questions.

Besos,

LaNegra

Just to add my two cents.. I stopped using relaxers in 2006 and once my natural hair grew to below ear length I had the straight hair cut off. From then forward I would get my hair blown out by my dominican friend every 2 weeks and sometimes 1x a week. My hair was growing very nicely and my curls always came back when I washed. If anything the blow outs made my hair more manageable. I decided to colord my hair in 2007 (lighter with bleach) and this did not damage my hair either, and my hair continued to grow. Mind you, I was going to one person and she was using products that we both knew worked well with my hair and once my hair grew past my chin she would roller set and then blow my hair out. Well I moved from NYC to Maryland 2 years ago, at the time I also changed my hair color back to dark brown with a permanent dye, my hair was still in great condition and growing.

This is where I get confused. (My hair eventually got damaged and would not curl anylonger and I ended up cutting of several inches and starting over and am now afraid to blow my hair out.) Prior to this damage, this is what I did to my hair, I went and got braids put in it, when I took the braids out, my hair was in terrible condition, then I got it colored (ligther with bleach), my hair was ok, but then I begin blowing it again and within several months my hair would not curl in certain areas and was just damaged. I am confused as to whether it was one thing or a combination of them all. I just know that for 2-3 years straight I would have my hair blown out 2-4 x a month and never had a problem with my curl or damage. Anyone have any ideas? My hair has now grown back to shoulder length (thank the Lord for my sister) she has conditioned, braided, added a net, and sewn a weave into my hair once a month since last summer. the funny thing is when I originally grew my hair out, I never wore a weave. But now I am super afraid to do anything to my hair.

Hola Kim

I can speak from only my own, personal experiences. The first time my hair was damaged, I did it. I had recently moved from NYC, like you. I thought that I could relax my own hair with whatever they had in t he local BBS. Um…NOT! By the time I made it back to NYC, my hair was falling out in clumps. I personally do not try to save my hair when it’s been damaged, because it means that I cannot put tension on it, cannot style it the way I like and for me, it feels like I’m putting my healthy hair at risk. What I will do, is wait until I have enough new growth to just cut it all off, without looking like a boy. You did the same thing.

I have never worn African braids, although I think they are beautiful. I just don’t like the idea of adding weight to my hair; I feel like it may cause additional damage by tugging on my own hair, eventually breaking it off when styling, or just from the every day movements. Now, this is just my opinion..

Remember, I tell everyone that it is extremely important to understand your hair. No, I’m not a licensed cosmetologist, but I know more about my hair than ANYONE else. To date, there is only one or two stylists that know my hair well enough to be able to tell exactly what I have been doing with my hair. They know that my hair tangles easily; they know that my hair doesn’t react well to certain conditioners, etc.

Think of this…when you go to a physician, they don’t know what’s ailing you. They extrapolate information, get objective and subjective data and pretty much work by process of elimination. Physicians make an educated guess as to what your plan of treatment should be based on their findings. If the treatment doesn’t work, they do further tests, hoping to find the problem and give a new, or revised treatment. The same applies to your hair. If you are going to a stylist for the first time, he/she will look at your hair, determine the condition and make an educated guess as to what will work best. However, after working with you for a long time, they will learn what works for you and your hair…if you’re lucky.

Ok…after saying all of that…If you are uncomfortable getting a blow out, I don’t recommend you do it. Keep in mind, this site is the result of having to do my own hair and I only went public on the urges of fellow NY friends who were in the same boat. They had to learn to do their own hair, like I did. Being a do-it-yourselfer is not always easy. I made mistakes along the way, but I am at a point where I can tell anyone what works best for my hair, what not to use and when I recognize a stylist is nodding in agreement, but giving me ‘tude, they will never see me again.

With regards to getting a Dominican blowout…follow your mind. If it doesn’t feel right for you, don’t do it. It sounds as if your sister is doing a great job of growing your hair back out. In the mean time, keep your eyes open for women who have healthy hair. Ask them where they go and they check out the salon. Make several covert visits. Yeah, it sounds sneaky, but my philosophy is to try to avoid damage, not wait until I’m in the chair to discover the stylist is not right for me.

I wish you many blessings and continue to condition or do whatever is currently working to get your hair back in good condition

Besos,

LaNegra

Someone just got on my case about being slow to post this review. Sorry all

Anyway, I cannot tell you how happy I was to learn that there was FINALLY a Dominican Salon in Pitt. This is great for us in the Ohio/Pitt area.
Naturally, I needed to call and verify, then of course, I started thinking…well, I could use a relaxer…after all, the weather will cause frizzing. Right? Right.

I’m not going to lie, it is REALLY scary for me to try new stylists, because I know how to do my own hair and I have grown really particular. There are only a handful of stylists I trust. However, I heard that the owners were not only Dominican, but were from NY. What more was there to doubt? Nada.

