Hair...The Black Woman's Curse?

[DragonPearl]

yes. this is how i usually wear my hair... either that, or up in a puff. now if i were less knowledgeable about natural hair, i'd probably rip thru my hair on detangling day and get done faster, but ruin my ends. instead i detangle once a week in sections... yes it takes me a little over an hour but then i don't mess with my hair for another week so that's how i justify it.

Oh, and you sleep on it like that for like 7 days?

[nodisrespect]

I have said it before, our 4 a/b hair requires more conscious care to retain length. I don't take this as a put down of our hair or as a reason to feel inferior to non-blacks.

I am sure orchids and roses that require more care to grow and flourish don't think they are less beautiful than wild flowers that grow without care.

Am I the only one who saw the beauty AND the cleverness in this here?

Look

At the end of the day every race has its advantages and disadvantages when it comes to cosmetic issues.
I don't think any of it is a curse

Okay, so it might be easier for other races to retain length. On a scientific biological level their hair has characteristics that do make it easier. So what? That doesn't mean we can't have it long and strong, that just means we have to have regimes that take in account these factors and stay consistent with what every works. Thats it...End of Story, It isn't that serious

Think about it this way......Black women as a whole have better skin....We all know the saying, black don't crack. While I see more older black women looking better than their white counterparts, it doesn't mean that a white women can't age gracefully. They might have to use a higher SPF, start anti-aging treatments at an earlier age but that doesn't mean she can't retain great skin if she puts the work it. Our hair is no different. I personally love the fact that we have great skin genetics. You can buy some hair, you can't really buy great skin.

Indian women have great hair as well but they also have problems with body hair and hyperpigmentation as well.

Bottom line..... You can have it all, great skin, nice hair, nice nails but you might have to work harder for it in some areas but isn't that like with everything in life.
__________________

I posted this is in the other thread so I wanted to post this here too

I don't understand why some people are taking it as a bad thing to describe black hair as different. How could anyone deny our hair is not the same as whites, hispanics, and asians? I'm slightly less astonished but equally dismayed to see comments that claim curly hair can retain length equally as easily as straight hair... I will have to go and get some hardcore scientific facts to back this one up, because I am sure I have read otherwise...

While I do that, ladylibra may I ask you a question? What is it that led you to this board if your hair grows and retains length naturally with no specific or consistent routines? Or do you have a certain kind of hair that is different from mine and many of the other women on this board who have to take conscious care in order to maintain our hair and length? I hope you do not take this sarcastically, because I don't mean it that way, but please tell me why it is that your black hair grows effortlessly and most of ours do not?

[gymfreak336]

Am I the only one who saw the beauty AND the cleverness in this here?





I don't understand why some people are taking it as a bad thing to describe black hair as different. How could anyone deny our hair is not the same as whites, hispanics, and asians? I'm slightly less astonished but equally dismayed to see comments that claim curly hair can retain length equally as easily as straight hair... I will have to go and get some hardcore scientific facts to back this one up, because I am sure I have read otherwise...

And this is why I am very thankful that I live in this day in age where so much science has gone into understand hair and making better quality products as a result. With the heat technology and everything else, this is one of the best times to be in cosmetically speaking. There is so much we know now and have acess too.

[ladylibra]

Oh, and you sleep on it like that for like 7 days?

yes ma'am. on a satin pillowcase. i do co-wash thru the week, but no additional styling.

[trini_rican]

And this is why I am very thankful that I live in this day in age where so much science has gone into understand hair and making better quality products as a result. With the heat technology and everything else, this is one of the best times to be in cosmetically speaking. There is so much we know now and have acess too.

Soooo true.

[Mystic]

Not so sure about this. I have seen white coke addicts, unhealthy eaters with long, bouncy healthy hair. I have seen blacks who eat healthily and take vitamins like it's going out of style and their hair hardly seem to grow. Every individual is different - it's hard to generalize the way you have.

Actually, white women are more healthy than average black women because of their diets. Proven fact. And they have better nutrition and take more vitamins than the average black woman does. Which will explain the hair growth. Usually white woman with terrible diets do not have the best looking natural hair or skin.

[gymfreak336]

Soooo true.

