African-American/Black hair in general is more brittle, coarser, dryer and curlier (nappy) than those of non-African decent. Because of this hair care for a Caucasian would be different than for an African, who needs to be more careful when treating his/her hair because it is more delicate.

Another feature of black hair is that it is irregular in diameter. Neither the fiber diameter nor the cuticle diameter is the same all through its length. Because of this typical structure and coiling structure the hair has many fragile points. The outside of a tight curl puts stress on the outer hair fiber cortex and cuticle. At some points outside the curls, cuticle becomes very thin and flakes easily.These areas of stress in the hair fiber are prone to damage by chemicals. Even vigorous combing is enough to flake the cuticle and damage the hair.
Another undesirable feature of the black hair is its low moisture content. This character also makes the black hair more susceptible to weathering.

Since the black hair is too curly in nature, it is difficult to comb. It is prone to hair breakage and hair shedding.

Because of these difficulties, black hair requires more care than any other type of hair. The following black hair care tips help in preventing some damage to which it is naturally susceptible.