AssociatedContent.com is packed with interesting articles that always seem to make me say "Hmmm".  You can find an article on just about anything if you look hard enough.  Today I came across and article by Shaundra Williams, a former stylist and consumer educator, titled "The Golden Rule For African American Hair Growth".  In the article she breaks down some hair growth myths, bad ingredients and gives product suggestions.  Now I know that all rules are not for everybody and that everyone's hair is different, but I feel that we can all learn from each other.  Will these rules guarantee insane amounts of growth?  It may and it may not, but for hair to grow long and healthy you must understand basic do's and do nots...

Here are some of the highlights....

On Moisture:  "You must deep condition Black hair, at least once per week for it to thrive. A conditioner is nothing more than a cream that is applied to the hair to smooth the cuticle, soften the hair, add sheen, and restore moisture. Although conditioning your hair cannot make it grow---it can reduce shedding and breakage. As a result, your hair will actually become longer".

On Shampoo:  "As an African American you must protect against dry hair, but you also have to protect against an unhealthy, clogged, and dirty scalp. You need to wash your hair at least once per week. However, you cannot do this with cheap shampoos or high priced shampoos that contain the same harmful ingredients as the low priced, disguised under better brand labels".

On No-No Ingredients:  "Do not purchase cheap products with hair stripping ingredients, such as sulfates, alcohols, glycols, and silicones (any ingredient ending in the word "cone"). This eliminates about 96% of black hair care products available on the market".

To read the entire article and for the author's contact info click here.