The Dominican Paradox?

Chichi

Chichi

New Member
Riddle me this:
Why is it that mostly everyone that we see in a Dominican salon has healthy and in most cases long hair?

I ask since there is high heat used and most are regular customers (going there at least once a week). (For one thing I noticed, when I did my homemade Dominican blowout, my hair was so smooth. For the week I did not lose any hairs while combing, styling or wrapping, so maybe this is a clue...)

So what is the answer, is it the products used, the technique, what? Could someone help with this. I am totally befuddled :confused:. Thx!

Chichi :bdance:
 
Well everyone here knows that I'm an advocate for the Dominican method of doing our hair.

With regards to the heat, Dominicans don't use direct heat. The heat from the hooded dryer, as well as the blower are not directly touching your hair. In contrast, all of the black or white salons that do black hair, use the blow dryer then fry the hair with a flat iron, curling iron or some other tool. The implement is actually touching the hair.

This is not to say that you can't damage your hair by blowing it; I always caution people who do their own blow out to proceed slowly, especially with a professional blower, because it's too easy to burn the hair, but the method, when done correctly is not destructive.

Also, my hair is never limp, lifeless and has body for so long. Comparitavely, when I have had my hair done at black salons, my hair required hot-curlers the very next day.
 
I personally think that alot of people that have long hair that frequent Dominican salon mostly already had long hair. I think that they found that the Dominicans knew how to better manage their hair. Just my opinion though.
 
Thanks webby. I was hoping that you would respond. :) After I did that blowout, it seemed that my hair was maintenance free, I wore it down for a few days then did some nice updos for a couple of days. Whereas, when I was doing the frequent conditioner washes, I would lose a few hairs every day (through combing) and it definitely was not maintenance free.

I am strongly thinking of using a good heat protectant (Aveda Damage Control) and doing this once a week (blowing out the roots only, of course). It was a toss up for me between a professional blow dryer or high-end flatiron and I am sooo glad that I went with the former.

If anyone else does their own blowout or goes to a Dominican salon weekly, I'd love to hear about your experience...

Chichi :bdance:
 
I think it's about the technique as well! :)

Also heat usage doesn't give everyone breakage and damaged hair! After I got my new growth pressed on Christmas, I noticed I had no breakage at all afterwards! IMO, heat can help with blending the two textures (natural & relaxed) to prevent breakge!
Once a week isn't that bad. But excessive heat (IMO, everyday or most-days-out-of-the-week usage) can be damaging!

But I'm on the No Heat Challenge because I've noticed my hair is getting thicker and retaining more length, not necessary to have less breakage! :scratchch Hmmm...I might go on a Less Heat Challenge (once every 2 months or so)! :D
 
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I have never gone to a dominican salon but i notice the same thing when I rollerset as opposed when I airdry in a ponytail. my hair is way more maintenance free when I rollerset. I guess it's because when the hair is straight it tangles less, therefore you lose less hairs when styling. Just my 2 cents. God Bless.;) :wacky:
 
From what I've learned on this board it sounds like it is the technique.

I found this article intersting though:


“Wash and Set…$15.00”
By Jasmine D. Adkins
Photo by Donnie Seals, Jr.


African American women have heard that phrase for about the past 5 years faithfully as the cure to long and straight hair. Growing up I had thick hair. I remember my mother laying me on the counter at the kitchen sink and washing my hair every few weeks. I remember her doing my hair at night, laying it down with “Blue Magic” grease and tying it up with a scarf. As I look back on my years, I see continued evidence of me damaging and shortening my hair by doing the things that I thought would make it grow.

The media has brainwashed African American women into believing that long hair is a goal. Somehow if we cannot fling our hair from left to right we are not acceptable. So we prescribe to the notion that if it can’t be straight, then somehow we are lacking something. I have had a perm for longer than 10 years now and my hair is the shortest and thinnest it’s ever been. I crave the water…and yet I have not jumped in a swimming pool without thinking of my hair in over 15 years.

