Tips for Combing and Detangling

What could be simpler? Start and the root and tug, right? Wrong! In fro-baby world, up is down and right is left. Fro-babies' hair is more likely to snap from the stresses of combing generally and due to the curly pattern of the hair, more likely to tangle or knot. The best way I've heard to unsnarl these "naps" as we call them down south is with gentle tlc, not an iron fist. Traditionally, the approach has been to "bust those naps" and yes, it sounds as brutal--and for those "tenderheaded" fro-babies (like yours truly) as painful--as it sounds.

First and formost, detangling for fro-babies should involve one key component: lubrication! There is nothing worse than trying to comb dry, tangled, knotted hair--and nothing more damaging! Once Georgia got to be about 3 months or so, a lot of that natural oil in her hair from when she was born started to dry up and her hair became frizzy and began to knot. The Angel Baby Oil I used to eradicate her cradle cap found a new beginning as a daily hair conditioning oil. Not only does the oil help lubricate for easier combing, it also combats the frizzies, so it helps to keep the hair from re-knotting as the day goes by. If your fro-baby's hair is a little finer, you may want to try Noodle and Boo Polishing and Conditioning Mist. This also works well for Georgia for detangling purposes, but she often needs the extra moisture from the oil throught the day. Not all fro-babies do.

Now, on to combing. A while back (a long while back) there was a product for African-American hair sold by a supermodel named Wanakee, whose hair was all the way down her back. One of her tips for helping to preserve length was to start detangling at the ends, not the roots. This is the most effective and least traumatic way I've found to effectively remove knots and tangles.

I usually separate a small area of hair to start and gently comb the ends. If the ends have no tangles I move up about a quarter centimeter up from the ends and continue this way all the way to the roots. If I hit a snag, the best way to untangle is not to yank the comb through the hair, but rather tap the area gently with the teeth of the comb. This loosens the tangle and dislodges some of the hairs from the snarl. It's surprising how many tangles will come out using this method.

If there is a stubborn tangle or an out and out knot, conventional wisdom would chalk that knot up as a loss and go ahead and break it--and the hair off. Lots of knots can actually be pulled apart using your fingers. The best method I've found is to put the knot between your thumb and forefinger and gently pull hairs leading into the knot with the thumb and forefinger of your other hand, continuing to hold the knot. Start with a few strands at a time, always holding the knot. Eventually--in most cases, you can pull the knot completely aloose (is that a word? it is in NC where I grew up :D). Sometimes, there will be a small amount of hair that cannot be unknotted...alas...just means you need to come the hair more often! :D

Hopefully this technique will save thousands of hairs of fro-babies everywhere!

Thou Shalt Do Thy Fro Baby's 'Do

OK, I may get into a little trouble on this one, but I since I'm on a mission to spread information and share experiences, I feel compelled to say a word or two on this subject. I am a big proponent of multiculturalism and this new trend of crossing and erasing racial lines. Every day I see biracial families, both married couples and people who have decided to adopt children of different races, and I feel this is definitely a step in the right direction. What I hate to see, however, is parents of fro-babies and fro-kids who seem to simply "give up" on their child's hair and leave it unkempt, unruly, and unhealthy. Rarely, if ever, do I see parents of non-fro-babies allowing their children's hair to stick out every which way, uncombed, and uncared for. More to the point, the parents of these fro-babies in question comb and groom their own hair! So what gives???

Now, don't get me wrong, I am all for celebrating the beauty and freedom of the curls of the world: tightly coiled, loosely waving, and everything in between. When we let fro-babies' hair do what comes naturally, we see these adorable little angel faces surronded by something akin to a halo, or the sun. And obviously, true fro-babies (which I would term under 1 year) are very much prone to having crazy hair days about which there is little you can do. But the basics for fro-babies are these: Cleanliness, Conditioning, and Combing. For fro-kids, it may involve Cutting (for boys--or girls, depending) and Cultivating--meaning neat braids, ponytails, twists, or something that allows the child to look groomed. If you want your fro-kid's fro to fly free--get it evened up, or cut into a "style" that can look neat.

Don't know how? Ask! Who? Other moms of fro-babies, moms who were fro-babies themselves! Read this blog (I will be putting up some tips for combing and grooming soon)! You would be surprised how many moms (or older sisters, or aunts, or grandmas) of fro-babies are willing to share their secrets. Yes, fro-babies and fro-kids put up fights when you try to do their hair (some do, some don't actually--I sure did), and yes, it's work. But remember that our babies and kids are forming their self-image and their self-esteem in these years, and differences between the hair of fro-babies and non-fro-babies are one of the first things they notice. Teach them to take pride in and therfore take care of their hair, instead of treating it like a big ol' mess. Love your fro-baby or your fro-kid, and do their 'do!

