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| America is fascinated with fear. |
As a cosmetologist, fear in hair care behooves me. To be honest, it was working with women who were afraid of their own hair while working as a social worker is what got me behind the chair in the first place.
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| Exhibit A - The famous coveted "protective silk" scarf. |
Yep, during my social work days I can not tell you how many women had children services involved in their homes for lack of hair care, abuse with hair care, trafficking drugs for hair, fighting over hair, stealing hair; they got into all kinds of mischiefs about hair. Well, everything but caring for their hair or their children's hair themselves. Why? I asked myself that question on several occasions.
The same answer I got over 15 years ago is the same answer I get today. Fear. Don't get me wrong, America is a great place to live. However, if there is one thing I would like to change about our country, it would be our abuse and misuse of fear. Quite naturally in some instances. fear serves a great purpose. Like when there is a bear, you broke your momma's lamp or your water broke. We all can agree, a good dose of fear comes naturally and quickly in those examples. Yet, when it comes to hair, why is there so much fear?
In this blog, I will take on the fear that many women have in caring for their hair under the guise of "protective hairstyles." Yes lawd, these people with this natural hair movement need to go somewhere and sit down. I get the natural part, but the movement throws me. For starters, the guise of "protective hairstyles" that are being promoted by this natural hair movement is moving people in the wrong direction in many instances. Because this topic can get long. I will briefly cover 3 ways that "protective styles" within the natural hair movement, unknowingly promoting "NO HAIR CARE."
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| Exhibit B - The most recent "protective" hairstyle, "Latch Hook" braid style. |
The first way is fear. There are many women out there who are abandoning hair care in the name of protection for fear. They actually believe that if they comb, can't comb it, wash it, use sulfates, use man made products that their hair will fall out. That is not true. Have no fear because "protective hair styles" are just a fancy way of saying, "keep your hand out of your hair." That concept works great for those who just won't stop combing, weaving, styling, coloring, relaxing and everything in between every time you turn around with their hair. Yes, braiding it up will temporarily suffice.
The "temporarily suffice" leads me to the second way that the "protective hairstyling" is unknowingly promoting fear and a clique mania within the natural hair movement. Protective hairstyles purpose is to physically cover the hair to reduce friction that often causes breakage and loss of length. Protective hairstyles do not clean hair. Nor does protective hairstyles fortify and reconstruct hair. If protective styles in all its array of choices are your prerogative to protect and grow your hair...then; "Do what you wanna do!" (In my Bobby Brown voice). Protective hairstyles simply cover your hair. Nothing more and nothing less.
But, make no mistake protecting and growing hair will never result in strong, fortified hair that will withstand the rigors of manipulating hair in its many ways. Manipulating hair is typically done via braiding, wrapping, flat ironing, combing, brushing, wearing a scarf, chemically altering it, getting it wet and so on. Hair needs protein to fortify the second layer of hair to keep it strong enough to handle manipulating it. Hair also needs reconstructors to repair the cuticle layer which is responsible for the shine and feel on our hair.
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| How many braids do we braid on a daily? Me say, "Money, I mean many many many!" |
The third and final problem with the promotion of "protective hair styling" is cleanliness. Next to dehydration, nothing weakens and compromises hair in every way imaginable than dirty hair. Keeping your hair covered, braided or with weaves to keep your hands out of it to keep from breaking your hair off and losing your length is understandable. However, what you really need to understand is that the yeast, dirt, and growing bacteria is the perfect breeding ground for hair eating and follicle (the tiny hole that your hair grows from) compromising micro-organisms that will always result in weak, limp, damaged, over processed, lackluster, thinning, smelly, scaly scalp, lice, and nit infested hair. That is; when you take it down.
I so get the importance of embracing what God gave you by way of hair texture. But what good will pointing out the beauty of your God given hair (regardless your race, texture and length) if you do not wash it properly with the correct products formulated for your unique hair fabric? What good is protecting your natural hair if you cover it, braid it or "weave" it and you will not wash it and fortify it? What good is it to boast and brag about being natural and going natural when you are too busy to care for it? What good is it to be "natural" if you do not want to learn how to do it yourself or invest in someone who can?
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| Hair nits. The struggle is real. Do not use hair straight from the package. Clean the artificial hair first. |
I will reiterate how I get the movement. I understand. I too promote braiding it, covering it , and weaving it. But, where the movement is going and who are allowed to go on it, remains something of an enigma to me? Using fear and ignorance, coupled with unresponsible leadership will continue to move those with hair in the illusive wrong direction of protective styles that require no care, no treatment, no cleaning, no nothing; well not at least for 3 weeks to 3 months. That will never suffice and result in strong shainy hair.
In closing, would you Google a movement, followed its directions and buty their endorsed products to protect your vagina like that?
Exactly!
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