Recently (say about 4 years ago), I heard of this place - “The Dominican Spot.” Now this shop did not have a name or an exact location, but I heard that ‘The Dominicans’ could make my hair straighter and longer, and softer…for only $15.00!! I was intrigued to say the least. My usual beautician charges upwards of $30.00 (+ tip) for a mere wash and set, and $50.00 (+ tip) for a perm. Being a recent college graduate at the time, I was looking to cut costs as much as I could. Sounding like some kind of underground cult, “The Dominicans” seemed to be the answer to longer, straighter hair with a price tag that would allow me to splurge on myself every week with a trip to the salon. I became a regular and I was hooked. My hair was straight and long, and it was all due to the technique these beauticians used. Let me explain.

The typical washing occurs with some “concoction” of shampoo, which is certainly not equivalent to my usual premium brand of shampoo. But hey, 15 dollars right?!?! Next, you are asked if you want a deep conditioner for $3.00 extra. “Sure,” I say, and they proceed to plop some sort of mixture on my head and I then sit under the dryer for 10 minutes. I come out from under the dryer and I am “rolled” with rollers and sat BACK under the dryer for another 45 minutes. I glance at a Latina woman with very long hair who is just finishing up. Her hair is long and beautiful and halfway down her back. I then say to myself, “That will be me soon!” When the 45 minutes is up, the beautician (who is never the same one that started this process in the first place) takes the rollers out and begins to blow dry my hair with a device known as a roller brush……and THAT is where the mistake is made.

You see, unfortunately my hair texture is not that of a Latina woman, whose hair can withstand the second round of heat and pulling around this brush. When “our” hair is wrapped around that brush and pulled, the root as well as the shaft becomes increasingly damaged. Sure we waltz out of there with long straight hair but for how long? Granted, I was an eager participant for 4 years - until recently.

My hair became so damaged from the “roller- brush-blow-dry,” that I had to cut FOUR INCHES off, and my hair is now the shortest it has ever been. So please listen ladies. Even though it seems like the answer to your “hair prayers;” a wash and set for $15.00?!?! PAY that extra 10 dollars and get your hair treated properly. I have seen young girls in these shops with their mothers getting this treatment, virtually destroying their hair in its adolescent stage. If you must go, I implore you to:

1. Get the wash.
2. Get the set.
3. BUT PLEASE SKIP THE BLOW DRY.
 
Thanks for the article PrettyBrownEyes.. also very informative.

However, I don't think that the AA women in the article were getting only their roots blown straight; it sounds like the hair was being wrapped around the brush and pulled -- ouch! I also don't know what the roller brush is (that she referred to). If it's anything like that revostyler then it is best to stay away.

Chichi :bdance:
 
I agree. I also think it's the technique and the usage of products. At most Dominican salons they have a lot of varying conditioners and perms and you can select the higher end products for an additional fee.

When I go to DS I do not usually get the full blowout. I've gotten two in the last two weeks. Before that I didn't have a blowout since last May or June. Although it makes the hair smoother and the style lasts longer, I find that they can be harsh on the hair if it's done roughly or too frequently.

For years, I wouldn't go to a black stylist because most of them that I encountered wanted to cut my then shoulder blade hair to my shoulders or even shorter. With the exception of one or two Dominican stylists, I personally haven't found too many that wanted to cut all my hair off (maybe trim frequently). I viewed it as most Dominican stylists have long hair or know how to grow their long and therefore I preferred them over black stylists for this reason until recently.

That may sound biased but until recently the majority of the black stylists I went to ALWAYS wanted to cut my hair. I would go in for a style or a wash and set and the entire time they would be asking me to cut my hair into a bob or some really cute short style. JMHO.
 
Good article although I am not a fan of the tone.

I've never been to a Dominican salon that didn't let me bring my own products. So the poo and con concerns are irrelevant, because they are easily fixable. Also I've paid $65 for touchups by black stylists who use crap and didn't even neutralize so cheap products are not the domain of Dominican stylists only.