"It's a Curl!"

I mentioned a line of products earlier called Curly Q's, a product line for kids with curly hair (and by curly, they mean nappy, frizzy, wavy, kinky--you know, fro-kids). Well it turns out the company actually makes an organic line of baby hair care products--shampoo, conditioner and leave-in called "It's a Curl!" for fro-babies! Isn't that the cutest? I am curious about this product line, only because as Georgia gets older, her hair is getting curlier (is that a word?) and drier, and I'm not sure that the non-fro-baby products are going to be as useful in the coming months as they were when she was a newborn. So far so good, but the hair is changing...

The "It's a Curl!" products appear to be aloe vera based and contain certified organic ingredients. I'm not certain the entire product is certified organic...or even how that works. I know that a product cannot be called "organic" unless it has been certified by the USDA, but if it contains organic ingredients, it can say so. The product uses natural oils like jojoba and sunflower seed oil, both said to be good for the hair of most people. It also uses a derivative from coconut oil, also good for fro-babies.


I can't say for certain that the "It's a Curl" product line doesn't contain phthalates, since "fragrance" is listed among the ingredients. There are, however, phthalate-free products out there that are fragranced, so unless those other companies are lying, it's possible the fragrance could be a non-phthalate fragrance. I should check to see.

If anyoone tries this product out, I'd love to get a review. We're currently testing out another organic product--which I'll be reviewing shortly.

Holy Phthalates, Batman!

Gee, thanks for the warning, baby product safety guys! About 36 years too late, I’d say! So after all this wonderful field research, I’m reading that a lot of these products could actually contain ingredients that are not just irritating, but HARMFUL! Now, to be fair, I am a bit of an old schooler with the whole “my-mom-used-it-on-me-and-I-never-grew-a-second-head-or-an-11th-toe” mindset, but one can only read so many reports and warnings before it gets a little scary. I've never really been "all about organics" before the baby, but I'm slowly but surely becoming a convert. Why all the crap in the products and food, man? Anyway, being the information junkie that I am, I have to do the research (granted, it’s Elizabeth Hasselbeck-style internet research) and I think it’s only fair I address the issue. If you’re not familiar with phthalates, here’s some newsworthy info:

http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSCOL45600320080204

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ReproductiveHealth/Story?id=4230408&page=1

In the end, only you can decide what’s best for your baby. It’s important to note that most articles state that virtually any time you see “fragrance” it means “phthalates.” Since I blog a lot about these products, it’s only fair that I give a rundown to be a useful as possible.

Here is a list of products I’ve mentioned on this site, categorized by: confirmed as or claiming to be phthalate-free, products that are fragrance-free and therefore may be phthalate-free, and products with fragrance (phthalate content unknown) and products that are confirmed as containing phthalates. Where possible, I have included a link to what the respective companies may have said about phthalates.

Pthalate Free – According to manufacturer, contains NO phthalates
Noodle and Boo – all products (even thought they do contain fragrance)
http://www.noodleandboo.com/chatterbox/2008/01/29/noodle-boo-products-are-100-phthalate-free/
Earth Mama Angel Baby – all products http://www.earthmamaangelbaby.com/ (read left side panel)
California Baby – all products http://www.californiababy.com/ingredients.html
Dr. Bronner’s Baby Mild Soap - http://www.drbronner.com/drb_press_story1.html


Fragrance Free – Phthalate content unknown (probably does not contain phthalates)
Aquaphor Baby Gentle Wash
Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment
Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Moisture Cream
Aveeno Advanced Care (formerly Aveeno Eczema Care)
Mustela Stelatopia Products

Contains Fragrance – Phthalate content unknown
Burberry Baby Touch Products
Mustela Hydra Bebe and 2-in-1 Bodywash - It’s unclear if they use phthalates or not. You be the judge: http://www.mustelausa.com/faqs.php

Definitely Contains Phthalates
Johnson’s Baby Products - most or all http://www.johnsonsbaby.com/phthalatesStudy.do

Other Unknowns
In one post I mention Curly Q’s. Unsure of fragrance or phthalate content. The company’s baby hair care line, “It’s a Curl” is advertised as “organic,” leading me to believe it is phthalate-free, but this is not confirmed.

Hope this was helpful!

A Side Note on Eczema

Another issue we’ve been dealing with that is fairly common among parents of fro-babies is eczema. For whatever reason, there are a lot of babies prone to this skin condition. Georgia has had it since she was only a few weeks old, and had it pretty persistently ever since. Here is a brief summary of what we tried, what worked and what didn’t.

Rx
Our first stop was the doctor, since Georgia was only about a month old when the problem arose. Her first recommendation was .5 % hydrocortisone. We might as well have just put Crisco on her, for all the good it did.

