Natural black hair is often very healthy. Once you stop applying texture-altering chemicals and learn your hair's likes and dislikes, you're well on your way toward finding a routine and hairstyles that work for you. You might think breakage is a thing of the past, but you may be causing it without even realizing it. These are four common, sometimes surprising, reasons for breakage in natural hair.

1. Too Much Color
Remember the days when you had to wait two weeks after applying a relaxer before you could color your hair? Yes, those days are in the past, allowing you to play with color like never before. Fire engine red, platinum blonde and even pastel shades are all yours to enjoy. However, just because a whole new world of color is now open to you doesn't mean you can't still damage your hair. In your quest to experiment with a rainbow of shades, understand that too much of a good (or fun) thing can be bad. Natural hair can still break from chemical overload, and chemicals include color.

2. Over-manipulation
You love twist-outs and braid-outs, but you end up retwisting or rebraiding every night because you want a fresh look in the morning. Some women's hair can handle nightly manipulation like this, but others can't. You'll know if your tresses can't deal with all that twisting and braiding because you'll start to see broken off hairs everywhere. Natural hair is generally stronger than chemically processed hair, but it's not indestructible. If too much manipulation leads to problems, you'll have to rethink your favorite styles.

3. Lack of Protein
With no relaxer or color on your hair, you figure it's incredibly strong, so you avoid protein altogether. While a few women have protein-sensitive hair, most of us need a little protein in our lives, even in gentle forms. You can use a protein-rich conditioner like Aubrey Organics GPB Balancing Protein or a leave-in like the ApHogee product linked below. You won't need to use protein products often, so start occasionally with the lightweight options -- about once a month -- and increase or decrease usage based on how your hair responds.
Note: If you use direct heat (flat ironing, blow drying on high heat, etc.) at least once a month, you'll need protein at least once per month, along with a good heat protectant.

4. Going Overboard on Protective Styles
This can be the flip side of over-manipulation: going overboard with protective styling. One of the most enjoyable aspects of natural hair is often how well it holds a style. Some women can twist or braid their hair and have it last for weeks on end. That doesn't mean you should wear a style that long, especially if you're not introducing hydration in the form of cleansing and water-based products. It can be incredibly convenient to fashion a head full of beautiful twists and know they'll last for three weeks, but in the meantime, you must still care for your hair and scalp. Allowing your hair to dry out from neglect is a recipe for breakage.

Credit: about style

The Thread Is Obviously Nt For Guys