You gotta keep in mind that you can say no to the blow out. The blow out is a big aspect of the Dominican technique here on the board but very few blacks I know IRL let them do a blowout. Your hair can be swingaliscious without all that heat. Me personally my babyfine strands rip and IMO it is best reserved for those with thick coarse hair whose strands can handle it.

In general, I think the blow dryer heat is damaging except for those few stylists who are really gentle. A 1st year resident at the LOREAL Skin of color conference last year did an analysis of hair that had been blown and it was very damaged, just as damaged as the hair that underwent daily flatironing. If you rollerset tightly there is no real need for the second blowing.

I've learned that running my hair through with a flat iron is less damaging for ME than getting a blow out and my style lasts longer with the irons. Maybe it is a fine hair thing.

I agree that weekly setting can be better than con washing and airdrying if you feel the need to comb your hair during the week. The smoothing of the strands during setting reduces breakage due to friction wearas air drying reduces breakage due to stress so figure out where your breakage comes from and do the opposite.
 
Er well I usually get the full blow out lol. ;) I did this A LOT last year becuase it was just convenient but have cut back a lot and am enjoying my wash and go style. I didn't particularly notice any damage but then again I didn't know about LCHF last year and what to look for. ;) I'm natural so I do the full blow out as opposed to just wash and set to avoid the Shirley Temple look. As per advice, the next time I feel like wearing straight hair (which would probably coincide with my next trim) I will TRY to get just a wash and set and have them blow out the roots one of these days and see how it tunrs out (but it WONT be straight I;m sure--big big curls will be involved).
 
I agree with the article. The roundbrush is full of hair because it rips out hair during the blowout.

In my limited experience at the Dominican salons, I lost the most hair while being set on the rollers. They use a rat tail comb to detangle roots to ends. Even if I just had a relaxer minutes before, my fine 4b roots are more tangled and then than my ends, so a couple of hair balls get ripped out.

But my hair is shinier and straighter after a Dominican wash and set than when I go to a black salon for a wash and set. I think it's the balsalm in the shampoo and the serum they apply after the rollerset.

I retain hair by avoiding salon services when I have a lot of new growth.
 
PrettyBrownEyes said:
From what I've learned on this board it sounds like it is the technique.

I glance at a Latina woman with very long hair who is just finishing up. Her hair is long and beautiful and halfway down her back. I then say to myself, “That will be me soon!” When the 45 minutes is up, the beautician (who is never the same one that started this process in the first place) takes the rollers out and begins to blow dry my hair with a device known as a roller brush……and THAT is where the mistake is made.

You see, unfortunately my hair texture is not that of a Latina woman, whose hair can withstand the second round of heat and pulling around this brush. When “our” hair is wrapped around that brush and pulled, the root as well as the shaft becomes increasingly damaged. Sure we waltz out of there with long straight hair but for how long? Granted, I was an eager participant for 4 years - until recently.

My hair became so damaged from the “roller- brush-blow-dry,” that I had to cut FOUR INCHES off, and my hair is now the shortest it has ever been. So please listen ladies. Even though it seems like the answer to your “hair prayers;” a wash and set for $15.00?!?! PAY that extra 10 dollars and get your hair treated properly. I have seen young girls in these shops with their mothers getting this treatment, virtually destroying their hair in its adolescent stage. If you must go, I implore you to:

1. Get the wash.
2. Get the set.
3. BUT PLEASE SKIP THE BLOW DRY.
Click to expand...

This is the exact problem with the Dominicans salons. If you are a Latina or if you have strong hair, your hair will grow long AND THICK. Thick is the operative word here ladies, because it is possible for hair to grow in a broken fashion and that is why we are always being asked to get trims.

I am not Latina, I am not mixed, I am not 2a/2b/3a/3b/3c, I am 4K to the nth degree, LOL!, with hair that is naturally fine (my Dominican salon owner calls it soft) and fragile to begin with. I went to several Dominican Salon and one of them helped my hair to grow to its current length. But I came to this board because my hair was thin and breaking even though it was past my shoulders, from the weekly rollersets. Telling them not to blow it out or to only blow the roots only helped the problem minimally. Their rollerset methods can damage your hair!