Next: Rx strength 2.5% hydrocortisone. Noticed a slight improvement, but too slight to give it any credit.

After that: Something called “locoid” in the cream form (although the initial scrip was written for ointment). Looks like it is at least “related” to hydrocortisone. I think the actual name is “hydrocortisone butyrate.” We had good results with this by using it in conjunction with Aveeno Eczema Care (Now Aveeno Advanced Care). Unfortunately, we were out of town when we tried this out, so there’s no telling if the change in environment was the real reason. It has not worked so “miraculously” since then.

OTC

.5% hydrocortisone is OTC. I mention it under Rx, only because it was the pediatrician’s recommendation. Didn’t work for us, but might work for you.

Aquaphor – This stuff really appears to be souped-up Vaseline. It basically did nothing and it has mineral oil, which can be irritating. Seemed to make it a little worse. Some people hail it as a miracle cure, though, especially for babies with more melanin in the skin. Anecdotally, I’ve heard that continued use reverses the hyperpigmentation some babies experience after an outbreak. Georgia has the opposite issue, however, as her eczema patches cause pigment loss, so this was not for us.

Aveeno Advanced Care (formerly Aveeno Eczema Care) – this is not to be confused with Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Moisture Cream. (To distinguish: Aveeno Baby has a dark blue top, while this one, Advanced care has a light blue one). This one is not specifically for babies but does say it is safe for baby. We had miraculous results initially, but over time, it’s just been a good thick moisturizer. Lukewarm on this one. Keeps the patches from drying out and flaking, but they never actually go away.

Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Moisture Cream – another false start. Seemed to be working at first, but not “miraculously” so. Contains aloe, which some babies and adults are allergic to. Would work well as a lighter alternative moisturizer to Advanced Care, especially in the summertime.

Gentle Naturals Eczema Care – Ugh! Made it worse! Our cousin in Canada swears by it though, and buys loads of it when she comes here, so you be the judge.

Mustela Stelatopia – Part of the dermopediatrics line. This could work as a basic moisturizer, but I basically noted no change in Georgia’s skin, it was just greasier—more Crisco.

Stelatopia Milky Bath Oil – This is soothing when the baby has new, red, irritated patches. It doesn’t make them go away, but it does clean the baby, reduce redness, and keep the skin from getting irritated further.

Baby Soaps and Washes

Johnson’s Head-to-Toe – Doesn’t irritate too much, but can irritate if patches are already red.
Aquaphor Baby Gentle Wash – Seems to keep irritation at bay, good stuff
Cetaphil Skin Cleanser – Just made it worse, no idea why
Mustela Stelatopia Skin Cleanser – Basically no change, but gentle.
Mustela Hair and Body Wash – slightly irritating, didn’t help. Weird smell.
Dr. Bronner’s Baby Mild Castile Soap – Used by a lot of children and adults with eczema. No fragrance but good “clean smell” Irritated Georgia’s skin as a brand newborn, but well-tolerated after 6 months.

Cosmetic Lotions

Johnson’s Moisture Care Baby Cream – Nice, thick body cream, with classic Johnson’s Baby Lotion scent. Did not seem to irritate, but probably too much for every day use. Every now and then, it seems to be o.k.

Noodle and Boo Supersoft Lotion – Did pretty well on her skin. Started seeing some improvement in dryness and reduction (basically no new occurrence) of new patches, but again, no real disappearance of the existing patches. Has a really unique and pleasant smell, although some might find it too strong or sweet. Expensive!

Mustela Hydra Bebe – Suspect it to be mildly irritating, but not terribly so. Smells great on baby, but probably not for sensitive babies.

Hard to find but worth mentioning:

When we took Georgia down south to visit my parents and to have her baby dedication, and we used Burberry Baby Touch foaming wash and baby balm on her because it was a "special occasion." I bought and used these products as an adult because I loved the smell, but they really were for baby. Georgia’s skin began clearing up immediately. We were also using Locoid and Aveeno on the affected areas, so I may have wrongly attributed the improvements to the Locoid cream and Aveeno Eczema (now Advanced) Care, but it’s so hard to tell. It could have been the Burberry.

Even though it has fragrance, I’m guessing it has special ingredients because it’s definitely touted as a baby product. I don't want to hype it up too much, though, since the line is no longer in wide distribution (and the products cost an arm and a leg when it was). It may even been discontinued. A shame, too. Everyone commented on how good she smelled whenever they held her, and her skin felt great! Maybe it didn’t clear her skin, but it certainly didn’t irritate it! I should mention too, that it’s priced and in some places marketed as an adult fragrance. We only used it once, so, not sure how well it would work.