So, I called and the first thing I asked was, “Can I bring my own products?”
Usually when I ask that question, I get, “Um…what?”

I knew Primo was the real deal, because the response was, “Yes, of course! What are you bringing?” That response pretty much signed the deal for me.

Ok, on to the experience. First, I was surprised to learn that Antonio, the gentleman who made my appointment, was not only there to answer the phones, but he is a bonafide stylist. He and his mother run the salon, have others located in Connecticut and money-earnin’ Mount Vernon. So, I’m in the chair now, nervous, anxious and praying that I will be happy. I can do my own rolos, right, and actually my own relaxers, but it takes FOR-EVER!

First thing the owner does is oil my scalp. What?! Not even my regular girl in NYC does that. Kudos to “mom” for that.
Next, she begins to apply my relaxer in very small sections. She didn’t rush, she didn’t slap the relaxer on, she was very, VERY careful and gentle. What’s really interesting is the owner, who did my relaxer (cannot remember her name), studied with the creator of Mizani. That was another Kudo for her!

After my relaxer was rinsed out, I was placed under the steamer with a conditioner. I didn’t bring one, because I knew that they had other really good products in the salon. When the conditioner was rinsed out, I was expecting “mom” to do my rolos. Now, the thing that worries me most is the fact that my hair tangles and typically people like to RIP my hair out. So, I was a wee bit surprised with “mom” told Antonio to put my rolos in. Antonio did my rolos. Much to my surprise…he managed to get my rolos in without ripping hair, and he definitely combs very gently; that was a total shocker.

The verdict?

This Mother and son, Dominican dynamic duo are HOT!! They have incredible products and are not just stylists, but they both are very into the health of the hair. They KNOW their stuff and the fact that the salon was PACKED speaks volume. Ironically, it felt like I was back in NYC. There were customers from NY, as well as other latina customers.

The other thing that I really liked is the fact that they had an African-American stylist working there too. She does excellent work.

The Pros:

• You can bring your own products – but I would ask first, out of respect.
• They did NOT try to cut, or even trim my hair. You all know most salons want to chip-n-clip whenever they get a new client.
• They are from NY, so they know how “we do.”
• Don’t have a favorite product? No problem, they have excellent products in the salon and know what to use on your hair.
• The atmosphere is very inviting and comfortable. I felt like I’d been a customer for years and years. It’s like a big family in the salon.

The Cons:

• This may not be a problem for Ohio and Pittsburgh people, but we New Yorkers are used to walk-in salons. No appointments necessary. This, however, is not a major problem. They are open Mondays – Saturdays, which is great!
• Hmmmm….I’m all out of cons

I highly recommend them to everyone! I will definitely be back in the salon and if you try them out, get 20% if you mention dominicanblowout.com!

Primo Hair Studio
5450 Steubenville Pike
McKees Rocks, PA 15136-1412 –
(412) 787-3330

Hello!!!! I am black, puerto rican, and dominican with long, thick, curly frizzy hair. I am in the military and constantly pulling my hair back in a bun which causes constant breakage around my edges and ends from the tight ponytail holders I have to put in. Do you have any ideas what products I can use to help maintain my hair strength?
Also, my curls always start out pretty and loose and wind up being tight and frizzy. Do you know how I can help prevent that? Also, I’m stationed in a really humid environment and whenever I straighten my hair, the frizz pops up in about 20 minutes. What can I do to help that?

Thank you so much for answering all my questions!!!!

Hola guapa,
s
First…thank you for serving our country!!

Now…on to hair questions

Amiga, you are not going to like what I have to say, but realistically speaking…I do not recommend you pull your hair too much. Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t you have to wear your hair a certain way? For instance, don’t you HAVE to wear it up often? If so, it’s better to let it puff up and get frizzy than to jeopardize the health of your hairline.

If your hair is long enough, put it in one braid or a twist and wrap it around into a bun, but try to avoid wearing pony tails often. If you can manage to get your hair done at a salon once in a while, go for it…let those occasions be special, but remember…it’s better to have frizzy, healthy hair, than none at all. Me entiendes?

As for products, try using an anti-frizz serum after shampooing. I have had moderate success with a few products, but the truth is when it’s very humid and I begin to sweat, my hair frizzes, regardless. The one thing that helps (a little) is if I sweep my hair up in a very soft, lose bun. I use either a jumbo bobby pin, or a butterfly clamp to hold it in place. Add ApHogee Two Step to your routine. Use the protein, followed by the moisturizer every other month. This will give you some strength. Also, if the hairline is fragile, go lightly on styling, using hot appliances and pulling it if you blowdry.