I really recommend airdrying and not manipulating as opposed to even rollersetting. The Dominicans are rough and they rollerset with babyfine tooth combs. I even gave one of them my hairsense bone comb to use and she was still trying to hide all the hair that she took off my head. After she rollerset my hair, she sneakily tried to quickly take out all the hair that was in my comb after the rollerset before I could see it. Dang girl, if I brought my own comb, you shoulda known that I didnt want you to take out a lot of my hair! I firmly believe that it was this type of combing that led to my hair breaking and I have gone to some of the most renowned (if you can say that about a Dominican salon) Dominican salons in NYC, including Mirror Image.

If they ask after they've done your hair if you need a trim say no -- they've probably already given you a free haircut!

Let's be honest here: I think that many people like the Dominicans because they will get your hair so straight and so swingy and bouncy. I have found few black salons that use their technique and when they do they are expensive. However, I feel that the Dominicans were part of my progression to hair health. My hair has grown from chin length when I was in grade school to past my shoulders now. However, it is thinner than it should be because of breakage. I want to have hair that is brastrap AND not broken, and that is why I came to these boards. I am happy that some people on the boards are able to have long hair when they blowdry or flatiron their hair every week (it makes me wonder what they were doing before they came to the boards, but it's all good) or get Dominican blowouts every week. I am not one of these people and this board has helped me to understand that. Thanks for reading and have a good day.
 
megonw said:
I agree with the article. The roundbrush is full of hair because it rips out hair during the blowout.

In my limited experience at the Dominican salons, I lost the most hair while being set on the rollers. They use a rat tail comb to detangle roots to ends. Even if I just had a relaxer minutes before, my fine 4b roots are more tangled and then than my ends, so a couple of hair balls get ripped out.

I retain hair by avoiding salon services when I have a lot of new growth.
Click to expand...

I totally agree! I have fine hair too and I am telling you the way they set can really tear your hair out.
 
PrettyBrownEyes said:
1. Get the wash.
2. Get the set.
3. BUT PLEASE SKIP THE BLOW DRY.
Click to expand...
I Agree! Except, I think it's fine to have your roots blown out every once in awhile. I used to go faithfully every Sunday for two years straight to a Dominican salon for the full monty. Wash, set, deep condition, blow dry, wrap. My hair was down my back in months. The only thing my hair didn't like was the tugging of the brush. My hair became see-through and the ends began to split. Some of the strands even became transparent.
 
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tryn2growmyhair said:
This is the exact problem with the Dominicans salons. If you are a Latina or if you have strong hair, your hair will grow long AND THICK. Thick is the operative word here ladies, because it is possible for hair to grow in a broken fashion and that is why we are always being asked to get trims.

I am not Latina, I am not mixed, I am not 2a/2b/3a/3b/3c, I am 4K to the nth degree, LOL!, with hair that is naturally fine (my Dominican salon owner calls it soft) and fragile to begin with. I went to several Dominican Salon and one of them helped my hair to grow to its current length. But I came to this board because my hair was thin and breaking even though it was past my shoulders, from the weekly rollersets. Telling them not to blow it out or to only blow the roots only helped the problem minimally. Their rollerset methods can damage your hair!

I really recommend airdrying and not manipulating as opposed to even rollersetting. The Dominicans are rough and they rollerset with babyfine tooth combs. I even gave one of them my hairsense bone comb to use and she was still trying to hide all the hair that she took off my head. After she rollerset my hair, she sneakily tried to quickly take out all the hair that was in my comb after the rollerset before I could see it. Dang girl, if I brought my own comb, you shoulda known that I didnt want you to take out a lot of my hair! I firmly believe that it was this type of combing that led to my hair breaking and I have gone to some of the most renowned (if you can say that about a Dominican salon) Dominican salons in NYC, including Mirror Image.

If they ask after they've done your hair if you need a trim say no -- they've probably already given you a free haircut!

