Q: My daughter is a 3b, I think. Back in April, her hair starting coming out around the edges. The doctor prescribed her Nizoral and Selsun Blue. I used it twice and noticed the texture of her hair was changing. I immediately stopped using it, but within a week’s time, I noticed her hair started breaking off. The breaking has not stopped yet. I first told the doctor and she told me that Nizoral can sometimes cause breakage. So she recommended olive oil and mayonnaise. That didn’t work. Then a beautician recommended using another product. That didn’t work. Now she is getting treatments once a week to repair her hair. But that doesn’t seem to be working either. Her hair is extremely dry, brittle and it looks very wiry. Her hair is usually very curly, thick and long. Now it’s a lot thinner, and it seems the breaking is only getting worse. Anytime I run my fingers through it, I get strands of her hair. Please help! Is there ANYTHING out there that can stop the breakage or even remotely get it back to the texture it use to be.
Cozy: This is a very difficult question to answer, especially without knowing the age of your daughter. But the first thing that comes to mind is your child’s diet. Does she take any vitamins? I would keep a journal of her daily food intake and possibly meet with a nutritionist. Second, I would talk with a dermatologist. Her problem sounds like more of a medical issue than an actual “hair” issue. While you are trying to get to the root of the problem, try to be very gentle with her hair so you don’t damage it more. Avoid tight elastics, wash infrequently to retain natural oils and use a generous amount of conditioner in her hair to keep it moisturized.
Q: My daughter has such thick hair. It almost looks like some sort of wig! She hates me touching her hair, but I have to wet it down with a spray bottle and put on a lot of gel to cut down some of the “bigness.” My husband is a barber and he cut a lot of layers into it and keeps it short. Any suggestions on cut and product?
Cozy: You are smart to ask about a cut and products for your daughter’s hair. The proper cut can make all the difference! A common mistake with thick curly hair is to try to “tame” it with a lot of layers. Very often, that will backfire and create that wig look you are describing. In my experience, longer hair with long layers will help avoid that “bigness” you are referring to. The right product is also very important. Try So Cozy Groovy Grape Styling Gel. It is alcohol free, so it won’t dry out the hair, but it will help maintain the natural curl and avoid frizz. Scrunch it into wet hair after bathing and let her hair dry naturally (or use a diffuser”>. You can also use it on dry hair to refresh the curls during the day.
Q: With my fine but thick and frizzy curly hair and my husband’s coarse thick curly hair, we knew our kids would have some major hair issues. We knew we’d have a hat baby — a baby that needs a hat all the time cause his hair is uncontrollable. I have no clue what to do with my baby’s hair. He has my texture, but it’s extremely dry in some areas. It’s coarse in one spot and frizzy. He has a huge mohawk with hair that’s pretty long. I put baby oil on it but it doesn’t help much. I’ve tried not washing it as often but then it looks dirty. Any suggestions?? If he was a girl, I’d actually put it in a ponytail right in the middle of his head. But, as a boy, i don’t think it would look right.
Cozy: Your son absolutely needs a haircut! A baby’s hair does not grow in evenly. Call ahead to a salon and find out who they would recommend to cut your baby’s hair and schedule an appointment with that person. Make the appointment at a good time for your child (not during nap time or when he is hungry”>. Bring along a few toys, a snack or a book to keep him busy and distracted during the haircut. Bring a spare t-shirt in case he doesn’t want to wear the cape. Don’t forget to save the first lock for your scrapbook!
Q: My daughter is in kindergarten and totally hates her hair. She is the only little girl in her class with curls, so she feels different. Because we live in a humid area, it gets really frizzy, which only makes her feel worse about it. How can I help her feel better about it? What styles are good for a child with baby fine, curly hair. What products do you recommend?
Cozy: It’s not easy being different than everyone else. But you need to help her embrace her curls and appreciate them. In order to do that, you need to enhance her curls and get rid of the frizz. When her curls are looking good, she will be able to enjoy them. This took me many years myself! She is so lucky to have someone to help her understand this. Generally speaking, putting some long layers into her hair will enhance the curls. Since you say she has baby fine hair, I would make sure to use a very light styling product that will eliminate frizz without weighing her hair down. Try So Cozy Kooky Kiwi Styling Cream. You can scrunch it into her hair either wet or dry. Never brush her hair, this will create frizz. Rather, comb hair with wide tooth comb when in the tub to remove knots. I recommend combing her hair in the tub while using So Cozy Lucky Lime PreDetangling Treatment. It will remove tangles and condition at the same time, and it smells great too.
Q: Do bangs work with curly hair or not? I want to try something new with my 5-year-old daughter’s tight ringlets.
Cozy: It is very difficult to wear bangs properly with curly ringlets. Instead, try long layers. This will help give her hair a different style, yet will work well with the ringlets.
Q: I don’t like to wash my second-grade daughter’s hair at night because it gets all frizzy and pouffy by morning. But I don’t want her leaving the house in the morning with her hair wet. Is it okay to blow dry a child’s curly hair? If I do, should I use a diffuser?
Cozy: It is fine to blowdry curly hair, but only with a diffuser. There is an alternative to washing her hair in the morning. She should sleep with a loose ponytail or braid, to help prevent her hair from getting out of control overnight. In the morning, you can scrunch in some So Cozy Kooky Kiwi Styling Cream. This will help to reactivate her natural curls and get rid of the frizz from overnight.