Remember to moisturize often. If you are sweating a lot, be sure to rinse your hair frequently, deep condition and implement a really good leave-in, like CHI Silk Infusion. You can also try making a tea of lavender, rosemary and sage. Just pour a cup or two of this tea over your hair as a leave-in rinse, followed by your favorite leave-in conditioner.

Hope this helps!

LaNegra

Hello LaNegra,

Sincerely,
Pamela

Hola Pamela!!

I am guessing that you might be an educator, due to summers off? Thank you for all of your work. If you are educator, is it possible that you are under stress? I always recommend people have their thyroids checked if the hair is falling out, rather than breaking off. Has your diet changed? Are you taking in enough calories? What chemicals are you using? Do you have a relaxer? Is it possible that your hair was over relaxed? Let me know…

Ok, If you are relaxed. STOP. Whatever is going on with your hair needs to be stopped before you experience any more damage. You may not like this idea, but I recommend you wear braidouts for a while. Because your hair is thin, cutting it close may not be a viable option, but you definitely need to get to the source of the problem and then condition, condition and condition some more. I’m not even sure what type of conditioner to recommend because I don’t know if your issue is chemical, hormonal, or otherwise.

Let me know some details, then perhaps we can figure something out.

Hola LaNegra,
I am going on vacation in about a month which means non stop pools and the beach and so on. What should I do for my hair when getting out of the pool? I asked my Dominican stylist what she thought about me getting a relaxer before I went, you know to tame the root so to speak, and she advised me to wait until I got home to get it because she didn’t think the chlorine would be good for my hair with the relaxer just put into it. Now as of right now I was just going to use my Nexxus shampoo and conditioner and let it air dry, but I don’t know what to do with it to tame it. I am African American and Puerto Rican so my hair is slightly curly and wavy but it is really puffy. Since I live in NYC I was thinking about purchasing some Baba de Caracol shampoo and conditioner from a beauty supply, and also some Chi serum. Will the Chi serum help to tame it if I put it on after I put in the leave in conditioner and let it air dry? In general I am asking what products to use in my hair while on vacation and what I can do to tame my hair since it is going to air dry?
I love your site so much and check it daily!
Gracias, me has ayudado mucho!

Hola bella Amanda! I get a little (ok a LOT) homesick when I learn people are from the big apple…

Ok…we’re going on vacation…If your stylist said wait and you trust her, then wait. She knows your hair and she has the best understanding of how your hair will react. Now, I’m not a huge fan of pools, due to chlorine, but sea water is not much better. There’s nothing harsher on hair than a straight shot of salt. Both chlorine and sodium are drying to the hair.
I used to swim a lot, but that’s one of those time you sacrifice vanity. Each day before getting into the pool, I would wet my hair completely, making sure my hair was not just damp, but wet. I think applied a really good deep conditioner, then put on a swim cap. When I was done swimming, I would rinse, shampoo and apply a really good, thick leave-in.

It’s difficult to get those roots to behave when your dealing with humidity, swimming, or just trying to relax. If you can, I recommend you do finger curls, or finger-combing braids after your hair has dried. When I go on vacations, I wear my hair curly, either natural, or finger curls, or wavy, anything other than straight…it’s just too much to worry about and I’m not trying to carry rolos and a hair dryer. Me entiendes?

Also, if you intend to go swimming…buy a good clarifying shampoo. I cannot recall whether or not Nexxus makes one, but any clarifying shampoo should work. I don’t recommend using it on a daily basis, because they tend to dry out the hair, but you want to use it once a week if you plan on swimming frequently.

Hope this helps

LaNegra

Hi new here! I’m Christina. I’m african american with long hair. I’ve gone to a domican salon like twice. Loved it, but i’m deathly afraid to let them perm it. What should i do? Should i try it? Are their perms even made for our hair type? Above all, is it safe?

Hola Christina,

I’m not sure what you are asking. Are you natural and undecided on getting a relaxer? Or, are you unsure about letting your current stylist relax your hair? I cannot tell you whether or not you should relax your hair. That’s a decision that you need to make based on your lifestyle, your ability to maintain relaxed hair, whether at home, or in the salon. One of my cousins decided that she wanted to get a relaxer after she moved away for school. Um…what she didn’t take into consideration was the fact that there were no, ZERO, zilch Dominican salons out where she was. She also didn’t consider the fact that she didn’t know how to do her own hair (spoiled by having a dominican salon on every block) and even when she found a salon that gave a really good relaxer, she couldn’t afford it on a college student’s budget.

If you are uncertain about the stylist then I recommend you watch while she or he is doing someone else’s hair. Watch to see if they condition, if they are are careful with the client. Look to see that they do the things that you want them to do…don’t leave it to chance, or wait until you’re in a stylist’s chair to discover that they are sloppy.

So…I’m not sure I answered your question(s). If I didn’t let me know and I’ll try to help you out.

Suerte

LaNegra