Let's be honest here: I think that many people like the Dominicans because they will get your hair so straight and so swingy and bouncy. I have found few black salons that use their technique and when they do they are expensive. However, I feel that the Dominicans were part of my progression to hair health. My hair has grown from chin length when I was in grade school to past my shoulders now. However, it is thinner than it should be because of breakage. I want to have hair that is brastrap AND not broken, and that is why I came to these boards. I am happy that some people on the boards are able to have long hair when they blowdry or flatiron their hair every week (it makes me wonder what they were doing before they came to the boards, but it's all good) or get Dominican blowouts every week. I am not one of these people and this board has helped me to understand that. Thanks for reading and have a good day.
Click to expand...


I hear you I never let them blow anything, roots tips etc. The combs are too small but when luckily for me when I bring my own I don't lose anything. Also there are tons of black West Indian stylists who rollerset cheaply in BK, Jamaica ave in Queens or around White Plains rad in the Bronx.

OT: I always wear my contacts so I can see exactly what is being done to my hair when I got to the salon.
 
I have been emulating the Dominican blowout at home for the past year and I have not noticed any ill effects. Just recently I tried to use no heat in my hair by simply washing and placing in a low bun, and after it dried and I was ready to wash again I noticed how tangled and dry my hair felt and I experienced more breakage this way . I will stick to what works for me.
 
curlybun said:
I have been emulating the Dominican blowout at home for the past year and I have not noticed any ill effects. Just recently I tried to use no heat in my hair by simply washing and placing in a low bun, and after it dried and I was ready to wash again I noticed how tangled and dry my hair felt and I experienced more breakage this way . I will stick to what works for me.
Click to expand...

I thought I was the only one that noticed this. It seems like I lose LESS hair when I flat iron and wrap as opposed to doing the NO HEAT thing in conjunction with a braid out.

Curlybun, may I also ask you this:

When you don't emulate the dominicans, does your hair come out in little tangled balls at the ends as opposed to straight healthy looking ends? (is this too vague, or do you get what I'm tryin to say?)
 
tryn2growmyhair said:
This is the exact problem with the Dominicans salons. If you are a Latina or if you have strong hair, your hair will grow long AND THICK. Thick is the operative word here ladies, because it is possible for hair to grow in a broken fashion and that is why we are always being asked to get trims.

I am not Latina, I am not mixed, I am not 2a/2b/3a/3b/3c, I am 4K to the nth degree, LOL!, with hair that is naturally fine (my Dominican salon owner calls it soft) and fragile to begin with. I went to several Dominican Salon and one of them helped my hair to grow to its current length. But I came to this board because my hair was thin and breaking even though it was past my shoulders, from the weekly rollersets. Telling them not to blow it out or to only blow the roots only helped the problem minimally. Their rollerset methods can damage your hair!

I really recommend airdrying and not manipulating as opposed to even rollersetting. The Dominicans are rough and they rollerset with babyfine tooth combs. I even gave one of them my hairsense bone comb to use and she was still trying to hide all the hair that she took off my head. After she rollerset my hair, she sneakily tried to quickly take out all the hair that was in my comb after the rollerset before I could see it. Dang girl, if I brought my own comb, you shoulda known that I didnt want you to take out a lot of my hair! I firmly believe that it was this type of combing that led to my hair breaking and I have gone to some of the most renowned (if you can say that about a Dominican salon) Dominican salons in NYC, including Mirror Image.

If they ask after they've done your hair if you need a trim say no -- they've probably already given you a free haircut!

Let's be honest here: I think that many people like the Dominicans because they will get your hair so straight and so swingy and bouncy. I have found few black salons that use their technique and when they do they are expensive. However, I feel that the Dominicans were part of my progression to hair health. My hair has grown from chin length when I was in grade school to past my shoulders now. However, it is thinner than it should be because of breakage. I want to have hair that is brastrap AND not broken, and that is why I came to these boards. I am happy that some people on the boards are able to have long hair when they blowdry or flatiron their hair every week (it makes me wonder what they were doing before they came to the boards, but it's all good) or get Dominican blowouts every week. I am not one of these people and this board has helped me to understand that. Thanks for reading and have a good day.
Click to expand...
tryn2growmyhair,

You make some valid points girl, and I feel you on the whole experience -- sounds more like an ordeal :( ...