I love my skin and hair science. My family already has great genetics when ti comes to skin but now, with the products you can even get a drug store I am going to look ULTRA SEXY come 65

Genetics loads the gun but the environment pulls the trigger

[trini_rican]

Yes there are pockets of purely black latinos, but most latinos are mixed. If I see a dark latino in the streets of Santo Domingo, I have no way of knowing what her mixture is so I can't use her to illustrate anything about 4 a/b hair.

People of Ethiopian and Soudanese descent also have had a lot of intermixing with other groups due to the pivotal location of their countries. Aborigenes of Australia, most of them have hair that's not 4a/b.

And African Americans have no intermixing???? Okaaaaaay!

Here's where we'll agree to disagree.... or else we could be here all night

[trini_rican]

I love my skin and hair science. My family already has great genetics when ti comes to skin but now, with the products you can even get a drug store I am going to look ULTRA SEXY come 65

Genetics loads the gun but the environment pulls the trigger

Girlie, check out the latest photos of Stacey Dash on the cover of King! I'm like - ok Mama gotta get to work on skin and body because I aspire!!!

[DragonPearl]

yes ma'am. on a satin pillowcase. i do co-wash thru the week, but no additional styling.

Good for you.

I can't do that with my 5a/b hair.

[trini_rican]

yes ma'am. on a satin pillowcase. i do co-wash thru the week, but no additional styling.

OT - I love your hair...back to our regularly scheduled program

[ladylibra]

Genetics loads the gun but the environment pulls the trigger

wow.. POWERFUL quote!!!

[gymfreak336]

Girlie, check out the latest photos of Stacey Dash on the cover of King! I'm like - ok Mama gotta get to work on skin and body because I aspire!!!

Oh, I peeped that already. I am pulling out one of my Taebo DVDs 2NITE!! I sent the pic to my SO, All he said was that was a BAAADDDDD ****!

[gymfreak336]

wow.. POWERFUL quote!!!

I got that from a scientist, Her first name is Judith, I don't remember her last name right now. That statement can be applied to just about all issues, mental health, illness etc...

[nodisrespect]

gymfreak are you now or ever have been perhaps a psych major? This is the second time I've thought that reading your comments.

ladylibra, I edited my post so maybe you didn't see my question? I'll post it again just in case:

While I do that, ladylibra may I ask you a question? What is it that led you to this board if your hair grows and retains length naturally with no specific or consistent routines? Or do you have a certain kind of hair that is different from mine and many of the other women on this board who have to take conscious care in order to maintain our hair and length? I hope you do not take this sarcastically, because I don't mean it that way, but please tell me why it is that your black hair grows effortlessly and most of ours do not?

[ladylibra]

Good for you.

I can't do that with my 5a/b hair.

nothing wrong with that! and truth be told, i'd probably be better off in protective styles. but just like some women can eat any and everything and still be skinny, whereas others say a doughnut makes them gain 10 lbs. instantly.

do you have a Fotki? if so i'm off to peekd at your pics...

[trini_rican]

Oh, I peeped that already. I am pulling out one of my Taebo DVDs 2NITE!! I sent the pic to my SO, All he said was that was a BAAADDDDD ****!

I just showed my DH and brother and their eyes nearly came out of the sockets She's a beauty. I can't do Tae Bo yet but when I drop this baby, Lord have mercy! I got some work to do.

[DragonPearl]

And African Americans have no intermixing???? Okaaaaaay!

Here's where we'll agree to disagree.... or else we could be here all night

Sure AA have intermixing. But when it comes to Ethiopians, Sudaneses and Erythreans, I usually can tell who they are when I see them here in the Bay Area. Most (NOT ALL) have a certain look and they have a certain type of hair.

And no, I don't want to be there all night either.

[gymfreak336]

gymfreak are you now or ever have been perhaps a psych major? This is the second time I've thought that reading your comments.

ladylibra, I edited my post so maybe you didn't see my question? I'll post it again just in case:

No, never been but psych interest me. I am a biochem student currently but I might be full fledged biology this fall. I have enough chem credits to finish with a minor in chem.

The thing that interests me the most about people and their thought processes is the lack of deductive reasoning and critical thinking skills people use.

[gymfreak336]

I just showed my DH and brother and their eyes nearly came out of the sockets She's a beauty. I can't do Tae Bo yet but when I drop this baby, Lord have mercy! I got some work to do.

Congrads on the baby!