I never considered how different hair types react to blowouts, so this may definitely be an issue. Whenever I go to a Dominican salon, the stylist would tell that I have hair like the have back home ("indio negro" - whatever that means). One thing I like aboout doing my own hair is that I can take all the care in the world - no tugging and pulling here (though the Dominication stylists never did this either.)

So your point is very valid that your overall results could be determined by your hair type. In fact, I would think that if one has fine hair that a tight rollerset should suffice? My roots though have a life of their own and need heat in order to get straight (and stylist told me this as well). The rest of my strands are straigthened by the roller.

Chichi :bdance:
 
curlybun said:
I have been emulating the Dominican blowout at home for the past year and I have not noticed any ill effects. Just recently I tried to use no heat in my hair by simply washing and placing in a low bun, and after it dried and I was ready to wash again I noticed how tangled and dry my hair felt and I experienced more breakage this way . I will stick to what works for me.
Click to expand...
See, I noticed this just after one time doing the DB that is why I will probably be changing my regimen. I thought that I was doing the right thing air drying all this time but I even lose a few hairs while taking out the srcunchie or good day pins. After the DB, I was amazed at not losing hairs. So it is good to learn that you could still have good results after one year.

curlybun, how many times a month do you do the DB?

Chichi :bdance:
 
A. Dickey says the same thing in his book Hair Rules: The Ultimate Hair-Care Guide for Women with Kinky, Curly, or Wavy Hair. He says that blow drying should be done in moderation; done only when necessary and set when the hair is sopping wet. He recommends using a hair hood dryer because it 1). holds the style 2). keeps the hair in good condition.
 
I can see your points on both sides. I agree that when the hair is silky straight with the moisture locked in, it seems to behave better and break less. I havent tried a dominican blowout yet, but when I have my hair done at the salon (flat ironed and wrapped), it is silky straight and doesnt shed or break all week long till my next wash. when its in its regular texture(my hair is relaxed but not bone straight, so when I air dry it isnt straight) it tangles and snags easily and also its hard to retain moisture bc it acts like a sponge.

So for me its deciding is the intense heat damaging over time or is it actually healthier for the hair if done in moderation bc the hair is more managable and requires little manipulation to be styled. All I had to do was wrap it at night, apply a little hair polish when taking down and call it a day. I cant afford regular salon visits right now until I finish school but when I graduate I will consider getting weekly or biweekly wash and sets or blowouts (roots only). I think the style is beautiful and most ppl who Ive seen wear it have lovely looking hair.
 
I used to airdry also and noticed more breakage than if I use heat. I'm not sure what a Dominican Blowout is but I roller set and then blow out my roots and then flat iron and I have almost no breakage between washings. And compared to before not that much breakage on wash day.

I had several hairdressers tell me not to airdry and I ignored them. I have a friend whose hair is waist length and she swears by this method.

I also think it's important when using direct heat not to overdo it. Blowdrying my roots takes a few seconds on each section and I don't drag a brush or comb through it. Flat ironing is the same, I use medium heat and I don't hold the flat iron on any section on my hair for more than two seconds.

Maybe it is true, different hair types respond differently to heat?
 
simcha said:
I used to airdry also and noticed more breakage than if I use heat. I'm not sure what a Dominican Blowout is but I roller set and then blow out my roots and then flat iron and I have almost no breakage between washings. And compared to before not that much breakage on wash day.

I had several hairdressers tell me not to airdry and I ignored them. I have a friend whose hair is waist length and she swears by this method.

I also think it's important when using direct heat not to overdo it. Blowdrying my roots takes a few seconds on each section and I don't drag a brush or comb through it. Flat ironing is the same, I use medium heat and I don't hold the flat iron on any section on my hair for more than two seconds.

Maybe it is true, different hair types respond differently to heat?
Click to expand...

Yes, I agree diff. hair responds differently to heat

Also, I didn't get the wording of your statement, so I must ask, which method does your friend swear by? (air drying or blow drying)
 
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